A
Addresses
On neighbor islands, cities are widespread, and on the smaller islands of Molokai and Lanai, there’s only one zip code per island. Be wary when booking accommodations if you’re looking to be in a certain area – just because it says the town name, doesn’t mean it’s in it. Always check a map, or if in doubt, call the hotel prior to booking online.
Age restrictions
The legal driving age in Hawai‘i is 16, and while considered an adult at 18, drinking of alcoholic beverages is not allowed for anyone under 21 years old. Bars that also serve as restaurants generally allow minors in until a certain time of the evening – usually 9pm.
Roadside stand on Maui
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
B
Budgeting
Broadly speaking, Hawai‘i ranks at the expensive end of American vacation destinations. Prices are generally high, as so much of what is consumed in the islands has to be shipped there from across the Pacific or beyond. In addition, many tourists are happy to pay premium rates for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday in paradise. However, it is possible to keep costs down. The finest hotels tend to charge at least $250 per room per night, and often double that. For pretty good accommodations close to the sea, it’s perfectly possible to pay $125–150 in a hotel, or perhaps $100 for a rented condo.
The average visitor spends about $30 per day on food and drink; even if you buy and prepare your own meals, it’s hard to go much lower than say $20 per day, while at the other end of the spectrum there are plenty of fine-dining restaurants charging $50 or more for a single meal. Average beers cost anywhere from $3 to $5 per pint; the average glass of house wine ranges from $6 to $12 (or $15 at posh restaurants).
You’ll never have to pay to go on the beach and will rarely have to pay to access the islands’ best hiking trails. Still, prices for most kinds of commercial activity – a snorkel- or whale-watching cruise, a bus tour, a submarine ride, a guided hike or bike ride – also tend to be high.
C
Children
Unless otherwise specified (or unless you’re heading to a bar), most places in the Hawai‘ian Islands are child-friendly and actually encourage families to visit together. Many restaurants have children’s menus and offer young kids crayons when they sit down. Many attractions charge reduced-price admission fees for children. Also, most luxury hotels will recommend babysitting services.
Private and independent babysitting services exist on every island and many travelers use them without incident.
Fun for all the family on Waikiki Beach
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
Clothing
In Hawai‘i, attire is almost always casual. While the downtown working crowd dresses a bit nicer, it’s rare you’ll see a suit. For the rest of residents, shorts and T-shirts and sundresses are the norm. Jeans are always appropriate for evenings out, and only at the most fancy of restaurants will closed-toe shoes be required. Some do, however, require a collared shirt or no tank tops in the evening, so if going somewhere nice, call ahead. In Waikiki, you’ll sometimes see visitors walking around in only a swimsuit. While it’s almost always warm enough to do so, it’s considered polite to cover up – so throw on a shirt or sarong before leaving the beach to go shop or eat.
You’re likely to encounter rain at some point during your stay, so you’ll be glad of light, waterproof clothing or perhaps an umbrella. If you plan to venture at all higher, to areas like Maui’s Upcountry, you’ll need something warmer too. And if you head towards the summits of the volcanoes, most notably for the dawn at Haleakala on Maui, you should be prepared for literally freezing temperatures.
All the islands hold rough volcanic terrain, so good walking shoes or hiking boots are very useful, and in many places the ocean floor can be rocky and abrasive, so reef shoes are a good idea too.
Crime and safety
Hawai‘i has earned a reputation for hospitality and all the good cheer that the word aloha implies. However, travelers should be warned that all types of crime – including burglaries, robberies, assaults and rapes – do occur on the islands. To avoid them, follow the usual precautions as when traveling anywhere else. If you’re out late, it’s best to travel in pairs. Use common sense. Don’t carry jewelry, large amounts of cash, or other valuables. In areas far from population centers, car break-ins and beach thefts of unattended personal property are becoming common, even at popular tourist sites. Never leave valuables (or anything) visible in your car. If your hotel has a safe in the room, it is advisable to use it.
Customs
Travelers from the mainland United States to Hawai‘i are not eligible for duty-free shopping, but travelers from other nations are. There is no limit to the amount of money travelers are allowed to bring into Hawai‘i – or any part of the United States, for that matter – but any amount exceeding $10,000 requires a formal report with US Customs.
In order to prevent the spread of fruit flies and other hazardous plant insects and disease, no fruit, plants or live snails from the mainland are allowed into Hawai‘i, and no fruit, plants or live snails from Hawai‘i are allowed to be brought back to the mainland.
