There are some articles about Hawaii in Hawaiian Expedition. Check it out and go where you prefer.

just stay where you are. we don’t need anymore parasites on this island. thank you very much , please have a nice day, aloha

Maui no ka oi (Maui is the best). And, the best part of Maui is Lahaina, on the northwest side of the island. The main airport is in Kahuliu (airport code OGG), and it’s about an hour drive to Lahaina. There’s also a smaller airport on the northwest side of the island in Kapalua. But, it only allows small puddle-jumpers to land there and it’s usually a couple hundred dollars more than a flight into Kahului. Plus, you have to get a connection in either Honolulu or Kahului and there’s only one or two flights a day.

The best snorkeling is probably Black Rock, just off the coast from the Sheraton Hotel in Kaanapali, about 5 miles north of Lahaina Town (the whole area up there is considered Lahaina, but the actual downtown part of Lahaina is called Lahaina Town). You can pretty much go snorkeling anywhere, because there’s a protective reef off of most beaches up there.

Look into renting a timeshare. These are usually fully equipped condos and it’s a lot better than just a hotel room. I own a week in Kahana (about 10 miles north of Lahaina Town) that’s a 1600 square foot, 2BR/2BA oceanfront condo. It’s got everything, including in-unit laundry. There’s a Safeway grocery store on the north end of Lahaina Town, right on the Honoapiilani Highway (the main highway on the northwest side of Maui). So, we always get our provisions at the Safeway on our way up to the condo when we get there. And, that ends up being a lot cheaper than going out to eat every day. There’s also a Costco by the airport on the main road out. But, there’s never any parking.

The cheapest place to stay is around Kahului airport. But, you would need a car to go anywhere. And, there’s no beaches close by. Paia, the closest beach to Kahului, is about 10 miles southeast of the airport. But, there’s no snorkeling anywhere. It’s mainly a surfing and windsurfing beach.

Kihei and Wailea to the southwest aren’t bad. They’re not as rustic as Lahaina (it was the original whaling port in Maui). So, there’s lots of more modern strip malls and stuff. There’s a few good snorkeling beaches around there (just look for the outcroppings of black volcanic rocks – they usually provide shelter that attracts the fish). You can also check in any snorkel or dive shop to ask about the best spots.

Unless you like the idea of being in Los Angeles or Hong Kong on a tropical island, avoid Honolulu. It’s just a concrete jungle with hundreds of high-rise apartments and hotels, and the worst traffic I have ever seen (and I grew up in LA).

Honolulu is the best place to stay. To save money on activities, I highly recommend the Go Oahu Card:
Another recommendations if you go to Waikiki, don’t rent a car. You can easily get around with shuttles and buses. They charged me $18 a night for parking at Wyland Waikiki. Apparently most hotels charge that much in Waikiki.