It’s a fair question, and we can’t answer completely without being biased. But they do have different vibes and feel in terms of experiences. So rather than creating another tedious comparison guide between Hawaii vs. the Maldives for vacations, we want to educate you about some valuable experiences you will gain only in Maldives and Hawaii separately. We are so happy to help you guys decide between Maldives vs. Hawaii.
Bottom Line Up Front: Our high-level take is the cost factor that significantly impacts your decision. For instance, if you are a traveler from United States of America, the flight ticket to Hawaii would be cheaper. The flight ticket to the Maldives would be an expensive affair for the same Americans. On flipping, the scenario, except Americans, flight to Hawaii compared to the Maldives is more expensive.
Hawaii vs. the Maldives: Quick Overview
One is backpacker-friendly, while the other resonates luxury for the honeymooners and leisure travelers. Hawaii is picked for adventure while the Maldives spell rejuvenation. The Maldives has an environment embraced with calm lagoons for overwater villas positioned on the bright blue water, and its powder white beaches are watersports lover heaven. So it goes without saying the Maldives is for pure leisure travel, and Hawaii is for leisure and backing vibes -both.
What’s Common Between Hawaii and Maldives
Both these destinations are tropical paradises of the different oceans and are great year-round destinations. Both have white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and watersports like snorkeling, diving, sailing, swimming. Additionally, beach villas can be found in Maldives and Hawaii. Also, the culture, tourists’ safety, family-friendly, romantic activities are common experiences between Hawaii and Maldives vacations.
Main Differences Between Hawaii and Maldives
Hawaii does have golden beaches, but its environment setting lacks shallow lagoons. But Hawaii thrives with excellent nightlife heritage sites and is home to the world’s most active volcano. On the flip side, Maldives has shallow lagoons, and its underwater world thrives with rich marine life and is a real tourism booster of Maldives. Hawaii is more backpacker-friendly, and the Maldives bends towards ultimate relaxation.
Hawaii is an archipelagic state in the United States, positioned in the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii has lush valley beaches because Hawaii is a collection of eight islands in the heart of the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives is an independent archipelagic country in the Indian Ocean, which has a chain of approx. 1,200 islands, out of which 200 are inhabited only. Some are private island resorts, while others are inhabited by the locals.
The Maldives is close to no thriving nightlife, whereas Hawaii has excellent nightlife. The nightlife in the Maldives is restricted to the chic private island resorts only.
Hawaii’s geography comprises waterfalls, volcanoes, coffee plantations, botanical gardens, whereas the Maldives is swallowed by 99% of the sea and 1% land.
We will be focusing more on the distinction between Maldives vs. Hawaii in terms of leisure, romance, adventure, transformational travel experiences throughout the blog. But the main focus would be providing you information about:
- What’s Unique in
- When is the Best Time to Visit
- The Average Travel Cost
- The Vibe And Feel
- Places to Stay: Options in Terms of Accommodation
- Hawaii vs. Maldives: Which One Has Best Beaches
- Which One Has Best Nightlife: Hawaii vs. the Maldives
- Which One is Best for What Type of Traveler
What’s Unique in
Hawaii: Hawaii has temples, historical museums, national parks, lighthouses, botanical gardens, coffee plantations. Moreover, ecotourism is a popular initiative in the Hawaii islands since all of them comprise a fragile ecosystem. At Hawaii vacations, travelers can open up experiences of all types, including watersports, hiking, eco-system focused day trips.
Maldives: The Maldives is 99% swallowed by the sea, and it is an archipelagic nation. Most of the adventure sports in the Maldives are centered around watersports like snorkeling, scuba diving, and catamaran sailing. There are sandbanks in the Maldives close to the private island resorts. Some of the 5-star private island resorts in the Maldives have house reef access too!
When is the Best Time to Visit
Hawaii: In Hawaii, you will get the best weather outside November to March for all the watersports. The high tourist season in Hawaii begins from mid-December to mid-March/April. These 5 months are bounded with maximum rainfall and highest temperature. So keep in mind to book the rooms in advance to score discounted offers on the accommodation.
Maldives: In the Maldives, the high season is from November to April. But the best time to visit the Maldives is December to March. Outside these months, the sunshine is broken by a rain shower. But the price of accommodation shot up because of New Year and Christmas. The best to do is book your resort in advance to score good deals.
Verdict: Like most tropical islands, travelers will be bound to get a mixture of sunshine and rain no matter the season. And hence, there isn’t any inopportune time to visit Hawaii and Maldives.
The Average Travel Cost
Hawaii: If you are traveling to Hawaii from the United States, you will have a budget-friendly holiday experience in Hawaii since travel time, the flight ticket price to Hawaii is lower than flying to the Maldives from the United States (across the border). Hawaii is America’s 50th state, like commuting within the country.
Maldives: If we consider Americans as the travelers for the Maldives vacations, the flight tickets would be cheaper because in that case, the commute becomes international and hence, the cost of flight increases.
Verdict: It depends on where you are flying from. For instance, flying to Hawaii from the United States takes less travel time and is budget-friendly. But for the tourists except for native Americans and people from Asian countries, flying to the Maldives is cheaper than Hawaii. And yes, it also greatly depends on what type of accommodation you select and the number of days you want to enjoy vacations.
