The most frequently asked questions about Hawaii from a local

05.09.2024 - 15:08 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 5, 2024 • 5 min read

As a born-and-raised Hawai'i local turned travel writer, I get loads of questions about visiting the islands, and I’m always excited to share my insights. After all, the best way to experience Hawaii – and the many cultures that make it in the incredible place that it is – is by exploring beyond the tourist hubs. From the beaches to the hikes to the locally-owned businesses, here are the answers to your most frequently asked Hawaii questions, from a local.

This is, without a doubt, the most common question I’m asked about Hawai'i, and that may be because the answer isn’t a one-size-fits-all. The best island in Hawai'i to visit depends on your personal interests.

O‘ahu is where you’ll get the most “city life” of all the islands, and it’s also the one with the most well-known surf competitions. Maui is known for its romantic atmosphere, so it’s particularly popular with couples, though families can more than enjoy themselves at sights like the Road to Hana and Surfing Goat Dairy. If you’re a waterfall chaser or hiker at heart, Kaua‘i is the island for you. The Big Island of Hawai‘i is as diverse as it is large – with beaches, rainforests, deserts, and snow-capped mountains – and it’s the only island with active volcanoes. Then, there are the two smallest (visitable) islands: Lana‘i and Moloka‘i. Both are fantastic for off-the-radar trips, but the former has more tourism infrastructure.

I usually recommend a minimum of four to five days per island. So if you’re staying for a week, it’s best to stick to one island. If you’re visiting for ten days, you can definitely visit two islands, and if you’re hanging around for two weeks, you can hit up to three!

While many may think that there are roads or ferries between islands, that’s not the case for the most part. Between Maui and the small islands of Lanaʻi and Molokaʻi, there are thrice daily ferry trips. Other than that, you’ll have to hop on a plane to get from one island to another.

To visit Hawaiʻi’s most active volcano, you’ll need to head to Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i. From there, you’ll drive to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, home to Kilauea and Mauna Loa, the two liveliest active volcanoes in Hawaiʻi. This is the only place you’ll see any sort of geothermal activity on any Hawaiian Island.

While Kilauea erupted almost continuously from 1983 to 2018, its eruptions – and Mauna Loa’s eruptions – are now more sporadic. There could be a little bit of lava flowing on your trip, though there are certainly no guarantees. Similarly, the eruptions are nothing to be afraid of either. It’s rare for them to cause any sort of damage to people or structures. If you do happen to find yourself visiting the area near the volcano during a