Ep. 143: 10 Hawaii Travel Tips in Under 10 Minutes

by | Apr 2, 2025

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Are you planning a trip to Hawaii but feeling overwhelmed by all the details? What if you could transform your vacation experience by following just 10 simple tips?

I’m Bryan Murphy, a husband, dad of three, and certified Hawaii destination expert. After helping countless travelers plan unforgettable Hawaiian vacations, I’ve compiled these 10 Hawaii travel tips that can make all the difference between a good trip and an amazing one.

1. Rent a Car

Renting a car in Hawaii is essential, especially on Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Public transportation is limited, and rideshare services quickly become expensive. While Oahu has better public transit options, including a bus line to the North Shore, travel times can be lengthy.

On the other islands, having your own vehicle isn’t optional—it’s necessary. Most waterfalls, scenic lookouts, hiking trails, and best beaches are simply not accessible otherwise. To fully experience Hawaii’s beauty, secure your rental car early.

2. Prioritize Ocean Safety

Hawaii’s ocean is breathtaking but powerful and unpredictable. Always swim at beaches with lifeguards who post flags and signs about water conditions, and pay attention to their warnings. Understand how rip currents work, as they can pull even strong swimmers away from shore.

Give marine life and coral reefs plenty of space. Stay alert, informed, and never turn your back on the ocean. Remember the local saying: when in doubt, don’t go out.

3. Know Your Limits

Be honest about your physical capabilities. Hawaii offers incredible outdoor adventures, but trails can be slippery and steep. Snorkeling and swimming can quickly become exhausting, especially if conditions change.

Just because an activity is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Assess your current fitness level and choose activities that match your abilities to ensure a safe, enjoyable experience.

4. Immerse Yourself in Hawaiian Culture

Taking time to experience Hawaiian culture makes your trip more meaningful. Surveys show that about 80% of visitors report greater satisfaction when they participate in authentic cultural activities.

Go beyond resorts and tourist areas by visiting local museums, cultural centers, or historical sites across the islands. Guided tours led by locals offer perspectives you won’t find elsewhere. Check community calendars for local festivals, free hula shows, or farmers markets.

5. Try Local Hawaiian Dishes

Hawaiian cuisine is diverse and flavorful, offering one of the best ways to experience the islands. Skip the chain restaurants when possible and seek out local restaurants and food trucks serving authentic dishes.

Hawaii’s food scene features incredible fusion cuisine that combines influences from many cultures. Note that many food trucks and local spots are cash-only, so come prepared. Eating local is one of the most authentic ways to connect with Hawaii and its people.

6. Book Must-Do Activities in Advance

Popular activities fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons. Old Lahaina Luau on Maui typically sells out weeks ahead, while Mama’s Fish House can be booked solid 3-6 months in advance.

Other examples include Kauai’s Napali Coast boat tours and helicopter rides, and the Manta Ray night snorkel tours on the Big Island. Identify your must-do activities and book them early to avoid disappointment.

7. Don’t Overschedule Your Itinerary

One common mistake is packing too many activities into each day. While the desire to maximize your time is understandable, overplanning leads to stress, exhaustion, and feeling rushed.

Hawaii Tourism Authority surveys confirm that visitors who leave room for downtime report higher overall satisfaction. A packed schedule means missing spontaneous moments that often become the most memorable parts of your trip. Build in breathing room to experience Hawaii’s relaxed pace.

8. Visit When It Works for Your Schedule

Many travelers stress about finding the “perfect” time to visit Hawaii, but the islands enjoy comfortable weather year-round. Average daytime temperatures typically range from the mid-70s to mid-80s regardless of season.

Winter months (November through March) bring slightly more rain and bigger surf, especially on the North Shores. Summer tends to be drier and calmer but brings higher prices and larger crowds.

For fewer crowds and better deals, consider visiting during April, May, September, or October. But there’s truly no bad time for Hawaii—pick dates that fit your schedule and budget.

9. Protect Yourself from the Sun

Being closer to the equator, Hawaii often has a UV index above 11, which is extreme. At this level, skin damage can happen in as little as 10 minutes.

Make sunscreen a daily priority—not just at the beach but throughout your day. Use high-SPF, reef-safe sunscreen (Hawaii bans sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate). Brands like Raw Elements, Sun Bum, and Cocokind offer reef-safe options.

Complement sunscreen with hats, sunglasses, lightweight protective clothing, and seeking shade when possible. Don’t let a sunburn ruin your vacation.

10. Keep Your Valuables Secure

While Hawaii is relatively safe, petty theft does occur. According to Honolulu Police Department data, theft from vehicles accounts for about 40% of all crimes in tourist areas like Waikiki.

Beaches, hiking trails, attractions, and hotel pool areas are hotspots for theft. Keep beach visits light by bringing only essentials. Consider a waterproof pouch or dry bag that you can keep with you while swimming.

Always lock your rental car and never leave belongings visible inside. Take valuables with you or leave them secured at your accommodation. Don’t spend your vacation filing police reports for stolen items.