Slippers, essential footwear in Hawai‘i
Hawaii Tourism Authority/Dana Edmunds
D
Disabled travelers
Hawai‘i is very well geared towards meeting the needs of disabled travelers. Download detailed reports on facilities from the website of the State of Hawai‘i Disability and Communication Access Board (tel: 586-8121). Specific information on Hawai‘ian hotels is also available from Access–Able. Many vehicles on public transportation networks on Oahu and Maui are adapted for travelers with disabilities.
E
Electricity
Standard US 110-120 volts, 60 cycles AC. Large hotels usually are able to provide voltage and plug converters, so you only need to bring one if renting a condo or smaller B&B.
Embassies and Consulates
There aren’t many embassies in Hawai‘i – most of the formal diplomatic outposts are on the mainland, in Los Angeles, or in San Francisco. Still, the islands are home to a number of consulates:
Australia, tel: 524-5050
Japan, tel: 543-3111
Korea, tel: 595-6109
Philippines, tel: 595-6316
Taiwan, tel: 595-6347
Emergencies
Hawai‘i has its own response units, and outposts of major national responders as well. In the event of emergencies, there are a number of options to call for help:
American Red Cross, tel: 734-2101
Coast Guard Search and Rescue, tel: (800) 552-6458
Dental emergency service, tel: 944-8863
Fire, Police, Ambulance, tel: 911
Lifeguard Service, tel: 922-3888
Poison Center, tel: 941-4411
Etiquette
All etiquette rules for the mainland United States apply to the Hawai‘ian Islands as well. In addition, it is custom in Hawai‘i to remove shoes before entering someone’s private home – a little bit of Japanese culture that has taken off in Hawai‘i.
Note that islanders can be lax about time, especially when going on dates and to meetings outside of strictly commercial business circles. This habit of being late by 10 to 20 minutes is generally known as being on “Hawai‘ian time” and doesn’t mean the person doesn’t respect your time, it’s just part of the slower pace of Hawai‘i.
Tipping for service is expected in Hawai‘i, as tips are considered part of a service worker’s overall salary. In general, airport porters’ baggage-handling fees run at roughly $1 per bag, and taxi drivers are usually tipped 10 percent in addition to about 25¢ per bag. A 15–20 percent tip at a fine restaurant is the norm, and at other eating establishments you should tip whatever you feel is fair, typically 15 percent.
An Aloha Festival
Hawaii Tourism Authority/Tor Johnson
F
Festivals
For such a relatively small state, Hawai‘i has a host of festivals throughout the year. Some are more tourist-friendly than others; those are listed here. An up-to-date calendar of events can be accessed at www.goHawaii.com.
The largest and perhaps most exciting for visitors are the Merrie Monarch Festival each April (Hilo, www.merriemonarchfestival.org); May Day festivals, which happen statewide May 1 and celebrate lei in Hawai‘i; Chinese New Year, usually occurring late January and most exciting in Honolulu’s Chinatown; Punahou Carnival and the 50th State Fair, which are both family-fun events with rides, occurring in February and June, respectively; and Aloha Festivals, a series of statewide, month-long celebrations encompassing beautiful floral parades, street parties, special ceremonies, and community events to celebrate the spirit of aloha each September (www.alohafestivals.com). Others worth attending, depending upon your particular interests, include the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival each June on Maui (www.kapaluawineandfoodfestival.com); the statewide Bon Odori Dance Festivals, evening events in which visitors are invited to join; and the Hawai‘i International Film Festival on Oahu each November, an acclaimed two-week festival featuring international films and celebrating an “East meets West” theme (www.hiff.org).
G
Gay and lesbian travelers
Hawai‘i always has been a popular spot among gay and lesbian travelers, and the destination became even more gay-friendly when the state legislature legalized same-sex marriage in 2013. Since this historic change, many accommodations have added gay-friendly packages and special deals for same-sex couples seeking to plan destination weddings. Some of the properties that were gay friendly before the new law include the Cabana at Waikiki on Oahu (www.cabana-waikiki.com), the Sunseeker Resort on Maui (www.mauisunseeker.com) and the Mahina Kai B&B on Kauai.
H
Health
Inoculations
No additional inoculations are required prior to travel to Hawai‘i.
Heathcare and Insurance
It is always prudent to take out travel insurance that covers medical issues; there is no free health care in the United States.
