Actually, Thomas, you will probably find Maui fairly touristy, as well,
although I have never been there. Places on the Big Island and Kauai can be
relatively un-Oahu like. We had friendly kamaainas approach us on both
islands.
While camped in the rain for several days on the wrong (wet) side of Kauai,
some
church folks having a luau brought us plates of scrumptious food. Lanai &
Molokai would be good bets to get away from the crowds.
I like the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Honolulu, and we found some beach parks
- two IN Honolulu proper, relatively tourist free, at least mid-week. I used
to go to Ala Moana Beach Park almost daily, and frequently found myself alone
or nearly so. I'm sure those days are long gone, as well. Another is Sand
Island Beach Park, past the Coast Guard Base on the island in the middle of
Honolulu Harbor. If you want a park to yourself midweek without having to
drive
to the northshore... (somebody stole my zorries there during a baseball game).
The one place we usually avoided was Waikiki, except for going to
entertainment events at the Shell in Kapiolani Park, or to hear Herb Ohta play
ukulele at
night, etc. During the day, Waikiki is tourist central. Pretty place (but
dangerous) to stroll at night, as is any beach (soldiers & girlfriends have
been attacked on N. Shore beaches at night). If you go to any beach at night,
be
in a group of several folks. Definitely avoid Waikiki on the 4th of July or
New Year's Eve. Lit firecrackers rain down from the sky from the hotels.
It's nuts, like a war zone.
The sugar cane fields are kept on Oahu only for tourist photos. Otherwise,
they would have been developed by now. Even the pineapple fields might be gone
by now if they didn't draw tourists.
Rich
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