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Global Travel Planning
Hawaii for First Time Visitors: Essential Tip, Island Choices and more from Marcie Cheung
Hawaii expert Marcie Cheung shares essential insights for planning your first trip to the islands, from choosing which island to visit to navigating transportation and experiencing authentic local culture. We unpack common misconceptions about Hawaii's geography, budget considerations, and practical tips for making the most of your Hawaiian vacation.
• Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island are the four main Hawaiian islands tourists visit
• Hawaii is expensive year-round – budget early for accommodation, flights, car rentals and activities
• Best time to visit is during the shoulder seasons: May-mid June and September-early November
• Plan one main activity per day rather than overscheduling your itinerary
• No ferries connect the major islands – island hopping requires flights and half a day of travel time
• Most islands require rental cars – book well in advance
• Hawaii is casual – pack light with swimwear, one nice outfit, and reef-safe sunscreen
• Take advantage of happy hour "pupus" (Hawaiian appetisers) to save on food costs
• Must-try foods include Spam Musubi and authentic shave ice (not snow cones)
• Experience Hawaiian culture through hula performances and traditional luaus
Guest - Marcie Cheung from Hawaii Travel with Kids and host of the Hawaii Travel Made Easy Podcast.
Show notes - Episode 66
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Planning your first visit to Hawaii. In this episode, I'm joined by Marcy Chung, hawaii expert, travel writer and frequent island visitor, to share practical tips, insider insights and everything you need to know before you go, from choosing the right island to what to pack and where to stay. We've got you covered. Hi and welcome to the Global Travel Planning Podcast. I'm your host, tracey Collins, who, with my expert guests, will take you on a weekly journey to destinations around the globe, providing travel inspiration, itinerary ideas, practical tips and more to help you plan your next travel adventure. Hello and welcome to the Global Travel Planning Podcast.
Speaker 1:This week, we're diving into everything you need to know before planning your first trip to Hawaii, one of the most beautiful and bucket list destinations in the world. I'm joined by Marcy Chung, a true Hawaii expert who's visited the islands more than 40 times. Marcy runs the popular family travel blog Hawaii Travel with Kids and hosts the Hawaii Travel Made Easy podcast. She's helped countless families and first-time travelers and visitors plan unforgettable trips to the islands and she's here to help you do the same. So in this episode, we talk about the best time to go, how to choose which island or islands to visit, what to pack, how to get around, where to stay and all the local tips you won't find in a guidebook. So, to start us off, I asked Marcy to introduce herself, tell us where she lives, what she does and share why Hawaii is such a special place to her.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm Marcy and I live in the Seattle area of Washington state. I am a full-time travel writer and I have a Hawaii specific website as well as a general family travel website, and I've been visiting Hawaii since I was 10 years old and it really captured my heart. I'm obsessed with the food, the culture, the amazing scenery and the spirit of Aloha, and I even just launched a podcast called Hawaii Travel Made Easy a few months ago, and it's been such a fun adventure.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's fantastic to hear, marcy. I'm gonna have to add that to my podcast listens, for sure. Now I have not yet been to Hawaii. I am very excited at some point to visit. Actually, I live on the east coast of Australia, so it's actually not too far for us to get to either. So I grew up with Magnum PI. I'm obviously a bit older than you are, so I grew up with Magnum PI and the helicopter flying over the islands, and it always just looked so amazing. So I'll be a first-time visitor when I do come. So what would be the key things that you would advise me or any other first-time visitors to know before they arrive in Hawaii?
Speaker 2:You bet. Well, I would say that the biggest thing is to make sure that you know what island you're going to and that you've booked all your things on the correct island, because you'd be surprised how many people think that Honolulu and Waikiki are on the big island. They think that's the main island, but it's actually Oahu, that's the main island. So a lot of people get those confused and I don't want you to make that mistake for sure. Or sometimes people book activities on other islands, thinking it won't be difficult to get to. But you do have to take a plane ride from the airport which is about a half a day. Half of your day is at the airport to get there. So we'll talk about island hopping later on, but I would definitely make sure that you understand just kind of, I guess, the layout of Hawaii.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, I have no idea, so I'm going to actually put you on the spot here. And actually a little bit about the geography. So how many islands are there?
Speaker 2:There's too many to count honestly, but there are four main islands which are, which are oahu, maui, kawaii and the big island, and then there's two, I guess, like lesser visited islands, which would be molokai and lanai, and then there's niihau, but that's a private island and you have to be invited to go there, and then there's lots of tiny islands, but those are the main ones people talk about okay, wow, amazing.
