Before visiting Hawaii . There are a few things you need to know that will help your visit be even more incredible . This episode is packed with seven things you must know before visiting Hawaii , so stay tuned for this one and let's cue the intro .
Hawaii's BestAloha . Welcome to Hawaii's Best . Here you'll learn what to know before traveling , as we discover Hawaiian culture , local businesses and the experiences that make Hawaii one of the most incredible places in the world . And now your host , brian Murphy .
Bryan MurphyIt's hard to believe that summer is almost over , as we're kind of in mid-August already schools getting back in session . That means less crowds in Hawaii , which could be cool if you're planning a trip in September , october . You know I just wrote an article about Hawaii in September , so we're going to link that in the episode description of this and you can just see what Hawaii is like in September . Personally , I love September . I love traveling in September . I really love traveling in October . That's actually one of our favorite months to visit Hawaii . But next week , next week is going to be a big episode . I'm really excited because it's going to be a Made in Hawaii episode .
Bryan MurphyThe Made in Hawaii Festival is happening at the Convention Center in Honolulu on August 18 , 19 , and 20 . The Made in Hawaii Festival is in its 29th year and this is a great time to come together , support Hawaii , buy Hawaii for Hawaii , its local vendors , and there's going to be stuff that you can't get anywhere else at this . And it's not just about products . There's also going to be chef demonstrations and , as well , there's going to be music . And next week why I'm excited , next Wednesday , is we're going to be featuring some of those vendors and some of those chefs and some of those musicians that will be at this year's Made in Hawaii Festival . So , if you're lucky enough to be on the island of Oahu for this incredible festival , definitely would encourage you to go to the episode description of this and I'll link up an article that I wrote all about the Made in Hawaii Festival , how you can buy your tickets and what to expect for this year's festival , because it's a very first year it's going to be at the Convention Center , so there's some things to know about it before you go . But today we're talking about all things what to know before visiting Hawaii and we're going to cover things like lay etiquette , plastic bags , marine life , ocean safety , sunscreen Hawaiian word snow and leaving no trace .
Bryan MurphySome of these I have covered in depth on previous podcast episodes , so be sure to go back and look for that . One , for example , is the Hawaiian language . That was with our friend , kahanuala Solitorio , who is a Hawaiian language teacher , kumu of Hawaiian language , and I encourage you to go back and listen to that one . And we've touched on a lot of these on different episodes and kind of passing , but I just kind of want to compile a short list , a short seven , and we're going to go quickly through this . I love to keep these solo episodes pretty quick . I don't know about you , I just love to get the info , save the info and so I can refer back to it when I need it . So I try to keep these solo episodes pretty quick and to the point . So we're going to start off right now .
Bryan MurphyNumber one All right , so this is lay etiquette . So when you arrive or you leave , you may be given a lay , and this is a gesture of aloha , love , affection . So you should always graciously accept it and not reject a lay . And the hug or kiss on the cheek that comes with the lay more often than not , is part of the customary of it . Now , a closed or a tied lay should rest on the shoulders , so half drape in the front and half down the back , and open , untied lay are worn around the neck with each side hanging evenly down the front . And if you happen to be pregnant , you should wear only open lay , as closed lays are considered bad luck . So if you're pregnant , wear an open lay .
Bryan MurphyNumber two Number two bring your own bags . Be aware that Hawaii has banned plastic bags because of environmental concerns , so plastic is one of the major contributors to the huge garbage patches floating in the ocean . As a result , many marine animals become entangled in it and they eat it . So , mainly because of this , hawaii has banned plastic bags . So carry your own bags when you shop , or you'll be charged for each reusable bag that the store provides for your purchases , so be aware of that extra expense . The best way is just to bring your own bags and just a bonus tip that prices are just higher in Hawaii than the continental US because many goods have to be shipped to Hawaii .
Bryan MurphyNumber three Number three keep your distance from marine life . While Hawaii is home to so many stunning sea creatures , it's important to respect marine life and their habitats , as human interference could have serious impacts . One such federal law requires all people in the oceans to stay at least 100 yards from the humpback whale . For other sea life , including dolphins and endangered green sea turtle and monk seal , 50 yards is a recommended viewing distance while on the shoreline . It is also important to remember that it is illegal to closely approach , touch or feed any marine mammal or sea turtle in the wild Now . Additionally , please don't step on or remove pieces from reefs , as they are built by coral . Another marine animal . Number four All right Number four , going alongside of marine life ocean safety .
