What You Actually Need to Pack for Hawaii

274_Hawaii Packing List- What You Actually Need

[00:00:00] Pack Less Stress Less

[00:00:00] Bryan Murphy: Here’s something I’ve learned after 20 years of traveling to Hawaii. You probably need a lot less in your suitcase than you think. So today, I’m gonna help you figure out what you actually need, what you can leave at home, and a few things that I’ve learned that are easy to forget. So let’s get into it.

[00:00:16] Bryan Murphy: Aloha, and welcome to Hawaii’s Best. I’m Brian Murphy, a Hawaii destination expert and your personal guide to planning a better Hawaii trip. Through practical tips, local voices, and stories from the islands, I’ll help you make the most of your time in Hawaii and stay connected between visits.

[00:00:33] Trip Style Matters

[00:00:33] Bryan Murphy: What you bring really depends on what you’re planning to do once you’re there.

[00:00:37] Bryan Murphy: A week hanging out in Waikiki, well, that’s one type of packing list, hiking, exploring, maybe catching a sunset at Haliakla, and that’s a completely different checklist. And to make this simple and actually helpful for you and your trip, I put together a brand new personalized tool that builds a packing list around your actual trip.

[00:00:57] Bryan Murphy: Now, you’ve probably packed for plenty of vacations before, but Hawaii is a bit different. Bring the wrong things or forget the right ones, and you might just spend your first day shopping at ABC store the whole time, which nothing wrong with that, but you could be enjoying the beach during that time. So you wanna pack thoughfully and you’ll feel prepared, comfortable, and even help protect the islands while you’re at it.

[00:01:19] Bryan Murphy: And by the end of this episode, you’ll know exactly what belongs in your bag, what you can leave at home, and if you overlooked items that can really make your trip so much smoother. I definitely remember my first time to Hawaii with my wife almost 20 years ago, and 30 trips later, we had, I wanna say, like, three check bags between us and a couple carryons, and it was just us.

[00:01:45] Bryan Murphy: We didn’t have kids at the time. So when we got there, and we were only there for like five days, you know, I realized that first day how overpacked I was and how I didn’t get through probably 80% of the stuff I packed.

[00:02:00] Must Have Essentials

[00:02:00] Bryan Murphy: So first, we’re gonna be talking about those must-haves, you know, the things that you’ll want in your check bag, your carry on, you know, no matter what.

[00:02:08] Reef Safe Sunscreen

[00:02:08] Bryan Murphy: So first up is mineral sunscreen. This isn’t just about avoiding a sunburn, even though that can be pretty painful and can definitely hamper your trip, but Hawaii has laws in place to protect its reefs. So sunscreens with oxybenzone or oxinoxate are banned statewide. Now, in the county of Maui, which includes Maui, Molokai, and Linai, only mineral sunscreens are allowed for sale and use.

[00:02:38] Bryan Murphy: So, you know, don’t just grab a bottle because it says reef safe on the front. You, you wanna make sure you flip it over and check the active ingredients. If it’s zinc oxate or titanium dioxide, you’re pretty much good to go. And honestly, not only is this better for the ocean, which is why this is in place, but it also saves you from having to pay resort prices for their sunscreen when you realize yours isn’t allowed.

[00:03:06] Swimsuit Strategy

[00:03:06] Bryan Murphy: Next up is probably really obvious, but swimsuits. I don’t know how many swimsuits that we have bought on vacation. One, because we’ve, we’ve forgotten before or one of our kids has forgotten, and two, we didn’t try it on before we, we went and we grabbed the wrong size or maybe the size is too big or too small.

[00:03:27] Bryan Murphy: So check your swimsuits. You’ll probably be in the water most days, be it at the pool or beach. So pack at least two, that way you’ll ha – always have, you know, a dry one ready to go. It can be frustrating when you pull out a damp suit thinking that it’ll be dry in the morning. The weather in Hawaii can be more humid, so it might take some things a little bit longer to dry.

[00:03:48] Bryan Murphy: So having those two swimsuits is a good idea. All right.

