What
to Bring and What to Leave at Home
You probably won't
forget to pack the obvious things like a
pair of sunglasses, a camera, and your
bathing suit. Here are some other items
that will become necessities in Hawaii,
as well as a few things we recommend you
leave behind:
AAA auto
club card. Bring
it because many hotels and attractions
(such as the Bishop
Museum) offer discounts
to AAA members.
Binoculars. Perfect for viewing
the scenery. You will agree with this
suggestion if you spot a whale and want
to have a closer look.
Cellular
phone. Bring it. No, not to stay in touch with
the office! Instead, it may come in handy
if your car breaks down on a remote part
of one of the islands.
Flashlight. You will need it in
the tunnels if you hike up Diamond
Head. You will also
need it if you take a sunset volcano tour
on the Big Island.
Golf
equipment. If
you play, we recommend that you bring
your clubs. Hawaii offers plenty of
challenging courses that are
breathtakingly beautiful (for a sample of
what is in store for the Hawiian golfer,
see our list of favorites).
Jet lag. Don't fight it! If you come to Hawaii
from the mainland USA or Canada, you are
likely to find yourself falling asleep at
9 pm each evening and waking up at 5 in
the morning. This is a blessing in
disguise, since it will allow you to be
awake for all of the daylight hours,
which will maximize the time you can
spend outdoors (which is probably the
main reason you came to Hawaii, right?).
Most of the hotel restaurants open early
in anticipation of jet-lagged guests.
Hiking
boots and knapsack. Bring 'em. Hawaii has some of the world's
best hiking trails (we especially like
the Awaawapuhi
Trail and Waimea Canyon on
Kauai).
Laptop
computer. Unless you really need it (i.e. to check
out updates to The Aloha Insider!),
leave your computer home and get out and
enjoy yourself. If you must bring it,
check out our article on computer
security.
Print-outs
of The Aloha Insider. Definitely bring
them! You hereby have our written
permission to print out anything in this
web site (for personal use only). Please
let us know if you agree or disagree with
any of our reviews, or if you learn any
information we should add to an article.
Sunblock. Hawaii is closer to the equator than any
part of the USA, Canada or Japan, so you
can get a serious burn any time of the
year. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Traveler's
checks. You don't need them. ATM machines are
everywhere in Hawaii. If you ATM card is
linked to the CIRRUS network, you will be
able to get cash almost anywhere, even on
the tiny island of Lanai.
(Check for the CIRRUS logo on the back of
your ATM card.)
Umbrella
and rain gear. Sadly, it DOES rain in Hawaii. In fact,
certain parts of several of the islands
technically are rain forests, so you will
need an umbrella. Also bring a warm
sweater or sweatshirt or a windbreaker
since many of the great sights (such as
the volcanoes and Mount
Haleakala) are at high
altitudes where the thin air is much
cooler. Also, it can get cool in the
evening even at sea level.
BOOK
AN ACTIVITY
Make the most of your time in the islands
by booking your vacation activities now! Click here
to get tickets to tours, attractions and
hundreds of other Hawaii activities.
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