Hawaii general information for tourists.

Below we offer you important information to know before traveling to Hawaii. You will find a summary of the documentation needed to travel to Hawaii and how to get it (valid for nationals of Spain). You will also find information related to life in Hawaiian society, so that when visiting this archipelago you can easily accommodate the schedules and customs of the natives.

At the end you will also find a summary of the holidays, electricity (plugs) and the language.

The time in Hawaii

The time difference in Hawaii is 10 hours compared to London. On the other hand, it is important to bear in mind that in Hawaii there is no time change, therefore, in summer you have to add another hour from Europe. This great time difference can produce the so-called "Jet Lag".

Business hours in Hawaii

Banks in Hawaii usually open Monday through Friday from 09.00-15.00, and stores usually do from Monday to Saturday from 09.00-18.00, although it is common to find a store open until 9.00pm.

Health in Hawaii

One of the questions that you will surely ask, while preparing the trip, is whether it is necessary to get vaccinated to travel to Hawaii. The answer is no; so you can go by removing the fear of needles. On the other hand in Hawaii you will find pharmacies with everything you need if a health emergency arises.

The currency of Hawaii

Taking into account that Hawaii is a state belonging to the United States of America, its official currency is the dollar. As you already know (or if you do not know), this currency is characterized by dividing it into many bills (more than the euro). So you can find $ 1, $ 2, $ 5, $ 10, $ 20, $ 50, and $ 100 bills. In turn, there are the dollar cents that are materialized in coins of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents.

Tips in Hawaii

Tips in Hawaii work the same as in the US. And, unlike what happens in other countries, customers are expected to be respectful of this rule. In bars and restaurants what is left is calculated in proportion to what is spent, and represents 15-20% of what has been consumed.

As for the tip for taxi drivers, tour guides, baggage carriers and parking attendants is not completely standardized, although they are always expected to give them something for the service offered. So we recommend that guided by the criterion of courtesy, you leave something.

Holidays in Hawaii

• New Year 1st of January
• Birth of Martin Luther King Third Monday of January
• Birth of George Washington Third Monday of February
• Memorial Day for the Fatherland Last Monday in May
• Independence Day July 4
• Labor Day First Monday of September
• Discovery Day of America Second Monday of October
• Veterans Day November 11
• Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday of November
• Christmas is on the 25th of December

Language in Hawaii

In Hawaii the official language is English, although some indigenous languages ​​still survive on the island. Anyway, everyone can speak English, so it will be the language with which you can communicate with them.

Where to eat in Maui?

Cheap restaurants in Maui

Choice Health bar

In this restaurant you can eat delicious fruits at 1087 Limahana Place, Ste 1A, Lahaina. It is really an excellent place for those who want to make a light, fast and cheap meal.

Location: 1087 Limahana Pl - Lahaina


Da Kitchen

It is a restaurant where you can eat dishes of Polynesian and Hawaiian origin at a great price. It is located in Kahului and for many it is one of the best places on the island where you can eat cheaply. Among the most recommended dishes is the seafood tower to share.

Location: 425 Koloa St - Kahului

Good restaurants in Maui

Cuatro Restaurant

If you want to eat typical Hawaiian food at 1881 S. Kihei Road, Suite 3, (Kihei) you will find this fantastic restaurant that will allow you to enjoy this delicious meal. This is a good place to try good Hawaiian food and to enjoy a nice time with your loved ones.

Location: Kihei Town Center Shopping Center, 1881 S Kihei Rd # 111 - Kihei




808 Bistro

This is another place to eat well on Maui, it is located in Kihei and offers fusion dishes. The wines are delicious and there are different geographical sites. Among the most recommended dishes is pasta with gorgonzola cheese; What is a good opportunity to try this delicious dish?

Location: 2511 S Kihei Rd - Kihei

Luxury restaurants in Maui

Mama's Fish House

In Paia, you will find this fascinating place, ideal for lovers of fish and seafood. If you want to try the best seafood in Hawaii without a doubt this will be your reference restaurant.

Location: 799 Poho Pl - Paia


A Saigon Cafe

In the street 1792 Main St of Wailuku is this beautiful place that, at first sight results from informal treatment but in the end it offers an attention and some exquisite dishes. His specialty is Vietnamese food, although there are also American and Hawaiian dishes.

Location: 1792 Main St - Wailuku

Where to eat in Hawaii? - Big Island

If you are a lover of good food and want to know which are the best restaurants where to eat in Hawaii, here you will find all the information you need.

Below is a list of the most recommended places on the Big Island of Hawaii, in future posts we will see places in Maui and Honolulu. There are three types of restaurants: cheap, good and luxury restaurants.