Doctors, pharmacies and hospitals
Most of the larger hotels have a physician on call. Other medical services can be obtained at hospitals and/or clinics, which are prevalent on every island except Lanai. At bigger hospitals, the quality of care is superb. At some of the smaller clinics and medical outposts, care may be less so. There are emergency walk in clinics, known as minute clinics, in many local pharmacies.
For prescription medicine, there are pharmacies located in most towns around the islands. In larger towns, at least one pharmacy usually is open 24 hours. It will be the closest Longs (on Kalakaua if you’re in Waikiki) or Walgreens.
Pharmacies only are necessary to fill prescriptions; all supermarkets (and many corner markets) in the United States sell a sampling of over-the-counter medications.
Kamehameha Day Statue
Hawaii Tourism Authority/Joe Solem
Hours and Holidays
Because Hawai‘i is so attuned to its visitors, shops and restaurants in high-traffic tourist areas like Waikiki, Ka‘anapali, Kona and Lihu‘e are open 365 days a year. Expect to see some closures on Thanksgiving (the 4th Thursday of November) and Christmas Day – but usually only in the late afternoon and evening.
In general, stores are open for shopping by 9am and lunch restaurants are open by 11am.
Hawai‘i observes all the US national holidays, plus three state holidays – Prince Kuhio Day, Kamehameha Day and Admission Day. On national holidays, all government offices, banks, post offices and most businesses – except shops – close. On state holidays, local government offices and banks close, but federal offices and post offices remain open. Here are the important holidays to note:
New Year’s Day: January 1
Martin Luther King Day: third Monday in January
Presidents’ Day: third Monday in February
Prince Kuhio Day: March 26
Good Friday: Friday preceding Easter Sunday
Memorial Day: last Monday in May
Kamehameha Day: June 11
Independence Day: July 4
Admission Day: third Friday in August
Labor Day: first Monday in September
Columbus Day: October 12
Veterans Day: November 11
Thanksgiving Day: fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day: December 25
I
Internet facilities
Internet access is widely available throughout Hawai‘i. Upscale hotels invariably offer high-speed access from guest rooms (though usually for a fee of anywhere from $10 to $15 per day), while most resorts offer free Wi-Fi in their respective lobbies. Free Wi-Fi also is available at most coffee shops. All state libraries and most university libraries provide free access and these days, a number of other types of commercial enterprises – from restaurants to boutiques – also offer free Wi-Fi.
A map of Molokai
Hawaii Tourism Authority/Dana Edmunds
L
Language
English is the most commonly spoken language, although Hawai‘ian and Pidgin English, a dialect, are both heard as well. Hawai‘ian language has experienced a major renaissance in the past 20 years, and has gone from almost obsolete to being offered in all of the schools and as a major at University of Hawai‘i. Pidgin can be a bit tricky to pick up, but you’ll get a knack for it after listening to the locals. However, don’t try to imitate it, as it makes the locals laugh at you.
M
Media
Newspapers
Hawai‘i has a handful of island daily and weekly newspapers. On Oahu, the main daily is the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; this is the de facto daily for other islands as well. Neighbor islands also have their own daily newspapers, with circulation restricted to that specific island. These papers publish wire copy about state and national stories, but have the feeling of community newspapers (because their respective readerships are so small). A variety of other newspapers are published by ethnic groups, the military, religious organizations, and by the tourism and business industries. On Maui, Maui Time has amassed quite a following for the way it covers entertainment news. The Associated Press maintains a bureau in Honolulu to cover both Hawai‘i and the areas around the Pacific.
Radio
Honolulu’s listeners have some 30 radio stations to listen to; there are fewer stations elsewhere on Oahu and on other islands. Hawai‘i Public Radio news and fine arts can be found on KHPR 88.1 in Honolulu; KKUA 90.7 on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai; and KANO 91.1 in Hilo. Hawai‘i Public Radio talk and music can be found on KIPO 89.3 in Honolulu; KIPM 89.7 on Maui, Molokai and Lanai; and KIPL 89.9 on Kauai. ESPN sports radio is KKEA 1420 AM. KHUI (99.5 FM) and KINE (105.1 FM), both in Honolulu, broadcast both contemporary and traditional Hawai‘ian music. Listings in the local newspapers give relevant frequencies.
Television
There are more than 10 broadcast television channels that originate in the state of Hawai‘i. For broadcasts originating on Oahu (in Honolulu), relay transmitters serve the neighbor islands, while private companies provide cable TV programming by subscription only. Most of the other islands have their own local access channels. The majority of moderate-to-good hotels offer cable viewing to guests, showing a vast array of channels and, in a separate facility, first-run movies.