Following these 10 Hawaii travel tips will help ensure your island experience is smooth, safe, and truly memorable. Aloha!

Our Favorite Hawaii Travel Resources!

🏨 Accommodations: We recommend Booking.com

✈️ Flights: For the cheapest flights, we use Skyscanner

🚗 Rental Car: We recommend Discount Hawaii Car Rental

🌋 Attractions: We recommend Viator

🌺 Luaus and Tours: We recommend Hawaii Tours

📱 Mobile Tour App: Our favorite is Shaka Guide

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Planning a trip to Hawaii? Join Our Facebook Group!

It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired for your trip to Hawaii!

Transcript

143_10 Tips in 10 Minutes_01

[00:00:00] Bryan Murphy: In this episode, you’ll discover 10 Hawaii travel chips in under 10 minutes that can transform your experience on the islands. 10 minutes starting the clock. Let’s see if I can do it. Aloha and welcome to Hawaii’s Best. My name is Brian Murphy and as a husband, dad. Three and certified Hawaii destination expert.

[00:00:21] Bryan Murphy: It’s my joy to help you discover the best of Hawaii here. We often feature local businesses and voices to give you the best travel tips, UpToDate news, and everything you need to plan an unforgettable trip to Hawaii. Welcome to episode 1 43 of Hawaii’s best Planning a trip to Hawaii is exciting.

[00:00:43] Bryan Murphy: Definitely been there many times. But it can also feel overwhelming, especially if you’re doing it for maybe the first time. Number one, renting a car in Hawaii is essential, especially on the neighboring islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Hawaii Island. The islands don’t have great public transportation, and rideshare quickly becomes expensive.

[00:01:04] Bryan Murphy: Oahu does have a public transportation. They do have the bus, and there is a line that runs up to the North Shore. But that can just take a long time. So rent in a car. Maybe even for the day is definitely recommended. Now on Maui, Kauai, and especially Hawaii Island, the big island, renting a car isn’t optional.

[00:01:26] Bryan Murphy: It’s really necessary. Most of the best locations, waterfall, scenic, lookouts, hiking trails, and best beaches aren’t reachable otherwise. So rent a car to fully experience everything all the islands have to offer. Number two. Always prioritize ocean safety. Hawaii’s ocean is beautiful, but it’s also extremely powerful and can be unpredictable.

[00:01:49] Bryan Murphy: So swim at beaches with lifeguards who post flags and signs about water conditions. So always pay attention to those warnings. It’s also important to understand how rip currents work as they can quickly pull even strong swimmers away from shore. And in addition to this, always respect marine life and coral reefs by giving them plenty of space.

[00:02:09] Bryan Murphy: Hawaii’s ocean is amazing, but just stay alert, informed, never turn your back against the ocean. And when in doubt, don’t go out. Number three kind of goes along with number two, but know your limits, especially your physical limits. Hawaii is famous for outdoor adventures, but trails can be slippery and steep.

[00:02:27] Bryan Murphy: Snorkeling and swimming, especially if you’re not used to it can quickly become exhausting, especially in conditions if they change quickly just because they hike or an activity is popular or something that you’ve really wanted to do. Doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. So be honest about your current fitness level and pick activities that match your abilities.

[00:02:48] Bryan Murphy: Number four, immerse yourself in Hawaiian culture. Just taking a little bit of time to experience Hawaiian culture is essential. Surveys show that about 80% of visitors say their trip was more meaningful when they participated in authentic cultural activities. So go beyond the resorts and busy tourist areas and visit local museums.

[00:03:08] Bryan Murphy: Culture centers or historical sites that are across all of the islands. Guided tours led by locals. Give perspective you won’t get anywhere else. And just a quick announcement, our friend Kama, who was on the podcast just a couple weeks ago. He started a brand new tour company and he’s guiding people through Waikiki and a lot about what we talked about in that podcast episode, and I’ll link it below.

[00:03:33] Bryan Murphy: And jet community calendars for local festivals, free Hulu shows or farmer’s markets. These experiences help you understand the islands and their people in a deeper way. Number five, try local Hawaiian dishes. You just need to try some local dishes. Period. ’cause Hawaiian cuisine is diverse, it’s flavorful, and one of the best ways to experience the islands.

[00:03:55] Bryan Murphy: So maybe it’s not doable every single day, but as much as you can skip the fast food chains and the national chains and look for local restaurants and food trucks serving authentic dishes, and it doesn’t have to just be Hawaiian dishes. There’s so much fusion in Hawaii that you just gotta try some of the best local spots.

[00:04:15] Bryan Murphy: Just a quick tip that many of the food trucks and many local spots are cash only, so just be aware of that. Really eating local in Hawaii is one of the most authentic ways to connect with Hawaii and its people. Number six, book your must dos in advance booking your must do activities ahead of time is essential.