Speaker 1:I honestly had no idea. So there you go, tell first time visitors with absolutely no idea about Hawaii. So if I'm planning to visit, what would be the best time of year for me to do that, and what sort of factors should I kind of consider? I mean, like, is there particular peak times? Is there better times for weather? You know, is it more expensive at certain times of year?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Well, I will say it's going to be expensive, no matter what time of year. I'll just put that out there. I'll be very transparent on that. The most popular times are school breaks, so that would be June, july, august holidays, so that would be in, you know, december, and then also spring break, which is in April. So I would recommend going in the shoulder seasons and that runs May through mid-June, right before school gets out, and then September through the early November, right before all the Thanksgiving travel deals and everything or travel happens.
Speaker 1:And what about weather? Is that a good time to travel weather-wise?
Speaker 2:Yes, those are actually really great, weather-wise as well, and crowd-wise and budget-wise, because even though it is expensive year-round, there are usually you can find a little bit more travel deals during those times because it's not as popular and so a lot of the hotels are trying to get people to come stay with them, and sometimes there's flight deals too.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's good to know. So how long should I plan to stay? Don't tell me forever.
Speaker 2:You got me. I always recommend seven to 10 days for a first trip to Hawaii. Obviously more if you can, but that would be the minimum I would say. And you, coming from Australia, I would probably say two weeks at least, just to kind of make it worth your while and if I was planning it as well.
Speaker 1:So would you, if I was there for two weeks? Would you say do one island, two islands, three islands?
Speaker 2:yes, if you were doing two weeks, I would say you could do two islands, but I wouldn't do more than two islands and you would probably be fine just staying on one island for the full two weeks, unless you had specific things you wanted to see on other islands. And it kind of depends on your travel style. If you like to do a lot of things, if you like a really packed itinerary, you might feel like you've kind of done an island in a week and then you're ready to move on and do something else. But if you like to kind of do a little bit more relaxing or hanging at the beach and kind of mixing in some adventures, you could easily spend two weeks and have the time of your life on one island.
Speaker 1:So we've talked about the fact that there are several islands and about you know if I'm going to visit for a couple of weeks, that I visit. You know two or three, potentially two or three islands, but I don't know much about them. You've just given me some of the names, which is really good, but how would I decide which ones to visit? So can you give us a kind of quick rundown of the different islands and kind of what appeals about each of them?
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well, it really depends on what you like to do on your trips. So Oahu is probably the most popular island. That's where you'll find Waikiki and Honolulu and that is, I think Megan and PI. At least the more recent one, I think, was filmed on Oahu I can't remember about the older one, but I also am pretty sure it was Oahu, but that's the most popular island and about 80% of the people who live in sure it was Oahu, but that's the most popular island, and about 80% of the people who live in Hawaii live on Oahu and it's where you'll find the most attractions, hotels, tours, kind of everything, and it's really good for people who like to do a lot of things on their trips. I guess it's where Pearl Harbor is. So if you're a history buff, that's um, a huge draw for a lot of people. Um, kulo Ranch, which is where, uh, a lot of movies are filmed, including some of the Jurassic Park, jurassic World kind of movies. Um, and I I think it's like a hundred movies have been filmed there. It's something crazy. There's also Dole Plantation, if you were curious about pineapples, the famous North Shore Disney Aulani Resort for people that are Disney fans, and the Polynesian Cultural Center, and they have a lot of hotels on Oahu. So if you're going to Hawaii on a budget, you'll probably be able to find something in your price point because there are so many hotels available.
Speaker 2:And then we'll move on to Maui. That's probably the second most popular island for people to visit and it used to primarily be for honeymoons, but now families go, solo travelers, couples, kind of everybody goes there. And that's where you'll find the famous Road to Hana, which is the drive that goes down to Hana. And the point of the drive isn't to get to Hana, it's the drive itself, because there's scenic lookouts, there's places to get tropical fruit and banana bread and there's cool beaches and there's just hikes to waterfalls. It's pretty amazing. It's kind of like the best road trip you can do in Hawaii. And there's also Haleakala National Park, which is famous for their sunrise, but you can also go there for sunset and it is. It's just a spectacular place and it's unlike anywhere I've ever been, ever. It's kind of like you're on Mars. It's kind of just hard to describe. It's just, it's just so unique.
Speaker 2:And then Kauai this is where my mom lives, so we go to Kauai all the time and that's where you'll find the Nepali coast, which are those jagged mountains that go into the water. It's really iconic. You've probably seen photos of them before. There's also Mount Waialeale, which is the wettest spot on Earth. So Kauai is known for being a rainy island, but that's why it's so lush and green and beautiful. So that's there. And it's also the filming locations for some of the Jurassic Park the original Jurassic Park movie, jungle Cruise. It's where they set the animated Lilo and Stitch. There's chances are if you've seen movies set in Hawaii, they have been filmed partially on Kauai. It's much more low-key than Maui or Oahu and they have a great food scene on Kauai.
