Island Hopping in Hawaii: Everything You Must Know

Are you unsure how to visit multiple Hawaiian islands during one vacation without wasting time and money?

For many travelers, Hawaii's diverse islands offer unique experiences, but navigating between them can be confusing, expensive, and time-consuming if you don't know the local strategies.

If you've ever wondered which islands to visit, how to travel between them efficiently, or how to experience the distinct character of each destination, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Hawaii's Best, host Bryan Murphy breaks down everything you need to know about island hopping in Hawaii, from transportation options to choosing islands that match your interests.

👉In this episode, you will:

• Discover the fastest and most budget-friendly ways to travel between Hawaiian islands, including flights as low as $39.
• Learn the unique characteristics of each major island to help you select destinations that align with your vacation goals.
• Get insider tips on balancing your itinerary between planned activities and spontaneous discoveries that make your trip memorable.

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Scroll up ⬆️ and hit play now to transform your Hawaii experience from a single-island vacation into an unforgettable multi-island adventure.

Planning an island hopping adventure requires strategic thinking to make the most of your Hawaii vacation. This episode provides essential guidance for travelers wanting to experience multiple Hawaiian Islands during a single trip. Host Bryan Murphy shares travel tips specific to navigating between Oahu, Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, and Lanai, comparing flight options, ferry services, and even cruise possibilities. Whether you're planning your first trip to Hawaii or returning to explore new islands, you'll learn how each island's unique character offers something different for visitors. This travel podcast delivers practical advice on creating a balanced itinerary that allows you to experience iconic attractions while leaving room for those spontaneous moments that often become the highlight of any visit to Hawaii.

💻Related blog posts:

• December in Hawaii
• January in Hawaii

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🤓Chapters:

• 1:09 - Answering Common Questions
• 4:26 - Main Topic: Island Hopping Overview
• 5:29 - Flying Between Islands
• 6:20 - Alternative Travel Options: Ferries and Cruises
• 7:41 - Choosing the Right Island for Your Interests

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This podcast is for travelers looking to plan a trip to Hawaii. Discover travel tips, itineraries, and traveling tips & hacks with guides to help you explore Hawaii. Whether you’re planning a vacation to the Hawaiian islands, dreaming of a Hawaiian getaway, or visiting Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Oahu, or Big Island we’ll help you travel with aloha.

Edge of the Ocean, Stick Figure (w/ permission)

Ukulele and Chill, Coby G (w/ permission)

Chapters

• 1:43 Answering Common Questions
• 5:00 Main Topic: Island Hopping Overview
• 6:03 Flying Between Islands
• 6:54 Alternative Travel Options: Ferries and Cruises
• 8:15 Choosing the Right Island for Your Interests

Transcript

154_Island Hopping

[00:00:00] Introduction to Island Hopping in Hawaii

[00:00:00] Bryan Murphy: Are you planning to island hop in Hawaii and you're not sure where to start or what you should know? Well, in today's episode of Hawaii's Best, I'll guide you through the best ways to travel between the islands, share essential tips and highlight must visit stops along the way. So whether you're a first timer or a seasoned traveler looking to refine your visit to Hawaii, this episode is packed with valuable insights to enhance your Hawaiian vacation.

[00:00:26] Host Introduction and Podcast Overview

[00:00:26] Bryan Murphy: Aloha, and welcome to Hawaii's Best, the podcast helping Travelers Plan an unforgettable Hawaii vacation with insider tips in featuring local voices. I'm Brian Murphy, a husband Data three, and certified Hawaii destination expert. Each week I share local insights, travel tips, and UpToDate news, sometimes with guests across Hawaii and sometimes solo.

[00:00:48] Bryan Murphy: All to help you plan your next trip to Hawaii. Today we're breaking down everything you need to know about traveling between the islands of Hawaii or also known as island hopping. So whether it's your first time planning to island hop or just looking to. Smooth out the edges or maybe plan for your next trip to Hawaii.

[00:01:07] Bryan Murphy: This episode is for you.

[00:01:09] Answering Common Questions

[00:01:09] Bryan Murphy: Today's episode comes from a frequently asked question about the best way to travel between the islands in Hawaii. And if you have a question that you would like answered on the show, you can email us. Aloha at hawaii's best travel.com. Here are a couple more questions that I wanted to answer briefly before tackling today's big question about island hopping in Hawaii.

[00:01:32] Bryan Murphy: All right, so the first question is, what's the best way to handle transportation if I don't want to rent a car in Oahu? So, that's a great question. Oahu has a pretty robust public transport system called the bus. It's affordable and can get you to most major attractions and beaches. However, for a more.

[00:01:52] Bryan Murphy: Personalized touch. Consider ride sharing options like Uber, Lyft, et cetera, or checkout bike rentals, especially around Waikiki. And if you plan on routes ahead of time, it is totally feasible to enjoy ahu without your own car. But staying in a Waikiki is definitely feasible without a car, especially if you just want that Waikiki experience.

