Hawai’i Island Named Favorite by Travel + Leisure 2024 Readers Choice

By Lila Barron Battis from T+L

The Big Island finally reclaimed the top spot on this list after a two-year hiatus, and with all this isle has to offer, that’s no surprise. Spend your days scuba diving the reefs of the Kona coast and your nights stargazing at the Mauna Kea observatory. Visit active volcanoes and green-sand beaches. Hike lush rainforest trails or lounge under an umbrella with a steady stream of tiki drinks — the island is your proverbial oyster.

T+L readers can’t get enough of all the action: “Amazing all around, with so many different activities to take part in,” one voter wrote. “This, in my opinion, is the best island in all of Hawaii to vacation, especially for an extended period of time.” Another voter echoed that sentiment, writing “The Big Island is truly unique among the Hawaiian islands and is absolutely worth visiting. The lava fields and open spaces feel like a step back in time. Whatever you are looking to do, you’ll find it on the Big Island.” One reader says what all the rest are thinking: “This island has quickly become my favorite.”

How Voting Works 

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Over 186,000 T+L readers completed the 2024 survey. A total of more than 700,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Islands were specifically rated on the criteria below:

• Natural attractions/beaches
• Activities/sights
• Restaurants/food
• People/friendliness
• Value

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.