1. Oahu - 3 days
Stay at a hotel near Waikiki Beach
Day 1: West Half of Oahu, Pineapple Field – Polynesian Cultural Center
8:30AM Leave Waikiki, find and take Interstate H1 west, then H2, then connect SH 99
9:30AM Dole Pineapple Plantation, stay there 45-60min for pictures and fresh pineapple products
10:30AM leave pineapple plantation, take SH 99 then right to SH 83
11:30AM Waimea Falls, can take a few stops along the shore to watch waves.
12:00PM Continue on SH 83 toward Polynesian Cultural Center/BYU Hawaii
12:30PM Lunch near BYU Hawaii
1:30PM Mormon Temple near BYU Hawaii Campus, 1 hour
2:30PM Enter Polynesian Cultural Center, take lots pictures, stay inside until around 9PM for the shows
9:30PM Continue on SH 83 east, then take SH 63 toward Honolulu, back to hotel. About 60-90min drive.
Day 2: East half of Oahu
8:30AM Leave Waikiki, Takes H1 west then SH 61 (Pali Highway) north
9:30AM Pali Lookout (大風口). Don’t miss it. 30min for pictures
10:00AM continue on SH61 north to the town of Kailua for the white sand beach, stay there for about 30min for pictures
11:30AM find SH 83, drive west along the shore, make a few stops for pictures. When you see a big open park and a small cone-shaped island, called China Man Hat, you can turn back on 83, east.
2:00PM Drive east on SH 83, pass by towns of Kaneohe and Kailua (White Sand Beach), continue east on SH 72. Make some short stops
2:30PM East tip of Oahu, along the road you may see a Sea Life Park, you may stop 30min, but if missed, not a big deal. Now you will arrive at Sandy Beach. If weather is good, you can see the Island Molokai, the fifth largest Island, close to Maui. You may also see whales if you are lucky. Sandy Island is a 30min stop.
3:15PM Continue on SH72, now west (already got around the east tip of Oahu). Drive very carefully here, a few miles of road on cliffs. You can stop at some scenic point, should be on your left side. Just be careful to enter and leave the parking space.
3:45PM Hanauma Bay on your left. This is a must-see place. Lots colorful tropical fish, beautiful beach. Bring diving goggles.
5:00PM SH 72 west, back to Waikiki, if you still have energy, Walk along Waikiki Beach/Kalakaua Ave.
Day 3: Honolulu (Should not be on Sunday)
9:00AM Hawaii Palace, 1-2 hours
10:30PM China Town, 1-2 hours for lunch
1:30PM Pearl Harbor 2 hours
4:00PM Ala Moana Beach for swimming, 1-2 hours
6:00PM Ala Moana Center for shopping
2. Maui - 2 days
Day 1: Haleakala Summit
You may arrive there by air and get your car at about 10:30AM
10:30AM Buy some food, water and sunscreen. Bring a warm coat. Raincoat may be needed
11:00AM Drive 2 hours to the summit of Haleakala, very steep road, and frequent sharp turns. Be very carefull.
1:00PM Eat your lunch and hike there for a couple of hours, may be longer.
5:00PM Back to your hotel, and driver around town.
Day 2: Beaches and Tropical Forest in the Ioa valley.
3. Big Island - Live Volcanos, 2 days
Two airports - Hilo and Kailua-Kona
Day 1: From Hilo:
-> ST HW 11 (my memory may not be accurate) toward National Volcano Park. Allow at least three hours at the park. If you follow a tour group of course you have no choice. You will see black lava rocks left by eruptions all the times, signs tell you the eruption time like 1972, 1995. Huge craters, caves, tunnels, in the rain forests, still smoking in the rain.
-> Down the road to the ocean side of the volcano until the end of the road. Road was covered by eruptions in the 70s and 80s. Park you car, bring enough water and some food, walk on the lava rock toward RED FLOWING lava. You will also see red lava dumping into the ocean generating huge steams, which form clouds many miles stretch many miles. You will also see bushed burning around red lava.
-> Back to ST HW 11, drive west toward KONA, the west side of the island
-> If time permitted, watch signs for "South Point", the south most point of the United State. Huge waves, very wild, wind mills.
-> Keep driving on HW 11 to Kona, you will arrive very late there. Grab food, find hotel, sound sleep
Day 2: From Kona
-> Some historic areas around Kona, to see how polynesian people lived on taros and fish. And their huts.
-> Go north along the HW (not sure still 11), long drive, across huge beautiful ranches, rain forests, cliffs, waterfalls.
-> Along the road, watch for ST HW 22 to Akaka Falls over 400ft long, in rain forest, only couple miles from the main route, worth going.
-> Before arriving back Hilo, watch for "Rainbow Falls" another beautiful waterfall. It would be better to watch Rainbows in the morning.
-> Find a nice restaurant in Hilo, back to airport
4. Kawai, the Garden Island, 2 days
If you go there, do not need to take tour bus. Driving is not hard, but fun.
Day 1, North side
This is the oldest island among the major islands. Very green, lots very long waterfalls, some are longest in the world. The world's wettest point is here, not in the amazon forest. Lot caves.
Day 2, South side
The most beautiful place is the Waimea Canyon. Blood-red soil dotted with green trees.
If you have extra days you can spend one more day in Honolulu, one more day on the Big Island (Hawaii).
Oh, Have a great trip.
ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHA!
If you want to say "Thank You" for my typing, say "MAHALO"!