Speaker 2:And then the last island I'll talk about is the Big Island, and this is where you'll find Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. So if you're going to Hawaii to see an active volcano, the only place you can find that is on the Big Island. So you would definitely want to spend part of your time on the Big Island if you wanted to see that. There's also Rainbow Falls and Black Sand Beaches and coffee farms and just tons of agriculture. And most people stay in Kona or Waikoloa, which is on the west side of the island, and I want to say that this island is massive, like it's called the Big Island. For a reason it is massive, though, and so I would recommend at least seven days just dedicated to the Big Island, simply because the drive times will kind of eat up part of your vacation.
Speaker 1:Oh, it sounds amazing. I have to say I think I'm hooked on Maui and Oahu. Oh, I can't say it Oahu.
Speaker 2:Is that how you say it, oahu?
Speaker 1:You're very good at pronouncing all the words. I must apologize if I butcher them hugely. Now it sounds amazing all the words. I must apologise if I butcher them hugely. Now it sounds amazing, absolutely amazing. I can just, I can picture it. I mean, I'm a complete Jurassic Park nerd anyway. So just the minute, the minute you mentioned it, I just thought oh, it's so beautiful, it would just be so amazing to go. So can you give us some tips for planning an itinerary to Hawaii? You know, how can I balance all? You've mentioned some amazing things there, but how can I balance some of those things without feeling overwhelmed when it comes to sitting down and planning an itinerary?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. So my advice is to always plan one main activity per day. It's really easy for people to go nuts and they'll end up in the car for 12 or 14 hours just driving around trying to see all the things and take their pictures and their video, and then end up in the car for 12 or 14 hours just driving around trying to see all the things and take their pictures and their video and then hop back in the car. And I don't recommend that. If you're looking for a relaxing vacation, that's great for those, maybe like the influencers that are trying to get a bunch of content and they want to like just see it all and do it all and just go, go, go. That's great for those people, but it's not great for the average person.
Speaker 2:So some of those activities could be a luau or snorkeling boat tour or a hike or a food tour or circle island tour or ziplining, some sort of adventure kind of thing. And then you can have backup activities. So that would be like hanging out at the beach or going to the pool or maybe doing happy hours somewhere or having a nice dinner, and then you just kind of fit those activities around your main activity per day and you can kind of just decide how everyone's feeling. Sometimes people need a nap in the afternoon, and there's nothing wrong with that. You're on vacation, so it's best if you don't have too many scheduled activities where you feel like you're on the go all the time.
Speaker 1:It does sound fantastic. I think I'm going to struggle to choose there, because you've just mentioned some amazing things to do and experience there. So what would be, you think, the most common mistakes that first-time visitors make when they plan a trip to Hawaii and how can they avoid them?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 2:So I would say that the number one mistake is they don't go in with a realistic budget. Hawaii is expensive and I think a lot of people think that they can do everything on their bucket list at a really reasonable rate and reasonable is relative and so I would just highly suggest that people start with like a spreadsheet or notebook and start writing down the non-negotiable expenses, and that would be like where you're going to stay, your flights, any like must-do activities, your car rental, anything like that, and then you'll set aside another little space for estimated expenses, and that would be like your food, other activities, souvenirs, gas, you know, kind of whatever else you might also need to be thinking about. And I would say I say for sure that that's the number one mistake. A lot of people sometimes will go into debt with their Hawaii vacations because they want to do it all and they have this YOLO attitude, and it's really important that you're just really on it with your money, because that's a pretty big deal, yeah, it sounds like it can mount up quite quickly as well.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And then I would say the second biggest mistake is that people don't consider the time difference.
Speaker 2:And so I live in Seattle and that means it's about a two to three hour time difference, depending on the time of year, because they don't do daylight savings time, so it's a little tricky sometimes and so it's only a two or three hour time difference for us. But that means that my family is up often at three in the morning and we're normally early risers, but there were really early risers there, and so I would, I know not to schedule like a luau or a nice dinner or something that night, because by five or six we're falling asleep at the table. So that's something I caution people to keep that in mind, so that they're planning some of those nighttime activities for much later in their trip If they're coming from, you know, the United States, and I'm trying to think I can't even do the math on Australia of what the time difference would be, but I would just make sure that you do that before your trip, but then also use it to your advantage.
