USA, HawaiiOctober 23, 2025, by Maartje

Here's how to island hop through Hawaii

USA, Hawaii, October 23, 2025, by Maartje

Here's how to island hop through Hawaii

Paradise, palm trees & poke bowls – We want to go back, back to Hawaii. And then endlessly hop from island to island in Hawaii!

Farmers markets full of tropical fruit, rice with all sorts of things and poke bowl in all shapes and sizes. For example, you can fly from Amsterdam via San Francisco, Seattle or Los Angeles (or New York in the summer) (or San Diego) (all great for a stopover too) to Hawaii and with Exit Travel You can easily hop from island to island. Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island... Each island has its own unique character.

Oahu actually has the most to offer and is the most visited island. Kauai, in turn, is greener than green, Maui feels like paradise, and the Big Island lets you experience the volcanoes up close. Together, they form the Hawaii just like you see it in your dreams!

Hawaii 101 - The Basics

Aloha, welcome to Hawaii! You hear it the moment you step off the plane; a deep voice welcoming you to Hawaii with a warm "aloha." No, that's not a Disney trick, but just how the locals welcome you: with open arms, flower wreaths and a generous portion Aloha spirit.

The basics you want to know before setting foot in Hawaii:

Hawaii is known as one of the most expensive states in the US, Logical, a lot has to be flown in. But there are also surprisingly affordable options: sushi and fresh fish are often very reasonably priced, you can have breakfast in cozy tents with juices made from local fruit, and you won't find over-the-top expensive beach tents like you know from Europe.

Honolulu is a real city-city: tall buildings, shopping malls and yes, even Starbucks and fast food chains. But that urban The feeling here is interspersed with surf beaches, jungle, and cozy villages. While you might stroll through a mega-mall in the morning, you'll find yourself in a local surf shop or a coffee shop with Hawaiian coffee in the afternoon. And for history buffs and TV series buffs: Pearl Harbor is located here, as are the film sets for Hawaii Five-0.

Definitely rent a car. At least, do so on all islands, but on On Oahu, that's not really necessary: you can do without a car because everything is within walking distance. Exit Travel it also recommends: a car on each island and your choice on Oahu. But for the other islands: zYou'll barely leave your accommodation on wheels. But with a car, you can easily explore jungle, surf beaches, and charming villages in a single day.

Hawaii is an archipelago, and each island has its own distinct character. While Oahu offers a blend of city and beach, Kauai boasts endless jungle, Maui boasts expansive, tranquil beaches and boutique surf shops, and the Big Island boasts impressive volcanic landscapes. Together, they create a paradise where you'll discover a different side of nature and culture.

Thanks to its subtropical climate, Hawaii is a year-round destination. Add to that the rich Polynesian culture, unique flora and fauna, and world-famous surfing culture, and you have a destination that offers more than just tropical scenery: it's an experience you can truly feel.

Island hopping with Exit Travel is the move – because Hawaii is more than one island.

Hang loose!

Exit Travel

From Oahu to Kauai, from Maui to the Big Island: island hopping in Hawaii is easier than you think. You can fly from one island to the next in under an hour, with multiple daily flights between all major airports. So, you simply take a short domestic flight, and voila, you're on a new island.

The good thing? With Exit Travel, the travel expert in the Benelux for tailor-made trips to Hawaii, book all of this at once: your international flight and your island hops in between. This way you don't have to puzzle over individual tickets yourself and you can save your energy for more important matters. Such as: which poke bowl are you taking today?

Hawaii has more fun things to offer than we can list in a single article, so we created an e-guide + Google Map that compiles all our tips. This way, you can see everything at a glance, and thanks to the guide, you can easily read it all. You can find it in our Shop.

Oahu

Oahu offers much more than sunbathing and paddling. Hike through the rainforest, past waterfalls and volcanoes, spot whales, snorkel with tropical fish, or surf at Waikiki and the North ShoreVisit film sets, go horseback riding, ziplining, shopping, or explore plantations and Pearl Harbor. And of course: shaved ice. The best: vibrant Waikiki or the tranquility of nature—you can have both here.

Stay with White Sands Hotel: This 94-room and suite hotel in Honolulu has fully embraced the Hawaiian retro look.

If it Kaimana Beach Hotel: An absolute favorite in Waikiki is this 122-room boutique hotel. The lobby is filled with Hawaiian-inspired art in soft pastel hues, and there are plenty of cozy seating areas and lounge sofas with ocean views.

