Banking & Communications
1. Banks
Bank of Hawai’i and First Hawaiian Bank are Hawai’i’s largest, with branches throughout the islands, some of them inside supermarkets. In general, all banks are open: Mon–Thu 8:30am–3pm or 4pm, Fri 8:30am–6pm. Some branches have Saturday hours.
Bank of Hawai’i • www.boh.com
First Hawaiian Bank • www.fhb.com
2. Credit Cards
VISA and MasterCard are accepted almost universally except by the smallest stores and roadside stands. American Express, Discover, Diner’s Club, and JCB (a Japanese card) are accepted at most places but check first.
3. Travelers’ Checks
By far the safest form of money, travelers’ checks in U.S. currency are accepted in most places. Change is given in cash. Lost or stolen travelers’ checks are easily replaced.
4. Telephone Calls
With the extraordinary proliferation of cell phones, public phones are fast disappearing. If you can find one, a local call will cost 50 cents, much cheaper than using a hotel phone. Inter-island calls are deemed long distance, and numbers must be preceded by dialing 1 808.
5. Postal Services
Posting a letter costs the same as on the mainland, but mail sometimes takes longer to reach its destination. Hotels will often post mail for you, but otherwise there are post offices in every town. Opening hours are generally: 8:30am–4:30pm Mon–Fri, with short morning hours at some branches on Saturdays.
6. Newspapers and Magazines
The best place to buy mainland newspapers and a wide array of magazines is at one of the numerous ABC stores that dot the island, or at Barnes & Noble (Ala Moana Center and Kāhala Mall). The Honolulu Star-Advertiser is the state’s largest daily. For more information seenewspapers and magazines.
7. Television and Radio
In addition to the myriad U.S. television stations on the dial, Oceanic Cable Channel 16 provides the most local programming imaginable. All the major hotels have their own closed-circuit visitor channels with programming that provides an overview of the island, activities, shopping, and restaurants. Fans of every music genre, from rock to country to Hawaiian, will find something on the radio dial to satisfy them. If you want to listen like the locals do, try KINE, 101.5 FM for the best in island sounds.
8. “Coconut Wireless”
This is Hawai’i’s version of “hearing it through the grapevine.” Talk to as many locals as you can; you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how willing most are to share the island’s secrets.
9. Internet Access
Most hotel rooms and condos offer wireless internet access. Most large hotels have business centers where you can stay in touch with the office. Internet service is also available at several cafés.
10. Hawai’i Time
Unlike the U.S. mainland, Hawai’i does not subscribe to Daylight Savings Time – island time remains constant throughout the year. From October to April, Hawai’i is two hours behind the U.S. West Coast (10 behind G.M.T); from April to October three hours (11 G.M.T).
