words Al Woods
Booking a vacation in Hawaii is definitely one of the best ways to spend your R’n’R time. However, you can’t just book a hotel and simply show up to the islands. As it turns out, there are a few things you need to know ahead of planning your trip. Some of these are obvious, but some are catching tourists by surprise every year.
Budget Accordingly
The most important thing to know, one that can save you a lot of headaches, is to budget accordingly if you plan on staying in Hawaii. The islands are expensive. You might find a decent deal on lodging, but everything else is expensive, and you need to account for that. Many vacations were ruined because people thought they could squeeze by with barely any spending money.
The moment you set foot on the islands of Hawaii, you’ll understand why it’s necessary to properly budget your trip ahead of time. That being said, you shouldn’t be discouraged from visiting. Hawaii is expensive, but it’s in line with most other similar destinations around the world. Knowing about the prices isn’t a matter of intimidation, but rather preparation.
Leave Plenty of Time For Commuting
Despite being a chain of islands, Hawaii suffers from all the same traffic issues as your home city. There are traffic jams, endless construction work being done on high-traffic roads, and more. Tourist guides from Live Your Aloha note that you should leave a decent buffer of time for commuting between different points on the island you’re staying on, as well as inter-island travel. Fortunately, there are plenty of awesome tours that can take care of your transportation needs as well as the need to plan your sightseeing.
On the other hand, if you’re adamant about experiencing the islands on your own, plan on renting a vehicle as there’s no other way to effectively move around the islands if you’re on a tight schedule.
Educate Yourself About Local Laws
Aside from being a tropical paradise, Hawaii is also a state that has a few laws and rules that you won’t see in the rest of the country. Knowing these rules can help you avoid awkward situations when you arrive in Hawaii. More importantly, being aware of said rules will prevent you from wasting any time. What are these rules we’re talking about? For one, there are no plastic bags in Hawaii.
When you go grocery shopping, you’ll need to bring your bag. Similarly, you can’t use just any sunscreen. Hawaii has strict rules about what ingredients are allowed in sunscreens, rendering most conventional ones illegal. Instead, you’ll have to get yourself reef-safe sunscreen, which is best done ahead of time.
Plan Ahead
Planning a trip to Hawaii is just a tad different than most other locations. That being said, none of these unique factors change the fact that Hawaii is one of the most beautiful destinations on Earth. If you plan and follow a few basic rules, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable vacation in what can only be described as paradise.