Speaker 2:So, like on Maui, seeing the sunrise at Haleakalā is amazing, and that is something that you need to leave your hotel usually about three in the morning to go, because you need to be there before the sun rises, right. So that's something great to do on, like your very first day, because you're already going to be up. Everyone's going to be somewhat rested, you're you know you need something to do, so it's like the perfect day to do that, or a sunrise hike or something else. Like, use that to your advantage, but also like don't let it. Don't let it ruin your trip if you can't stay up for some of these cool activities.
Speaker 1:Now, that's a great idea, and I think, flying from Australia we go across the international date line, so we go back in time, which is always a bit amazing. I know last year we flew to LA and we landed before we departed from Brisbane, I think in the end. It was all a bit weird, very, very strange. Are there any other mistakes, or are they kind of covered?
Speaker 2:most of them. I think those are the main ones, the main ones.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cool, now we'll talk about getting around as well. So you've mentioned about, obviously, a fantastic drive that you can do, but do you have to hire a car if you come to Hawaii? Is there public transport options or shuttles, or is it basically you need a car If?
Speaker 2:you are staying in Waikiki, you can get away with not having a car, and so that's great for people, I think, who are younger, who maybe can't rent a car or would have to pay. You know really high rates for being a young driver. You can do a lot of shuttles for luau's tours activities. A lot of them have pickup in Waikiki and there's also the Waikiki Trolley which you pay money for, and they have lots of little routes.
Speaker 2:It's adorable, it's open air. It's a really fun way of getting around. It doesn't go everywhere, but it goes a lot of the touristy places, which is nice. There is a bus on Oahu but it takes a really long time to get around. I know some people do it and if you are determined and that's how you want to spend your vacation is sitting on a bus, go for it. But the rest of the islands you really really need to have a rental car. They do have transportation, but it's really set up for locals and it's not going to go to the tourist attractions. It's not going to go to the places you're probably going to want to go. So I definitely would recommend renting a car and making sure that's in your budget that you can afford the rental car.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and also just because you mentioned about getting between the islands, so is that a ferry that you can take the car on and get, or do you have to fly between the islands?
Speaker 2:There is no ferry. That is misinformation. There was a ferry years ago that failed miserably and their website is still active, and so people think that they can book this ferry. But you cannot. The only ferry they have in Hawaii that is currently in operation is between Maui and Lanai, and you can do that for a day trip or a couple day trip or something that's really short. It's beautiful, I do recommend it, but it's a passenger-only ferry.
Speaker 2:The only way to get from island to island is with an airplane. There are no bridges. That's something else. People think that there must be bridges. There are no bridges to get from island to island. You need to if you're going to island. Hop, you need to check out of your hotel, return your rental car, go to the airport the two hours before your flight. It's a regular airport, it's not a special airport. Then you go through security, you do all your stuff, whatever you fly and a lot of times the flights are between maybe 25 minutes to up to like 90 minutes and then you need to land and get your rental car and check into your hotel. It's like a whole you know, half a day ordeal. So it's a lot more. It's just a bigger undertaking than I think people realize.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I literally had no idea. So that's why I honestly thought, oh, it's all right, I'll just hire a car on one island and then, you know, get a ferry and then, like you do in the UK, you know like, go from Scotland, go onto the Isle of Skye and then back over on the bridge that sort of thing.
Speaker 1:So that's good to know that you can't do that. So you've got to factor that in when you're planning your itinerary, because that's going to take at least half a day out of your of your trip to actually move from island to island. So I guess you don't want to be in too many, too many island hops, otherwise you're going to spend a lot of time doing that right.
Speaker 2:I do know people that will every you know three days. They're going to another island because they want to see it all and it is. They really don't realize how much time they're just sitting in these airports and they're not experiencing Hawaii. So that's why I always say you know seven to 10 days, if you can, just to enjoy enjoy Hawaii.
Speaker 1:Well, I've already thought I'm just going to do two islands for the first time, Perfect. Now what about? Are there any apps or tools or anything that you'd recommend for getting around or booking activities in Hawaii? And I know you've got a website, so share your URL, because that would be great for people to check that out.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely yes. So my website is hawaiitravelwithkidscom. I have information for everybody it's not just families and that I have hotel reviews activities, not just families and that I have hotel reviews, activities everything I have. I think close to a thousand blog posts on there. I've been to Hawaii more than 40 times. I should have mentioned that.
Speaker 2:So I have done so many things and I write about every single activity because I want to help people. I don't want anyone spending money on a luau that's maybe not amazing or an activity that was kind of boring. I just want people to spend their money on the really cool stuff, and there's so much cool stuff in Hawaii. So my website is definitely a great resource for that and I have travel guides and all kinds of stuff on there tools. But I wanted to talk about car rentals, since we keep bringing that up, and the website that I use for car rentals is Discount Hawaii Car Rental.