Money
Hawai‘i uses standard US currency and coins in all denominations. $1 = 100 cents. All major credit cards are accepted, including American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Most car rental companies require a credit card. Cash machines (ATMs) are everywhere, especially at banks and shopping centers; ATMs accept bank cards from the mainland (and abroad) and are accessible 24 hours a day.
Currency exchange
Currency conversion is readily available at all of the state’s international airports, and at most major banks. Currency exchange is also available at most hotels, although the rate tends to be a little less favorable than at a bank. There are no street money changers in Hawai‘i.
P
Post
Believe it or not, normal American postal rates apply across Hawai‘i. From Honolulu, it costs the same price to mail a letter to New York City as it does to Maui. Stamps are sold at all post offices; most supermarkets and corner stores sell them, too, and ATMs even carry them. Post boxes in Hawai‘i look the same as they do across the mainland US – blue boxes with an arched top.
Most resort hotels will mail postcards with postage affixed free of charge.
Offerings at a heiau site, Kawaihae
Hawaii Tourism Authority/Tor Johnson
R
Religion
Hawai‘i’s most common religion is Christianity, however, there are a great deal of other religions alive and actively practiced in Hawai‘i. Tolerance is very high for all religions – Hawai‘i is a melting pot, after all. Religion is rarely talked about and is considered very personal, so if speaking to the locals, wait for them to bring it up, if at all.
Traditional Hawai‘ian cultural practices are on the rise with the rebirth of the culture, although there are no many that identify solely with this as their religion.
S
Smoking
Smoking is generally considered taboo in Hawai‘i – one can’t smoke in any bars or restaurants, nor in hotels or public recreation areas. The age requirement for buying tobacco was recently raised from 18 to 21, and smoking is banned on all public beaches (which is all beaches, really). A violation includes a ticket and fine.
If stepping outside of a restaurant or other business to smoke, be sure to move a minimum of 20ft (6 meters) from any doorway or window.
Sunset on the summit of Mauna Kea
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
T
Telephones
From the middle of the Pacific, you can dial directly to almost anywhere in the world. Because of underwater fiber-optic cables, the quality of phone calls to both Asia and North America is excellent. Cellular service is reliable as well; major carriers servicing the Hawai‘ian Islands include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile, and all of them sell pay-as-you-go plans for international travelers. If you prefer dialing out from a hotel, note that most hotels charge $0.75–1 for local calls, and up to $1 per minute for long distance. If you can find public telephones (most of them have been phased out), they cost $0.35 per minute for local calls.
Area and dialing codes
The telephone area code for all the Hawai‘ian Islands is 808.
Same-island calls:
dial number.
800 numbers need to be preceeded by a 1 ie 1 + 800 + number.
Inter-island (direct):
1 + 808 + number.
Mainland (direct dial):
1 + area code + number.
International (direct dial):
011 + country + city + number.
Home-country direct:
Operators in some countries can be called directly from Hawai‘i by special toll-free 800 numbers. Call 643-1000 for a list of numbers and foreign countries where this particular service is available.
Time zones
Hawai‘i is GMT-10 hours, which means it is 10 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, two hours behind Pacific Standard Time, three hours behind Mountain Standard Time, four hours behind Central Standard Time and five hours behind Eastern Standard Time. As Hawai‘i does not adjust to Daylight Saving Time, these time differences grow by one hour between April and October (or, some years, November).
Toilets
Toilets in Hawai‘i are standard western toilets, although occasionally, in higher-end resorts, you may find Japanese style toilets. These are similar to wester toilets but with many added buttons and really, bells and whistles.
Public toilets can be hard to find in urban areas – most shops won’t let you use theirs. However, restaurants usually have one, and state beach parks do as well.
Tourist Information
The Hawai‘i Visitors and Conventions Bureau is in charge of promoting Hawai‘i to the general public. While the majority of the organization’s efforts focus on media and corporate tourism, the website can be useful (www.goHawaii.com).
Tours and Guides
Many US-based tour operators offer tours in Hawai‘i that are available to customers from anywhere in the world; the most useful include Backroads (tel: 800-462-2848; www.backroads.com), Roberts Hawai‘i (tel: 800-831 5541), Pleasant Hawai‘ian Holidays (tel: 800-742 9244; www.pleasantholidays.com), the Sierra Club (tel: 415-977 5522; www.sierraclub.org), and Tauck Tours (tel: 800-788 7885; www.tauck.com). For a truly local experience on Oahu, choose the small group tours of Keawe Adventures (www.keaweadventures.com), run by a local native Hawai‘ian offering diverse services – everything from a guided tour of the USS Arizona to fly fishing, and the first choice of visiting celebrities.
