ditzwannabe

I got 2 free tickets for Christmas anywhere that Southwest Airlines flies? They fly to Hawaii to both Honolulu and Maui. Can anyone reccomend which is better for a vacation? I have never been. And I also want what is cheaper also. Any help would be great thanks!

APAKA

If you want beaches, then Maui. If you want crazy touristy, then Waikiki. If you come with out expectations, you will find both to be a heavenly treat. Make sure you have a car rental in advance. Yeah Honolulu (O'ahu) has a good bus system and Maui doesn't. But somehow, getting to where you need to be quickly doesn't eat up your vacation time, like the bus does.Okay---go to Maui.

socalrider81

if you just want more peace, beaches, scenery type stuff, go to Maui.if you want a little bit of everything, go to Oahu (honolulu). It will be a bit more crowded but they have their seclusive spots.if you only have one weekend go to Maui. If you have at least a whole week, go to Oahu. Oahu has so many more things to do.my guess would be that flying to Oahu is more expensive since most ppl go there. when i flew hawaiian air, the direct flights to oahu got filled up quicker. i had to fly to maui then to oahu instead.another thing you can do is do both.. fly to oahu.. then take that super ferry ive been hearing about from Oahu to Maui.goodluck

NWIP9600

both places can be expensive it is going to depend on what you want to do. Do you want to see the touristy side in which you can do things for a reasonable amount including transportation (bus system is good) or do you want to go to a place where you do nothing but relax? If you want to do the first then go to Honolulu. If you want to chill out and not do much then Maui but in both places hotel accomodations can be expensive.

ttpawpaw

Both places are great. Honolulu is more busy and touristy than Maui. The Major differences are:Crowds-HonoluluBeauty- Maui, but not by a lotCost- Honolulu (More people=more competition)Hotels- Honolulu, more places and cheaperMega resorts- Maui (Most hotels are also resorts & expensive)Food- Honolulu More restaurants & more monpetitionIf you have the money You might prefer Maui a little more. My first trip was to Honolulu (waikiki) and we stayed about 3 blocks from the beach. We only slept at the hotel the rest of the time was on the island and the beach. Had a great time. I ended up working in Hawaii for about 9 months and love all of the islands. Best advice is to buy a good tourist book and see what attractions on each island appeal to you.pp

andrewm7433

Ignore Maui and Waikiki..Go Kauai, its real hawaii

zudmelrose

Get on the website for Hawaiian, Aloha and GO airlines. You may find you do not need to limit your trip to solely Oahu or Maui. Maybe you can find a $39 one-way ticket to Kauai or the Big Island of Hawaii. $80 roundtrip to another island may be in the offing.

Soundless6462

When we went to Hawaii we were very disappointed with Maui. On the other hand we loved Oahu. If you are into history and touring, Oahu is where you want to go. They have Pearl Harbor, the Birthing Stone, The Queen Emma Summer House, The Palace (the only one on American Soil), etc. etc. It is also the place Baywatch Hawaii was filmed. Go to the North Shore and look at where they filmed it. And while there, try an original Hawaiian Ice. Learn to surf at Turtle Bay Resort in waste deep water.My favorite expression before visiting Oahu was "An island is an island." I can no longer say that. Oahu is unbelievable.Oahu also has the seclusion of beaches where you are the only person there. You can feel as if you are the only person on earth.

WillieSurvive

I would go to Oahu since it is your first time. It is more city life but still has the mix of Hawaiian culture. Maui would be more laid back and you would have to look for more things to do as far as night life. I would think for your first time you would want to visit Pearl Harbor and take the tour of that historic sight.