Well, the answer is, it depends. If you are unfamiliar with the state, have children and/or an inflexible schedule, and don’t make a lot of money, a visit to Hawaii may need to become a part of a ten year savings plan. However, if you are flexible and of middle income, there are a lot of ways you can make your Hawaiian vacation a lot less expensive than you might expect. Here’s a look at some of the things to consider as you plan.

Travel

Your biggest expense when going to Hawaii should be the travel. Plane tickets are exorbitant to say the least, and you really don’t get much bang for your buck either. You’re subject to layovers, and you may have to adjust your ideal travel scenario to the airline’s schedule and seating plan.

However, if you don’t need to book a specific time to leave on your vacation, you can get air travel for a tenth or less of normal Hawaiian airfare. Companies don’t like flying planes which have empty seats. They will generally have seat sales trying to fill these seats up as the departure date gets closer. The Internet makes it possible for anyone to take advantage of these great deals.

Destination

Hawaii is composed of eight main islands, although only three are really on the radar of the average tourist – Oahu, Maui and Hawaii (often referred to as the “Big Island”, so as not to confuse it with the state).  Of these three, the two most popular by far are Maui and Oahu. Oahu is the nerve center of the state and includes its most populous city, Honolulu. There are more people living in Honolulu than on the entire Big Island of Hawaii, despite that island being roughly three times the size of all of Oahu!

The population and popularity of Oahu for business types and Maui for college types means you can expect to pay steep prices for everything on these islands. A trip to Hawaii’s Big Island is much more reasonable, and there’s a lot more breathing room too. Of course, some might point out that Hawaii’s Big Island is the location of two active volcanoes and the center of some of the worst earthquakes and tsunamis in the history of the island chain, suggesting that that is why not as many people visit it.

Accommodations

Hotel prices give potential tourists nightmares. Even with an all-inclusive trip, these costs can really add up.

Good thing we live in an age of real estate entrepreneurs. Plenty of mainlanders want to retire to Hawaii.  And they have bought up condos with that goal in mind. To pay off the mortgage, they rent out their real estate to visitors while they’re off island. Paying for a week in a condo is often ¾ or less of the price of staying in a hotel!

These are a few of the different ways you can save money when you are thinking about traveling to Hawaii. With a little bit of foresight and some flexibility, you can cut the costs of a tropical vacation in half!

Snorkel

It’s hard to believe the variety of sea life in the warm waters off of the sandy beaches until you get in yourself. Reef fish of all varieties swim around incredible coral formations. You’ll see puffer fish, pencil fish, rainbows and many more. You’ll also see turtles, anemones and, if you’re really lucky, a dolphin or two. Make sure you buy cheap snorkelling gear at a chain store, otherwise you might get taken for an extra buck or two.

Fish

Hawaii is the avid angler’s dream. There are no regulations in the waters of the Pacific off of the Big Island’s coast, and you can catch dozens of different fish. Barracuda, shark, and marlin are among the most exciting. If you do hook a big marlin though, make sure you cancel your plans for the next three days. It might take a whole day just to land it … and two more to recover!

Surf

It’s Hawaii and that, of course, means surfing. Banyans, Ke’ei, and Kahalu’s are three of the best spots. Here you are less likely to find any of the territorial surfers who can make hitting the waves in some of Hawaii’s best spots a real downer.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

This is definitely a don’t-miss. We’ve touched on it lightly in another article and will go into more detail in a shorter one, but the most popular destination in the state can’t be left off of a “top things to do” list!

World Botanical Gardens

These botanical gardens are perfect for the person who loves natural flora and fauna.  They feature a long hiking trail through various cultivated gardens, containing hundreds of species of native and non native tropical plants. You’ll also see dozens of varieties of tropical birds and butterflies. It’s a good idea to have a bird guide book with you so you can match names to your photographs later!

Pacific Tsunami Museum

Dedicated to the two tsunamis which have ravaged the east coast of the Island in the last 100 years, this is a great place for those who love science and also like to feel a little rush of fear. It might be best to save this visit for the last days of your vacation!

Black Sand Beaches

These are common, cool, and even a little bit creepy. It’s hard to believe that anything that color could actually feel like sand, but it does!

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park

If you wanted to escape a death sentence  a century ago, this is the place you would flee to. Today, it’s a historic monument off of one of the best snorkeling areas to be found on the Big Island.

Hawaii’s Big Island is one of the best destinations in the state, if only because it tends to attract the less rowdy tourist crowds. There are plenty of things to do on the island of Hawaii, and one way to take in some of the most important is a trip across the island, from Kona to Hilo. It’s a six hour drive, so you’ll want to stay overnight, but here is what you can expect.

• Varying landscapes: You will be amazed at just how many ecosystems can be contained on one island, all formed by two volcanoes. The Kona side is dry, and lava rock is the norm on the sides of the road here. As you take Saddle Road, you’ll notice things get a lot drier, with semi-arid conditions. On the descent, you’re suddenly in tropical rain forest. The volcanoes loom in the distance and you find yourself in the rainiest spot in the whole USA.

• A great city: Hilo is friendly, upbeat, and not nearly as expensive as other spots in the state. You’ll also find many of the people friendlier; they’re just happy you came in out of the rain.

• Not a lot of company: We don’t know whether most people fly or boat into Hilo. What we do know is that not a lot of them drive. The roads are virtually empty for most of the trip!

• Lots of animals: You will see a lot of animals on the drive, most of them not indigenous. It’s kind of fun to play spot the wild goat or pig, and wild turkeys are often seen as well. If you’re really lucky, you might catch sight of Hawaii’s national bird, the nene, although they are said to be quite rare.

• National Parks: There are at least two big state attractions on the Hilo side of the island. Both the Tsunami Center and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, in which Mauna Loa and Kilauea are located, are well worth the trip. Try visiting one on the day you get there, and the other on the day you head back.