When planning a trip thousands of miles from home to a place that has a completely different climate it is normal to have some anxiety about what you should or should not pack in your bag. To help out with the packing process we’ve compiled this page of the 5 things that we think you should definitely have during your Hawaii vacation.
1. Sunscreen
2. Slippers (Flip Flops)
3. Camera
4. Polarized Sunglasses
5. Cash
1. Sunscreen
This is something that can literally make or break your vacation. If you spend too much time unprotected in the sun you not only open yourself up to a great deal of health risks later in life but you also run the risk of having to cancel some of the activities that may have been the highlight of your trip! The activities that you should definitely use sunscreen for are: swimming, snorkeling and laying out at the beach. Much of the sunscreen that is sold on the mainland is not waterproof enough for these activities. For more information about what particular brands we recommend view our article What is the best sunscreen to use in the water?.
2. Slippers (Flip Flops)
You will notice that this design of footwear is the most popular choice for locals as soon as you arrive to the airport. In Hawaii it is customary to take of your shoes before entering someones house. Slippers can be quickly taken off without having to use your hands which saves time when entering and exiting homes. However, the main reason that people in Hawaii wear slippers is because they dry quickly which allows a quick transition from the sandy beach to the city with nothing more than a quick wash at the beach park shower. Slippers also allow your feet to breathe which help them cool much more efficiently than their closed toed counterparts which is an essential trait to being able to handle warm weather of Hawaii.
3. Camera
You will make memories in Hawaii that you will want to be able to remember for a lifetime. You will probably want to share some of these memories on Social Media as well and in order to do this you will need to make sure you have your camera. If youre looking to make some prints you may want to use a higher end DSLR or point and shoot camera. If youre more excited about posting pictures on Facebook so all your friends can get live updates on what your up to you should probably use your cell phone or a wifi enabled camera. GoPro cameras that have the ability to connect to your smartphone so you can get the pictures off the camera without having to open the case are a great item to have if you plan on doing activities on or near the water. If youre bringing a non waterproof camera on these kinds of activities you should bring some sort of waterproof bag to put it in. Storing your camera or cell phone in Ziplock bags when youre not using them works great to keep things dry when splashes happen.
4. Polarized Sunglasses
When you are out on the water the difference between wearing a pair of polarized sunglasses and non polarized sunglasses is like night and day. The polarized lenses allow you to see through the glare on the surface of the water which makes it much easier to see fish, whales, reef, dolphins and all kinds of other things that you would not have otherwise seen will be visible. Wearing sunglasses allows your eyes to relax in situations where your eyes would otherwise have to squint and also protects the sensitive skin around your eyes from sun damage. There are many kinds of great sunglasses out there but the ones that we recommend are Maui Jim Sunglasses. These glasses have glass polarized lenses which are some of the highest quality lenses that you will find on any pair of sunglasses. Maui Jims also have a hinge that has a spring built into it that allows the glasses to gently squeeze your face so they do not fall off as easily during vigorous activity. The warrantee that is provided with these glasses is great, if you still have pieces of your sunglasses to return they will normally work with you to get some fully functional replacements.
5. Cash
Many of the local fruit stands, food trucks and souvenir stores do not accept credit cards and only accept cash. Dont miss out on these opportunities by only having plastic in your wallet. Make sure you bring at least a small amount of cash with you at all times so you dont run into any problems.
Contact Us
If you’re coming to Hawaii and you have some questions that you would like answered let us know using the form below. Our customer service agents are always happy to help.