7 Sunny spots in Hawaii you can't miss
Discover sunny coastlines, small towns and locally run stays that bring you closer to island life.
Where can you find the sunny, local side of Hawaiʻi?
Hawaiʻi may be famous for its palm-fringed beaches and large oceanfront resorts, but there’s another side to the islands that we think is much more rewarding to discover.
Our specialists have travelled through Hawaiʻi looking beyond the main resort areas, finding smaller places to stay, locally run experiences and towns where you can spend a little more time getting to know island life. That might mean staying with welcoming local hosts, eating at a food truck by the beach or taking the quieter road to a place most visitors simply pass by.
And sunshine isn’t the same everywhere. Hawaiʻi packs an extraordinary variety of climate zones into a relatively small area, so choosing the right part of each island can make a real difference to your holiday.
"There are so many fun spots, hidden beaches, beautiful lookouts, and small towns that the main resort crowds skip, which really adds to the local Hawaiian experience."
— Thies, Product Manager
1. Poʻipū: how can you combine Kauaʻi sunshine with a more local stay?
Poʻipū means “crashing waves” in Hawaiian. Set on Kauaʻi’s sunny south shore, the area enjoys warm weather and is home to some of the island’s most popular beaches.
Palm trees line Poʻipū Beach, where clear water meets sweeping stretches of golden sand. There’s also a natural ocean wading pool, while snorkelling, swimming, bodyboarding and surfing offer plenty of ways to enjoy the water.
Away from the beach, this part of Kauaʻi has a good choice of restaurants, shops and activities. Spouting Horn is well worth a stop: seawater rushes into a natural lava tube before being forced back into the air with a distinctive hiss and roar that has inspired Hawaiian legends.
How can you experience Poʻipū?
You don’t need to stay in one of Kauaʻi’s large resorts to enjoy the south coast. We know smaller, more personal places where you can slow down, settle in and explore at your own pace.
One of our hand-picked stays feels wonderfully tucked away, surrounded by tropical gardens with space to unwind by the saltwater pool or enjoy a relaxed evening outside. From here, you can dip in and out of Poʻipū, wander through Old Kōloa Town and spend your days exploring the south shore with local tips from your hosts along the way.
2. Waimea: why is Kauaʻi's west side worth more than a quick stop?
Waimea, meaning “red water” in Hawaiian, lies in southwest Kauaʻi. Captain Cook landed here in 1778, the first recorded European arrival in Hawaiʻi, while nearby Waimea Canyon is the area’s main draw. Often nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, it combines rugged cliffs, deep valleys, waterfalls and tropical greenery.
You can admire it from the viewpoints or spend more time in the landscape on the Kukui Trail.
Why would we slow your route down here?
Waimea Town is worth a stop too, with its sugarcane and paniolo history, small shops and local businesses offering a quieter contrast to Kauaʻi’s resort areas.
With your own car, you can explore the canyon and town at your own pace rather than rushing in and out, leaving time for the places that catch your eye along the way.
3. Kāʻanapali: is west Maui worth including in your route?
Kāʻanapali sits on Maui’s west coast between the Pacific and the West Maui Mountains. Its name means “rolling cliffs”, and its roughly 3-mile stretch of white sand, gentle waves and sunny weather has made it one of Maui’s best-known holiday areas.
It was Hawaiʻi’s first planned resort and today has hotels, restaurants, shops and golf courses. One of Kāʻanapali Beach’s best-known traditions is its sunset cliff-diving ceremony.
Nearby Lāhainā was devastated by the wildfires of 2023, which destroyed much of the historic town. Your specialist can advise you on the current situation when planning your Maui route.
How can you enjoy west Maui without making a big resort the focus?
Kāʻanapali is a good example of why we look beyond the obvious hotel choices in Hawaiʻi. You can enjoy its beaches and west coast setting while staying somewhere with a little more individuality, or combine this part of Maui with quieter bases elsewhere on the island.
One experience we particularly like is heading out along the West Maui coast. Depending on the season and the trip you choose, you can spend time snorkelling, join a whale-watching cruise or simply enjoy a sunset sail with the onboard crew.
The aim isn’t to avoid Hawaiʻi’s famous places. It’s to combine them with smaller-scale experiences and local businesses that give the islands more personality.
4. Wailea: where can you slow down on Maui's sunny south coast?
Wailea, meaning “the water of Lea”, sits on Maui’s south coast and is known for its five crescent-shaped beaches.
Swimming and snorkelling are popular here, while Ulua Beach Park is a lovely place for an early-morning or sunset walk. Golf and tennis are also well established in the area.
Away from the beach, you’ll find shops, galleries and restaurants, including Spago and Duo, as well as spas where you can take some time out between days exploring Maui.
Would we spend your whole Maui stay in Wailea?
Probably not. Wailea works particularly well as somewhere to enjoy a few slower days within a broader Maui journey.
We’d combine that time by the coast with smaller towns and locally run places elsewhere on the island. A great way to explore this stretch of coast is by joining a small-group snorkelling or sightseeing trip from South Maui, exploring stretches of coastline shaped by volcanic landscapes, lava arches and sea caves with a licensed local crew.
That way, you get the relaxation Wailea is known for while still seeing more of Maui beyond the resort areas.
