What to know when traveling to Hawaii

Hawaii is a good place for a vacation. Vacationing is about having a comfortable environment and not having any worries. However, if the preparations are not done well, there will be a lot of worries. At this time we need to learn about Hawaii in advance. Suggestions

1. If you like swimming and snorkeling but don’t want to go out to sea to see humpback whales, you can go to Hawaii in the summer.

2. The big island is suitable for self-driving adventure, but the island is too big and the self-driving time is long. If you like the big island, 4 days like ours is not enough, and can be extended to 6 or 7 days.

3. Maui has many good beaches, suitable for leisure vacation. It is more convenient to live in the Lahaina area, while the Wailea area is a wealthy area and hotel prices are higher.

4. If you go to the Big Island first, then Maui, and finally Oahu like me, it will actually be a bitter and then sweet process, because the Big Island takes the longest to drive and the food is not as good. The worst part is that the self-driving time is getting shorter and shorter, and the food is getting better and better. But from the perspective of landscape visual effects, it's the opposite. The shock value of the attractions is slowly decreasing. After visiting the big island, the attractions in Oahu are a bit tasteless. How to arrange the order of the islands, you can adjust it according to your own preferences. About Hawaii

1. Hawaii’s climate: The year in Hawaii is divided into two seasons, namely winter and summer. Summer is from May to September, and winter is from October to April. Among them, the rainy season is from October to February, also known as the "shower" season by the locals. Although rainfall is relatively concentrated in Hawaii during the rainy season, it rarely rains all day long. There are often showers during the day, and the weather will soon return to sunny weather. During our 13 days in Hawaii, it only rained for a long time on one day on Oahu. The rest of the time it was basically sunny (except for the Hilo area, which had no sunshine all the time.).

2. Temperature in Hawaii: During the year, the highest temperature on Oahu from August to September is 31 degrees, the lowest temperature is 22 degrees, and the average temperature from January to February is 17 degrees. ~22 degrees, and the temperature difference between day and night is about 5 to 6 degrees. Under normal circumstances, you need to wear a thin coat or shawl when going out in the morning and evening, but when we went out to eat in Wailea at night, the thin coat couldn't bear it. Just wear a thicker coat. It's quite hot under the sun during the day, so wear short-sleeved clothes. But if you want to go stargazing on the Big Island, see the crater at night, or go to Haleakala Park on Maui, you need to wear winter clothes.

3. Hotels in Hawaii: There are not many five-star hotels. Big-name hotels such as Sheraton, Hilton, and Waldorf Astoria are basically 3 or 4 stars. When you go to Hawaii, you basically visit the attractions, and staying in a 3 or 4-star hotel is enough. The price is the earlier you book, the cheaper it is, and you can cancel for free. Late bookings are not only more expensive, but they are basically non-cancellable. However, some hotels will cut prices and the US dollar exchange rate will fall, so you can check the price from time to time after booking. I once encountered a situation where the price of the Hilo Castle Hawaiian Hotel dropped by more than 300 yuan for 2 nights. In addition, many hotels in Hawaii charge resort fees, so you need to include this fee when comparing hotel prices.

4. Supermarkets in Hawaii: Wal-Mart, SAFEWAY, and FOODLAND. These three large supermarkets are found on the island. Wal-Mart has the most complete range of goods, including clothes, small household appliances, food, and daily necessities. SAFEWAY and FOODLAND are the main ones. It sells food and daily necessities, especially SAFEWAY, which has a lot of food. We like shopping the most. Of course, there are also convenience stores such as ABC and 7-11, so the prices are naturally higher.

5. Prices in Hawaii: a bottle of mineral water is about 1 US dollar, and the price of a bottle of mineral water in China is also about 1 RMB. Most food prices are similar to those in China, but we need to The US dollar is used as RMB. Some things are cheaper than domestic prices. For example, a can of Yoplait yogurt is US$0.74, a cup of Starbucks coffee is US$4 or US5, and the regular price of POLO T-shirts is about US$65. For breakfast in Hawaii, we basically eat porridge, milk cereal, or instant noodles + bread, because a breakfast there basically costs about 20 US dollars for three people, and eating in a hotel is even more expensive. A simple meal usually costs about US$10 per person, and a better meal costs US$20 or US$30 per person, plus tip. Going to the supermarket to buy food and cooking your own food is a way to save money, so staying in a B&B or an executive apartment is also a good choice.

6. Self-driving car rental: It is very convenient to book a rental car, so I won’t go into details here. I just want to say that if we have two families traveling with 6 people, it is more cost-effective to rent a 7-seater car, and it will be easier if there are 2 drivers who can switch between driving. Four-wheel drive is only needed to go to the three scenic spots on the Big Island. In other cases, renting a Dodge is enough. The trunk space of the Dodge is very large, enough for two people's suitcases. In Oahu, we drove a similarly priced Toyota, which felt more spacious inside. However, the car was not as powerful as the Dodge, and it would be tiring if we climbed mountains. Hotel parking in Hawaii generally charges, which is a big expense. Supermarkets and shopping malls have parking lots, most of which are free, and some can be deducted after shopping. When driving in Hawaii, you must "slow down, yield, and wait." For details, please refer to the car rental process. Everyone is polite and accommodating when driving in Hawaii.

