Covers the six Hawaiian islands, Key West, Nantucket, Hilton Head, Fiji and Bora Bora, plus the passport rules for US citizens.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
For a first trip to Hawaii, the choice almost always comes down to two islands. Our editors tag only Maui and Oahu as easy first picks, and on this ranking they finish 0.2 points apart, well clear of the rest. The other four are good islands for a second or third visit, or for travelers with a very specific goal, such as the volcano on the Big Island.
This page helps you choose between the two, then covers the bookings that catch first-timers out: sunrise permits, park reservations and the 2026 storm closures.
Score = the island's overall score, with islands that suit this kind of trip ranked first. How we score
| # | Island | Score | Weather | Beaches | Things | Access | Value | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maui | 9.6 | 9.7 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 6.9 | 4.3 | 5.6 |
| 2 | Oahu | 9.4 | 9.7 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 3.9 |
| 3 | Big Island (Hawaii Island) | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 9.0 | 6.9 | 4.2 | 9.1 |
| 4 | Kauai | 6.7 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 4.7 | 6.1 |
| 5 | Lanai | 5.9 | 9.3 | 6.0 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 10.0 |
| 6 | Molokai | 5.4 | 9.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 3.2 | 10.0 |
1Maui is first by 0.2 points. Both it and Oahu get the first-timers lift, and Maui's base score of 8.1 is the highest in Hawaii, thanks to beaches and things to do at 9 each. A first week here mixes Kaanapali or Wailea mornings with three big outings: Haleakala at sunrise, the Hana Highway and a snorkel boat to Molokini. Kahului has nonstops from 18 US airports. The catch is that it runs on rental cars, and the cheapest Kihei hotel was $296 in January and $216 in July.
2Oahu is a close second, and the easier trip. Honolulu has nonstops from 28 US airports, Waikiki rooms were $139 in January and $169 in July, and you can skip the car. Things to do score 9: Pearl Harbor (free entry, $7 parking), Diamond Head, the North Shore and Honolulu's museums and food. What keeps it behind Maui is beaches (8 against 9) and crowds, at 3.9 the lowest crowd score in Hawaii. Pick it if you will not drive or the budget is tight.
3The Big Island is third on a base of 7.7, without the first-timers tag. It is the right first island only if the volcano is the reason for the trip: Kilauea has erupted in short episodes since December 2024, viewed from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at $30 a vehicle. Beaches score 7, the island is bigger than all the others combined and you will drive a lot. Kailua-Kona was $261 to $269. Spend a night in Hilo or Volcano rather than doing the park as a day trip.
4Kauai is fourth for first-timers, and the timing is the reason. Its own page says first-time visitors who want Waimea Canyon should pick Maui until Koke'e Road reopens; on October 19, 2026 that road, all camping and most state parks were still closed after Hurricane Lowell. The verdict is conditional, a 0.4-point penalty. Haena and the Kalalau Trail reopened on October 15. Lihue's 11 nonstops are all from the western US. Kapaa hotels were $233 to $236.
5Lanai is fifth. It is a quiet island with one resort, the Four Seasons, at $1,959 to $2,642 a night, and things to do score 5. It has no mainland flights. On a first trip, see it the easy way: a day trip from Maui on the Expeditions ferry from Maalaea, three times a day, about 1 hour 10 minutes, from $30, for a swim and snorkel at Hulopoe Bay.
6Molokai is last, and its own page says plainly that first-timers should pick Maui, Oahu or Kauai. Beaches and things to do both score 4, there are no resorts, and you reach it only by small plane from Honolulu or Kahului. Hotel Molokai was $328 to $356. It is a good second or third island for travelers who want rural Hawaii and the history of Kalaupapa.
In this guide
Each island starts from its overall score out of 10: weather 20%, beaches 25%, things to do 25%, and access, value and crowds 10% each, with 0.4 points off when our island page gives a conditional verdict. The islands our editors tag as the easy first pick in Hawaii get 1.5 points added. Maui and Oahu have the tag, so the gap between them, 0.2 points, is the same as on the overall Hawaii ranking. Method: how we score islands.
If you score three or more for one island, book it. If you split, do both: four nights on Oahu, then a short flight to Maui.
December to April is whale season, from November through April per NOAA's sanctuary, and the most expensive time. Winter also brings big surf to north-facing beaches, including Oahu's North Shore, where you go to watch, not to swim. Summer is calm on Maui's west and south shores, and Kihei was cheaper in mid-July than mid-January on our dates; Waikiki was the other way round. The Central Pacific hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, per NOAA's National Hurricane Center, and 2026 brought three storms to the islands. See our hurricane season guide.
Honolulu has nonstops from 28 US airports and Kahului from 18, so most travelers can reach either without a connection. From the East Coast, Honolulu has the wider choice, including New York JFK, Newark (seasonal), Boston (seasonal), Atlanta and Washington Dulles. It is a domestic trip: a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport is enough, and TSA charges a $45 ConfirmID fee without acceptable ID. Since January 1, 2026 the state lodging tax is 11%, plus county and excise taxes.
Breakfast, a deli lunch and water are included; tips are not. It is a long day in a van on a narrow road, and the sign-up page lists pickup at hotels or a Kahului meeting point, so check which applies to you.
Rating as shown on Viator
A snack and water are included but lunch is not, and Dole train or maze tickets are extra. It is a large-coach tour; a rental car covers the same loop at your own pace.
Rating as shown on Viator
Lunch and park entry are included; tips are not, and vacation rentals are not picked up. With a rental car the park pass is $15 to $30, but the round trip from Kona is long, which is what this tour saves you.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Maui if you will rent a car and want beaches plus Haleakala and the Hana Highway. Oahu if you want a city, the most flights, cheaper rooms and no car. They finish 0.2 points apart on our ranking.
Maui is better for beaches and scenery, Oahu for value and ease. Waikiki's cheapest 3-star-or-better room was $139 on January 13, 2027; Kihei's was $296. Many first-timers split a week between the two.
One or two. A week works well as four nights on Oahu and three on Maui, linked by a short inter-island flight. Trying to see three or four islands in a week means spending your days in airports.
Not right now, if Waimea Canyon is on your list. On October 19, 2026, Koke'e Road and most Kauai state parks were still closed after Hurricane Lowell. Haena State Park and the north shore are open again.
No. It is a domestic flight. You need a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport, and TSA charges a $45 ConfirmID fee if you arrive without acceptable ID. See our no-passport islands.
Further reading