[00:02:14] Bryan Murphy: Plenty options there. And if you're wanting to get up to the North Shore, the bus does that, but it is a long route. So if you're staying on the North Shore, maybe if you're staying at Turtle Bay, you probably would want to look into a rental car for that. Alright, next question is, I'm planning a trip in the winter.

[00:02:34] Bryan Murphy: What should I expect weather-wise? So Hawaii's winter months from November to. March are slightly cooler with temperatures ranging from around the high sixties to mid eighties Fahrenheit. This is also a great time to watch humpback whales as they migrate, especially from Maui. You can watch that also from in any of the islands, but Maui especially also pack a light rain jacket because the weather's a little bit more unpredictable.

[00:03:04] Bryan Murphy: More chances for, uh, rain, obviously. And I'll link some blog posts about winter in Hawaii. In the description of this episode, there's are some things to know, especially depending on what island and even what side of the island that you're gonna be staying on. So make sure you go through those guides in the episode description.

[00:03:23] Bryan Murphy: Alright, final question and then we'll dive into the main topic of island hopping in Hawaii. Alright. Any tips on how to respect Hawaiian culture during my visit? And that's a incredible question, so thank you so much for sending that in. Respecting Hawaiian culture starts with understanding it, even having a brief understanding it so you know, it could be.

[00:03:43] Bryan Murphy: Little workshops, virtual workshops, even following some people on, you know, Instagram, uh, son of Oahu is one guy we've had on Elijah McShane. Great guy. So be sure to maybe check out his Instagram account Also some. Kind of no-brainers, but I think it's worth saying always stay on marked trails and beaches and avoid touching or taking anything from sacred sites.

[00:04:09] Bryan Murphy: Alright, so that's it for today's q and a. Thanks to everyone who sent in their questions. I hope these questions will help your vacation planning. So keep those questions coming in and just send us an email or DM s on Instagram. I would love to hear from you. It might even feature your question in. Uh, future episode.

[00:04:26] Main Topic: Island Hopping Overview

[00:04:26] Bryan Murphy: So let's dive in just an overview of island hopping, what it is and what to know each Hawaiian island from Oahu's vibrant city life. To Lena, quiet Beaches has distinct characteristics and attractions. I. So the most common method for island hopping is flying with options like Hawaiian Airlines Southwest and Moko, Lele Airlines offering daily flights that last between 30 to 45 minutes, the longest trek being from Big Island to Kauai.

[00:04:54] Bryan Murphy: These airlines connect the main islands quickly and are often budget friendly. Also cruising offers a luxurious travel option cruises, apart from Honolulu acting as a floating all-inclusive hotels with food, entertainment, and accommodations onboard. Provided this allows you to visit multiple islands without the hassle of packing and unpacking and the travel in doing airports, that whole thing.

[00:05:19] Bryan Murphy: So as we discuss the best options for your Hawaiian vacation, remember that each transportation method caters to different. Preferences, whether you prioritize speed or comfort.

[00:05:29] Flying Between Islands

[00:05:29] Bryan Murphy: Alright, so like I mention, flying is the preferred method for many due to its speed, efficiency, and cost effectiveness. Major airlines like Hawaiian Airlines, which is the airline that we prefer.

[00:05:41] Bryan Murphy: Southwest operate many flights daily to key destinations like Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the big island of Hawaii. For smaller options like Molokai or Lena Mole Airlines is your only option. Keep an eye out for deals. Sometimes flights go as low as $39 for one way, and also leveraging airline miles or travel rewards can significantly reduce costs.

[00:06:07] Bryan Murphy: That's what we like to do with Hawaiian Airlines. We have. Uh, Hawaiian Airlines card and business card, and we do a lot of our travel through miles when we are doing island hopping. For those not in a rush.

[00:06:20] Alternative Travel Options: Ferries and Cruises

[00:06:20] Bryan Murphy: Taking the ferry offers scenic ocean views between Maui and Lenae, and no, there is no ferry service between Maui and Molokai.

[00:06:28] Bryan Murphy: And also note that there is currently no inner island ferry services between any of the main Hawaiian islands. So the only one is between Maui and. So with cruising, if you prefer a more slow, luxurious travel experience, consider cruising. Uh, companies like Norwegian Cruise Line, operate out of Honolulu on Oahu, offering a multi island cruise that includes accommodations, food, and entertainment, much like a floating resort.

[00:06:55] Bryan Murphy: Really, I. And also as you travel between islands, consider doing guided day trips. These can help structure your itinerary and stress free, especially if you're staying on Oahu and you want to do something on Maui. Having a guided tour on Maui would just help that, uh, experience and alleviate stress from having to plan for a quick day on Maui or two days on Maui.

