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Hawaiian Island Hopping

Each of Hawai'i's stunning islands has a distinct landscape and vibe, so why not get a taste of more than one? Here, our hip-hop guide to your honeymoon in paradise.

by Debbi Karpowicz Kickham
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article 63
Kauai is wildly beautiful; the Big Island has a mysterious, volcanic moonscape. Maui boasts laid-back yet luxurious hotels; Lanai is so pristine and unspoiled, it will make you feel you've truly escaped from the world. Whatever Hawaiian setting fits your idea of a dream vacation, all of the islands offer posh hotels and spas, and first-class cuisine. Since hopping among them is so easy, we recommend you visit more than one of these Pacific gems. If you can't, simply pick one that feels right for you. Now here's where to go, where to stay and what to do when you get there. Aloha!

Oahu Vibe

This popular island is the Hawai'i you know the best—and since it has the biggest airport, many travelers use it as a jumping-off point to the other islands. Don't miss famous Waikiki Beach, with its surfer style, the designer shops nearby, and the historic—and unforgettable—USS Arizona Memorial, at Pearl Harbor.

Must Do: Most mainland visitors arrive and gape at the surfers on Waikiki Beach, but you shouldn't go home without picking up a few tricks. Sign up at the Outrigger Hotel Waikiki for a 20-minute surfing lesson. You'll learn technique on the beach, and then try your skills in the water. All you have to do is master one wave—and most students do—and you'll be ready to quit your day job (outrigger.com).

Amazing Eats: You can have an island vacation that's flip-flop casual the whole time, but the Sheraton Waikiki's romantic Hanohano Room is a good reason to pack a little black dress. This elegant supper club offers stunning panoramic views of Diamond Head (a dormant volcano) and the miles of green-blue sea along the coastline. You'll be as swept away by the city lights as you will by the Continental-Hawaiian fusion cuisine. Cuddle up in a large, comfy banquette as tuxedoed waiters serve you delicacies such as sesame-crusted opakapaka, a locally caught snapper, with wasabi-flavored mashed potatoes. Didn't get enough slow dancing at your reception? The Stardust Band goes on at 8 p.m. (sheratonwaikiki.com).

Hot Spots: Catch the nightly hula dance at The Halekulani hotel's House Without A Key outdoor performance space. Sure, the show is mostly for tourists, but with a magnificent view of Diamond Head and house-made mai tais, blended with fresh juices, you may not care. Plus, the dancing is so good, you'll want to rush out afterward and buy your very own coconut bra and grass skirt (halekulani.com; shows offered daily at 6:15 p.m.).
Check In: The Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki & Golf Club is famous for stellar service (its dedicated staffers have been known to spend their days off taking guests fishing). Attention to detail is so over-the-top there that they'll give you cold towels to cool off at check in, and the hotel is the only one on the island to offer airport transfers. One bellman was even named Hawai'i's "Bell Person of the Year" for 2003 by the Hawai'i Hotel Association. Check out the honeymoon package it's a steal! For more information visit princeresortshawaii.com.

Kauai Vibe

With lush waterfalls and cliff-rimmed coastlines, Kauai is dramatic and sensual. Visitors come to explore its wild and varied terrain, and to see marine animals in their natural habitat.

Must Do: One great way to view the island's majestic Na Pali coast is by raft. Kauai Sea Tours will take you all around the island, so you can discover sea caves and waterfalls, and spot turtles, whales, tropical fish and leaping dolphins. Then, snorkel along the southern coastline, where you'll get to see truly awe-inspiring cliffs (kauaiseatours.com).

Amazing Eats: Hawai'i's real cuisine is the plate lunch, which is basically Asian-influenced Hawaiian-style diner fare. Visit Hamura's Saimin Stand, and choose a seat at the counter of this delightful mom-and-pop luncheonette. Order a bowl of noodle soup ($3.50), filled with saimin noodles, and a slice of lilikoi chiffon pie, made with tart Hawaiian passion fruit. You'll see right away why the locals call this comfort food.

Hot Spots: With its jungle-like setting, thatch-roofed grass booths and vintage surfing posters, Keoki's Paradise is as authentic as local restaurants get, and the food is tops. Try the opah, a local fish, which is breaded and cooked in soy sauce. Tip: Make a reservation for a weekend night after 8 p.m., when the place heats up to the sound of Hawaiian rockabilly bands (keokisparadise.com).

Check In: Waimea Plantation's cottages may be newly renovated, but this lovely resort still feels very rustic. You can hear roosters crow, see chickens peck the lawns and pick your own papayas and figs off wild fruit trees. The cottages themselves are modern, but have country charm, with a comfortable yet stylish rattan-and-wicker décor as well as front porches with old-fashioned screen doors. You'll feel right at home (waimeaplantationcottages.com).

Maui Vibe

Laid-back Maui combines a casual, beachy style with some of the most decadent hotels, restaurants and spas in the islands. It's relaxed and surfer-cool—and celebrity-filled, too.

Must Do: The key to making any tan last? Exfoliation. So before you spend the day swimming in the clear waters off Kaanapali Beach, head over to the Fairmont Hotel's luxurious spa for an awapuhi scrub, made with Hawaiian ginger. This sugary rubdown will leave your skin smooth, soft and primed for a day in the sun (fairmont.com).