Hanauma bay is a beach you don't want to miss, book online in advance and be early, otherwise No Way that you're coming in! Snorkel among coral and fish in this beautiful bay teeming with flora and fauna, a truly morning full of "wow moments."

Looking for adventure? Lulumahu Falls in Honolulu is a unofficial hike Through bamboo groves, rivers, and over rocks to a fairytale waterfall, about 3,5 km round trip—perfectly doable, right? Be sure to wear sturdy shoes in case of rain!

You can eat and drink at Merriman's in Honolulu for live music and happy hour or at Zigga in Waikiki, a small hidden patio restaurant, this is where the real locals.

Maui

Maui is exactly what Hawaii is like in your dreams: azure seas, swaying palm trees, endless beaches, and nature that leaves you speechless. Spot whales in winter, snorkel with turtles at Molokini Crater or drive the legendary Road to Hana full of waterfalls, rainforest and viewpoints that demand a stop every ten minutes. Beach lovers: Wailea Beach is picture-perfectTip: rent a car and get the most out of it.

Where do we stay? At the Wailea Beach Resort. The rooms are modern and pleasantly fresh, many with balconies or terraces and views of the sea or the lush gardens. Also fun: regular cultural activities are organized, such as hula lessons or lei making.

Whale watching It's simply part of Maui, but only from December to April do humpback whales jump from the water just off the coast. Luckily, the weather is always nice, so just plan your days off wisely.

In between staring at the ocean you can walk Ka'anapali Beach On the beach: white sand, crystal-clear water, and at Black Rock, cliff divers jump at sunset as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Snorkeling, swimming, people-watching—anything goes.

Fancy something tasty after all that adventure? Sushi heaven At the Andaz in Wailea, so beautifully rolled that you almost don't dare eat them. And finish with a drink at the bar of the Four Seasons. Yes, that of The White Lotus.

Kauai

Green, greener, greenest: welcome to Kauai. Hawaii's most rugged and romantic island, where cliffs rise from the ocean, jungles hide valleys, and rainbows appear almost daily. No busy boulevards or resorts, but silence and nature. From the dramatic Na Pali Coast till the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, everything feels bigger, greener and more real.

What do we think are the best places to stay on Kauai? 1 Hotel Hanelei Bay,On Kauai's lush North Shore lies 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay. Wellness is the focus of this resort, featuring a full-service spa with local herbal treatments, yoga studios, and even modern wellness techniques like oxygen therapy and meditation pods.

De Na Pali Coast is Kauai's calling card: gigantic cliffs, hidden beaches and Jurassic Park vibes. No roads, so you choose: by boat along the coast, helicopter over it or hiking via the Kalalau Trail (please reserve in advance!).

Start your day at Java Kai, the island's coffee shop: specialty coffee, Portuguese pastries, acai bowls, and preferably a Maui Mocha to go with it. Order online = skip the line, whistle your way in.

And then SPAM, yes really. At the Musubi truck , because Kauai was where the iconic SPAM musubi was born, created by Barbara Funamura. Now you can eat the more modern version at The Musubi Truck: rice, nori, SPAM and local flavors in one perfect bite. Found in Kapaa, Koloa and Kalapaki.

Big Island

The name says it all: Big Island is the largest island of Hawaii and therefore immediately feels different. Vast, at times almost otherworldly. Here you will find active volcanoes in Volcanoes National Park, black and green beaches and landscapes ranging from rainforest to lava fields and snow-capped peaks. Mauna Kea even literally means “White Mountain” in Hawaiian, because of the snow that falls there in winter.

The best place to stay is: Holualua Inn, waking up on a coffee plantation with a view of the sea and a pink sky above Kona. Tucked away on the slopes of Hualālai, among fruit trees and coffee plants, you will find rooms and cottages full of peace and hidden reading corners

Big Island = volcanoes. In Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Hike past smoking craters, fresh lava fields, and through lava tubes; you can drive yourself via Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road. Bonus points if you see Kilauea's red glow in the evening. Helicopter over the lava flows? Expensive, but definitely a bucket list item.

In Hilo you will find Rainbow Falls, a classic and go early because It is especially beautiful in the morning when the sun shines a rainbow through the mist.

And then on to Suisan Fish MarketA household name since 1907: fresh fish straight from the boat and poké like you won't find anywhere else. Bowls of spicy ahi, shoyu salmon, or classic limu poké are already waiting; you choose, they serve.

Here's how to island hop through Hawaii