Hawai'i Tourist Mistakes: Let's Set the Record Straight
Just a few things to prevent you from looking or sounding like a silly tourist, haole or typical mainlander while on vacation in Hawai'i.
Names and Places
- Honolulu is pronounced "hoh-no-loo-loo," not "hah-na-lu-lu," and it is a city on O'ahu, not the name of an island.
- Hawai'i, or the Big Island, is not the most densely populated island; that would be O'ahu. It is called the Big Island because it is big.
- Regardless of what most U.S. maps show, Hawai'i is not located just off the coast of southwest Texas.
- Hawai'i is the 50th state, and travelers from the U.S. mainland do not need a passport to get here.
Food
- It is shave ice. Don't call it a snow cone, crushed ice, a slushy or even "shaved ice" — it's shave ice. Also don't forget to get ice cream on the bottom, unless you are lactose intolerant or vegan.
- Yes, Hawai'i eats more SPAM per person than any other state, and no, it's not gross — it actually tastes pretty good. It is not healthy, but mainlanders need to stop using it as the go-to gross food. Another go-to gross food (especially for kids) is Brussels sprouts, and they are also very good. Choose something like Vienna sausages, because those actually are pretty nasty.
Culture and Clothing
- It's not a Hawaiian shirt, it is an aloha shirt, and they are commonly worn by businessmen in Hawai'i — but maybe not the flamboyant ones you are thinking of.
- Not everyone who lives in Hawai'i is Hawaiian. "Hawaiian" refers to Native Hawaiians, the descendants of the islands' original Polynesian inhabitants; people who grew up here are often called locals or kama'aina.
- Hula dancers did not wear coconut bras (they were probably topless), and their skirts were likely made of ti leaves, not grass.
- You will not be greeted with a lei at the airport unless it is from a friend or family member or you paid a tour company for it.
- It's the shaka, not "hang loose," and it is not a fad in Hawai'i; it is part of the local culture.
- No, we don't go to the beach every day — just every other day.
Special note: If you need help avoiding "typical tourist" mistakes, book a private tour with The Real Hawai'i and let us be your guide to the island of O'ahu. We will help you have a real and authentic island experience. Aloha \m/
More Local Tips
Keep reading: our guide to local food to try on O'ahu, how to see sea turtles respectfully, and what aloha really means.