Speaker 2:I find that they have the most competitive prices and it is a I guess it would be like a third party portal where you're renting your car from the normal companies Dollar, avis, budget, all of that but they just have the best prices. So you just go up to your regular ticket counter. It's. It's really easy, it's kind of no fuss. Um. Costco is another great place. If you are looking to do a vacation package with your hotel and um and your car rental, um, that's a great place. You guys have costco in australia, right yeah, we do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just making sure I was like I'm, because I, you know, I live in the home of costco like it was. Seattle is the home of Costco. Seattle is the home of Costco and I just assume everybody has a membership. I just thought of that.
Speaker 1:No, we have Costco in Australia, costco in the UK, perfect.
Speaker 2:So Costco, yeah, just making sure, and then I usually book my activities either directly through, um, the, uh, the company, and a lot of times, if you follow them on Instagram, they will have some sort of discount code if, um, they need to fill up a tour or something, and so I always think that that's a great thing to do, like anything you're thinking about, just follow them, and sometimes there's deals or sales or something. Um, and then I also use Viator and Get your Guide for activities, um, because they're pretty easy to work with and it's pretty easy to, you know, cancel if something doesn't work out or whatever.
Speaker 1:So I don't know, I like using those no, they're great tips and I just want to ask, when I know we keep talking about car rental, but do you have to book that well in advance? Because that's something we recommend, like for the UK. We kind of say you know, if you want to, particularly if you want an automatic, they're less frequent in the UK, so you need to get in and book. So would I have to book well ahead in advance if I went to Hawaii, if I'm going, so we're recording this now in July, if I was going to go, say in November, is it too late or could I get whatever you're going to get?
Speaker 2:No, book your car rental now, I would say as soon as you are booking your airfare in your hotel, just book that car rental and a lot of times you can cancel it. So if you decide maybe you don't want it for your whole time or I don't know, something changes, you can always cancel it but definitely secure it. There are a lot of people who wait to, you know, to like just a couple of weeks out before their trip and especially if you're there during the holidays or summer, any kind of busy time, they just they run out of cars or you might be sitting at the car rental place for hours and hours waiting for a car to be available and that's not how you want to spend your vacation. So just you know it takes I don't know 10 minutes to book a car rental. Just do it now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that's a really good tip. Now, packing. So this is all we always get asked about packing. Packing is one of those favorite topics for people, isn't it? Now, what should I pack if I'm coming to Hawaii, or what should I not pack is also just as important.
Speaker 2:That's true. So most people overpack for Hawaii, hands down, they think they need three different kinds of shoes. They think they are going to need a lot of dressy clothes. They kind of go nuts and then they realize that they end up wearing the same one or two swimsuits every single day, with some sort of cover up or shirt and shorts or something, and then they use maybe one nice outfit to go out for dinner or to go to a luau or something like that. So I would definitely say, look at your suitcase and see what you can take out of it. You will thank me for that. So you definitely need swimwear, casual clothing Hawaii is very, very casual.
Speaker 2:It's great to have one or two nice outfits that you can reuse, because you're probably not wearing it all day long. You're probably just wearing it for your one evening event. Flip-flops for sure. Closed-toed shoes that's something that some people forget. If you're going, if you're doing activities like zip lining or I'm trying to think I think horseback riding, things like that you have to have closed-toed shoes, and so a lot of people end up bringing or wearing their water shoes for things like that. But if you can just wear regular sneakers or something, you'll be much more comfortable, I would say.
Speaker 2:And then you definitely want a hat of some sort, and you can. You know you can buy all this stuff in Hawaii, but if you have a favorite one, a sun hat is really good, because you're going to be outside a lot more than maybe you're used to, so it's really good to protect yourself. Something that I do want to mention is that you have to use reef safe sunscreen. In Hawaii it is the law. I mean, nobody's going to go and like search your beach bag or anything, but it's for the coral reefs and for the animals and for just everything about the habitat, and so it's pretty easy to check and see if something is reef safe. So just kind of make sure your sunscreen is when you go and that's not for just swimming, it's for when you're hiking, when you're doing everything. Just that's your sunscreen that you're going to use in Hawaii and you can get it there if you need to, but I personally like to if you're particular about your brands it's best just to get it ahead of time and bring it.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's cool. So now we've talked about the fact that it's quite expensive in Hawaii, so I'm not prepared for that. I think I might have to save up a little bit before I come out, but have you got some tips to save money in Hawaii, whether that's food or accommodation or activities? Have you got some ideas for us that will help?