7. Must-visit attractions:

(1), Big Island: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Kea to watch the stars

(2), Maui: Haleakala National Park, Road to Hana

The above are official popular attractions. I think Highway 250 on the Big Island is well worth a visit. I like to drive but don’t have time to go to Maui. Those on the Road to Hana can try the Little Hana Trail. In addition, watching the sunrise in Haleakala National Park is well worth a try. People who have been there say that such an experience in life is enough.

8. Regarding viewing magma: If you have time to go to Dashima, you must see magma. After all, such a landscape can be seen in few places in the world.

There are three ways to watch:

(1), take a helicopter. The advantage is that you can overlook the other scenery of the big island, but the disadvantage is that it is far away, the view is not clear, and the price is expensive.

(2). Go to sea and take a boat. The advantage is that you can see the lava entering the sea, which is very shocking. The disadvantage is that due to the uncertain shape of the lava, there is no guarantee that you will see the most spectacular scenery.

(3). Hiking to see the lava. The advantage is that you can see the magma very close. The disadvantage is that the hiking time is very long, usually 4 to 6 hours, which is quite exhausting. In addition, it is not safe to get too close to the magma. Be sure to go with a local guide, which costs about 100 US dollars per person, because the flow direction of the volcanic lava will change, and the guide will choose the route according to the situation. The hiking project is of medium to high difficulty level, and participants must be 13 years old and above.

9. Internet access: It is recommended to buy a phone card, which can not only access the Internet but also make calls, and you need to leave a US phone number when making reservations for meals. Much more practical than renting an "egg".

10. Eat: The island is vast and sparsely populated, so it is difficult to find good restaurants. Maui has relatively more people and better food than the big islands. Oahu is a big city and it’s easy to find places to eat. No matter which island you visit, it is recommended to book in advance. The most profound thing about this trip is that the pace of life of Hawaiian people is very slow. They can drive to a beach, bring equipment, and stay for most of the day. They can also spend half a day riding bicycles up the mountain. Some restaurants are not open every day, every week. There will be a day off. Some shop owners will hang a sign at the door to clearly indicate the next business hours. They live not to make money, but to enjoy life. From the beginning, we had several rejections, so be sure to make reservations in advance for meals.

11. Work and rest time: I think Hawaiian people should have the habit of getting up early and going to bed early. Because among the 5 hotels I stayed at this time, I found that 4 hotels used blinds and sliding doors instead of curtains. I was woken up by the sun early in the morning, and it was basically impossible to sleep until midnight. Several times, before we even got up, there was a knock on the door to clean the room. Traffic jams began on Oahu's elevated highway at six in the morning. Based on these circumstances, conclusions are drawn.

12. Mauna volcano

Look at the starry sky at Kea: the highest mountain top is about 4,200 meters above sea level (altitude sickness will occur). The purpose of climbing to the top is to watch the sunset and sea of ??clouds, and you can also watch it in winter. to snow. You must drive a four-wheel drive vehicle to reach the top. A section of the road to the top is an unsealed road, which is quite potholed (and can easily scratch the chassis). There is no need to drive a four-wheel drive just to the visitor center. Stargazing is at the visitor center, and tourists on the top of the mountain will also be driven to the visitor center after dark. The air at the summit (Summit) is thin and the road conditions are not good. People with heart, high blood pressure or lung diseases, children under 16 years old, pregnant women, and obese people are not recommended to go there; they are not allowed to go within 24 hours after diving. Hot water and microwaves are available for free outside the visitor center. We brought pizza and instant noodles for dinner.

In addition, stargazing must be avoided for a few days before and after the 15th day of the lunar month. A too bright full moon will affect the stargazing effect.

13. Electric kettle: None of the Hawaii hotels we stayed in this time had electric kettles, probably because foreigners don’t drink hot water. The voltage in Hawaii is different from that in China, so you need to buy an electric kettle that can be used with 110V voltage. I brought 2 with me this time, both of which are pocket-sized. yOne is a Joyoung travel kettle with a voltage range of 110V-240V, but the water boiling speed is too slow and it takes 15 minutes to boil. The other is a silicone folding kettle that can adjust the voltage range and the water boiling time is slightly faster. Also bring an outlet converter. In fact, after arriving on the big island, I found that Wal-Mart sells small electric kettles. It is more convenient to buy one locally and it can boil water faster.

When I wrote about my travels to the Maldives, Hokkaido, and Koh Samui, I thought they were places worth visiting. Although each place has its own charm, I would like to say that Hawaii is more worth visiting than these places. For those who like natural scenery, islands, self-driving, and adventure, Hawaii will definitely not let you down.