Majority of travelling between islands in Hawaii happens through Airlines (ferries are limited). Whether to hop between Hawaiian islands by water or air can cause confusion for tourists. Following are the possible ways you can hop between islands in Hawaii.
- Cruise ships
- Boat Rentals
- Private Boat Charters
- Sailing Tours
- Maui-Lanai Ferry Service
- By Air
Hawaii Island hopping by Water
Although you can be boarding cruise ships which are travelling among the islands, but these can be costly. Other options to travel on water are boat rentals, which can be tricky if you are not experienced sailor. In boat rentals, you are paying just the rent for the boat, but you have to sail the boat for Hawaii islands hopping.
Another option to hop Hawaiian islands through water is to rent a private boat charter. It will include a crew that is expert in sailing and familiar with important checkpoints. It will enable you to navigate easily and explore the Hawaiian destination or islands of your choice.
The most economical way to hop among the various Hawaii islands by boat are the sailing tours, where you are sharing the cost of sailing with others. Multiple people and families can fit into a single tour boat. You may get opportunities to see dolphins, whales and explore scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing activities depending upon the company and time of the year. Hence, best way to travel between Hawaiian islands on water is through sailing tours.
Hawaii sailing tours
Hawaii Islands Hopping by Ferry
While thinking of Hawaii islands hopping, you would be wondering if ferry travel is common among the locals. As of current date, only public ferry runs between Island of Maui and Lanai.
The departure of ferry from Maui to Lanai is happening on 5 occasions at Lahaina. You can locate it in front of Pioneer Inn at the public loading dock. Ferry is departing in the Morning at (6:45am & 9:15am), afternoon ( 12:45pm & 3:15pm) and evening ( 5:45pm). One way ticket is $30 for adults while $20 for children.
On the other hand, from Lanai to Maui ferry is also departing at 5 different times. In the Morning (8:00am & 10:30am), afternoon (2:00 pm & 4:30) and evening (6:45 pm).The location is at Manele Harbour public loading dock.
No matter which time or direction you travel by ferry between Lanai and Maui. The price of ticket is the same. If you are a non-resident, One way ticket is $30 for adults while $20 for children. Infants up to 2 years are free. Kids within the age range of 2-11 are in the children category. Booking can be made online. Rates for Lanai-Maui interisland ferry are lesser for locals.
KAMA’AINA is the name used for Hawaiian residents and you will see terms like KAMA’AINA adult($25) and KAMA’AINA child/senior($10) on the booking site. These are the fares for the locals. Compared to air travel, Ferry travel is the cheapest way to travel between Maui and Lanai.
You might have heard about the Molokai ferry service from your friends who travelled Hawaii some years ago. There used to be Maui-Molokai ferry service which was a public service to travel between Maui and Molokai. However, this has been permanently closed since October 16.
Aside from the above mentioned ferry services, there is no state-wide public ferry service in Hawaii. It means interisland movement among the other Hawaiian islands is not possible by any public boat service, for residents or visitors.
View from one of Hawaii interisland flights
If summed up, best way to travel between Hawaiian islands is by airplane, as most of the visitors do . The flights among the islands are so frequent that you can plan your trip on the run. For Hawaii interisland flights, the recommended way is to check the websites for the airlines that are currently operational.
- Hawaiian Airlines
- Southwest
- Mokulele Airlines
According to experienced travellers, a 2 week Hawaii trip can be potentially enjoyed if you visit max 2 islands. It can be planned in such a way that you visit one island on your arrival, spend a week there. After a week, you can travel to other island of your choice by Hawaii interisland flights. You spend the remaining time there and plan your home departure from there.
Visiting Hawaii by air for the first time can be rewarding experience, however, planning the trip can be challenging if you want to visit multiple islands. The decision to do Hawaii islands hopping must be taken carefully as frequent Hawaii interisland flights can be tiring for some.
This will happen if you try to squeeze too many islands visit in a short Hawaiian journey. Additionally, each island offers so many attractions in terms of beaches, hiking tails, waterfalls, and valleys that even a week is considered less for one island.
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