Hawaii: Local Tips

Sunscreen is your friend Even when it’s overcast, the sun’s ultraviolet rays are extremely powerful. Better to slather on the high-SPF sunscreen than spend the rest of your vacation in blistery misery. Don’t worry, you’ll still get a tan.

Best buy On Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays Aloha Stadium in Honolulu hosts a gigantic swap meet, where you can find inexpensive resort wear, T-shirts, and souvenirs. Plan a stop on the way back from Pearl Harbor. Admission is $1, and free for kids. www.alohastadiumswapmeet.net

Don’t trample the reef Just because it looks like a rock doesn’t mean it’s dead. The living coral reef found just off most of the islands is also home to numerous marine species, so try to respect their habitat. Besides, walking on sharp coral is dangerous!

Slow down No matter how fast you go, you won’t see it all. Allow yourself the luxury of taking in the scenery and not rushing from one beach to the next. Relax and let time be on your side. You can always come back next year.

Radio paradise Hawaii’s only alternative radio is college station KTUH. The Oahu station plays jazz in the morning and a mix of world, reggae, rock, hip-hop, and more throughout the day. Tune in to 90.3 in Honolulu, 91.3 on the North Shore, and 89.9 on the Windward Coast.

Shaka, brah It’s commonly accepted to flash a shaka, extending your pinky and thumb. The friendly gesture means the same as a hand wave, and it’s also used to express enthusiastic approval, as in “Right on!” or as locals would say, “Awwright!”

Beach safety Hawaii has the second highest drowning rate in the country. The following site offers continuously updated conditions and hazards at specific Kauai beaches. http://oceansafety.soest.hawaii.edu

Local cuisine Don’t miss the islands’ ‘ono (delicious) local specialties, a mélange of multicultural culinary delights: malasadas (sugar-coated donuts), loco moco (fried egg and gravy atop hamburger and rice), manapua (steamed bun), musubi (seaweed-wrapped rice). Also, be sure to stop at an okazuya, Hawaii’s equivalent of a deli.

Underwater camera Even inexpensive, disposable underwater cameras can capture precious memories, whether it’s a belly-flop entry into the resort pool or a turtle’s graceful glide past colorful reef fish.

Shave ice Order azuki beans and ice cream with your shave (not shaved) ice and you’ve made a good thing better.

Early to rise As Robert Frost wrote, “Nature’s first green is gold.” Some of Hawaii’s most magical hours are the ones after sunrise, when the ocean is glassy, the beaches are empty, and the birds awaken.

Guard your valuables Even paradise has an underbelly, and parking areas at popular attractions are high-theft areas. Try not to leave any valuables in your vehicle, not even in the trunk.

Channel crossing Every summer, the world’s best paddleboarders arrive on Molokai to compete in the race of all races across the treacherous Kaiwi Channel. Catch the athletes at the finish line on Oahu’s south shore.

Hawaii International Film Festival Each fall, the 11-day Hawaii International Film Festival, showcasing more than 150 Asian and Pacific features and documentaries, attracts cinema lovers from all over the world. Special guests, stars and filmmakers are always in attendance.

Ironman Every October, Kona, on the Big Island, hosts the ultimate event for triathletes, the annual Ironman World Championship, with a grueling 2.4 mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run.

International Festival of Canoes Outrigger canoe paddling is Hawaii’s official state team sport, and Maui’s cultural heritage festival, held in May, celebrates how this tradition connects the Polynesian islands. See how logs are shaped into seafaring vessels that carried Hawaiians across the Pacific.

Triple Crown of Surfing Considered surfing’s most critical proving ground, Oahu’s North Shore is home to the Triple Crown of Surfing each winter. Get ringside seats as the pros charge waves that are multiple-stories tall. It’s a worthwhile day at the beach.

Honolulu Marathon If you’re going to run 26.2 miles, you might as well have tropical island landscapes to look at. With upwards of 25,000 finishers, the Honolulu Marathon, held in December, is one of the world’s largest.

Merrie Monarch Festival The weeklong Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo, on the Big Island, held each spring, perpetuates the hula tradition through workshops and performances, culminating in a prestigious three-day hula competition.