Planning my honeymoon for September

[Milzinga]

Planning on going to Maui in September, but upon doing some research Cancun seems like a viable option. Anyone been to both? What are your thoughts? I'm consider Maui more, possibly the fairmont or Andaz. Never been to either.

[bosk1]

  Dream Theater aren't even playing in Maui or Cancun.

[Podaar]

I'd personally pick, Maui. I just really like the whole Hawaiian laid back approach. There's a municipal golf course there that is world class and only costs $40.00 per round (walking).

Although, Cancun is very cool and I've had few wonderful vacations there. The plethora of 'all-inclusive' resorts makes Cancun affordable and if you like 'the night life' Cancun is your best choice. Maui shuts down after 8:00 pm.

Just some thoughts.

[bosk1]

In all seriousness:  I LOVE Maui and have never been to Cancun, but what Podaar says is correct.  If you want to kind of be independent and do a lot of different tropical outdoor things that you can drive to, Maui is absolutely incredible.  If you want light life and want to be catered to in the all-inclusive resort format, Cancun is your best bet. 

For Maui, here are some thoughts:
1.  Get this book:  https://www.google.com/express/product/4598454375886011087_1706242250857780715_8636635?mall=EastBay&gclid=CKD2p5P9n8wCFRVsfgodi-EBIw  Just do it.  We did the first time we went, and it was fantastic for its thoroughness and descriptiveness.  Whatever we wanted to do, it helped us make sure to find what we were looking for and maximize our experience with a lot of knowledge we would not have otherwise had.  One thing I will say, however:  It really hypes this one particular off-the-beaten-path, little-know attraction known as the Olivine Pools.  That place is definitely worth seeing.  However, be VERY careful there.  The book does not highlight just how dangerous that place can be if you are unaware.  See here:  https://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/olivine-pools/  As the lead-in on that site says, "Be Very Careful Here - People have died here. Many more have been injured. Understand why, and don’t be next."  But still worth seeing if you are aware and careful.  By the time we left, the book was written all over, pages were folded and dog-eared, and both us and the book were worn out.  And it was so worth it!

2.  Unless you really want the 5* resort atmosphere, save money and rent a condo.  You can get a really nice place in Kihei, for example, that is right across the street from the beach at a fraction of the cost of a resort.  And if you want to prepare some of your own meals, they usually have a kitchen, and you can save money on food by shopping at the local Costco, Walmart, and supermarkets.  We did this and would cook our own breakfasts and make sack lunches for our excursions, and then not really even worry about the cost of dinner when eating out because of the money we were already saving. 

3.  Rent a car and make a point of spending several days getting out and seeing the island.  It is incredibly varied for such a relatively small island and really has a lot to offer.

4.  Check the weather forecast as soon as you get there and plan accordingly.  One of the things a lot of people do is go up the big mountain that is there and enjoying, among other things, sunrise or sunset from the top.  On a cloudy day, you don't really see much and end up missing a lot.  So check the weather forecast and plan to do it on a clear day early in your trip.  The reason I say plan it early is because the weather changes frequently, so you may think you have a clear day, and it can change on a dime.  Leave yourself room to reschedule for another day just in case. 

5.  World's best banana bread.  Find it.  Eat it.  Love it.  Trust me on this one.

[senecadawg2]

I've never been to Maui but have been to Cancun a couple times, so my choice would definitely be Maui (if for nothing other than the novelty). There are all inclusive resorts all over the place--you don't need to go to Cancun for that (not to say it's not great in Cancun). The landscape and outdoorsy activities of Hawaii, on the other hand, probably offers something more unique.

[millahh]

September is hurricane season in Cancun...

[El Barto]

September is hurricane season in Cancun...

Dr. Sensible is in the house.

[Milzinga]

In all seriousness:  I LOVE Maui and have never been to Cancun, but what Podaar says is correct.  If you want to kind of be independent and do a lot of different tropical outdoor things that you can drive to, Maui is absolutely incredible.  If you want light life and want to be catered to in the all-inclusive resort format, Cancun is your best bet. 

For Maui, here are some thoughts:
1.  Get this book:  https://www.google.com/express/product/4598454375886011087_1706242250857780715_8636635?mall=EastBay&gclid=CKD2p5P9n8wCFRVsfgodi-EBIw  Just do it.  We did the first time we went, and it was fantastic for its thoroughness and descriptiveness.  Whatever we wanted to do, it helped us make sure to find what we were looking for and maximize our experience with a lot of knowledge we would not have otherwise had.  One thing I will say, however:  It really hypes this one particular off-the-beaten-path, little-know attraction known as the Olivine Pools.  That place is definitely worth seeing.  However, be VERY careful there.  The book does not highlight just how dangerous that place can be if you are unaware.  See here:  https://mauiguidebook.com/adventures/olivine-pools/  As the lead-in on that site says, "Be Very Careful Here - People have died here. Many more have been injured. Understand why, and don’t be next."  But still worth seeing if you are aware and careful.  By the time we left, the book was written all over, pages were folded and dog-eared, and both us and the book were worn out.  And it was so worth it!