[00:07:20] Bryan Murphy: Uh, these are an excellent choice, so. These trips come with a pre-planned itineraries, expert guides, allowing you to just enjoy the experience without the hassle of planning and just speaking of what to do and some tour options, choosing which island to visit, you know, you want to kind of consider your interest and your group's interests.

[00:07:41] Choosing the Right Island for Your Interests

[00:07:41] Bryan Murphy: Prior to selecting which island to visit, and just a brief overview of each of the main islands Oahu. It's known for rich history and vibrant nightlife like Waikiki. I think it's cool to stay in Waikiki maybe a couple nights, maybe one night, and you just have that iconic backdrop of Diamondhead. Waikiki Beach Dukes.

[00:08:03] Bryan Murphy: It's just cool to experience that, at least for once. But Oahu has so much more to offer than just Waikiki. The North Shore is amazing. A lot of countries you're traveling towards the North Shore, west side. We love the west side. Um, you got resorts over there in uh, Colina, and also the east side of Oahu is just.

[00:08:23] Bryan Murphy: Incredible. So Oahu has a lot to offer. Maui, this idea for beach enthusiasts. There's so many amazing beaches on Maui, and you got places like the Road to Hana, Haleakala National Park, one of two national parks. I. In Hawaii. So be sure to look into that as you're considering what island to hop over to, uh, Kauai.

[00:08:46] Bryan Murphy: That's it. Nature's paradise. You know this, the so many trails waterfalls areas like ka, Nepal Coast, Waimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is just one of those places that kind of leaves you in. AUA is an amazing. Small island that has some of the best views. Some of those classic, you know, Hawaii views that you think of, uh, big Island of Hawaii offers diverse climates and activities, especially if you're staying on Kona side or traveling over to Hilo, or is where you find volcanoes.

[00:09:22] Bryan Murphy: National Park, the other national park in Hawaii. So many diverse places around Hawaii Island. Um, it's big. You definitely wanna rent a car, research the unique offerings of each island so it aligns with your vacation goals. This ensures your time in Hawaii is spent enjoying activities that interest you most.

[00:09:41] Bryan Murphy: And our website is packed with guys to help plan your perfect itinerary so you can get the most out of your vacation to Hawaii. And these attractions and places, they're just starting points. Each island has some less known spots worth visiting, but always allow flexibility in your schedule when exploring, sometimes when you're traveling over to the next spot or if you're trying to get over to, you know, Wyoming, may Canyon, I.

[00:10:04] Bryan Murphy: And you see something, a side of the road or you see this, the spot you wanna stop at, make sure you do that because some of those spots are some of the, you know, best local spots that maybe aren't on any of the itinerary lists. And you can strike up conversations with locals and just to get to know the island, uh, a little bit better and just, uh, just kind of makes your vacation more personable than just getting to point A to point B.

[00:10:31] Bryan Murphy: So avoid overscheduling. That's probably one of the biggest tips and the charm of Hawaii often lies in spontaneous discoveries and moments of relaxation. So ensure your itinerary allows for downtime to absorb the local, just the feel of the island.

[00:10:48] Final Tips for a Memorable Hawaiian Vacation

[00:10:48] Bryan Murphy: I hope this episode is giving you what to know and some tips for planning a smooth island hopping.

[00:10:55] Bryan Murphy: Experience in Hawaii. And the aim of this is not just to visit and how to visit, but how to deeply experience the diverse cultures, landscapes and atmospheres of each island. 'cause each island has its own feel and vibe. And if you're staying maybe for the first time on ahu and you wanna, um. You know, island hop over to Kauai and Maui, you get to the feel of that island.

[00:11:18] Bryan Murphy: So maybe next time, maybe your main island of choice will be one of those islands and vice versa. So a couple things that just take away from this episode to make the most out of your trip. Begin to plan early in advance. This allows you to secure the best flights, accommodations, and activities using some of the strategies that I've shared today.

[00:11:37] Bryan Murphy: Visit our website. For further guidance and some guides, go to Hawaii's best travel.com and you'll find more information there and more overview about each of the islands. And also, if you found today's episode helpful, please follow on your favorite podcast platform wherever you're listening, and share it with others who might be planning a Hawaiian vacation.

[00:11:58] Bryan Murphy: Your share can help enhance your friends' travel plans. As well. So thank you so much for considering to do that.

[00:12:05] Conclusion and Farewell

[00:12:05] Bryan Murphy: So, you know, travel to Hawaii offers more than just relaxation. It's a chance to engage respectfully with the local culture and environment. And by traveling thoughtfully, you can contribute positively to the islands and ensure a more rewarding.

[00:12:20] Bryan Murphy: Experience for yourself and for your family as well. So until next time, my friends, be well. Aloha.