For gorgeous lush green scenery, look no further. Kauai is nicknamed “the garden island” because of the natural beauty it possesses. It is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands. If you are doing some preliminary honeymoon planning and trying to imagine what Kauai looks like, go and rent Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones’ Raiders of the Lost Ark, or South Pacific today. They were all filmed on location at various places around the island.
Of the four major islands, Kauai remains the least developed. That is one of the charms of “the garden island”. Its quaint towns and natural beauty bring you away from reality for a while and allow you to really unwind and feel totally at ease. Although the island is relatively small in size, a rental car is a must for getting around to see the sites. Anytime of year is good to visit Kauai, the weather stays fairly consistent (around mid 80's). The coastal areas tend to remain drier than the interior, and fortunately, on most occasions the rain is during the nighttime. Places To Stay
In Poipu- located on the southern part of the island in a city known for getting the most sunshine on the island and least amount of rainy days.
Best Places to Stay in Kauai:
Aston at Poipu Kai
Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa
Sheraton Kauai Resort
In Lihue – on the south eastern side of the island, it is close access to the airport, cruise ship terminal and shopping. Also nearby is the Wailua falls.
Several of my friends have recently gotten married and are asking me for advice on how to spend their honeymoon since they are both working full time and are strapped for cash. I think in general, people are just starting out in life (early 20's) are feeling the financial pinch as they look for ways to fund a honeymoon that doesn't involve going into debt for the rest of their life.
My Story and How I Spent Less on a Honeymoon
It was a year after I got married before my spouse and I went on our honeymoon. Initially, we had a simple wedding ceremony for just close friends and relatives at an intimate location in the islands. Within the first year of marriage, we had already started accumulating debt. Since I was the only one working and my pay was really low, there wasn't any alternative because we needed home essentials (like basic furniture, clothes, etc.). So, planning for the honeymoon would require us to use some new skills - budgeting.
Without much to spend on the honeymoon, we decided to take an extended weekend vacation - see here for an example. Going through some of the discount travel websites, we expected to find some great deals. But it must have been the time of the year when we were planning the honeymoon....deals were scarce. With rising gas prices and extra fees for fuel surcharges and baggage fees by the airlines, it looked like my spouse and I would need to drive somewhere within a maximum of 8 hours drive from our house.
We found a quaint little bed and breakfast located in Northern California (about 6 hours from where we live). The bed and breakfast would help us in a few different ways. First, it would save us an average of $60 per nice (compared to staying at a reasonably equivalent hotel). Second, a bed and breakfast would give us the ability to have a unique and comfortable stay while enjoying the hospitality of others during the morning meal. One quick note about honeymoons and bed and breakfasts. Because of the intimate surroundings and structure of a B&B, noises (you should know what I mean here) can sometimes be heard by others (LOL).
Tailoring Activities to your Budget
One of the ways we curtailed the spending while finding fun activities was to look for things to do that would increase the bonds between us but also allow us to go and enjoy the beauty of America. Our decision was to visit the National Parks. Northern California has several that we could see. Our first choice was Yosemite and we are glad that we got to go there. We paid a $20 entrance fee for a week access pass. To save some more money, we also brought sandwiches from subway ($5 footlongs) and water that had in our water bottles from REI. We spent the majority of our weekend discovering new trails and waterfalls. Not only was this one of the most memorable trips I have ever taken, it was also one of the best ways to spend a honeymoon.
The island of Hawaii (also known as “The Big Island”) is the largest, and most visibly active volcanic-wise within the chain. The island is continuously growing as lava from Kilauea continues to spew out for visitors to see. This is one of the highlights of the Hawaiian islands, being able to go to the Volcano National Park to see the lava flow. It is truly a sight worth the cost of a honeymoon all by itself.
The adjacent mountain called Maunakea is the tallest mountain in the world (if measured from sea floor to top of the mountain. The top of the mountain is home to a world class observatory owned by the University of Hawaii and also hosts freezing temperatures (so that even skiing or snowboarding is done there).
Here on this amazing island you can find deserts, lush tropical vegetation, snowy mountain tops and several varieties of sandy beaches (green, black, and white sand). If you go to the Big Island, I would recommend renting a 4×4 vehicle. There are a lot of places that you won’t be able to explore without one, such as hidden snorkeling spots, green sand beach, and more.
The resorts on this island are top notch and the activities are endless. Weather tends to be clearer near Kona than at Hilo or Volcano, but don’t let that deter you from seeing some of the amazing features at the Volcanoes National Park or the many waterfalls just outside Hilo.
Places To Stay
In Kona – This area is located on the western (sunny) side of the island. It stretches some sixty miles from the Kona airport to just past the Kealakekua Bay. This is one of the best areas for coffee growing in the world. You may have already heard about Kona coffee before, but if you are in Kona be sure to get a tour of the Kona Blue Sky Coffee Company(makers of amazing Kona coffee).
The Top Rated Hotels on the Island of Hawaii
Aston Kona By The Sea
Four Season Resort Hualalai
Hilton Waikoloa Village
Kona Seaside Hotel
Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort
In Kohala – Most of the top rated resorts are found in Kohala. The beaches here are pristine and hotels offer a wide selection of activities and entertainment.
