Hawaii vacations 2025 & 2026

Hawaii offers powder-soft beaches, big surf, lush rainforests, active volcanoes, and abundant marine life. While here, you could hike through forested gorges, go whale watching, or see hot lava pour into the sea. You could take a helicopter ride over a smouldering volcano, hike along coastal trails, snorkel with manta rays at night, or take on some of the biggest waves in the world. You can also take in the poignant history of Pearl Harbor, go stargazing at Mauna Kea’s observatory or visit smaller islands to learn about traditional culture in small villages.

Hawaii offers a great range of places to stay, from sleek beachfront resorts with a choice of pools, restaurants, and water sports to more intimate guesthouses with local character.

Many hotels offer cultural activities such as lei-making and ukulele playing, or traditional feasts with music and dance. For five-star comfort in a secluded location, you could stay in a cliff-top suite overlooking the ocean or a beachfront villa or cottage. For something more intimate, you could opt for a traditional Hawaiian guesthouse, a rainforest chalet, or a secluded B&B. For more ideas browse out selection of places to stay in Hawaii.

Hawaii has six main islands, but most visitors go to Oʻahu, the island of Hawaiʻi, or Maui. Oʻahu is the most visited island, home to Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, as well as the surfing hotspot of Waikīkī Beach, volcanic tuff cones, botanical gardens, and Pearl Harbor.

On the island of Hawaii, you can laze on soft sand beaches or visit coffee plantations in the west and explore an active volcanic landscape with hissing craters and smoking fumaroles in the east.

For tropical rainforest, scenic drives, black-sand beaches, and pristine reefs, Maui offers adventure and relaxation in equal measure. On Kauaʻi, you could sail along the dramatic Nā Pali coastline, while Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi offer a glimpse of traditional Hawaiian life and Polynesian culture.

Respecting local culture and customs, protecting the environment, and supporting local businesses are the best ways to travel responsibly in Hawaii. Hawaii’s magnificent landscapes are a major draw, but with high visitor numbers even small actions can have a negative impact.

When out hiking stick to the trails and follow the signs. This protects you from danger, respects ancestral lands, and ensures habitats around the trails are left undisturbed.

Dispose of your litter properly and consider actively helping by joining a beach clean-up, for example. Don’t feed wildlife and actively seek out insect repellent and sunscreen that won’t harm wildlife or marine life.

We can also help you choose stays and experiences that do good in the local community, from certified sustainable hiking tours to whale watching adventures that support vital research and education. You can speak to your specialist to find out more.

It takes around 11 hours to fly from the East Coast of continental USA to Hawaii and around six hours from the West Coast.

The time zone in Hawaii is UTC-10 hours. Daylight Savings Time is not observed.

The best way of getting around Hawaii is to combine car journeys with inter-island flights or boat trips. It’s easy to hire a car on the larger islands to drive between sights, but if you want to see more than one island you’ll need to fly or take an inter-island cruise.

US citizens don’t need a visa for Hawaii.

Your doctor is best placed to give vaccine advice for Hawaii. You should ensure you’re up to date with the recommended vaccinations for your home country.

US citizens don’t need a passport to visit Hawaii, just valid government photo ID.

In Hawaii, you should be aware of local customs such as aloha, which is a way of life rather than just a greeting. Aloha means welcoming people, being friendly, and treating people with respect. This can mean anything from greeting people with a smile and taking the time to talk to them to driving without aggression.

Hawaiian customs also respect the land and wildlife, so don’t take rocks off beaches, hike off-trail, or feed wildlife. Hawaiian lei (flower garlands) are considered a sign of love and respect, so don’t throw them away when they wilt. Instead, take them apart and put any natural elements back into nature and then dispose of any plastic elements properly.

Hawaiian culture is all about respect for people, the land, and wildlife. Hawaiians like to ‘talk story’, to stop and have a conversation, so slow down and chat to people. Don’t speed on the roads or honk your horn while driving, and don’t refer to the continental US as the mainland. To Hawaiians, the Island of Hawaii is the mainland. Call places by the Hawaiian names, and if you’re invited to someone’s house, bring a small gift or some food and remove your shoes before entering.