Speaker 2:I do for sure. So thinking about food because I'm always thinking about food is definitely take advantage of those happy hour menus. It's not just for drinks. They have what they call pupus, which are Hawaiian appetizers, and they are delicious, and so it's a really fun way to just you know whether it's just, whether you're by yourself or you're with, you know a spouse, or you know a partner or you're with a family you can just order a bunch of them and you just kind of have your own little mini buffet and it's delicious. And of course, the drinks the tropical drinks are amazing, and even the mocktails, the non-alcoholic cocktails those are delicious as well, and there's usually really great deals. So that's one thing I would say definitely check those out, and especially like in Waikiki you, I mean they're just everywhere, so it's pretty easy.
Speaker 2:A lot of people hit up Costco. Again, I'm talking about Costco. They hit up Costco as soon as they land. There's usually one near the airport. But I want people to really think about if they're going to eat a Costco-sized portion of whatever they're buying for their trip. Maybe just hitting the regular grocery store and getting what you actually need. It could be cheaper and it's obviously better than wasting a bunch of food too.
Speaker 2:If you're staying in a condo and you're going to be there a week and maybe you're with four, six, eight people, it makes sense to stop at Costco and get stuff. A lot of people buy their alcohol there because it is a lot cheaper to stop at Costco and get stuff. A lot of people buy their alcohol there because it is a lot cheaper. But you really have to think are you going to drink that entire case of whatever you've purchased? Are you going to drink that during your stay? So if you're there two weeks, oh yeah, probably If you're there four or five days, you might want to rethink it and it might not be saving you as much money as you're thinking.
Speaker 2:And we all know, like, if you go to Costco I mean those those carts, add up it. And we all know, like, if you go to Costco I mean those those carts out of, it's really easy just to add a couple more things. Sure, you want some snacks, she wants whatever, and you have like a $500 bill and so just be cautious on that. It's not saving you as much money as you think. And then I would say oh, if you're staying at a resort, you're gonna want to make sure to see if you have the resort fees and the parking fees in your grand total, because those can really add up, especially the parking fees.
Speaker 2:I will say, if you're staying in Waikiki, sometimes it's $50 to $80 US per night for parking, and so that's something that a lot of people don't factor in, and so that's why, again, if you don't need a car in Waikiki, if you choose to rent a car in Waikiki, I would say maybe pick like the two or three days you think you're going to explore around the island on your own and then rent the cars and then deal with the parking, but you don't need it for your whole entire trip, and I've made this mistake too because I like the freedom. But it really adds up and you will be sticker shocked by the end of it.
Speaker 1:It definitely sounds. It, that's for sure. Now, are there any specific areas or towns that you would recommend for me as a first-time visitor that it'll be good to base myself in, to get that first initial experience of being in Hawaii?
Speaker 2:Absolutely. So I am a big fan of Waikiki. I know some people think it's overrated. I think it is the most convenient place you can stay overrated. I think it is the most convenient place you can stay and you, just as soon as you step out of your hotel, you are like I'm in Hawaii, like it screams it at you everywhere you go. It has all of the vibes of Hawaii that you think and it is. It's really vibrant. So if you need to eat something at four in the morning when you wake up crazy early, if you need to eat something at four in the morning when you wake up crazy early, chances are there'll be something open that you can go to. If you ran out of something, there's a billion stores down there. The beach, waikiki Beach, is fantastic and it's, you know, steps away and it's just really convenient. So I would definitely say don't discount Waikiki, because it is fabulous.
Speaker 2:And then, if you're on Maui, I would say there's kind of two areas that people usually stay in. One is the Kaanapali, which is in West Maui, and that is. It's a great like resort kind of area. And then there's also Wailea, which is in South Maui. Same thing, it's a resort area, and these are great for the people that really want a beach vacation and they want to be able to eat at the resort. They want to. You know, maybe, maybe, you know, drive around a little bit and see a couple of things, but mostly they just want to just be. Those are great places on Maui just to do that oh, this sounds fantastic, honestly, now, what it really does.
Speaker 1:Um, and Hawaii's been on my, my bucket list since I was quite young, because I remember I didn't even know there was a second Magnum PI, so that shows you how old I am. When you said that, I was like, really, is that Now? Are there any local customs, cultural norms or etiquette tips that travellers should be aware of from visiting Hawaii for the first time?
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well, I will say I just I always want to make sure people know that there will be an expectation to tip money for anybody in the service industry, so restaurant workers, tour guides, anybody like that, you know, bellhops, whatever you will want to tip them. So just kind of make sure that you have US cash on you at all times for things like that. And then, culturally, a lot of people get fresh flower leis at luau's or at their hotel or whatever, and they're amazing and lovely. But the number one thing you don't want to do is throw it in the garbage. It's really disrespectful to do that. But you have this lei and you go.