Transportation
Arrival by air
Hawai‘i is regularly serviced from the US mainland, Canada, Europe, the South Pacific and Asia. Flying time is about 10 hours from New York, eight hours from Chicago, and five hours from Los Angeles. The Hawai‘ian Islands also are a major stopover point for flights traveling between the US mainland and Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Oahu
It might be Hawai‘i’s most populous island but Oahu only has one commercial airport, Honolulu International Airport (tel: 808-836 6411; www.Hawaii.gov/hnl). However, over the years this has become one of the busiest airports in the entire US, with over 21 million passengers each year. In addition to the main terminal building, the airport operates two other terminals: the inter-island terminal and the commuter-airline terminal. The airport operates a free shuttle system between these buildings from 6am to 10pm, but it’s a 10−15 minute walk if you’re up for stretching your legs and have time.
Cruise ship off the Napali Coast
Getty Images
Maui
Maui has three airports. The main one, Kahului Airport (tel: 808-872 3830, www.Hawaii.gov/ogg), handles a growing number of direct flights from the US mainland and many inter-island hops. The two other airports, the Kapalua-West Maui Airport (tel: 808-665 6108; www.Hawaii.gov/jhm) and Hana Airport (tel: 808-248 4861; www.Hawaii.gov/hnm), are significantly smaller; both are served by inter-island Flying to Hana from one of the other Maui airports is an efficient option if you don’t want to drive the Hana Highway.
Hawai‘i Island
Hawai‘i Island has two main airports, Kona International Airport at Keahole (tel: 808-327 9520; www.Hawaii.gov/koa) on the popular west side, and Hilo International Airport (tel: 808-961 9300; www.Hawaii.gov/ito) on the outskirts of Hilo.
Waikiki Trolley
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
Kauai
On Kauai, Lihu‘e Airport (tel: 808-246 1448) has direct flights daily from San Francisco and Los Angeles on the US mainland, as well as numerous inter-island flights from Honolulu and other neighboring island airports. It is the smallest of all the airports on the four major Hawai‘ian Islands.
Molokai and Lanai
Molokai’s Ho‘olehua Airport tel: 808-567 9660; www.Hawaii.gov/mkk) in south-central Molokai, handles inter-island flights only. The same is true at Lanai Airport (tel: 808-565 7942; www.Hawaii.gov/lmn), 10 miles from Lanai City. For more information about aircraft that serve these destinations, visit www.Hawaii.gov/dot/airports.
Arrival by boat
Numerous cruise ships including Crystal Cruises (www.crystalcruises.com), Princess Cruises (www.princess.com), and Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com) now make Hawai‘i a port-of-call, stopping in Honolulu as well as the neighbor islands as part of their itinerary. From the ports, taxies are your best bet for getting around.
Inter-island travel
Flights between islands are frequent, every half hour or hour. There is one primary carrier, Hawai‘ian Airlines (www.Hawaiianairlines.com), which use jets between all major airports. In addition, Island Air (www.islandair.com), uses small propeller craft to smaller airports such as the one near Princeville, on Kauai. There are also fixed-wing and helicopter flights for inter-island travel. Mokulele Airlines (www.mokuleleairlines.com) and Pacific Wings are smaller airlines that offer small-plane flights from many of the major airports to smaller airports (such as Hana and Lanai). You can usually get a seat on one of these inter-island flights at short notice.
Public transportation
If you’re staying on one island, the best option is to rent a car; it’s cheaper than taking taxis everywhere and more reliable (and efficient) than public transportation. If you’re island hopping, you’ll either have to fly or take a ferry, though ferries only run between Maui, Lanai, and Molokai.
Bus
All four of the major Hawai‘ian Islands (Oahu, Maui, Hawai‘i Island and Kauai) have some form of mass transport. Depending on where you want to get to and how long you’re willing to wait to get there, utilizing these systems may make sense during your visit.
