all inclusive hawaii

Hawaii All Inclusive Resorts

In many ways, Hawaii offers as exotic a paradise vacation as a trip to the Bahamas. However, where a trip to the Bahamas is likely to cost you over a thousand dollars, all inclusive trips to Hawaii can cost just a couple hundred bucks.

But what’s more important than the price is the vacation itself. After all, if that couple hundred bucks gets you an all-inclusive trip to a dingy hotel in the middle of a non-tourist area, and “includes” only a breakfast bar, it wouldn’t be worth very much. The good news is that, as a general rule, you don’t have to worry much about this sort of thing when planning a trip for Hawaii.

At the very least, you can expect a beach side hotel with a beautiful view, a great pull, and some activities on the side, but if you want to get the most out of your all-inclusive Hawaii getaway there are definitely a few things to keep an eye out for.

All Inclusive Hawaii Resorts

There are really two types of Hawaii all-inclusive packages: cruises, and resorts. The key difference is that a cruise is going to have you returning to your ship each night, whereas a resort allows you to stay on the island.

Between the two options, an all-inclusive resort in Hawaii allows for a more intimate connection with your vacation spot, and a much more relaxed experience overall, but it ultimately depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re more interested in activities than relaxation, a cruise package might be more your speed. Expect to be up with the sun though.

all inclusive hawaii1

Hawaii All Inclusive Vacations

However, as far as all-inclusive resorts go, location should be a big selling point. Where you stay will determine how quickly you can get to the local events, and considering there is travel time between islands, it will help to dictate how much you can do, or how much time you have to lay out in the sun, whatever your prerogative.

Each island has a good bit to offer, but if you don’t want to spend time doing research on which island is the most interesting for you, there are two approaches you can use to play it safe. You can either pick a place on the Big Hawaii island, which is on one end of the islands, but has the most to offer, or you can pick an island near the center like Maui or Molokai and just to plan to travel around.

all inclusive hawaii2

Most all inclusive Hawaii packages will be either weekend long or week long. However, it should be noted that a week-long package can be anywhere from six to eight days just depending on the package.

All Inclusive Resorts Hawaii

Here are a few things you should look for and expect with your all-inclusive resort:

I know that a pool may seem irrelevant in light of the gorgeous beaches of Hawaii but there will be times, especially if you’re on one of the longer vacations, when you simply don’t feel like walking all the way to the beach. And besides, a pool visit is a great way to meet your neighbors.

all inclusive hawaii5

It’s the “beachfront” that’s the important part. Any hotel can offer a buffet breakfast (and any that offers an all-inclusive package probably will), but sliding out of bed at noon to grab a bite and watch the waves roll by, after a late night is a priceless experience. Most hotels will have themed buffet dishes to keep things lively during extended stays, so if you don’t like the selection one day, it’s still worth checking back the next.

Hawaii All Inclusive Resorts

While you’re on your own for lunch, most all-inclusive packages will come with dinner, and the dining experiences they pack are usually top notch. Expect many of your meals to be accompanied with a show or concert of some kind and at least one of your outings will most likely be fine dining.

Kauai is called the gardener’s island because there is so much vegetation. In fact, there is so much green that it has been used by the film industry for several different movies featuring areas untouched by mankind. Unless you’re just not a fan of animals, no trip to Hawaii should be considered complete without interacting with the local wildlife.

all inclusive hawaii13

Many Hawaii resorts maintain large grounds of tropical nature so that visitors can experience the environment without even stepping far from their hotel rooms. Expect beautiful birds on every branch and more friendliness in wild animals than you’ve probably ever encountered.

Luaus are a big part of the Hawaiian vacation experience, and you’d be hard pressed to find an all-inclusive package that doesn’t offer them. If it’s your first time in Hawaii you should really give them a shot, as they’ll definitely provide memories of your time in Hawaii, but if you’re certain Luaus or any other organized event in your package isn’t for you, nobody will say a word about you staying back at the hotel.

With a place that is surrounded by crystal clear water on all sides, water sports are obviously going to be a huge deal. You should expect at least one sailing venture to be included, whether it’s from one island to another or just sailing for the sake of sailing. Surfing lessons are also a really common event in all-inclusive packages. Don’t worry about falling off the board. I promise that you won’t be the only one. In fact, that’s part of the fun.

all inclusive hawaii14

While you can optimize the amount of free time you want by picking different packages or having additional events lined up on the side, there’s usually a lot of free time built into an all-inclusive package. This is due to having periods each day that are “open” or unplanned. In addition, events aren’t mandatory. You’re paying for them with your package so it’s a good idea to get the most out of them, but if you don’t want to do something it’s perfectly acceptable to skip. The nice thing about Hawaii, is you can always find something fun to do to pass the time, and you’ll usually have plenty of alternatives line up in case you decide to skip something.