There’s only one Hawaii.

I want to start there because whenever we compare destinations, it’s tempting to say, If you love Hawaii, you’ll love this place because it’s just like it.

But that’s not really how travel works.

Costa Rica isn’t Hawaii.

The Caribbean isn’t Hawaii.

The Canary Islands aren’t Hawaii.

And they shouldn’t be.

What you can find around the world are some of the same types of experiences that make a Hawaii vacation so memorable.

Volcanoes.

Tropical rainforests.

Waterfalls.

Beautiful coastlines.

Incredible marine life.

So if you love the adventurous side of Hawaii and want to chase some of those same experiences somewhere completely different, here are five places I’d put on the list.

1. Love Hawaii’s Volcanoes? Try Costa Rica

One of the things that makes Hawaii extraordinary is being able to see how volcanic activity created and continues to shape the islands.

If that’s the part of Hawaii that fascinates you, Costa Rica offers another chance to build a vacation around volcanic landscapes.

But the experience is completely different.

Costa Rica combines volcanoes with rainforest, wildlife, waterfalls, hot springs, and an enormous menu of outdoor adventures.

It’s the kind of destination where you can spend the morning exploring and end the day soaking tired muscles in warm water.

And that’s exactly the kind of vacation I enjoy.

You aren’t going to Costa Rica to recreate the Big Island.

You’re going because both destinations remind you that the ground beneath your feet has a story.

If you love in Hawaii:

Volcanoes, hiking, dramatic landscapes, and outdoor adventure.

Look toward:

Costa Rica.

2. Love Hawaii’s Snorkeling? Try Belize

Put me near warm tropical water and eventually I’m going to want to know what’s underneath it.

Hawaii offers some wonderful opportunities to snorkel and experience marine life.

But if exploring underwater is one of your favorite parts of a tropical vacation, Belize deserves your attention.

The Belize Barrier Reef is part of the Mesoamerican Reef system, one of the largest barrier reef systems in the world.

That makes the water itself one of the destination’s biggest attractions.

Snorkeling.

Diving.

Island excursions.

Marine life.

Then, when you’re ready to get back on land, Belize can completely change personalities with jungles, caves, wildlife, and Maya archaeological sites.

That’s one of the things I love about destinations like this.

You don’t have to choose between relaxing somewhere tropical and having an adventure.

You can do both.

If you love in Hawaii:

Snorkeling, tropical water, marine life, and days spent on the ocean.

Look toward:

Belize.

3. Love Hawaii’s Dramatic Coastlines? Try Ireland

This one might seem like it wandered onto the wrong list.

Ireland?

Hawaii?

Stay with me.

I’m definitely not suggesting you’ll step off the plane in Ireland and wonder whether you accidentally landed on Kauaʻi.

But one of the things I love about Hawaii is the drama of the coastline.

Ocean meeting cliffs.

Green landscapes dropping toward the water.

Scenic drives where you keep wanting to pull over because the view changed again.

Ireland gives me that same keep looking out the window feeling.

The climate, culture, landscape, and experience are entirely different.

That’s precisely why I like this comparison.

Sometimes what we love about a destination isn’t the temperature or the palm trees.

It’s the way the landscape makes us feel.

If you love in Hawaii:

Dramatic coastlines, green landscapes, scenic drives, and stopping constantly for another photograph.

Look toward:

Ireland.

Just pack a different wardrobe.

4. Love Hawaii’s Tropical Adventure? Try the Caribbean

“Hawaii or the Caribbean?” gets asked as though these destinations are interchangeable.

They’re not.

And the Caribbean itself isn’t one single experience.

Different islands have different histories, cultures, landscapes, foods, and personalities.

But if what you love about Hawaii is waking up somewhere warm and deciding whether the day should involve a beach, the water, or an adventure, there are plenty of Caribbean islands worth exploring.

Depending on where you go, you can find snorkeling, hiking, waterfalls, rainforests, sailing, historic towns, beaches, and spectacular coastal scenery.

That’s why I wouldn’t choose a Caribbean destination based only on which resort has the prettiest pool.

I’d choose the island first.

Sound familiar?

Figure out what kind of trip you want.

Then find the island that offers it.

If you love in Hawaii:

Warm weather, beaches, snorkeling, island exploration, and combining relaxation with adventure.

Look toward:

The Caribbean.

Then do your homework and choose the island that matches your travel style.

5. Love Hawaii’s Mix of Beach and Adventure? Try Cancún and the Yucatán

If you love that Hawaii lets you have a beach vacation without requiring you to spend the entire vacation on the beach, consider Cancún and the surrounding Yucatán Peninsula.

Yes, you can absolutely check into a resort and spend several days beside the water.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

But leave the resort.

This is where the destination gets much more interesting.

Swim in a cenote.

Explore Maya archaeological sites.

Get out on the water.

Visit communities beyond the resort zone.

Make room for the history and culture of the region.

That’s the connection I see with Hawaii.

Not because the destinations are alike.

They’re not.

It’s because both can tempt travelers into seeing only the beautiful beach and missing everything else around it.

If you love in Hawaii:

Combining beach time with history, culture, exploration, and outdoor experiences.

Look toward:

Cancún and the Yucatán Peninsula.

Don’t Look for Another Hawaii

This is really the point of this entire list.

If you love Hawaii, you don’t need to find somewhere else pretending to be Hawaii.

Go back to Hawaii.

I certainly understand the temptation.

But one of the best things about travel is discovering how completely different places can scratch the same travel itch.

Maybe what you actually love is snorkeling.

Or volcanoes.

Or hiking through green landscapes.

Or driving along a dramatic coastline.

Or having a beach nearby while still being able to fill your days with adventures.

Once you figure out what you loved about a destination, your travel wish list suddenly gets much bigger.

Let One Trip Inspire the Next

This is how travel seems to work for me.

One destination doesn’t satisfy my curiosity.

It creates more of it.

I see a volcanic landscape and start wondering where else in the world I could experience one.

I take a beautiful coastal drive and want to find another.

I snorkel somewhere and immediately begin thinking about where I’d like to get back in the water.

That’s how a favorite destination can become the beginning of something instead of the end.

Hawaii can introduce you to experiences that send you halfway around the world looking for the next version.

Not a copy.

A new adventure.

Final Thoughts

There’s nowhere else exactly like Hawaii.

That’s a good thing.

But if you know what you love most about the islands, you can find experiences around the world that tap into that same sense of adventure.

Love volcanoes? Explore Costa Rica.

Love snorkeling and marine life? Look at Belize.

Love dramatic green coastlines? Give Ireland a chance.

Love tropical island adventures? Start exploring the Caribbean.

Love combining beautiful beaches with culture, history, and exploration? Head beyond the resort in Cancún and the Yucatán.

Don’t travel the world looking for another Hawaii.

Let Hawaii inspire you to discover what else is out there.