What are the best islands to visit and why?

What are the two best islands to visit in Hawaii?

• My fiancee and I are looking to take a honeymoon in Hawaii during the first two weeks of September. We want to visit at least two islands, but we don't know where to begin. We want the full experience of the Hawaiian islands, but also want to maintain some privacy for romantic occassions. We're also on a bit of a budget (around $6,000 to spend). We like what what we've heard about the Big Island and Maui, but we need advice/recommendations.....help!!!!!

• Answer:

  You're going to Hawaii right around the same time of year as my husband and I when we went on our honeymoon! :) We've been to Oahu, the Big Island and Maui. Out of the those 3 islands, Maui is by far our favorite though. It's not too overcrowded, so I don't think you'd have any problem finding privacy for romance :) My husband and I like to do more adventurous things on our vacations, so Maui fit the bill perfectly because it seemed like we would never run out of new things to see there. The scenery ranges from jungle, to beaches, to taro fields, and the more barren Mt. Haleakala summit. There's lots of great spots for hiking, tons of beaches, lava tubes that you can explore, the famous Road to Hana (everyone recommends this, and it really was worth doing), a zip line tour etc. Plus, there's all of the other things you'd expect to do while in Hawaii like snorkeling, scuba diving, luaus etc. Maui also has some great restaurants, and if you're in the mood to shop, Lahaina has tons of cute little shops (even I, a non-shopper, had fun checking them out!) As far as your budget of $6000 goes, I think it's totally doable as long as you don't spend too much on your accommodations. We stayed in 3 star hotels every time we were in Hawaii, and were quite happy with how it turned out....You may want to consider ordering the Hawaii edition of the Entertainment Book (http://www.entertainment.com/discount/home.shtml) ... if you haven't heard of it, it's basically a giant coupon book that you buy for $35, but it has so many coupons in it, that it will pay for itself for sure. We've used it on every trip to Hawaii so far. In regards to the other 2 Hawaiian islands we've seen: If you want a big city feel check out Oahu. If you love to shop, you'll be a very happy camper in Honolulu! :) However, Waikiki beach was a bit disappointing, as once we entered the water, there were stones underfoot. The Big Island is more rural, but in a tropical sense. Since you have 2 weeks to spend in Hawaii, you may want to spend at least some of your time there to check out Volcano National Park. It's absolutely incredible. Kona is a great place to stay while on the Big Island - it's a cute little town with lots of shops etc. I hope this helps! Sheralyn :) If you want more info on Maui, feel free to check out my website: http://www.paradise-found-in-maui.com Hopefully you'll find it useful!