The bus system on Oahu, dubbed TheBus, is the best in the state. This bus system covers the entire island, and the fare is the same regardless of whether you travel six blocks or all the way around. TheBus is especially efficient in downtown Honolulu, with buses stopping every 15 minutes around Waikiki and the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Fares for TheBus are $2.50 per ride. Each ride includes one transfer, but you must ask the driver if you want a transfer ticket. Exact change is required and dollar bills are accepted. A four-day pass of unlimited rides costs $25 and is available at ABC convenience stores in downtown Honolulu. Important route numbers for Waikiki are 2, 4, 8, 19, 20, 58 and the City Express Route A. Route booklets listing other routes are available all over town.
The open-air Waikiki Trolley (tel: 808-591 2561, www.waikikitrolley.com) is another reliable option for getting around town. This system has four lines and makes dozens of stops. The Honolulu City Line (Red Line) travels between Waikiki and the Bishop Museum. The Ocean Coast Line (Blue Line), hugs Honolulu’s southeastern coastline, including Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay. The Ala Moana Shuttle Line (Pink Line) stretches from the DFS Galleria Waikiki or Hilton Hawai‘ian Village to the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Finally, the Local Shopping & Dining Line (Yellow Line) starts at Ala Moana Center and stops at popular shopping destinations, including Ward Warehouse. A one-day, four-line ticket costs $30; four-day tickets (also good for all four lines) cost $52. There are discounts when ordering online.
On Maui, there is the Maui Bus (tel: 808-871 4838; www.mauicounty.gov/bus). Operated by Roberts Hawai‘i, this system offers 10 routes between various communities. Two routes – the Upcountry and Haiku Islander routes – include a stop at Kahului Airport. Buses cover all of the island’s major destinations, and fares are $2 per person.
On Hawai‘i Island, the best bus option on Hawai‘i Island is the Hele-On Bus (tel: 808-961 8744; www.heleonbus.org), which covers all major towns and runs the four-hour trip from Kona to Hilo three times each day. Fares for this system are $1 per ride. Expect delays.
Kauai
On the Garden Isle, The Kauai Bus (tel: 808-246 8110, www.kauai.gov/transportation) runs hourly from Hanalei to Kakaha every day except Sunday. It also provides a midday shuttle around Lihu‘e. Fares are $2 per ride.
Car
Most visitors to Hawai‘i prefer to rent cars. This option provides travelers with the flexibility to go where they want, when they want. (On Molokai, renting a car is the only way to explore without the help of a tour outfitter.) It also is more affordable than taking taxis. Rates start at $25–35 per day for economy cars, and child car seats are an additional charge of $5–8 per day. All major car rental companies operate in Hawai‘i and many have 24-hour counters at most airports. Book in advance – or through online travel agents – for the best deals.
Drivers generally are required to be 25 years or older, have a valid driver’s license (non-US license holders should check if their car rental company requires an international license), and a major credit card.
A rugged section of the Hana Highway
Steven Greaves/Apa Publications
Driving
It is worth noting that driving in Hawai‘i is much like driving on the US mainland. Traffic advances on the right side of the road, and it is legal to make right turns on red lights unless posted otherwise. All passengers must wear seatbelts and infants and young children must be strapped into car seats or booster seats as appropriate. Pedestrians, whether in a crosswalk or not, always have the right of way. Most roads are paved; highways are well maintained; signs are in English and/or international symbols; speed limits and distance are indicated almost exclusively in miles and miles-per-hour.
Taxis
Taxi service is available on all islands, including Lanai and Molokai. Rates vary from island to island; all taxis are metered, and most are available for sightseeing at a fixed rate. Honolulu, of course, has the most taxis, but don’t expect to flag one down on the street. If a taxi is required, go to a nearby hotel.
There are dozens of cab companies on every island. On Oahu, try The CAB (tel: 808-422 2222; www.thecabHawaii.com). On Maui, use CB Taxi (tel: 808-243 8294; www.cbtaximaui.com). On Hawai‘i Island, book with Laura’s Taxi (tel: 808-326 5466; www.laurastaxi.com), and on Kauai, try Pono Taxi (tel: 808-634 4744; www.ponotaxi.com).
V
Visas and passports
Details of the visa waiver scheme, under which travelers carrying passports issued by Britain, Ireland and most European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand, do not need visas for trips to the United States lasting less than 90 days, can be obtained from your travel agent or via http://travel.state.gov.
W
Weights and measures
Hawai‘i uses the imperial system of weights and measures. Metric weights and measures are rarely used.
Women travelers
Women have equal rights in the United States – including Hawai‘i. It’s generally quite safe for women to travel alone, however, find company for late evenings out or hiking, to be sure.