Bryan MurphyThe waters in Hawaii are warm and inviting , but they also can be very dangerous and can change pretty quickly at any given time . So swim at beaches staffed by lifeguards , always go into the water with somebody else and be alert . One of the phrases that you'll hear a lot is when in doubt , don't go out , and that's just great advice . And also , never turn your back to the ocean and look for beach hazard rating signs and always heed warnings and closures . You can check out Hawaii beach safety dot com for current ocean conditions . Also , be aware of box jellyfish , which their stings can cause swelling , itching , welts , rash , burning , pain , which is terrible . So jellyfish usually appear off south facing beaches eight to 10 days after a full moon . To get an idea of what those times are , I'll link in the episode description about the box jellyfish calendar and you can go ahead and see when to be aware of when those jellyfish are more likely to appear .
Bryan MurphyNumber five number five most sunscreen is illegal in Hawaii . Any sunscreen that isn't resave the sale of it is banned from the Hawaiian islands and recently , in the last six months or so , maui County , which includes Maui , lanai and Molokai . They have went a step further . They are now making it illegal to use those types of sunscreens . If you're not sure if the sunscreen you're bringing is reef safe , I would just recommend to wait and buy that in Hawaii , because everything that is sold in Hawaii is supposed to be reef safe according to the law Number six .
Bryan MurphyNumber six Hawaiian language . Learn some common Hawaiian words by checking out the article that we've written on the on the website . But here are a few to know Ahuyo means until we meet again . Another one you might hear is Aina , which means land , alii , royalty , ecoma , my welcome . Honohou means encore One more time . Hey . Al is a place of worship , connie is man , wahine is woman . Kapu means forbidden . Keep out . Kiki is children . Lanai is patio . Mahalo , thank you , ohana , family . Ono , licious or delicious , and those are just a few . Probably , as you're there , you'll see some of those as you go about your day . But feel free to use aloha , mohalo . Just get in the aloha spirit , get in . You're in Hawaii . Using those phrases is totally acceptable and you're not being awkward or anything like that for using those phrases . And along with that , feel free to throw the shaka . That is totally acceptable as well . And finally , number seven . All right , number seven , the last one leave no trace .
Bryan MurphyHawaii has strict laws about trespassing on both private land and government land not intended for public use . Trespassing is always illegal , no matter how many other people you see doing it . It reminds me of the episode that we just released about the Hayaku Stairs , or the stairway to heaven . No matter which way you go about climbing up the mountain , as soon as you step on the structure of the Hayaku Stairs , it is considered trespassing , also known as being illegal .
Bryan MurphyAs a visitor to the islands , it's important to respect all kapu . So if you see that sign or hear that it's the keep out , no trespassing sign , same thing . So always keep clear from kapu . Throughout the islands You'll see signs that are carved . They might be printed , doesn't matter , but if this has kapu on it , simply put it , this means keep out . However , the deeper meaning is forbidden or taboo , and it references the ancient Hawaiian system of laws known as the kapu system . That's kind of an interesting system . Maybe we'll cover that in a future episode , but these laws are to help keep a sense of sacredness to these areas , for example , ancient burial grounds or sacred meeting places . So please be respectful and honor the surrounding land and customs . Also , with leave no trace .
Bryan MurphyIf you are hiking , make sure that it is a maintained trail . So anything that you hike in , make sure you hike out with it . So if you see any trash , you can pick it up . If you have trash , be sure to pack it out as well . Also , a lot of the trail heads have brushes for your shoes . You wanna make sure that you do that before you hike the trail and then after you hike the trail , so not to cross contaminate any of the land .
So there you have it seven quick things to know prior to visiting Hawaii . We'd love to know which one I've missed . I'm sure there's a lot of things I could have covered in this , but I just wanna give you some quick , actionable things to know before visiting Hawaii . And be sure , like I said , coming up next week is the Made in Hawaii episode , so hit follow for that . If you're on Apple or Spotify , make sure you hit follow so you'll get that episode as soon as it's released next Wednesday . All right , my friends , thank you so much again for joining me on this episode of Hawaii's Best and until next time , be well aloha .
Hawaii's BestMahalo for listening to this episode of Hawaii's Best . To stay up to date on future episodes , please subscribe and visit us at Hawaii'sbesttravelcom .