The Hawaii Traveler

For decades, the only way to travel among the islands was by air. But with the closure of Aloha Airlines, and the skyrocketing costs of jet travel due to the oil crisis, having to take a flight left an estimated 1.3 million residents and tens of thousands of tourists with interisland designs high and dry.

And then in 2007, Hawaii Superferry Inc. began running the first passenger-vehicle ferry service between the Hawaiian Islands; however, protesters in Nawiliwili Harbor on Kaua’i suspended operations last August.

Today, however, Hawaii Superferry offers daily inter-island ferry service between Honolulu, Oahu and Kahului, Maui, with plans to serve the Big Island starting in 2009.

Other Islands

The Molokai Ferry provides ; however, this ferry does not accommodate passenger vehicles. Trips from Maui to Lana’i are still a little trickier, and require making a reservation on a private charter.

It’s going to be a while until there’s non-air service from Maui and Oahu to Kaua’i. Let’s hope there’s a viable, environmentally-friendly solution sometime before the transporter is finally invented. Ahoy!

Photo by Flickr–Creative Commons, by eye of einstein

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