The Big Island is one of the most diverse islands in Hawaii in terms of landscape. From the lush surroundings near Hilo, the dry sunny Kona coast (with many Kona Coast resorts), the ranch lands of Waimea, to the jagged lava of Volcano. Visitors often don't have enough time to see it all. Unlike the other islands in the chain, the Big Island requires more savvy when planning day trips. Drive times need to be factored into any plans you make, as some sites can be over two hours by car. If you are driving the 95 miles between Hilo and Kailua-Kona, it can take up to 2 1/2 hours. Hawaii is the youngest and largest of the islands in the Hawaiian chain. It is steeped in rich culture and heritage and is home to famed Goddess of Volcanoes, Pele.

If you are looking for Hawaii vacation rentals, the Big Island has some great rentals across the island, including its affordable Kona vacation rentals. Many people buy homes in Hawaii as second homes and rent them out when they are not occupying them. People don't often think that they would be able to purchase home in Hawaii, but if you do some bargain hunting, you can find some reasonably priced Kona real estate or deals even in the popular Puako real estate market. This gives visitors the opportunity to stay in some truly unique locations. Often times vacation rentals are much more convenient than hotels or resorts. Parking is much closer and easier to access, you have fully stocked kitchens and they often accommodate large families. Not to mention you get to live among the locals. 

This is not to say that there aren't great resorts on the Big Island. If you want to swim with the dolphins or be completely pampered, there are resorts for that. The Royal Kona Resort is flush with swimming lagoon, restaurants, shops and a Mai Tai bar. The Hilton Waikoloa Village has a children's sand bottom pool, a dolphin learning center, spas, shopping and incredible gardens.You can also find luxury accommodations in Kolea at Waikoloa.

There are also a ton of activities that can keep you busy on the Big Island. You definitely need to drop by Safari Helicopters for one of their unforgettable Big Island helicopter tours. Although they will take you on a heart stopping journey through the clouds and over active volcanoes and gushing waterfalls, you need to see Volcano up close. Either find a guide that can give you comprehensive tour of the hikes and lava tubes, or spend the day exploring on your own. There are great meadows to have picnics in and great walking paths to snap great photos on. The Big Island is great for those who like to explore in their cars. You need to cover a lot of ground to see the whole island, but there are always dramatic and expansive views around every corner.

Maui is often the favorite island of many visitors to Hawaii. While many locals complain that is has become too commercialized, vacationers notice that it is far less crowded than Oahu. It has many of the benefits and less of the drawbacks that the capital island has. Although, in the mid 1800's King Kamehameha gained control of Maui and made it the capital of the Hawaiian kingdom. At that time, whaling was huge in Hawaii, and it is said that hundreds of boats would be anchored in the port of Lahaina. However, today, Honolulu on Oahu, is the capital and has about 10 times the population of Maui.

Like the other islands, sugar became the leading industry on Maui from the early 1800's through the late 1900's, but died out as it was out sourced to countries where it was cheaper to produce. As the sugar cane industry died out, the tourism and service industry exploded in Hawaii. 

Today, most of the jobs on Maui are centered around the visitor industry. You can find Maui condos in every town and numerous Maui vacation rentals throughout the island. Your options vary widely when you are looking for a place to stay on maui. There have been whole towns developed around some of the larger resorts, as evidenced in Kaanapali or Wailea. While many tourist stay in the resorts, you can also find beach homes and Wailea vacation rentals for more intimate stays. It is not an uncommon occurrence for visitors to come and want to stay. Forever. There are many Maui homes for sale in a wide range of prices. While living in Hawaii does cost more than most places in the continental U.S., there are still some good deals to be had on Maui real estate. Of course there are also higher end estates and more luxury properties. If you are looking for more resort style living or bigger homes, you can check out some Wailea real estate offerings.

A favorite thing for some visitors to do, is to get a Lahaina rental home and just spend the days walking and dinning in Lahaina town and swimming at the nearby beaches. As far as activities go, Maui has it all. Want to watch the sunrise on top of a dormant volcano, check. Want to bike ride down said volcano, check. Want to party like a rock star on Halloween in Lahaina, check. Play golf on championship courses, check. Attend world famous film festival with movie stars, check, outside under the stars, check, check. Skydive, hike, play in waterfalls, helicopter, yep, yep, yep and yep. Maui is a playground for everyone. Kids can play on the beach and go to luaus with the folks, who in turn can put them to bed and go dancing at a nightclub.

But the most fun on Maui, is out in the water. Maui snorkeling can't be missed. Take a boat ride to the majestic Molokini crater. While there, hop in the water for a little Molokini snorkel adventure. There is no shortage of companies that will give you top notch tours and day trips around Maui. And if at all possible, plan to be there during the Maui whale watching season. You would definitely be missing out if you don't get to see some whale playing in the Hawaiian seas.

Kauai is the oldest of the Main Hawaiian islands, but maybe because of its geographical isolation, it is the least populated of the islands. Kauai is approximately 105 miles northwest of Oahu, which makes it the furthest away from any of its neighboring islands than any other in the chain. With many sleepy town, Kauai's appeal has long been its laid back atmosphere and string of sleepy town. Many visitors come to Kauai to experience a more organic vacation and view some of the most incredible sights in the state. 