[00:04:35] Bryan Murphy: So popular spots like luaus, restaurants, helicopter tours, whale watching tours, they all fill up pretty quickly. For example, old LA Luau on Maui, which I think they opened like just two months ago. They typically sell out weeks in advance. Mama’s fish house can be booked solid for three to six months, and Kauai’s Nepali coast boat tours and helicopter rides all require early reservations.

[00:05:01] Bryan Murphy: In addition to the big island, Hawaii Island, Manaret snorkel tours have limited spots as well. And this all heightens during summer and peak seasons. Book early on. Those must do activities in Hawaii. Number seven, don’t stuff your itinerary. So think about those must dos and those could dos and try to separate them the best you can.

[00:05:25] Bryan Murphy: One of the biggest mistakes visitors make is overpacking their schedule. It’s tempting to plan every hour. You wanna see everything. You wanna get your money’s worth. You’re gonna once in a lifetime trip to Hawaii, totally get it. But Overplanning leads to stress exhaustion, and feeling rushed and just needing a vacation from your vacation.

[00:05:45] Bryan Murphy: According to a Hawaii Tourism Authority survey, visitors who left room for downtime reported higher overall satisfaction. So when your schedule is packed, you’ll miss some spontaneous moments that really make the trip memorable. So leave breathing room each day to experience Hawaii’s relaxed pace.

[00:06:02] Bryan Murphy: Number eight, don’t overthink when to visit. A lot of people stress about what’s the perfect time to visit Hawaii, but honestly, Hawaii has typically warm, comfortable weather all year round. And yes, there’s some rainy seasons and, and more chance for rain, but the average daytime temperature typically ranges from the mid seventies to the mid eighties, no matter when you visit winter months, November through March.

[00:06:26] Bryan Murphy: They do bring slightly more rain and bigger surf, especially on the North Shores. Summer tends to be drier, calmer, but brings higher prices and bigger crowds for fewer crowds and better deals. Consider visiting April, may, September, October. October’s one of our favorite months to visit, but bottom line, no time is truly bad for Hawaii.

[00:06:47] Bryan Murphy: Pick the dates that fit your schedule and budget because Hawaii is really beautiful year round. Number nine, protect yourself from the sun. Sunburns can ruin your trip pretty quickly. In Hawaii, being closer to the equator, Hawaii often has a UV index above 11, which is fairly extreme, and at that level, skin damage can happen in as little as 10 minutes.

[00:07:08] Bryan Murphy: So. Make sunscreen a priority every single day, not just on the beach, but just as you’re, you’re going about use a high SPF reef. Safe sunscreen. Hawaii has bands on sunscreen with oxybenzone and octinoxate. Brands like raw elements, sun bomb and cocoa Sun Care have reef safe options. In addition to sunscreen, wear hats, sunglasses, lightweight protective clothing, and fine shade whenever possible.

[00:07:33] Bryan Murphy: So protect yourself to avoid spinning your vacation with a bad sunburn. And number 10, never leave valuables unattended. Hawaii is relatively safe, but petty theft does happen often according to Honolulu Police Department. Data theft from vehicles account for about 40% of all crimes in tourist areas like Waikiki, beaches, hikes, popular attractions and hotel pool areas are hotspot for quick thefts, keep beach visits light.

[00:08:01] Bryan Murphy: Bring only essentials. Consider a waterproof pouch or dry bag that you can keep with you while swimming. Always lock your rental car and never leave belongings visible inside. Take your gear with you or leave it back in the hotel. Spending your vacation, filing police reports and reporting loss items definitely isn’t fun, so just play it smart.

[00:08:21] Bryan Murphy: Alright, that wraps it up for today. We covered 10 essential tips to help you plan a smoother, safer, and more enjoyable time. In Hawaii to review them real quickly. Number one, rent a car. Number two, always prioritize ocean safety. Number three, know your limits. Number four, immerse yourself in Hawaiian culture.

[00:08:39] Bryan Murphy: Number five, try local Hawaiian dishes. Number six, book your must dos in advance. Number seven, don’t stuff your itinerary. Number eight, don’t overthink when to visit. Number nine, protect yourself from the sun. And number 10, never leave valuables unattended. If you found these tips helpful, make sure to hit follow on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

[00:08:59] Bryan Murphy: Your support really helps us keep sharing insights to help make your visit to Hawaii better. Thanks again for tuning in, and until next time, as always. Live with Aloha

[00:09:14] Bryan Murphy: Mala for listening to this episode of Hawaii’s. Best to stay up to date on future episodes. Hit follow on your podcast app. Hawaii’s Best is a production of shore break media group with editing by easy podcast solutions and music courtesy of our friends. Stick figure.

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Bryan Murphy, owner of Hawaii’s Best Travel, is a certified Hawaii destination expert from the Hawaii Visitors Bureau. He actively participates in the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau as a member and has a strong educational background focused on local culture and sustainability. As the host of "Hawaii’s Best Travel," a top-30 US travel podcast, Bryan combines his years of experience with valuable insights. He connects with a broad online community, reaching nearly half a million people, and offers a richer, more responsible way to experience Hawaii.