The Tadman Trip to Hawaii

Marty and his family recently headed to Hawaii for a fun family vacation. This was their first family trip without all four of their kids joining them — their oldest daughter, Cali, stayed in Boise for high school soccer playoffs. Marty and Nicole, along with Bryley (15), Lyla (9), and Judah (8), set out to explore two of Hawaii’s beautiful islands.

A few years ago, they visited Oahu and Maui, but as many of you know, the Tadman family loves discovering new islands — especially those that are remote, secluded, and hard to get to. Most people have heard of the “big four” islands: Oahu, Maui, Hawaii (the Big Island), and Kauai. But have you ever heard of Molokai or Lanai?

Their adventure began on Molokai, a small island tucked between Oahu and Maui that few people have ever visited. After flying into Maui, they hopped on a tiny nine-passenger plane to reach Molokai, where they found peaceful seclusion and breathtaking, empty beaches. There were no resorts, no chain stores — just the natural beauty of the island.

Over five days, they explored a different beach each day, and on three of those days, they were the only people on the beach. (On the “crowded” day, they shared a three-mile-long beach with six other people!) The beaches ranged from white sand to brown, and even a stunning black sand beach on the island’s remote east side. While visiting that black sand beach, they had the incredible experience of watching about 20 baby sea turtles crawl out of the ocean for the first time, right at their feet. It was a peaceful time to unplug and enjoy some precious family moments together.

After leaving Molokai (again via a nine-person plane), they traveled to the Garden Island of Kauai. They spent four days on the south side and four days up north. The entire island is lush, green, and full of vibrant vegetation, with towering cliffs rising dramatically along the west side.

While on the south side, they hiked Waimea Canyon, explored trails along the ocean, watched sea turtles rest at night on Poipu Beach, and made the trek to the secluded Polihale Beach on the far west side. One of the highlights was a majestic (and adventurous!) boat tour of the Na Pali Coast, which included snorkeling with sea turtles, colorful fish, and even an octopus. As they rounded the coastline, the first winter swell of the season brought an extra dose of excitement — but the towering, 4,000-foot green cliffs of Na Pali were worth every wave. They even spotted spinner dolphins leaping and twirling through the air beside the boat!

The trip wrapped up on Kauai’s north shore, where each beach seemed more beautiful than the last, offering breathtaking views of the northern tip of the Na Pali cliffs. The snorkeling was perfect, and the waves provided just the right amount of fun for the kids — and for Marty, who enjoyed some boogie boarding. They also attended a Hawaiian luau, complete with endless food and talented dancers representing many island cultures.

Each day followed a familiar and joyful rhythm: breakfast at the house, packing up lunch, snacks, and drinks, spending the day at a new beach, then heading back for a shower and a local dinner — often followed by dessert, of course.

The Tadman’s truly cherish the island life, especially those secluded places where they can enjoy God’s beautiful creation in peace. Until a few months ago, they had no idea Hawaii had an island like Molokai — and they all agreed it was absolutely worth the trip.