Travel Conundrum is obvious between the unapologetic eccentricity of Key West, Florida Keys, or the multicultural vibe of Oahu, Hawaii. Both places have tropical oases, turquoise waters, incredible beaches, outdoor adventures, eclectic range of food, the quandary to choose one over the other persists. Let's see what both Key West & Oahu has to offer.
Florida Keys Vs. Hawaii
The primary difference between both despite their tropical nature is that Hawaii has a lot of hiking, diverse beaches, outdoor adventures, volcanoes, multicultural cuisine, wildlife native to the Pacific Ocean in comparison with the Florida Keys which has pristine white sand beaches, teal waters, intense nightlife, untamed wilderness, Floribbean cuisine and animals native to the Atlantic Ocean. While reaching Key West, one needs to fly to Miami and travel south, meanwhile reaching Hawaii, one needs to fly to Los Angeles and later a flight to Hawaii.
Beaches Of Key West, Florida
Tropical savanna and formerly, a string of coral reefs, the shoreline of it is mostly rocky albeit it claims some of the most gorgeous beaches.
Smathers Beach
Deemed as the best beach in Key West, it is a beach boasting a 3000 foot stretch of white sand beach with turquoise blue waters. It is rumored that the sand is brought from the Bahamas and deposited here. It is deemed to be more manmade than natural and offers a plethora of activities such as sailboats, windsurfers, paddleboards, kayaks, and jet skis. One of the primary things is Parasailing which gives a panoramic view of the entire island from the air.
South Beach
Located on the southern end of Key West, it exudes a relaxed vibe. It is not rushed with throngs of rental shops but few cafes and lounge chairs. It has calm and shallow waters which makes it perfect for swimming and is a great place for family and kids.
Higgs Beach
Not only a beach but a place with the monuments of the 19th century, this beach is located within C.B Harvey Rest Beach Park. One of the nicest public beaches with few eateries, it also has access to snorkeling.
Simonton Beach
Definitely a smaller beach but a great retreat away from the crowd, it is in downtown key west. It has a good range of watersports rentals, sunset cruises, snorkeling, dolphin watching, and whole island tours.
Beaches of Oahu, Hawaii
It's not an exaggeration that Hawaii has the best beaches in the world. Be it red, black, white, green sand beaches, Hawaii has access to all of them which makes it unbeatable for mesmerizing beaches
Waikiki Beach, Oahu
This crescent-shaped beach is one of the iconic beaches of Hawaii marking its prominence with white sand, bright blue sea, and the shore laced with palm trees. Fort DeRussy Beach, Kuhio Beach, and Queen Surf Beach make up for Waikiki Beach. Swimming, surfing, canoe trips can add up to the adventure. Although, this beach has throngs of crowds every day.
Lanikai Beach
One of the best beaches of Oahu, this beach offers activities from relaxation to sailing, surfing, windsurfing, and snorkeling. This beach is isolated and a tour to nearby islands will make you witness the best wildlife.
Sunset Beach
One of the dangerous beaches for surfers in winters, this beach changes its nature dramatically as per seasons. The waves are extremely risky in winters but quite mild in summer. It has white sand and clean water.
The cuisine of Key west
The cuisine of Key West is heavily influenced by Cuba and other Caribbean islands and is known as Floribbean cuisine.
Conch Fritters and Chowder
Conch is a staple food in Key West and conch fritters mixed with green peppers, onions, and fried in butter are served with key lime aioli.
Pink Shrimp
Wrapped in bacon, they are fried, battered doused in coconut and mango sauce. This shrimp has a mild, sweet flavor and it's unique because of its pink shell.
Hogfish Sandwich
As the coral reefs over here are abundant with marine life, the hogfish is dipped in key line tarter sauce and later grilled or fried and turns into a hogfish sandwich.
Mahi-Mahi Sandwich
One of the most popular fishes in the world for its firm texture and sweet taste, this sandwich is a local favorite too which where fish is combined with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.
Key Lime Pie
Apart from seafood, one of the best desserts in Key West is a key lime pie made from the juice of the yellow-green key lime with sweetened condensed milk and topped with browned meringue.
Cuisine of Hawaii
Hawaii has the influence of native Hawaiian, Polynesian, European, Americans and this influence is reflected in their cuisine as well.
Poi
A vegetable called taro root is baked or steamed and pounded until it becomes a thick paste. It's the native dish of Hawaii and it tastes sweet when it's fresh and turns sour after a certain period of time.
Kalua Pua'a
It's a dish where the pork is salted and placed in an underground oven called, imu, which is covered in banana leaves and cooked. It's smoky in taste and is seasoned with sea salt and green onions.
Haupia
A traditional dessert made from coconut cream which is mixed with arrowroot powder and later baked in an underground oven. Add cornstarch and freeze it to satisfy your sweet buds.
Lomi Lomi Salmon
Made from salted salmon, it's a Hawaiian dish mixed with tomatoes, onions, and green onions. It's a refreshing salad eaten along with kalua pig, poke, or lau lau.
Manapua
Steamed buns stuffed with fillings of sweet beans, chicken, vegetables, sweet potato, or curry are staple dishes. They are the Hawaiian version of Char Siu Bao.
Accommodations In Key West
The average budget of hotels in Key West ranges from $101 to $460 meanwhile vacation rentals will cost $390 to $1300 per night for the entire home. Hotels such as NYAH Key West, SeaShell Motel, 24 North Hotel, The SouthernMost Inn are on the affordable side while Ocean Key Resort Spa, Southernmost Beach Resort, Orchid Key Inn are on the luxurious side.
Accommodations In Oahu
Be it budget-friendly options like Waikiki Beachside Hostel, Aqua Aloha Surf Waikiki, Bamboo Waikiki Hotel, or luxurious stay with ocean views at Royal Hawaiian, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki, Outrigger Reef Beach Resort, Waikiki, the average hotel ranges from $68 to $309 per night meanwhile vacation rental will cost $240 to $440 per Night for the entire home.
Overall Comparison between Oahu & Key West
The average daily cost per person in Florida is $189 while the average daily cost in Hawaii is $274. The cost entails accommodation, food, and transportation. Night Life is much more intense in Key West than Oahu although the latter has pretty good lounges as well. The beaches of Oahu win over Key West in terms of natural beauty and virgin nature. Although in the end, both have their own USP to win your heart over.