The Waimea Canyon, in Kokee State Park, is a wonder of the Pacific. The large gorge has been formed over millions of years by the flow of the Waimea River. The 3,000 foot deep canyon rivals the Grand Canyon in it's enormity and splendor. There are many hikes among the ridge lines of the canyon to take in the awesome views. At the very top of the State Park you can view the famed Kalalau Valley. The campgrounds and cabins in Kokee are favorite getaways for the local residents of Kauai - offering a change in scenery as well as a change in climate.

The Na Pali Coast and Kalalau on the north/west side of the island are also a huge draw for visitors. While access can sometimes be a little tricky, the experience is well worth the efforts. This coastline line has been featured in many Hollywood movies and travelers come from around the world to hike the dramatic Kalalau trail. While hiking is a great and affordable way to see the Na Pali, it is not always an option for all visitors. There are several boat companies on Kauai that have daily tours of the coast and also Kauai helicopter tours are also available. However one chooses to see the Na Pali Coast, great caution must be taken -muddy steep trails make hiking almost impossible at times and severe weather and large waves can make the ocean unfit for boating excursions.

Similar to the other islands, Kauai's main industry is tourism. Over a quarter of all jobs on Kauai are in the accommodations and food service industries. Kauai also has a disproportionate amount of Kauai vacation rentals when compared to the outer island. There are rentals all over the island, from Waimea, to Koloa, Kapaa and also popular Hanalei vacation rentals. A large reason for this could be the lack of plentiful "resort" or "hotel" rooms. While Kauai has a few larger resorts like the Kauai Beach Resort, Poipu Kai, Islander on the Beach, and others, and a spattering of hotels, they are not as common place as on Maui or the Big Island. Thus, many homeowners offer their extra rooms or attached cottages as vacation rentals. Many visitors enjoy these type of accommodations. Vacation rentals often cost less for more room and they offer tourist a chance to live like the locals.

A booming real estate market in the first decade of this century saw increased interest in development on Kauai. Over the past twenty years there have been huge new development projects that have been approved and started. However, with the housing bust in 2007-09, many investors pulled back money and interest in building on Kauai. It has left many projects unfinished or completely cancelled due to the inability to raise funds. This has also trended into the personal home and condo sales, in which the market has significantly slowed. There are some traditionally popular hotspots that have continued to fair well. Hanalei real estate, Princeville condos and higher end investment properties are still sought after.

Molokai is the fifth largest in the Hawaii chain, with a population the hovers around 7,500 (2004). As dramatic a landscape as any of the larger islands, Molokai is a very diverse island. The southern fringing reef, at 25 miles long, is the largest of its kind in the United States. The sea cliffs on the northern side of the island also have the distinction of being the highest in the world.

While Molokai is friendly towards visitors, it is not the booming tourist trap like many other spots throughout Hawaii. The local communities have fought to limit the intrusion of outside businesses. Molokai is know for its history of being a leper colony. Suffers of leprosy were quarantined to Molokai and cared for by the famed Father Damien. There are currently no active cases of leprosy on Molokai and the segregation ban was lifted back in 1969.

Oahu is the "Gathering Place", with over 80 percent of the population of the Hawaiian islands living on this capital island. Many of the famous sites that people around the world associate with Hawaii, are on Oahu. The most sought after beach and a well know jewel of the Pacific is Waikiki Beach. There is the Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, and the world class surfing coast, simply known as The North Shore.

Oahu is has over 900,000 residents and sees over 5 million visitors every year. Although tourism reigns supreme on Oahu, there is much more diversity in the population and employment fields compared to the outer islands. Honolulu is a business hub and hosts many international corporations and government offices. Because of the demand for being at the islands capital, there is a very active Honolulu real estate marketplace.

A little further east and ocean ward, you will find the tourism center of the islands - Waikiki. Many tourist learn to surf here, shop, dine, and stay in any of the well know hotels that line the beach. Some visitors can get good deals on Ilikai condos or Honolulu condos. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle, you can venture northeast and stay in one of many Kailua vacation rentals. There are several Oahu vacation rentals to choose from throughout the island. There is also the International Market Place and the always bustling Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Not always the capital of the islands, Oahu was named thus after the islands were united 1810, and King Kamehameha moved the capital from Lahaina to Honolulu. Once established as the capital, they build 'Iolani Palace. Still standing, it is the only existing royal palace on American Lands.

Lanai was never a main living island of large populations of Hawaiians, remaining mostly barren and uninhabited until the western world visited Hawaii. Once western influences were introduced to Lanai it was purchased and quickly became ranch lands. When James Dole entered the scene in the early 1900's, Lanai converted to one of the world's leader in pineapple production. After a century of being the Pineapple Island, the industry floundered in Hawaii. Pineapple growing was out sourced overseas, where the cost of production was much cheaper. 

Although Lanai is in the sight line of Maui, it still maintains second class status to the larger island. There is not much more to Lanai than the two resorts that have been developed there. The Four Seasons at Manele Bay and the Koele Lodge are great get-away for those looking for peace and serenity. For nightlife and shopping, you might do better on Lanai's sister, Maui.