Seeking Hawaii advice

Another vote for Kauai, but you can't really go wrong on the big island either - I just like the "fewer people, less traffic" vibe of Kauai. We've stayed on both sides, they both have their pros/cons.
Whichever island you pick, you'll have fun.
 
The times I have visited when large eruptions are happening or just have, it definitely changes the dynamic of the visit. Such an awe inspiring thing to see but if people are being impacted you want to be respectful and not be a dumb tourist pressuring emergency services and gawking. We were on the Big Island during the heart of the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and it was an amazing experience. Totally changed our trip plans as we spent a lot of time observing safely from the Saddle Road. It was easily viewable but in a remote area so property damage was minimal. Our visit in 2018 when Kīlauea was erupting was different. We steered clear of that side of the island and the mood was markedly different. That eruption destroyed a bunch of homes unfortunately.

Some pics from the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption. One of the most interesting trips we’ve taken to the Big Island. We were also there for the 2011 Tsunami after the EQ in Japan. That was another unique experience.

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View from our condo.

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jasmillo said:
The times I have visited when large eruptions are happening or just have, it definitely changes the dynamic of the visit. Such an awe inspiring thing to see but if people are being impacted you want to be respectful and not be a dumb tourist pressuring emergency services and gawking. We were on the Big Island during the heart of the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption and it was an amazing experience. Totally changed our trip plans as we spent a lot of time observing safely from the Saddle Road. It was easily viewable but in a remote area so property damage was minimal. Our visit in 2018 when Kīlauea was erupting was different. We steered clear of that side of the island and the mood was markedly different. That eruption destroyed a bunch of homes unfortunately.

Some pics from the 2022 Mauna Loa eruption. One of the most interesting trips we’ve taken to the Big Island. We were also there for the 2011 Tsunami after the EQ in Japan. That was another unique experience.
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Wow, you really have a knack for timing your visits to Hawaii, don't you? HI Chamber of Commerce should start sending you coupons to go to Mexico or Costa Rica instead.
 
I was on the Big Island years ago, and also went there as a kid when we lived on Oahu for a year and a half.

Kona is a great area to stay, no idea on the fishing beyond what others have told you. A large group of friends and I rented a condo just south of Kona and it was during the Ironman Triathlon.. not planned on our part, but it was fun and amazing to watch.

One of our daily activities was waiting for the "green flash" to happen, sitting in a bar and hoping to see it. Saw it 4 evenings, missed one evening when a cruise ship was between us and it..

We drove around the island and did all sorts of stuff. I played some golf, once at one of the high end courses. We played for free after a timeshare presentation.. was good at the time, but I wouldn't bother again although it did give us some good discounts throughout the week. A couple of us did a 1/2 day fishing trip, about 5 miles off the coast. It was gear, I got a baitfish of some sort, and one of the others on the boat got a mahi mahi! One of my favorite fish, so cool to see one caught in person. I'll have to see if I have any pictures of it.. don't think I do.

For me though, I've always wanted to go to Kauai and Maui.. Kauai sounds like the trip I would do.

Enjoy! Now I want to plan another trip to visit! It's been too long...
 
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Just an fyi whenever going during an active eruption of Kilauea (or Mauna Loa for that matter)...the normal prevailing trade winds can make breathing difficult for those sensitive to the fumes, and it will make you eyes water at times...the vog will be concentrated along the southwest coast...
 
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FWIW....my family and I love all the islands. We've been going at least once and sometimes twice a year for thirty years. We've done the high end and the less expensive super touristy resorts of Waikiki. Of all the islands we keep gravitating back to Maui. If you've never been to the islands and are not sure what kind of experience you want, Maui is just big enough to drive easily to any part of the island without feeling like you're wasting half a day driving. Kihei and Kaanapali are the stereotypical touristy areas...Wailea, Makena and Kapalua have a quieter high end feel....Paia is total surfer hippie vibe...Kahalui is total local town...upcountry Makawao, you have Haleakala, Iao, and the road to Hana. We've even taken the ferry to Lanai...the Cat Sanctuary is pretty cool. They also have a local artists festival in a different part of the island every Friday night. We always go straight from the airport to Costco to load up (and like others have said, they have some unique local stuff). We feel the first day is still a good day as you arrive early afternoon and still have plenty of the day to explore before you even check in. We ALWAYS get a condo as making your own food and a washer and dryer are mandatory for us as we do a lot of activities.

