Which Hawaiian Island Should you Visit?

Hawaii is a diverse island in size, culture, and population, so you’ll want to choose your island wisely. We have crafted this guide to help you pick the best option for you and your family.

Whether you seek the best waves in the world, local culture, and cuisine, or warm sun and sand, there’s an island to suit your needs. Although Hawaiian Islands differ in location and culture, they are united by a strong sense of aloha. Aloha is much more than a greeting. It’s a genuine expression of feelings from the heart. Whatever Hawaiian island you choose to visit, one thing’s for sure – you’re going to encounter the spirit, as you’ll discover in this guide best Hawaiian Islands to visit.

Oahu

Aside from being Hawaii’s capital and largest city, Oahu is an extremely unique destination. It is the only place on earth where you can dive into a rainforest, surf monstrous waves, view award-winning cityscapes, and goof around on a Disney resort. 

Honolulu itself is full of history and cultural attractions, including Pearl Harbor tours, the Iolani Palace and Honolulu Museum of Art.

Maui

This scenic island has a wide range of water sports and whale-watching opportunities and is both glamorous and scenic. Besides containing some of the swankiest resorts and best beaches in the Hawaiian Islands, Maui is also a land of exceptional natural diversity.  Active adventurers will find Maui best suited to their needs, while beach lovers will find plenty of luxury resorts to luxuriate in.

Kauai

Kauai is not called the island of gardens without reason. Kauai consists mostly of tropical rainforest and attracts hikers, nature lovers, and bird-watchers (the island is home to Hawaii’s only species of black-masked honeycreeper, a yellow-and-olive species common to the Kauai Mountains).

The Big Island

A geologically young island and twice the size of all the other Hawaiian Islands combined; Hawaii Island (aka the Big Island) is approximately the size of Connecticut. The Big Island’s population is just 185,000, and most of its towns are unchanged for over a century, so it has a more rural small-town flavor.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with its largest volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea, is Big Island’s top attraction without a doubt. 

Lanai

Although Lanai is relatively small (only 18 miles long and 13 miles wide to be exact), it has a lot to offer. Previously owned by private individuals but open to visitors, Lanai was once a pineapple exporter, hence its nickname Pineapple Island. Though Lanai is now more known for its luxury resorts, the majority of its population comes from plantation workers.

Molokai

Molokai, the least populated of the Hawaiian islands, is ideal for tourists who want to immerse themselves in authentic Hawaiian culture, especially since it has the state’s highest Native Hawaiian population. It’s not the kind of place where tourist resorts exist and bus tours are rare. The appeal of Molokai lies in its quietness and (slow) pace. Nonetheless, adventure seekers will find plenty to appeal to them on the island.