Hawai‘i – the “read-before-you-fly” cheat-sheet

🗺️ THE BIG PICTURE Hawai‘i = 50th U.S. state scattered across 2,400 km of Pacific. Entry: fly into Honolulu (HNL) on O‘ahu – the only international gateway. Visa: mainland U.S. rules apply – B1/B2 or ESTA depending on passport. Inter-island hops: 30-50 min flights (think domestic bus with better views). 🌋 ISLAND PERSONALITY MATCH-MAKER O‘ahu = city + surf + history. Waikiki skyscrapers, Pearl Harbor, food-court ramen at 02:00. Good for: first-timers, shoppers, non-drivers. Skip if: you need empty beaches or silence. Maui = postcard + couples + sunrise-above-clouds. Road to Hāna = 600 curves of jungle porn; Haleakalā sunrise feels like Mars. Whale season Dec-Apr = ocean mosh-pit. Good for: romance, convertible selfies. Skip if: you hate switch-back drives. Big Island = lava + stargazing + “I need space”. Drive 2 hrs = climate flips jungle ➡ moon. Watch actual lava or snow on Mauna Kea same day. Good for: geology nerds, night-sky addicts. Skip if: you only want white-sand beaches. Kaua‘i = green + wet + “where’s the mall?”. No building taller a coconut tree. Napali Coast = boat/helicopter/17-mile knee-destroyer hike only. Good for: Jurassic Park vibes, helicopter junkies. Skip if: you need nightlife or budget prices. Note: Molokai/Lanai exist – tiny, quiet, expensive to reach; research before you romanticise. Do NOT attempt: Kaho‘olawe (uninhabited former bombing range) or Ni‘ihau (private, off-limits). 🏄 O‘AHU IN 60 SECONDS Surf capital: Waikiki lessons = 60 USD, 1 hr standing guaranteed. North Shore (Nov-Feb) = pro waves; (May-Sep) = swimmable. Reef-safe sunscreen = law – they confiscate neon chemicals at parks. Bus = TheBus day-pass 5.5 USD – reaches 90 % of sights. Photo hits (bus-reachable): Diamond Head sunrise (book online 5 USD). Pearl Harbor Mighty Mo (book 08:00 slot). Lanikai a.m. glow (bus 70 + 15 min walk). 🌅 MAUI MUST-DO Haleakalā sunrise: 03:00 alarm, 3,000 m summit, temps 5 °C – bring hoodie. Road to Hāna: 600 curves, 50 one-lane bridges; download “Shaka Guide” app, start 07:00, back by 18:00. Whale watch: Dec-Apr; large cat 2 hr 60 USD, small raft 90 USD (gets closer). 🌋 BIG ISLAND BRIEF Volcano National Park: check USGS “alert level” morning-of; closures happen hourly. Mauna Kea stargaze: 4,200 m, 0 °C wind – rental coat + 30 min acclimatisation stop mandatory. Black sand: Punaluu beach; turtles on sand, urchins in water – wear reef shoes. 🚁 KAUA‘I CLIFFS Napali Coast: boat 5 hr 150 USD (dolphins guaranteed) OR helicopter 45 min 350 USD (most photographed coastline on Earth). Waimea Canyon: drive-up viewpoints + short hikes; nicknamed “Pacific Grand Canyon.” 💰 MONEY REALITY (per person) Flights mainland ➡️ Hawai‘i: 500-1,200 USD (book 2-3 months out, Tue/Wed cheaper). Inter-island hop: 60-150 USD each. Car: 50-80 USD/day incl. insurance (convertibles sell out 3 months ahead). Food: 40-60 USD/day (food-truck majority). Hotels: 120-300 USD/night (Waikiki avg 180). 5-day no-car O‘ahu can squeeze under 1.5 k USD if you bus hard. 🌺 CULTURE IN ONE WORD: ALOHA Means hello, love, good-bye, I see you. Rule: give it before you expect it back – smile, slow down, don’t honk. ⚠️ FINAL DOS & DON’Ts ✅ Do: book national-park tickets online (Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay) – they sell like iPhones. ✅ Do: pack light rain-shell – micro-climates = 20 min sunshine ➡️ drizzle. ❌ Don’t: take black sand, touch turtles, say “in Hawai‘i” like it’s one beach. ❌ Don’t: forget reef-safe sunscreen – rangers confiscate neon chemicals. #US #Hawaii #Honolulu