National Geographic Expeditions Marketing Manager Sarah Muenzenmayer shares tips on planning a Hawaii trip that's budget-friendly and full of local color.
As avid travelers in our early 30s, my husband and I like to plan trips that will challenge us--language barriers and exploring foreign cultures are the aspects of travel we find both adventurous and memorable. But with the hubby currently in grad school, we wanted a trip that was slightly easier to plan, not to mention easy on the wallet. Drawn to Hawaii's natural beauty, we decided to skip the resorts and instead to camp along the spectacular coastline. Here are a few tips on how we kept our trip to the Big Island and Kauai challenging, and kept the total cost pretty darn low.
As avid travelers in our early 30s, my husband and I like to plan trips that will challenge us--language barriers and exploring foreign cultures are the aspects of travel we find both adventurous and memorable. But with the hubby currently in grad school, we wanted a trip that was slightly easier to plan, not to mention easy on the wallet. Drawn to Hawaii's natural beauty, we decided to skip the resorts and instead to camp along the spectacular coastline. Here are a few tips on how we kept our trip to the Big Island and Kauai challenging, and kept the total cost pretty darn low.
Camp -- What's not to love about camping? You will save money, avoid tourists, and get to know more locals as you explore your surroundings. We woke up to a beautiful Hawaiian sunrise every morning, and by being mobile, we were able to experience as many different areas
of the islands and linger as
long as we liked. The Hawaiian Islands are full of low-cost campsites, and many are right on the beach. A little planning is
necessary however, as you need to purchase permits for some sites. We
chose to let our vehicle be our home while on the Big Island, and
rented a VW Westfalia from the friendly owners of Happy Campers. In this photo, we navigated our van, "Wiki Wiki," through Volcanoes National Park.
Eat as the locals do
-- If you can, avoid hotel restaurants at all cost. It's so much cheaper to do a little online research before you go, or ask the
locals where they like to eat. Make a lunch out of the delicious
homegrown or home-prepared foods from the Hilo Farmers Market (above); partake in delicious poke offered by fellow beachgoers; slurp saimin at a communal table in Lihue; and stop for a pineapple-topped, roadside burger in at Duane's Ono-Char Burger in Anahola. Ono!
Get out there early (or late)
-- You've got an advantage if you're camping, as you'll be up with the
sunrise (and the turtles, above) and can sleep within a 10-minute drive of the tourist hot
spots. Because let's face it, these places are popular for a reason and
can't be missed even by those of us who claim to travel "off the beaten
path." We were out on the water and paddling our way to the Captain
Cook Monument in Kaelakekua Bay State Historical Park by 7:30 a.m., which meant that we could enjoy fantastic
snorkeling of Kaelakekua Bay all to ourselves before the other kayakers and
boatloads of people descended around 10:00 a.m. 
Go the extra mile (or more) --
It's a win-win situation if your body allows it: the deeper you go and
harder you try, the more of Hawaii's natural beauty you'll actually
experience, and the further you'll get away from the other tourists. So
hike down into the amazing Waipio Valley (above), even though the hike back up
lies at an insane 25 percent grade. Make the time to hike the Kalalau Trail of
the Na Pali coast, named one of National Geographic Adventure's top 11 classic hikes in the world.
Photos: Sarah Muenzenmayer
Photos: Sarah Muenzenmayer
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Great suggestions for a visit to Hawaii! The Hilo Farmers' Market sounds amazing!
Great article! I've been avoiding Hawaii for the past few years because it seemed so touristy and overpriced. But camping sounds like a great way to see the islands. Thanks Sarah!
Thanks for the useful tips. Camping and experiencing Hawaii as a local sounds like the way to go. Great article!
Oh yes, Ono burgers are the BEST! Gotta have the marionberry shake too, and watch the chickens while you eat!
Since I am from Hawaii (Oahu) and currently live in Seattle, a lot of folks tell me they're intimidated to visit Hawaii because they don't know which islands to visit or how to choose from the multitude of available activities. I loved how you explored the camping alternative and focused on the lesser-known islands of Kauai and Hawaii. Perhaps another trip to visit Maui and Lanai? Even Oahu is worth a trip, despite its size and population. Great job! Mahalo :)
Very nice write up. As one who had traveled to the Hawaiian islands plenty of times before moving there, I quickly learned that if I wanted to save money I needed to stop being a tourist and stop spending money. Spending money comes very easy as a tourist in Hawaii. Eating like a local was the key for me as I quickly realized that most of my "tourist" money was being spent on food. A local also introduced me to the Sharing Hawaii help guide that was key in helping me to find all the free and really great activities in Hawaii and cheap restaurants and hotels - even in the crowded touristy areas. With each yearly visit for the past 3 years my wife and I cut our spending in half each year.
Where the question of Hawaii comes, there is nothing to tell more. We can describe Hawaii as the heaven of the world.
The written post describes the beautiful ways to enjoy the heaven – Hawaii in an economic way.
SO great to know people keep track of social events - And that there is still a strong community sense in Hawaii. Try the last minute travel site. They offer event tickets at low prices there.
Where I'm from in Australia, a trip to Howaii is a big financial investment- so it's good to have a few tips for when we arrive! Hoping to visit in 2010 sometime. Thanks for the insight :-)