Rehearse your Hawaiʻi trip before you go

Entry rules by passport

Checked Oct 2026. Rules change: check the embassy or official site before you travel.

Traps travellers fall into

In the game these hide among the recommendations. See if you can spot them.

• The “free tour” booth Honolulu (Oʻahu)Waikīkī 'free' or 'half-price' booths usually require attending a timeshare sales presentation; it eats half a day
• A photo with the parrots Honolulu (Oʻahu)Street photos with animals put on your shoulder come with a steep fee afterwards; say no up front
• A swim at Waimea Bay in winter The North Shore (Oʻahu)November to March is big-wave season on the North Shore; check the lifeguard flags and stay out on red-flag days
• The 'secret waterfall' on a map app MauiMany Road to Hāna waterfalls are on private land or dangerous; stick to the ones in parks with proper parking
• The 'Kona blend' at a souvenir shop Kona (Hawaiʻi Island)'Kona blend' needs only 10% Kona beans; look for '100% Kona Coffee' on the label, or buy at a farm
• A guide who'll 'take you right up to the lava' Hilo and Kīlauea (Hawaiʻi Island)'Tours' into Kīlauea's closed areas are illegal and life-threatening; watch the lava from the park's overlooks
• Queen's Bath, the lava-rock pool KauaʻiQueen's Bath kills people every winter in high surf; avoid it October to April. The sign at the trail counts the dead
• A turtle comes ashore Honolulu (Oʻahu)Hawaiʻi's turtles are protected by law: stay 3 m away and never touch. For monk seals, 15 m
• At the trailhead parking lot Honolulu (Oʻahu)Car break-ins are common at Hawaiʻi trailheads and beaches: leave nothing valuable in the car, and stash things before you arrive, not in the lot

Month by month

• JanuaryJanuary is about 26°C and the rainiest month, and peak whale season.
• FebruaryFebruary is about 26°C and wet, especially around Hilo and the windward coasts; peak whale season and big North Shore surf.
• MarchMarch is about 27°C as the wet season ends; whales are still around, and spring break brings crowds.
• AprilApril reaches 27°C with more sun; whale season ends with the month. Golden Week brings many visitors from Japan.
• MayMay starts the dry season: a fresh 28°C, and quiet before the summer holidays.
• JuneJune is a sunny 29°C; the North Shore turns calm and swimmable. Strong sun.
• JulyJuly is a dry 30°C; summer holidays fill hotels and tours and push up prices.
• AugustAugust is the hottest month at 31°C; in some years a hurricane comes close.
• SeptemberSeptember is 31°C and quieter after the holidays; it's hurricane season.
• OctoberOctober is 30°C; winter swells start hitting the North Shore late in the month.
• NovemberNovember–December: highs of 27–28°C with passing showers, wettest around Hilo and the windward coasts. Big surf on the North Shore; whales from December.
• DecemberDecember highs are 26–27°C with passing showers. Big surf on the North Shore; whales arrive from mid-December.

Sample routes

• ClassicClassic: Oʻahu and MauiWaikīkī and Diamond Head, then sunrise above the clouds on Maui.Honolulu (Oʻahu) → Maui
• DetourDetour: the North Shore, then KauaʻiA night in a North Shore beach town, then Kauaʻi's canyons and sea cliffs.Honolulu (Oʻahu) → The North Shore (Oʻahu) → Kauaʻi
• Off the pathOff the path: Hawaiʻi Island's volcano and mantasSwim with mantas at night, cross the island, and reach still-erupting Kīlauea.Honolulu (Oʻahu) → Kona (Hawaiʻi Island) → Hilo and Kīlauea (Hawaiʻi Island)

Hidden gems

• Bishop Museum Honolulu (Oʻahu)The museum of Hawaiian and Pacific history and culture; the feathered royal cloaks are breathtaking.
• Watching the surf at Pipeline The North Shore (Oʻahu)The beach near Sunset famous for its tubing waves; contests run here in winter.
• Surf-town Pāʻia MauiA little north-shore town of wooden storefronts; turtles haul out at nearby Hoʻokipa Beach.
• A Kona coffee farm Kona (Hawaiʻi Island)A free tour of a coffee farm running for nearly 150 years, from cherry to roast, with tastings.
• Turtles on a black-sand beach Hilo and Kīlauea (Hawaiʻi Island)Two hours from Hilo, past the volcano: a black-sand beach made by lava where turtles haul out. A bakery on the way at the island's southern tip.
• Hāʻena State Park and Keʻe Beach KauaʻiThe beach at the end of the road and the first 3 km of the Kalalau Trail. Entry by reservation, with a shuttle or a parking slot.
• The Kakaʻako street murals Honolulu (Oʻahu)Warehouse walls covered with huge murals by artists from around the world.
• Takeaway mochiko chicken MauiA takeaway near the airport: chicken fried in rice-flour batter and garlic noodles. Closed Sunday and Monday.

18 more to find in the game.

Before you go

• Install a travel eSIMFor maps and your timed reservations
• Buy reef-safe sunscreenHawaiʻi bans sunscreens with oxybenzone and similar chemicals
• Look up tipping and sales taxEating out costs about 25% over menu prices
• Book a rental car for the neighbour islandsOn Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi you can't get around without one