Hawaii Travel Tips & Tricks
Hawaii may feel like a different country, but remember, you’re still in the US. Hawaii has a very distinct culture and its location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean often makes it feel like a foreign land, so many visitors question how things are done.
Here’s the deal: everything works like it does back home, except when it doesn’t! Seriously though, your phone service works like normal, you don’t need a passport (you’d be surprised how often people ask this), and you don’t call the US mainland “the states” like you would when in Europe.
But you will find yourself subject to the quirks of “island life.” Things move slower so relax and go with the flow.
This leads to the first big thing you need to know... While many native Hawaiians feel that their land (and to some extent their culture) has been stolen from them, they’re largely VERY welcoming to visitors. But that’s what you are…a visitor in someone’s home. If you get that and behave accordingly, Hawaii is the greatest place on earth you’ll ever visit. Yes, it’s very beautiful, but there are a lot of beautiful places. The people and the way that they share their culture is what makes it special.
All of this being said, there’s a sort of “code of conduct” that’s expected among visitors. Some of it is law, some is common sense and decency, and unfortunately, some of it just has to be spelled out. So here’s a roundup of things not do when you’re visiting Hawaii:
Don’t act like an entitled tourist. Just because someone is spending a lot of money to be there doesn’t mean they can be demanding or do whatever they wish. Hopefully, this sounds super dramatic to you and something that should go without saying WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, but hey, some people are crazy and it has to be said. Need an example? Have you seen the rainbow eucalyptus trees? They’re crazy cool. A eucalyptus tree found in Hawaii whose bark is literally like a rainbow. You know what people do? THEY CARVE THEIR NAMES INTO IT. Why on earth would you do that??? Just stop.
Don’t trespass on private property. Again, seems like a no-brainer right? You’d be surprised. Just because you read about a hike to a waterfall in a guidebook doesn’t mean you can go there if it’s on private property. This is particularly a big problem along the Road to Hana on Maui. If you have to climb around a gate or ignore posted signs, don’t do it. Also, it’s generally appreciated if you don’t geotag locations on social media of sites that are considered secluded or special to locals (even if it’s legal to access).
Don’t touch the sea turtles or the monk seals. Both Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles and Hawaiian Monk Seals are protected species meaning IT’S A FEDERAL OFFENSE TO TOUCH THEM. You’re required to keep a MINIMUM 10-foot perimeter from these creatures whether they’re in the water or on the land (it’s not uncommon to see them sunning themselves on beaches). And if you’re in the water you should stay even further away because you have less control. Some beaches (especially Ho’okipa on Maui) set up fairly large perimeters around turtles and monk seals (more common for the monk seals because they’re rare) so be sure to respect the perimeter and don’t be one of those people that duck under a rope because you’re “technically allowed to be 10 feet away.” The good news is that the numbers for these species (especially the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles) is GROWING because of their protected status.
Use Reef Safe Sunscreen. Tons (literal TONS) of sunscreen end up washed around Hawaii’s beautiful coral reefs each year and it’s increasingly being understood how harmful it is (how much conditions improved during the COVID shutdowns was pretty astounding). Hawaii recently passed a bill making it illegal to sell sunscreen with two ingredients found to be most harmful to reefs and it makes a HUGE difference when people wear reef-safe (or at least reef-friendly) sunscreen when in the ocean.
Of course, we know our clients are a classy bunch and would never do any of the above-mentioned, so feel free to share this with someone you know who might need it!