Speaker 2:What am I going to do with this garbage? It's really disrespectful to do that. But you have this lei and you go. What am I going to do with this? I don't know what I'm supposed to do. So what you're supposed to do is untie it. You can cut it, whatever, and then take all of the flowers off of the lei and then you can sprinkle it in the ocean, on the beach, somewhere in nature. You're giving it back to nature and it's a great opportunity for you to reflect on your trip and say, oh, thank you so much Hawaii Like this was lovely, something like that is kind of a nice little kind of way to end your trip.
Speaker 1:I'd say oh, that sounds amazing. Yes, I'm definitely up for that and I just love the whole idea. It just sounds fantastic. And you talked about food, which is also one of my favorite topics as well. Now, what food and drink should I try in Hawaii?
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Okay, so I'm going to start off with my favorite snack food in Hawaii, which is Spam Musubi. And I know some people are going to hear Spam and they're going to cringe a little bit and they go. You know, I don't like Spam. I've tried it. It's not for me and that's fair. However, it's different in Hawaii. So they grill it and they put teriyaki sauce on it, and Spam Musubi is a slab of Spam on a bed of rice and then it's wrapped up in seaweed and it's the perfect breakfast, snack, lunch, whatever you want. It is so good. My kids love it. We make it at home all the time, but it's like the number one thing that they want to eat as soon as we get into Hawaii. And there's all kinds of variations. Sometimes they put egg in it, sometimes you can get it with kalua pork. You can get all kinds of different musubis, but spam musubi is like the classic one that you like.
Speaker 2:I feel like you can't say you went to Hawaii if you didn't try one, unless you're vegan or something. I understand you get a pass, but like you definitely need to try that. And then the second thing I would say is you need to try shave ice for sure. So a lot of people think it's just a Hawaiian version of a snow cone, and it's not. Snow cones are horrible compared to shave ice, because it's finely, finely, finely shaven ice and it's got usually fresh fruit syrups on there.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you can get it with mochi, sometimes you get ice cream in it, sometimes you can get kind of like a coconut foam on top. There's just all kind of different variations and it is so good and I mean you're probably not even gonna want to share it, you're probably gonna want your own, so you want to make sure everyone gets their own and there's just like so many different flavors. It's amazing and each place makes it differently and we have a rule in our house that every day of our vacation we're stopping to get shaved ice somewhere. It's just a given. We're going to do it, there's just no question about it and it's perfect. I feel like everyone should adapt that.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm going to try both of those. I actually like spam, so I'm okay on there. Good, I'm right there, and I definitely want to try the shaved ice, that's for sure. Now, cultural, cultural experiences, events and traditions what should I do to experience Hawaii that way, because I'm sure there's lots of things that I can do?
Speaker 2:Absolutely Well. Hawaii is one of those places where, no matter where you go, you're just going to be absorbing culture, which is fantastic. But I was a former hula dancer for 20 years and I have to say that hula dancing is the number one thing I would recommend people experience, and that could be a free hula show at a shopping mall. A lot of times there's little kids. When they're learning how to do hula they perform at shopping centers, so that's a great way to kind of get a taste and learn a little bit. There's also restaurants and bars. A lot of times they have live Hawaiian entertainment, which usually means live music and hula dancing. So that's another option. Or you can do a luau, and there are all kinds of different luaus in Hawaii. Some of them are phenomenal and some of them are a little bit touristy. So make sure you do your research to find the one that's the best fit for what you're looking for.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm going to have to ask what is a luauau, because I've heard of it but I don't know what it is yes, oh my gosh, I will totally tell you all about luau.
Speaker 2:Okay, so luau's are traditionally. There is a Hawaiian feast, so a lot of times they're buffets. But if you go to kind of the upscale luau's they'll do like a plated dinner and that's the food's really good. And some of the food would be kalua pork, which is pig that has been roasted underground in an oven and then it's kind of like they shred it and it's really good. And then you can eat it with poi, which is a taro paste that is kind of fermented. So it's got a kind of a tangy, sour taste and a lot of people try to eat it on their own and they say it's awful. But the key is you're supposed to be eating it with meat, so you eat it with the salty meat and then it kind of has all the flavors, it brings all the flavors out. It's oh God, it's so good it subs it.
