Hawaii For The First Time

[Boaxxx]

I'm planning a trip to Hawaii in June and this will be my first time going. Almost every article that I have read recommends going to Oahu/Honolulu for first timers and the other islands on subsequent trips. As a result my current thinking is staying a week on Oahu and primarily Honolulu since there are number of things that I would like to see - Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, etc.  I would like to stay at a nice place but don't want to break the bank. I was also considering 3 or 4 nights in Honolulu and then the remaining 3 or 4 nights elsewhere on the island but not sure where. What are peoples thoughts? 

[Luv2play]

I was in Hawaii 40 years ago with my then new boyfriend. It was between Christmas and New Years and covered a week. We spent the first 3 days in Honolulu on Waikiki Beach and then another half week in Maui at Kaanapali Beach.
Loved the contrast as the former is in a big city with lots of attractions and the latter more laid back for activities like sailing and snorkeling. The weather was fabulous at that season and I understand it’s pretty nice year round. 

[MikeBiDude]

Maui is a great choice in tandem with Honolulu. I like to stay in the Kapalua area, removed from Lahaina. Napili Kai Beach Resort my #1 recommend on Maui if you just want beach, no frills, relax. Try and get a beachfront room.

[Luv2play]

22 hours ago, MikeBiDude said:

Maui is a great choice in tandem with Honolulu. I like to stay in the Kapalua area, removed from Lahaina. Napili Kai Beach Resort my #1 recommend on Maui if you just want beach, no frills, relax. Try and get a beachfront room.

Beachfront room is important. I loved the sound of the waves late at night to lull me to sleep and in the morning.  

[Whippoorwill]

It all depends on what you want to do on your vacation and if you are going alone or with someone. If you are looking for night life and/or sex, the only place that you will reliably find that is Honolulu. The other islands are beautiful and relaxing, but very quiet. There is Little Beach (gay nude beach) at Makena State Park on Maui, but again, may not be very busy. Honolulu has gay bars, park cruising, beach cruising, a video blow job arcade, and lots of gay guys. There are escorts and masseurs in Honolulu, but even that scene can be a little iffy because many of them are visitors from the mainland and you never know who will be in town. The escort scene is very iffy on the other islands....check out RentMen and RentMasseur. Also dig around on this site because Hawaii has been discussed multiple times. 

[Archangel]

I love Hawaii. We did Oahu last May. I took my regular. A fabulous trip. Be sure to do the Jurassic Park tour at Kualoa Ranch. 

[shinj518]

On 1/31/2025 at 11:42 AM, Boaxxx said:

I'm planning a trip to Hawaii in June and this will be my first time going. Almost every article that I have read recommends going to Oahu/Honolulu for first timers and the other islands on subsequent trips. As a result my current thinking is staying a week on Oahu and primarily Honolulu since there are number of things that I would like to see - Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, etc.  I would like to stay at a nice place but don't want to break the bank. I was also considering 3 or 4 nights in Honolulu and then the remaining 3 or 4 nights elsewhere on the island but not sure where. What are peoples thoughts? 

To get a more varied experience of Oahu, I would recommend 4 nights in Honolulu where you can visit all the main tourist sites and also cruise at the nude beach by Diamond Head, and then maybe 3 days on the North Shore, which is very different and very beautiful during the day, but very dead at night. You could try out one of the luaus on the North Shore area for a cool night time activity. In June, the turtles should be pretty active and the North Shore is a great place to see them on the beaches. There's a nude beach that gets pretty cruisey on the North Shore side too.

[CuriousByNature]

6 hours ago, shinj518 said:

In June, the turtles should be pretty active and the North Shore is a great place to see them on the beaches. There's a nude beach that gets pretty cruisey on the North Shore side too.

I don't know if I'd be ready for cruisey nude turtles.  I mean, it's bad enough when they try to pick you up at the local Shell station.

[Boaxxx]

12 hours ago, shinj518 said:

To get a more varied experience of Oahu, I would recommend 4 nights in Honolulu where you can visit all the main tourist sites and also cruise at the nude beach by Diamond Head, and then maybe 3 days on the North Shore, which is very different and very beautiful during the day, but very dead at night. You could try out one of the luaus on the North Shore area for a cool night time activity. In June, the turtles should be pretty active and the North Shore is a great place to see them on the beaches. There's a nude beach that gets pretty cruisey on the North Shore side too.

Thanks for the recommendation.  Why is the North Shore "deadly" at night?

[shinj518]

35 minutes ago, Boaxxx said:

Thanks for the recommendation.  Why is the North Shore "deadly" at night?

Possible I didn't really find the right things to do, but things are much more spread out up there so its also a lot darker compared to the city, not a lot of stuff is open later at night (i recall restaurants/food trucks closing around 8 pm, 9pm at the latest), and theres just not a lot to do besides dinner. One of the big things to do there are the luaus at Turtle Bay and PCC, but im not sure what there is to do besides that. I was there in November though when sunset is a bit earlier so maybe that timing had something to do with the availability of activities to do at night. 

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

1 hour ago, Boaxxx said:

Thanks for the recommendation.  Why is the North Shore "deadly" at night?

He wrote "dead" not "deadly"

[Boaxxx]

22 hours ago, Vegas_Millennial said:

He wrote "dead" not "deadly"

Guess I read it wrong which is why I asked. Thanks for pointing that out.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Hawaii is kinda magical.  I always value the time I get to spend there.  I feel like time stands still on the islands.

That said, after dark, some of the islands can become downright desolate.  It takes a day or two for me to slow my roll.

You go to relax.  You go to appreciate nature.  Get some sun.  Indulge in some great local food options.  Appreciate the mid-afternoon nap.

[Rod Hagen]

On 2/1/2025 at 3:38 PM, Luv2play said:

Beachfront room is important. I loved the sound of the waves late at night to lull me to sleep and in the morning.  

Me too.  It was definitely worth splurging for that Beachfront Room.  Perfectly fine hotel.

[Rod Hagen]

I don't know how expensive it is these days, but this hotel in Oahu was nice because it's very close to Waikiki without being in it.  And if you like to swim in the ocean, the water off their beach is quite calm.  I feel sorry for their Dolphins of course.  Get a high room, and eat Macadamia Nut Pancakes with a stunning view.

 

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