Kauai surprised us as not all condos had a full kitchen. Because there are few roads on Kauai, traffic can be very heavy at certain times of the day. All the one lane bridges and the narrowness of the roads really make you feel like you've definitely travelled someplace different.

North Shore of Oahu is really nice. Honolulu is a CITY! A traffic jam is crappy....even in paradise.

Big Island is big! A lot of friends really like the island of Hawaii best. They tend to like the golf and the resort areas. The fishponds by the Fairmont are pretty cool!

Gotta do a luau at least once....but probably only once : ). My own experience....cost doesn't seem to matter....they're all pretty much the same.

Fishing is everywhere!

You'll have a blast....and like most trips...the anticipation is half the fun.

BTW....I do think Hawaiian Airlines does a better job than Alaska....even though they're both the same company now.

Mark
 
Merle said:
Zak - Here's one more vote for the Big Island, specifically the Kona coast. I've been there three times, and while I can't say I've figured out how to consistently catch fish there, there is a lot of opportunities to explore beaches with a fly rod. While there are bones in A-Bay (like @mems used to report on catching), I always just chased the Omilu and Papio (juvenile Trevally) by fast stripping a flashy minnow imitation. Even the small trevally will put a good bend in an 8 weight rod.

It's still tough fishing, especially as you are trying to find good spots to fish. You can spend a lot of time on Google Maps satellite view doing reconnaissance before your trip and drop pins on your phone as places to check out. The first time I was there @Mingo told me to try to find water where you can't see the bottom and cast to it. Which can be tough because it seemed everywhere I went the lava fingers extended so far out that it was tough to get to deep water. But it can be done.

Good luck and have fun!
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There be O’io (bones) and U’lua (gts) in those areas.
 
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Do I need any license or permit to fish in the salt (or freshwater) in Hawaii?
 
Zak said:
Do I need any license or permit to fish in the salt (or freshwater) in Hawaii?
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For saltwater, no (unless they've changed the rules). For freshwater you need a license. The first time I went I was going crazy trying to find out how to buy a saltwater license online, until I finally realized there was no license requirement in the salt.
 
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Zak said:
Hi Friends,

My wife and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary on September 23. We are not wealthy and we haven't done much traveling for pleasure. Neither of us has ever been to Hawaii.
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I know next to nothing about Hawaii but more importantly wish y'all congratulations on your 25th anniversary!
 
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Matt B said:
Wow, you really have a knack for timing your visits to Hawaii, don't you? HI Chamber of Commerce should start sending you coupons to go to Mexico or Costa Rica instead.
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My wife and I have chatted about this before.
We’ve had some interesting experiences on vacation. Eruptions in HI, tsunami in HI, decent sized EQ in Costa Rica in January 2020, record heat in AK in 2019, encounter with the same sow and cubs that killed a hiker in a few days later on the Wapiti Lake trial in YNP in July 2011, etc.

My least favorite experience was coming across a downed bike rider early in the morning on the Great Ocean Road in Australia in 2016. His riding partner was standing beside him on the phone with emergency services. He had a massive heart attack riding up a hill and our efforts at CPR did not save him unfortunately. Luckily about 5 minutes after I stopped, a car with some folks up in CPR training stopped and took over. At least it gave him a shot. Not crazy unusual, people die of heart attacks a lot. The wierd thing is my wife and I got to the hotel that night and the first story on the National news was how a former Hall of famer/mvp type Australian football player died of a massive heart attack riding the Great Ocean road. His name was Paul Couch. Unfortunate, fairly young dude too (early 50’s).

In the end though, my wife and are are blessed to be able to take multiple trips a year so odd stuff is bound to happen!
 
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