Amazing Eats: There's a reason why celebs dine at the Four Seasons Maui's Ferraro's restaurant. Everything about its setting, from the black lint-free napkins to the flickering tiki torches on the outdoor terrace, makes diners feel like stars. Enjoy luscious homemade Italian dishes, such as portobello cannelloni, and finish up with the sinful flourless chocolate cake. Then sit back and listen to the sound of waves crashing on the shore below (fourseasons.com).

Check In: There's only one place to be in Maui on Friday evening—the Maui Prince Hotel, in Makena. Each week the hotel brings in a local astronomer and sets up high-powered telescopes on the beachfront terrace for "astronomy night." You'll be glad you chose to stay in out-of-the-way Makena, where the skies are unmarred by the lights of more developed towns and prime for stargazing (princeresortshawaii.com).

Big Island Vibe

This volcanic wonderland is the fertile growing ground for macadamia nuts and rich Kona coffee. It's as diverse as can be—watch the scenery change as you travel from the manicured coastline to the moonscaped interior.

Must Do: Mother Nature herself puts on the best show in town. At Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, 4,000-foot-tall Mount Kilauea has erupted continuously since 1983.The best view is from above! Sunshine Helicopters offers a two-hour fly-by tour of the black-rock landscape with its vivid red lava flows and steam vents. The volcanic images are so dynamic, they'll be burned on your brain forever (sunshinehelicopters.com).

Amazing Eats: At Huggo's on the Rocks, you can listen to the waves crashing against the shore, lit by tiki torches, as you sup. Ask for table 14 for the best view, then dive into scrumptious grilled ono fish, a salad of island greens with balsamic vinaigrette, and the restaurant's signature chocolate mud pie with Kona coffee ice cream (huggos.com).

Hot Spots: Want to dive or snorkel with manta rays? Go at night, when as many as two dozen rays show up for the evening feeding. Book Jack's Diving Locker's six-hour boat tour and you'll have enough time for plenty of snorkeling or two full dives with these amazingly graceful, winged and toothless creatures (jacksdivinglocker.com).

Check In: The best reason to choose the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is the beach—a wide expanse of soft, powdery sand next to pale-blue water. Book the honeymoon package, starting at $499 per night, and you'll get a room with an ocean view, round-trip airport transfers, breakfast every morning and a quiet candlelit dinner for two (62-100 Kaunaoa Drive, Kohala Coast; 800-882-6060; princeresortshawaii.com). Or, reserve a room at the romantic Fairmont Orchid and order the "turndown" package. The hotel staff will lay a trail of fresh orchids leading from the door to the bed, draw you a bubble bath with floating candles and leave out massage oil, champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries (fairmont.com).

Lanai Vibe

Lanai is just eight miles from Maui, and yet it feels much more out of the way. This quiet isle looks like Waikiki must have decades ago—pristine and not built up. Just remember that choosing an underdeveloped island means that you'll have fewer hotel and restaurant options, so book early.

Must Do: You can fly from Maui to Lanai, but why not do as the locals do and take the ferry from Maui's Lahaina to Lanai's Manele Harbor? The 45-minute ride is the cheapest whale-watching "tour" out there. Keep your eyes trained on the water and you just might see one breach (go-lanai.com).

Check In: Delicate and light Hawaiian moi is so rare, it was once reserved for royalty. Today, you can order this superb fish at the Manele Bay Hotel's Ihilani Restaurant, which is located high up on the island's windswept red-lava cliffs. After dinner, take a walk through the sculptured gardens and breathe in the unmistakable fragrance of Hawaiian plumeria (manelebayhotel.com).

Molokai Vibe

This is definitely as rugged as Hawai'i gets. Active travelers are drawn to the rough terrain for fishing, biking and hiking, as well as more high-adventure sports. Ride a mule down the mountainside to the Kalaupapa shore. Once there, you'll feel like you've journeyed to the end of the world.

Must Do: Mountain biking is the best way to see the forests, pastures and seashores of this hilly isle. Ranked among the best in the country, the island's bike paths cover 120 miles of land—some are all downhill, and perfect for beginners. But that doesn't mean you give up the adrenaline of a fast-paced ride. Rent a bike from the folks at Molokai Adventures. They'll provide a trail map and a tire pump, and help you pick the best route. Hang on tight—one run dives 1,100 feet through the mountains toward the shore (molokaifishanddive.com).

Amazing Eats: Kamuela's Cookhouse is Molokai's take on the plate-lunch diner. Try the loco moco, a hamburger patty topped with a fried egg and gravy, and served over rice. Feeling brave? Make like the locals and order the Spam musubi, a slice of—yes—Spam served maki-style, wrapped in rice and seaweed.

Hot Spots: Each Friday evening around 4 p.m., the island elders get together at Hotel Molokai's Oceanside Restaurant to perform a free guitar and ukulele jam session of traditional songs. This homespun concert is a great way to get off the tourist track for an afternoon and learn about lyrical, soothing Hawaiian music (Kamehameha Highway, Kaunakakai; 808-553-5347). Check In: Sure, the 22-room Sheraton Molokai Lodge & Beach Village is a great resort, but it's also a working cattle ranch. Choose to stay at the Beach Village, where the rustic tent-like bungalows are made of canvas and have solar-powered lights. (Don't worry, they also have comfortable, quilt-covered beds.) These bungalows don't just feel remote, they truly are; they've been built on 54,000 acres of raw, untouched wilderness. You can hike along the beach or through the hills, ride horseback across the property, or kayak around the coastline. Without a doubt, this is the perfect place to get lost together (molokairanch.com).
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