Cheap restaurants in Hawaii

Umekes Ali'i Plaza

It is a family restaurant located in Kailua-Kona that offers typical dishes at little price. Among the most popular dishes is Beef Teriyaki which can be accompanied with a typical Hawaiian drink: Coco lemonade.

Location: 75-143 Hualalai Rd # 105 - Kailua-Kona

Da PokeShack

It is located on Alii Drive Street, in Kailua-Kona, and is an interesting restaurant to eat typical Hawaiian food or Japanese cuisine. The take-away option is quite good price and without a doubt the value for money is excellent.

Location: Oceanfront Kona Bali Kai Condos, 76-6246 Ali'i Dr # 101 - Kailua-Kona

Good restaurants in Hawaii

Kaleo's Bar & Grill

It is located in Pahoa and is an interesting place to eat grilled meat. In any case they have a varied and interesting menu in which you will surely find what you want. You should know, however, that it is a place that is very fashionable and, therefore, it is difficult to get a table easily.

Location: 15-2969 Pahoa Village Rd - Pāhoa

Kaaloa Super'J

This is a very good place, located in Captain Cook, where you can eat the most typical Hawaiian food. It also has a fabulous service that will make you enjoy your evening even more.

Location: 83-5409 Mamalahoa Hwy - Captain Cook

Luxury restaurants in Hawaii

Merriman's

It is a restaurant located in Kamuela where you will find an interesting variety of Hawaiian foods. The dishes are really excellent and we believe that it is one of the best places in the archipelago where to try the typical dishes.

Location: 65-1227B Opelo Rd - Waimea

Napua at Mauna Lani Beach Club

This is a flirtatious restaurant that you should not miss while visiting Hawaii. It is located in Mauna Lani Resort and is an interesting place to eat Hawaiian and American cuisine. While it can be somewhat expensive, the atmosphere is very quiet and offers amazing views.

Location: Mauna Lani Bay Hotel &; Bungalows, 68-1292 S Kaniku Dr - Waimea

Language and religion

The language in Hawaii

The indigenous language of Hawaii is Malay-Polynesian and, currently, is the official language on the island along with English. If you plan to travel to Hawaii, therefore, and you handle well with the Anglo-Saxon language, you will not have any problem to make you understand among the natives, because here everyone knows and speaks that international language to perfection.

Language evolution in Hawaii

Malay-Polynesian, the language of Hawaii, comes from the family of Polynesian languages ​​similar to Maori and Rapanui. It is a language that entered the island during the 2nd and 8th centuries, when the first Polynesian colonizers arrived, and settled down as the language of the entire archipelago. So much so that from the conquest until well into the eighteenth century was the only language of Hawaii. At the end of that century new colonizers began to arrive on the island, provoking a resounding change in the language of the natives.

Not only language was affected by conquest. The new members of the islands brought with them also new diseases for the natives that caused the death in great quantities to the inhabitants. Due to this, from the 19th century, the native population of Hawaii began to diminish rapidly. It was also in that century that English began to be established as an official language, displacing the original language. Considering that only 0.1% of the inhabitants of the island were Hawaiians at this altitude, this change is not so striking.

Currently, Malay-Polynesian continues to be the official language on the island jointly with English, although only about 1,000 people speak actively and 8000 passively. During this last decade they have tried to apply various policies of linguistic normalization, without significant results: English speakers continue to be majority than natives.

Finally, it is worth noting that the language of Hawaii since 1820 has Latin writing, since a group of missionaries codified the language.

Religion in Hawaii

Currently, the majority religion in Hawaii is Christian, with 68% of followers. Within Christianity the strongest tradition is the Protestant with 42% (the strongest colonization suffered by the country was the English). Next comes the Catholic with 21% and the Mormon with 5%. Surely, the Asian influence has generated that there is a 9% of Buddhists. It should also be noted that in Hawaii there are 18% of atheists / agnostics.

The traditional culture of the Huna or better known as Aloha stands out in religion in Hawaii. Although this is not considered exactly part of the religion in Hawaii, since it belongs to what is known as ancient wisdom, it has a base very similar to that of any religion and retains characteristics of its most primitive religion.

Stay in Maui

The best areas to stay in Maui

The most popular area for tourism is the western part of the island of Maui, which at the same time concentrates the vast majority of the hotel offer available. From our point of view, the best place to stay in Maui is in Lahaina, since it is the largest urban center on the island and also has great appeal. Another highly recommended place is Kihei, south of Lahaina and with an impressive coastline, beautiful beaches and a lot of resorts to stay. Very close to Kihei, further south there is another favorite place for tourists, Wailea, which is another very interesting area to sleep.

If you are going to make a long stay in Maui, it is sometimes advisable to change the city, to be able to move to the points of interest with greater comfort and speed. In this case, it is advisable that many tourists choose to stay in Wailuku (near Iao Valley) or in Kahului, where the airport is located.