We traded resorts for roughing it on our Hawaiian honeymoon

Sipping Mai Tais poolside is what most people picture when thinking honeymooning in Hawaii. 

For my husband and I, it was figuring out when our next shower would be while drinking a $5 bottle of red we opened with a tent peg.  

Hawaii has long been a popular honeymoon destination, attracting newlyweds with crystal clear water, white sand and dreamy resorts. But, after looking at accommodation prices, it soon became clear that wasn’t going to be our reality. 

And once we had accepted that and done a bit of research, we landed on camping. And boy what an adventure it was. 

READ MORE:
* Ask an Expert: Making the most of Hawaii
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* First time visitors to Hawaii: 18 things you need to know
* How to plan a successful camping trip

This may not sound like everyone’s cup of tea but, for us, it was the perfect honeymoon. 

And if you’re looking to save a few bucks on your first trip as newlyweds, camping could be good option for you too.

Our first spot was Punalu’u Black Sand Beach on the south coast of Big Island.

People were fascinated with the black sand, picking it up and inspecting it closely. But I’m from Taranaki where all the beaches are black sand, so my mind remained unblown.  

What differentiated this beach from the ones back home though, were the sea turtles greeting us in the morning. 

We set our tent up right on the water’s edge and were the only ones camping. 

We could zip open our door and, from our air bed, we could see turtles sunbathing on the sand less than 10 metres away. What was even more exciting was going into the water and having one swim past. 

A free experience you wouldn’t get at Hilton Hawaiian Village. 

Other spots saw us laid out on golden beaches, celebrating Memorial Day with hundreds of Americans and sleeping 7000ft above sea level which was the only time I ever felt cold in Hawaii.

Some camping spots are very remote, so you need to come prepared with food and water. 

We forgot to do this when we rocked up to Kipahulu Campground after hours, risking our lives on a single-lane winding road.

The nearest supplies were half-an-hour back. 

My husband took charge and showed exactly why I married him. 

He went up to some campers and asked to buy some of their beers for his very upset wife. 

They took pity on him and gave him four for free for being such a nice guy. 

The cheapest possible way to camp would be to purchase an extra check-in bag for your flight and take your own gear with you. 

We weren’t that smart, so we went to the one-stop-shop American dream that is Walmart.  

For a total of around US$200 – less than one night’s accommodation, we picked up a waterproof tent, air bed, pump, pillows, bedding, a hammock, cutlery, plates and a suitcase to transport it in. All of which was conveniently located next to the gun cabinet. 

Depending which island you’re on, campsites range from US$3 to US$25 per person a night. 

Camping in Hawaii is highly regulated and for 99 per cent of areas, a permit is required. Do your research and read reviews on a campsite before booking it so you know what to expect. 

You can purchase permits online, or in person at offices once you are there, and then you just need to be able to show park rangers the permit if and when requested. 

It takes some planning, but you’ll get to see another side to the islands that became an American state in 1959.

After spending a small fortune on a wedding, we just didn’t have the budget for a luxurious Hawaiian honeymoon advertised in brochures. 

We had snapped up fares to Honolulu for a bargain of $489 return with Air New Zealand.  If you want food or movies though, it’ll set you back an extra $80. This was a shock to us when everyone on board was offered chicken or beef bar us. 

When it comes to Hawaii, the affordability stops at the flights.

It was a fright to see the most basic of accommodation going for an eye-watering $350 a night.  

At one point, this even made us think it was cheaper to just ditch the flights, that we had already paid for, and just not go. 

We were warned multiple times how expensive Hawaii was, but kept thinking “we’ll find a cheap Airbnb” because that’s what we always do. 

In Hawaii, at least when we were looking, that was not possible. 

Rooms at resorts are hundreds, Airbnbs not much better, and people even rent out their falling-apart vans for upwards of $100 a night. 

The cheapest way to honeymoon in Hawaii is to stay on one island – Oahu, where you fly in. 

But there are six islands open to visitors, so we chose to visit two other islands as well. 

Visiting other islands will put your costs up an extraordinary amount, as inter-island flights are not cheap and there is no ferry. 

We spent just more than NZ$600 on interisland flights to Big Island and Maui alone. But for us, it was worth it.

Different islands show all the different landscapes Hawaii has to offer. From trees blooming out of old lava on Big Island, to driving through jungle on the scared-for-your-life Road to Hana on Maui, we got a taste of everything. 

Hiring a car will allow you to see a lot of the island you are visiting and, depending how far out you book, can be relatively inexpensive. 

It’s also pretty mandatory so you can lug your $200 worth of Walmart camping gear around. 

We used Discount Hawaii Car Rental to look for the cheapest price. 

When we went to Maui however, my nose went sniffing for even more of a bargain, which saw us in one car where the brakes stopped working and switched to another car where the engine light came on in an area without any service. 

So always choose a reputable company over saving a couple of bucks. 

If you’re happy to trade heels for hikes, showers for the sea and switch out couples massages for fighting to get your tent back in its bag every morning, give a camping Hawaiian honeymoon a go. 

Camping spots, permits, prices

Punalu’u Black Sand Beach – US$20 per person, per night

Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park – US$20 per person, per night

Hosmer Grove Campground – Camping is free, but you have to pay entry to Haleakalā National Park, which is $25 per vehicle

Kipahulu Campground – The same applies here, as Kipahulu is also in Haleakalā National Park

Camp Olowalu – US$24 per person, per night