The Vibe And Feel
Hawaii: Hawaii’s coastline is approximately 750 miles and comprises 400 beaches, and all of them are public beaches. Hawaii beach sands are white, golden, red, yellow, black sand beaches. Some trails twist and turn along the coast, close to the cliffs. Even more, ATV rainforest tours, zip-lining over the treetops and dozens of farms and plantations are the crowning jewels of Hawaii tourism.
Maldives: A vacation in the Maldives feels like you are casting away on a deserted private island paradise in the middle of nowhere. The Maldives is a crowning jewel of Indian Ocean with uncountable beaches. The Maldives enjoy barefoot luxury at some of its private island resorts. Some are kids-friendly resorts and adult-only resorts. You will be totally off the map in the Maldives because the overwater villas standing on the shallow lagoons beacons pure luxury bliss.
Verdict: Tropical island vibes pervades in Hawaii and Maldives since they both are tropical island destinations.
Places to Stay: Options in Terms of Accommodation
Maldives: This island nation brags the world’s best overwater bungalows on the shallow lagoons. These rustic-chic overwater bungalows are the pride of Maldives tourism, and the sugar sandy beaches and crystal clear waters are the icings on the cake.
But local island resorts in the Maldives also feature homestays, which are economical for budget-friendly tourists. Lastly, Maldives has beach villas too!
Hawaii: Although Hawaii doesn’t have overwater bungalows, it enjoys the advantage of accommodations tucked inside the coffee plantations, which is absent in the Maldives. Apart from the overwater bungalows, Hawaii also has homestays, which are great options for backpackers for vacations without breaking the banks.
Verdict: The Maldives scores the winning space in the accommodation category because the overwater villas and bungalows feature the world’s best staycation experience. However, Maldives’ overwater accommodations are expensive.
Hawaii vs. Maldives: Which One Has Best Beaches
Hawaii: Interestingly, Hawaii’s beaches are diverse in nature. This means you will be spoiled with the white, red, golden, yellow, black, green beaches in Hawaii, and most of them are public with watersports. The beaches in Hawaii are livelier and packed with tourists throughout the year. You will find remote beaches secluded for solitude. Also, Hawaii is the pure watersport heaven with dozens of water-based activities like scuba, submarine tours, snorkeling etc.
Maldives: Well, just like Hawaii, Maldives also has excellent white sand beaches and crystalline waters. But the sand of the Maldives is white in color only. The USP of Maldives beaches is the romantic aura they sprinkle because they are surrounded by turquoise lagoons and house reefs with close access. The USP of the beaches in the Maldives is its rich marine life that features the world’s best marine water ecosystem of colorful fish manta rays.
Verdict: There is a tie between the beaches of Maldives and Hawaii because the former one invites couples while Hawaii beaches are more known for backpackers. If you are traveling with your friends, Hawaii is the best option, while the Maldives is suitable for leisure travelers and honeymooners. So we can’t be biased here.
Read Also: Places to visit in Maldives for honeymoon
Which One Has Best Nightlife: Hawaii vs. the Maldives
Hawaii: If you want to hit the dance floor, Hawaii should be your pick. Oahu – the famous island of Hawaii, is known as the nightlife capital of Hawaii. Here you can enjoy a lively buzz even during the morning and overnight. Hawaii’s atmosphere has the slice of Bali, Thailand, and hence, you can uplift your energy with your near or dear ones at the various restaurants that serve cocktails and food. It goes without saying that party animals in Hawaii party up with all their energy.
Maldives: This tropical island nation is purely for relaxation, romance and hence, Maldives is less high on nightlife. However, you can find restricted nightlife (without crowd) at the private island resorts at the private beach area over a romantic dinner.
Yes, Maldives has nightclubs and bars too, but they are only located within the premises of the private island resorts. Since the Maldives is a Muslim country and most of the inhabitants have no alcohol policy in their country, nightlife at Maldives local island is less impressive.
Verdict: Honestly, Maldives nightlife is suitable for couples because romantic aura would be at disposal at the private island resorts with extra romantic throttle. Whereas the nightlife of Hawaii scores trips planned by the backpackers.
Read Also: Interesting Facts about Maldives
Which One is Best for What Type of Traveler
Hawaii: If you ask us, we would say Hawaii is backpackers, couples, and a family tourer’s paradise. There are beaches, islands, beach resorts, museums, energetic nightlife, and national parks. Travelers will enjoy the distinct type of activities in Hawaii other than water sports.
Maldives: Maldives spell romance, and hence, every inch of Maldives at its 200 inhabited islands beacons couples to unwind at the bright blue beaches and stay at the overwater bungalows positioned on the shimmering lagoons. Everything about the Maldives is water-based, including accommodation, as 99% of the Maldives are swallowed by the sea.
Wrapping Up: Hawaii Vs. the Maldives – Which One to Choose for Your Next Vacay
In a nutshell, Maldives is a famous honeymoon destination because of its high-end chic overwater resorts that are a destination in themselves. Where Hawaii bends more towards providing backing experiences. For instance, Hawaii has culture, nightlife, and even beach adventures! Except for overwater bungalows, Hawaii and Maldives have almost every kind of similarity when it comes to holidays. However, a lot depends on where you are traveling from. Because both Hawaii and Maldives are located on the world’s map at a far distance. Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean, the where’s Maldives is located at the heart of the Indian Ocean.
Read Also: Best Islands in Maldives for Honeymoon