Hawaii: Things to Know Before You Travel

• Koolau hill range splits Oahu into urban and country regions, sorta. They vary greatly. The country side is the Hawaii paradise tourists often think of with lush, green valleys, nature, occasional farms, beaches and it is degrees cooler. The urban side of Oahu is often thought of as Honolulu, Waikiki and the airport and it is the asphalt jungle of the island.

• In the Hawaiian Islands, it is illegal to touch, harass, capture and/or endanger a Hawaii monk seal and Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle. To do so is a federal and state crime and you wil be fined up to $50,000 and receive jail time up to five years.

• Hawaii bans any sunscreen that is not reef-safe. To respect and protect our reef and marine life, Hawaii only welcomes reef-friendly sunscreen.
• We have three main freeways in Hawaii: H1, H2, and H3.
• Daylight Savings is not used
• In Hawaii, we do not use north, south, east, west as directional indicators. Instead you will find most locals say,  mauka (towards the mountain) and makai (towards the ocean). This is largely because the Koolau Mountain range passes through the island, so locals experience mountain and ocean anywhere they are.
• If you only stay in Waikiki, you’ve not seen Hawaii. Waikiki is over-priced and the restaurants cater to tourists- both, mainland and Japanese. Although it has some nice beaches (check out these Waikiki beach tips).  The only thing that is Hawaiian and local are the locals who work in the businesses there and it’s their job to be nice to you!
• Hawaii has 125 beaches. All are public access and each beach has its own character. Check out these Hawaii beach Dos & Don’ts !
• Aloha means Welcome, Love, Goodbye
• Mahalo means Thank you
• The Hawaiian alphabet consists of 7 consonants and 5 vowels. You will see many vowels in names.
• There is a saying- “Hawaii chooses you; not vice versa”. Hawaii is a very Ohana and Aloha state of mind, where we live with respect for our people, our families, nature, and the island’s way of life.  Thus, in Hawaii, you will go farther with smiles than you will negative complaints, pushiness, sarcasm and expecting the island to change for you. You must change for the island and adopt its ways should you ever choose to live here.
• Hawaii culture adopts influences from Oceania and Asia, where the cultures are taught to be polite and respectful of others, especially of elderly.
• It is polite to always remove footwear when entering a local home. Even if you are a handy man!
• Gas in Hawaii is around $3-$4/gallon.
• Hawaii does not have sales tax. Instead, there is a 4.175% general excise tax on all goods including food.
• Hawaii 7 Elevens are very unique with local Hawaii flavors, bentos and on-the-go snacks. Try the li hing snacks, teriyaki spam musubi and the microwavable instant udon (you don’t even need to add water!)

Hawaii Sightseeing Cheatsheet:

Want to know the best things to do in Hawaii Oahu? There’s a lot. So here’s a quick cheatsheet if your research is short on time.

A day trip around the island is a must! You’d be doing yourself a large disservice if you spent the entire vacation in Waikiki, because as I mentioned above, Waikiki is not Hawaii. Not by a long shot. Beaches, food, culture, shopping… everything is better outside of Waikiki… and cheaper too!

Rent a discount car or book a circle tour of sightseeing + food tour but plan for a day! You can drive in a circle around the entire island in 2-3 hours. But you’ll want to stop along the way for food, sightseeing or beaches.

This is a cheat sheet of ideas

• Pearl Harbor & USS Arizona Memorial
• Iolani Palace– historical residence where the Hawaiian monarchs resided and entertained dignitaries. This was until the monarchy was overthrown by the U.S. government and our Queen held captive in her residence.
• Historic Chinatown & Downtown Honolulu – where local hipsters go for pho restaurants, hole-in-the-wall eateries and gritty pubs.
• Hawaii Plantation Village– 8 immigrant cultures were prominent in the 1900s sugar plantation. They are the backbone of today’s Hawaii culture.
• Kakaako- a development next to downtown with cool artwork and murals. Visit SALT for cool eateries.
• Waikiki –> trip planning tips
• Easy scenic hikes: Diamond Head Crater hike (one of the best views of Waikiki and downtown Honolulu), Lanikai Pillbox, Manoa Valley Falls, Waimea Falls Park.
• Haleiwa – shopping, shave ice and food trucks
• Polynesian Cultural Center
• Kualoa Ranch – film location tours
• Kailua– beach town that you’ll pass through to get to Lanikai Beach/Pillbox hike and Kailua Beach. (read top Hawaii beaches)
• Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens
• Punchbowl: Crater-turned-cemetery for veterans.
• Shopping: Ala Moana Shopping Center, Kapolei Outlet Shopping Mall

🤙🏾Save money on your trip and get the Go Oahu: All Inclusive Pass –  1-7 day discount book with 34 attractions

Best time to visit Hawaii

Oahu Hawaii is pleasant year round with an average of 84 degrees Farenheit. Ocean waters are a 72 degrees in the winter and 80 degrees in the summer. A wet suit is not necessary for swimming, unless you will be diving for an extended time.

Hawaii’s record low 52 degrees/high 95 degrees. The hottest the Hawaiian Islands has gotten is 100 degrees on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Oahu Hawaii does do not experience many seasons as other parts of the world do. We have hot, hotter and rainy.

June to August tend to be the hottest months. December is our winter and is the rainiest month. We tend to have passing showers and one part of the island might experience rain, while another is dry.

Bucketlist Festivals in Hawaii:

January
New Year’s Eve – island-wide fireworks

April
Merrie Monarch (website  Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii)
Waikiki Spam Jam Festival

May
Memorial Day Lantern Floating Hawaii (website)

June
King Kamehameha Day (June 11)
Kamehameha Floral Parade  (June 11)
Bon Dance Season & Festivals (June – Mid Sept)

August
Made in Hawaii Festival (website)

Hawaii Culture

Iconic Hawaii Foods you Must Try

Flavors you’ll find in Hawaii… and LOVE

Shopping in Hawaii

Best Hawaii Souvenirs to Buy on your Trip

Best Spots to Buy Hawaii Souvenirs