[00:03:52] Clothes And Footwear

[00:03:52] Bryan Murphy: Next up is bring some lightweight shirts and/or tank tops. Hawaii is warm, it’s humid, and cotton can feel heavy sometimes after a while. So quick dry fabrics or anything, you know, designed for hot weather will feel just so much better and, and breathable.

[00:04:09] Bryan Murphy: So when you’re packing, have that in mind. You also need a couple pairs of shorts. You know, obviously those are great for beach days, hikes, just hanging out, even going to the restaurant. Hawaii isn’t too formal. You know, a nice pair of shorts and aloha shirt for guys is pretty much okay at most places that you’re gonna eat at.

[00:04:29] Bryan Murphy: So if you’re planning something active, maybe has some athletic shorts, maybe you, you like to wear jeans. I probably brought my first time visiting Hawaii, I, I probably bought two or three pairs of jeans and I don’t think I wore them once. So they can be hot, they can be bulky for Hawaii, but maybe a pair of, I don’t know, guys, you know, a dockers or, or that type of chino type of pant, if you wanna dress up a little bit.

[00:04:56] Bryan Murphy: Now for your feet, you wanna definitely bring some flip-flops, sandals, definitely your essential or, or you might hear locals refer to flip-flops or sandals as slippers. And you’ll probably be slipping them on and off a lot, especially since it’s custom to leave shoes at the door when entering someone’s home.

[00:05:12] Bryan Murphy: So if you’re visiting someone in Hawaii, having some flip-flops is good just to be able to slip on and off when needed. And a quick tip is, you know, don’t hike in flip-flops. Trails can be muddy, rocky, unpredictable, dangerous, so bring a pair of sturdy shoes if you plan to hit the trails and do a little exploring that way.

[00:05:34] Packing Tool Walkthrough

[00:05:34] Bryan Murphy: And real quick, I just wanna go back to what I mentioned at the very start of this episode about that personalized hacking tool. If you’re getting ready for your Hawaii trip or just dreaming about Hawaii and wondering what you gotta take to get there, I just launched a new packing tool. So basically what you do is you tell it where you’re going, like which island, what side of the island, and how long you’re staying and what you’ve got planned, like activities and stuff like that.

[00:05:55] Bryan Murphy: But I’ve created it in a way that it gives you all the obvious activities to choose from. So for example, if you’re traveling to Maui, there’s gonna be Maui activities that you can choose from that’ll help you pack for like Aliakala, like I mentioned, and Rodehana. Same thing goes for like Big Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

[00:06:14] Bryan Murphy: What’s really cool, it’ll actually figure out what to bring, including how many clothes, what types of clothes that you’ll need, and what you can just leave at home. You can check everything off on your phone as you pack. You can also print out your list if you’re old school like that, and it’s free to use.

[00:06:29] Bryan Murphy: I’ve linked it right at the top of the show notes below. So go ahead and check that out after this episode, or you can check it out right now if you want.

[00:06:37] Hydration And Reuse

[00:06:37] Bryan Murphy: And finally on the essential things to bring is a reusable water bottle. Staying hydrated is huge, and you’ll find that there are refill stations at airports, parks, many of the hotels, resorts have them.

[00:06:50] Bryan Murphy: So it’s a, it’s a simple way to cut down on plastic waste. And if you have an insulated bottle, metal would be best rather than plastic, but that just keeps, you know, drinks cold for hours, which is great and refreshing, especially after exploring a hike or during a hike or at, you know, at the beach or pool.

[00:07:11] Bryan Murphy: It’s just good having that ready and available.

[00:07:13] Smart Extras Upgrades

[00:07:13] Bryan Murphy: All right, now we’re gonna talk about some just smart extras that aren’t always a, you know, top of mind when packing, but once you have them, you’ll wonder how you’ve never traveled without them.

[00:07:23] Rash Guards And Shoes

[00:07:23] Bryan Murphy: One of those first things for us is a rash guard or a swim shirt.

[00:07:27] Bryan Murphy: I always swim in a rash guard now, especially in Hawaii, so I don’t have to keep reapplying sunscreen. So having a, that sunshirt, it gives you that extra sun protection, it dries quickly, and it’s just great and versatile if you’re out surfing, snorkeling, or just hanging out at the pool. Most rash guards do have a UPF of 50, which blocks almost most of the harmful UV rays.