5. Pāʻia: where can you find Maui's more laid-back local side?
Historic Pāʻia sits on Maui’s north coast, close to Hoʻokipa Beach, one of the island’s best-known windsurfing spots. Once a plantation town, today it has colourful shopfronts, local boutiques, galleries and restaurants.
Take a walk along Baldwin Beach Park, watch the action around Hoʻokipa or spend some time exploring the town itself. Nearby Hāʻiku Marketplace is another good stop for local food, with restaurants and food trucks serving a mix of influences using fresh ingredients.
You can also visit the Buddhist Peace Stupa, consecrated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2007, the Temple of Peace Cleansing Spa and the Sacred Garden of Maliko.
Why is Pāʻia the sort of place we look for?
Because it gives you something the large resort areas can’t.
You can wander into a small café, follow a recommendation from your hosts or pick up lunch from a food truck and eat it somewhere overlooking the ocean. Nothing needs to be particularly organised, and that is often exactly the point.
“Getting some takeaway at a local food truck, always with a kind, fun and happy local behind the counter, eating it on the beach, watching people surf, and just enjoying island life was honestly one of my favourite parts.”
— Thies, Product Manager
6. Kona and the Kohala Coast: where are Hawaiʻi Island's best sunny beaches?
Hawaiʻi Island is the youngest island in the archipelago, so its coastline doesn’t have quite the same abundance of long sandy beaches you’ll find on some of its neighbours. What it does have is wonderfully clear water and some beautiful stretches of coast.
For sandy beaches, look towards the Kona and Kohala coasts. Hāpuna Beach State Park is one of the island’s best-known white-sand beaches, while Waialea Beach and Maniniʻowali Beach are other places to enjoy the western coastline.
This is also excellent snorkelling territory. Hawaiian green sea turtles live in these waters, while you may also spot Hawaiʻi’s famously named state fish, the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa.
Where can you stay for a more local side of Hawaiʻi Island?
A little further inland, Hōlualoa and Honalo put you within the Kona Coffee Belt. Food and coffee are a big part of travelling through this part of the island, alongside days spent on the coast.
We’d look beyond the larger resorts and choose somewhere with a stronger sense of place. One of our hand-picked stays sits on a family-run coffee farm on the slopes above Kailua-Kona, surrounded by tropical gardens with ocean views.
It makes a peaceful base for exploring the island, whether you’re heading out to snorkel, dive, hike through volcanic landscapes or take a scenic drive. Back at the property, you can slow down and experience everyday life on a working Kona coffee farm.
7. Honolulu and Oʻahu: how do you see beyond Waikīkī?
Honolulu is Hawaiʻi’s capital and the largest city on Oʻahu. Its name means “sheltered harbour” or “calm port”, fitting for a city that has long played an important role in the Hawaiian Islands.
There are beaches, museums, galleries, live music and plenty of opportunities to spend time on the water. And, of course, there is Waikīkī.
It’s one of the most recognisable beach destinations in the world, but it’s only one small part of Oʻahu. Around two-thirds of Hawaiʻi’s population lives on the island, yet drive beyond Honolulu and you can still find quieter coastlines, smaller towns and natural landscapes.
Is Waikīkī the Hawaiʻi you want to experience?
It can certainly be part of it, but we wouldn’t assume it should be all of it.
Having your own car gives you the freedom to leave the busiest resort areas behind and explore the Oʻahu that sits beyond the postcards. Those quieter beaches, lookouts and small towns often become the places people remember most.
That is the difference we try to build into a holiday: seeing the famous places but also knowing when to take the road away from the crowds.
What is the best way to experience sunny Hawaiʻi?
Don’t treat Hawaiʻi as one big resort.
Each island has its own landscapes, communities and microclimates, and travelling between them gives you a much better sense of just how varied Hawaiʻi can be. The right route might combine sunny beaches with small towns, a locally run B&B, a coffee farm, time on the water and the occasional greener, wetter landscape along the way.
Hawaiʻi is also known as the Rainbow Capital of the World. Rainbows are particularly common in the early morning and late afternoon, and on Kauaʻi and Maui you may spot several in a single day. In a place where sunshine and showers can sit remarkably close together, it feels rather fitting.
For us, where you stay matters just as much as where you go. Our specialists have travelled through the islands and sought out smaller accommodation where local hosts, personal recommendations and a quieter setting can show you a side of Hawaiʻi that’s easily missed from a large resort.
We can use that first-hand knowledge to create a tailor-made journey around the islands and places that suit you, with enough time to enjoy them rather than simply collecting stops.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Hawaii is worth visiting well beyond its beaches. You can explore volcanic landscapes in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, drive through rainforest on Maui, visit Waimea Canyon on Kauai, learn about Hawaiian history in Honolulu, and spend time in smaller towns where food, music and local culture feel more personal.
Oahu is often the easiest first island, because Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbour and quieter coastal areas are all within reach. For a broader first trip, we usually suggest pairing Oahu with Maui, Kauai or the Big Island, depending on whether beaches, hiking, volcanoes or local food matter most.
Hawaii is warm throughout the year, but May to October is usually best for long beach days, calmer summer seas and reliable warmth. November to March can still be lovely, though rain is more common, and winter surf can make some beaches unsafe for swimming.
