Which Island is the most laid back??

Thinking about planning a trip with my 2 1/2 year old to Hawaii.and we are very laid back and from the country. Needless to say we dont like the city and just want to see fish and relax. No traffic no tourist traps. Is there anyplace like that left in Hawaii?? which Island would suit us best?? Has anyone traveled there with young children??Did you havefun?? Any Illnesses(hepatitis,) on Hawaii??Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

humdiver:

Thinking about planning a trip with my 2 1/2 year old to Hawaii.and we are very laid back and from the country. Needless to say we dont like the city and just want to see fish and relax. No traffic no tourist traps. Is there anyplace like that left in Hawaii?? which Island would suit us best?? Has anyone traveled there with young children??Did you havefun?? Any Illnesses(hepatitis,) on Hawaii??Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

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Ohau/Honolulu is the big city. But you can go to the North side of the island and stay at Turtle Bay Resort. It's not far from Haleiwa town, and things are is much more relaxed out that way. Great shore diving/snorkling from May- September ( in other months it can get a bit rougher).

I have been to Maui and things were a little bit more relaxed over there. But that was a few years ago, can't say what it is like now. I think I remember hearing that Kauai, Lanai and Molokai are more laid back. I'm sure someone will post to that.

Here is a great site for you to check out:

www.gohawaii.com

My order would be this: Lanai (no traffic lights), Molokai (one traffic light), then it goes downhill, maybe in this sequence, Kauai, Big Island, Maui, and Oahu. Actually, you can find pockets of sanity on all islands; it's just harder on some than others. I like Kauai outside of the Lawai/Poipu resorts. The Big Island is nicely rural outside of the Kona; Volcanoes, Hamakua coast, Kau, Waimea/Kamuela, Kohala, Hilo; I like 'em all. Maui upcountry (Kula/Makawao) and, of course, Hana might suit you. Oahu's North Shore and on down to Kaneohe is still hanging on to its rural feel (stay away from the Turtle Bay resort; they're having problems now and the place might shutter soon).

My recommendation is the Big Island. It is the most spacious and has the most variety; on a good day, snowboarding on Mauna Kea in the morning, diving in 78+deg water in the afternoon. Maui is next; the same variety but in a much more compact space; road congestion is a huge problem. Kauai is lush except for the south and west sides but the belt road can get terribly congested around Lihue and northward to Princeville. Lanai and Molokai requires a certain type of person; you have to find your own entertainment and have a good measure of patience and respect for the locals and their lifestyles -- "tourism-by-car" doesn't work, you've got to get out and walk; either that, or just plant yourself and vegetate in the hotel. Preparatory research will help tons.

Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai is my ranking of the islands from busiest to most laid back. Kauai is both easy to get to and pretty quiet.

My vote goes to Kauai. Great place...

My Maui experience involved watching a girl get beat up under the big banyan tree by some local punk drug dealer, having to give a statement to the police because my wife and I helped the girl (she's a nurse and I'm an EMT), watching the police apprehend and then RELEASE the kid only to have him follow us aroudn the island until we got back on the boat. Stay out of maui

bluemagoo:

stay away from the Turtle Bay resort; they're having problems now and the place might shutter soon.

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Wow, really? One friend of mine just stayed there a short while ago and she didn't mention anything. I did see some signs in a couple of yards, but didn't know it was that big of a motion. Can you fill me in on more details?

'scuse me, I forgot about your 2-1/2. Access to medical facilities should be a top priority: Oahu has the only level-1 trauma center (Queen's). The other islands have hospitals with emergency rooms but I'm not sure if Lanai and Molokai have open 24-hour facilities; they certainly do have emergency response from local fire departments.

Hawaii in general is quite benign; taking common-sense precautions should be enough unless you really go "bush" (not a good idea with a child anyway). Leptosporiasis is a problem in all fresh water bodies in Hawaii. There are no native stinging nettles in the forests. There are ground wasps that can get nasty; you may encounter them in lava fields as well as forest trails. Fire ants are appearing here and there. No snakes or large reptiles except illegal "pets" that got loose. There's the extremely rare chance of meeting wild boars but staying on the main trails should keep you out of trouble. Poisonous plants abound; most are non-native ornamentals that went wild -- there're are a few nasty natives; the akia berry is a potentially deadly one that's easily confused with the edible ohelo berry. Avoid anything with milky sap; especially leis made of the lavender crown flowers. On Oahu and on its south shores, box jellyfish come close to shore every 8-10 days after a full moon; the jellies aren't as deadly as the Aussie sea-wasp but they sting nevertheless. Small Portuguese man-of-war get blown in with the tradewinds onto northeastern shores. Big hazards to hiking are slippery mud and the crumbly lava rock and lava tubes/pits hidden by foliage; don't climb up or down unless you're 100% sure -- stay on the trail and use a walking stick to probe any uncertain areas. Waterfalls are nice but never go under them; a dislodged rock falling on your head will ruin your day. Likewise, be extremely careful of walking near steep-sided cliffs; one of Hawaii's greatest hiking tragedies occurred because of a landslide at Oahu's Sacred Falls Park (now closed).

Common wisdom often seems to suggest Kauai. It's a nice and fairly rural place, but dang is it small. Given the size, and the small roads, you do end up scrambling for parking a lot on Kauai, I thought. Plus, as a Humboldt neighbor, I doubt you'd be overly impressed with how undeveloped Kauai is...compared to Humboldt it's DisneyLand

I would definitely recommend the Big Island. It has lots of variety and a ton of space. Personally, I thought the Kona area was more laid back and less busy than, for example, Kapa'a. Plus, the diving opportunities on the Big Island are AWESOME. Way more than Kauai.

So, being a country guy myself, and knowing where you're coming from, I'd recommend the Big Island in a heartbeat. I've only been to those two, but I already have my next Big Island trip planned. Maybe the only thing I liked more about Kauai was the beautiful eroded mountainous terrain. The Big Island is much younger and doesn't have the crazy topography. But it does have a lot of room, is almost all rural, and has great diving at quiet little locations where you can have the whole place to yourself sometimes. Parking wasn't a problem, either, where we went.

PM if you want some specifics. Whichever island you go to, get the Wizard Publications guidebook for that island. Awesome books. There's a Big Island snorkeling guide that is handy too.

Aloha!

Gregg

My vote goes to Kaua'i, after visiting some of the other islands I like Kaua'i the best. I stayed outside of Poipu and it was laid back enough for my taste while having restaurants and medical facilities not too far.

As Gregg mentions above, the Wizard Publication books are excellent and after following their suggestions I have never been disapointed. Try this link for their site and definitely buy the book on the island you decide on going http://www.wizardpub.com

PM me if I can be of help.

cheers,

Kauai is my favorite. I am from Wyoming and do not like crowds. The only problem is the roosters.