[00:07:52] Bryan Murphy: Next up is water shoes. They’re not the most glamorous thing you’ll pack, but they’re definitely worth it, especially on a lot of beaches. They can be rocky, the shorelines, lava rock, and just slipping around barefoot is no fun. So having water shoes to protect you from any cuts, sea urchins, and even hot sand, plus they’re just light to pack.

[00:08:14] Bryan Murphy: It’s kind of a no-brainer, quick drying, and just easy to throw in the day bag, you know, your beach bag for the day.

[00:08:20] Hats And Light Layers

[00:08:20] Bryan Murphy: Another item or definitely would be sunhats or a cap. The Hawaiian sun is intense, and even on breezy or partly cloudy days, a hat keeps your face shaded, reduces glare. It means you don’t have to pile on as much sunscreen.

[00:08:34] Bryan Murphy: So whether you’re hiking, lounging on the sand, wandering through town, a good hat is the way to go and it can pack relatively flat for women. Uh, my wife has, I don’t know how many sun hats, and I don’t know how many baseball caps I have, so we pack probably three each. And, uh, they don’t take up too much space in the check bag.

[00:08:56] Bryan Murphy: And finally, a light sweater or jacket. This one actually surprises a lot of people. And yeah, obviously, Hawaii is tropical, but evenings and higher elevations, especially on the big island of Hawaii, they can be chilly. So if you’re doing a Halakala sunrise on the island of Maui or stargazing on Monica on Hawaii Island, it’s cold.

[00:09:16] Bryan Murphy: And even in towns like Waimea cool off at night. So have a, you know, a light layer won’t take up much space in your bag, but it’ll make you a lot more comfortable when temperatures can dip.

[00:09:28] Bonus Bags And Laundry

[00:09:28] Bryan Murphy: Bonus items to bring would be a couple reusable shopping bags. Plastic checkout bags are banned across Hawaii, so having a foldable tote bag in your suitcase is definitely gonna come in handy.

[00:09:40] Bryan Murphy: So all those ABC store trips and just going to farmer’s markets, you wanna have that just ready and available. And it’s also great for, you know, a day bag down to the beach or pool. Without it, you’ll probably find yourself spending money on bags. If you’re out shopping, you’re gonna have to probably buy a bag just to carry your items.

[00:10:01] Bryan Murphy: And the second bonus tip is bring some laundry detergent. I, I know it sounds kinda random, but it’s definitely a lifesaver. This is something we started doing probably about 10 years ago. And just having a small bag of detergent powder or even better detergent sheets, it lets you wash your clothes in the sink or use the hotel machines or maybe you’re staying in a condo.

[00:10:22] Bryan Murphy: That means you can pack a little bit lighter, not bring as many clothes, but you can still have some fresh clothes if you’re staying a week or two in Hawaii, which is especially handy if you’re traveling with kids. But, uh, just one tip on that. If you’re flying with powder in your carryon, keep it under 12 ounces so TSA doesn’t get mad or flag you for extra screening better yet, just keep that in your check bag.

[00:10:48] Wrap Up And Next Steps

[00:10:48] Bryan Murphy: All right, so there you go. That’s just kind of the tip of the iceberg of what to bring to Hawaii. Get the personalized packing list below to pack for the trip you’re actually taking, not the Pinterest checklist or the Etsy checklist. It is personalized to your trip. You gotta know what time of year you’re going because that matters what side of the island you’re staying on.

[00:11:10] Bryan Murphy: That all matters. And trust me, your suitcase will thank you and probably whoever has to lift it into the rental car will thank you. Before you go, if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts and you haven’t followed, like physically tapped the plus button on Apple Podcast for Hawaii’s Best, go ahead and tap that follow button.

[00:11:27] Bryan Murphy: It’s free, costs you nothing, and you’ll get brand new episodes as they come out every week. And if you’re in the middle of planning your trip and you’re thinking about what order that should be, I broke it all down because it does matter what order you book and how you plan your trip, you can take a listen next to this episode about why most people plan a Hawaii trip backwards link below in the show notes for you to just jump right into after this one.

[00:11:52] Bryan Murphy: All right? And until next time, as always, live with aloha.