Speaker 2:It's so good. And then there's a lot of times teriyaki chicken. There's usually some sort of seafood there's loamy, loamy salmon, which is like chopped up tomatoes and chopped up salmon, and it's kind of like a ceviche sort of thing. So it's been kind of you know, cured or whatever, and so everything is raw. Some places will have poke, so that's raw fish with a bunch of seasonings and stuff like that and that's really delicious. And then there's usually a ton of dessert options that are like tropical cakes and things like that, and then usually fresh usually a ton of dessert options that are like tropical cakes and things like that, and then usually fresh pineapples on the table for everybody. So that's the food portion.
Speaker 2:There's usually also some sort of pre-show entertainment and, depending on what luau you go to, it can be something as simple as like everyone stands up and learns a little hula, or it can be. You know, you're watching people climb coconut trees and and husking things. Or my kids have gone to some where they are husking their own coconut and like scraping out the meat and eating it and drinking the, the coconut water and like all kinds of like really amazing hands-on activities. Um, that's what my kids always. They want to know what those activities are before we go anywhere.
Speaker 2:And then the big finale is the hula show, and that's depending on what kind of luau you go to. It could be just Hawaiian entertainment, or it could be Hawaiian Tahitian, maori, which is from New Zealand, and Samoan, which is the fire knife dancing that you probably see. Anytime you think of a luau you're probably seeing the knife that has fire on both ends and they're spinning it around and it's really exciting and entertaining. So whenever you're looking for a luau, you want to see what types of entertainment they're offering, and some of them even do. There's one on Kauai that does Asian entertainment as well, so like from the Philippines and from Japan and from China, because so many people came over to Hawaii during the plantation days, and so Hawaii, just as it's such a mix of culture, and so it's fun when you can find the luau's that celebrate kind of everybody.
Speaker 1:Ah, they sound like so much fun, and so would you recommend doing one if I was there for two weeks. Or would you say, book a few?
Speaker 2:if I was there for two weeks. Or, would you say, book a few. So my family is crazy because I am a former hula dancer. We frequently do three or four luau's. However, it's not what I recommend the normal people do. I'm just obsessed. Plus, I say it's for research, so we have to go experience them all right for for my website, for my podcast, all that kind of stuff. So I would say, just pick one, because they used to be a lot more affordable a few years ago, like pre-pandemic. They are a little bit more pricey now. So you're going to want to make sure you find the right one for what you're looking for. Some of them are like 600 people are there, and so it might not be your jam if you prefer more intimate event, and some of them are like you know, 50 or 60 people. So it just kind of depends on what you're looking for. You will find something that has what you're looking for.
Speaker 1:Perfect. So it's just making sure you do your research so you find the right one for you. I guess yeah.
Speaker 2:And my website is a great place to do that.
Speaker 1:I was going to say, and I know you have all that information, so definitely check out Marcy's website. Now we're going to finish off with a rapid fire round, so I'm just going to say, I just want you to say the first thing that comes to your mind when I say this Favourite island for first timers, oahu, best beach in Hawaii. I would say Waikiki Beach, hire, snorkel or surf, hike Sunrise or sunset Sunrise. One local word or phrase every visitor should learn Mahalo. That means thank you. Mai Tai or shave ice Both Shave ice. I say shave ice. Flip-flops or hiking boots, flip-flops Ah, sounds perfect. Now, I always end my podcast with the same question, so today, same for you, marcy. What would be the one tip that you would share with someone visiting Hawaii for the first time?
Speaker 2:Yes, I would say go into it with the aloha spirit. Start your vacation as soon as you're at your airport heading to Hawaii. Treat everybody respectfully and with a lot of patience. You know kind of whatever you bring into your vacations, what you're going to get out of it. So just be kind to people, take care of the environment, make sure you're not making messes. Just be kind and courteous. It will take you far. People in Hawaii are lovely and so if you can also show them kind of that aloha spirit, they will return it to you.
Speaker 1:That's fantastic. Well, thanks so much for joining us this week on the podcast, marcy. It's been fantastic to learn about Hawaii. As I say, it's somewhere that's fascinated me for a long time, so I feel like I've learned so much and I'm going to go and check out your website. So, again, just share your website and your podcast and I will put links in the show notes for this episode at globaltravelplanetcom. Forward slash episode 66, but go for it, Marcy.
Speaker 2:Yes, my website is hawaiitravelwithkidscom and my podcast is Hawaii Travel Made Easy and you can find that on Spotify, on Apple, on basically everywhere that you can normally listen to podcasts. I'm there.
Speaker 1:Brilliant. Oh, thank you so much, Marcy. You've been fantastic to talk to this week.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me, this has been lovely.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. For more details and links to everything we discussed today, check out the show notes at globaltravelplanningcom. Remember if you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving us a review on your favorite podcast app, because your feedback helps us reach more travel enthusiasts, just like you. Anyway, that leaves me to say, as always happy global travel planning.