2.  Unless you really want the 5* resort atmosphere, save money and rent a condo.  You can get a really nice place in Kihei, for example, that is right across the street from the beach at a fraction of the cost of a resort.  And if you want to prepare some of your own meals, they usually have a kitchen, and you can save money on food by shopping at the local Costco, Walmart, and supermarkets.  We did this and would cook our own breakfasts and make sack lunches for our excursions, and then not really even worry about the cost of dinner when eating out because of the money we were already saving. 

3.  Rent a car and make a point of spending several days getting out and seeing the island.  It is incredibly varied for such a relatively small island and really has a lot to offer.

4.  Check the weather forecast as soon as you get there and plan accordingly.  One of the things a lot of people do is go up the big mountain that is there and enjoying, among other things, sunrise or sunset from the top.  On a cloudy day, you don't really see much and end up missing a lot.  So check the weather forecast and plan to do it on a clear day early in your trip.  The reason I say plan it early is because the weather changes frequently, so you may think you have a clear day, and it can change on a dime.  Leave yourself room to reschedule for another day just in case. 

5.  World's best banana bread.  Find it.  Eat it.  Love it.  Trust me on this one.

I really appreciate the time in your response. I'm definitely leaning towards Maui, I thought I'd really like the 5 star service, having never been to a really nice resort. But I'm torn, I'm not sure how important it is to me now. I was looking at Condo's but I didn't see any nice ones near Wailea, which is where I plan to stay (unless you have a better recommendation). I like the idea of being able to buy food and eat at our hotel for cheaper, rather than go out for every meal and rack up the costs that way. We're gonna rent a car, and I enjoy driving so we're gonna make a point to really see the island, and it's cheaper than always planning and doing things, which I've heard is actually pretty exhausting and not worth it. You're there to relax and enjoy, not be busy all the time doing "stuff".

Where I'm really stuck, is finding where to stay. Straight up, I want to stay somewhere really nice, and that's where I'm torn, trying to find a balance between cost, value, and somewhere nice. And location can matter too, I've heard Wailea is nice, and I'm highly considering the Fairmont. But it ain't cheap. It's my honeymoon, so I want somewhere nice and romantic for our first time in Hawaii.

[bosk1]

It really just depends on your and your spouse-to-be's idea of "nice" and "romantic."  If that means being waited on and having lots of amenities, a resort or 5-star hotel is great.  Both Wailea and Kapalua are great for that.  If, on the other hand, you want to do your own thing, not feel as much like a tourist, and have a bit more privacy, I say go the condo route.  We found a great one in Kihei, as I mentioned.  Benefits of staying there:

1.  Beaches:  There are at least three really nice beaches.  Great swimming, snorkeling, and sunning.  They are public, so if you go during a crowded time of year, they may be more crowded.  But very nice beaches.  We stayed directly across the street from one, and it was fantastic.  Snorkeling there, I came face to face with my first sea turtle. 

2.  Central location:  Look at a map of the island.  It is sort of a tipped over figure 8.  Kihei is close to the center, so it is easy to get ANYWHERE on the island from there.  I liked that. 

3.  Not as touristy.  It reminds me of a lot of coastal beach towns, but tropical.  We felt like the pace was slower and we didn't completely feel like tourists.  I felt more like we were living the island instead of visiting.

4.  Near "town."  If you do want to do some shopping for your own food, you are much closer to Walmart, Costco, etc.

So that's my plug for why we liked staying in Kehei.  My wife would have loved that as a honeymoon trip.  But others may prefer a resort.  Just depends on what you like.

[Milzinga]

It really just depends on your and your spouse-to-be's idea of "nice" and "romantic."  If that means being waited on and having lots of amenities, a resort or 5-star hotel is great.  Both Wailea and Kapalua are great for that.  If, on the other hand, you want to do your own thing, not feel as much like a tourist, and have a bit more privacy, I say go the condo route.  We found a great one in Kihei, as I mentioned.  Benefits of staying there:

1.  Beaches:  There are at least three really nice beaches.  Great swimming, snorkeling, and sunning.  They are public, so if you go during a crowded time of year, they may be more crowded.  But very nice beaches.  We stayed directly across the street from one, and it was fantastic.  Snorkeling there, I came face to face with my first sea turtle. 

2.  Central location:  Look at a map of the island.  It is sort of a tipped over figure 8.  Kihei is close to the center, so it is easy to get ANYWHERE on the island from there.  I liked that. 

3.  Not as touristy.  It reminds me of a lot of coastal beach towns, but tropical.  We felt like the pace was slower and we didn't completely feel like tourists.  I felt more like we were living the island instead of visiting.

4.  Near "town."  If you do want to do some shopping for your own food, you are much closer to Walmart, Costco, etc.

So that's my plug for why we liked staying in Kehei.  My wife would have loved that as a honeymoon trip.  But others may prefer a resort.  Just depends on what you like.

That's really helpful, in all honestly, I figured I'd like staying at an expensive 5 star resort, but we've got our whole lives for that. Now that I think more about it, something more private might be a better idea. I'll have to ask her more about what she thinks. But I like that idea. We'd probably save some money too, which we could then spend on other things. I'd rather have something private and romantic rather than super fancy and expensive. Which condo did you stay at? I'll have to check some out.