Are you dreaming of a white (sand) Christmas? Or perhaps you’re just curious what it’s like to celebrate Christmas in 80-degree weather. Either way, if you want to learn more about Christmas in Hawaii, you’ve come to the right place! Below, you’ll find our complete guide to experiencing the holiday in Hawaii, with tips for those visiting Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai. As you explore the traditions, celebrations, and trivia below, you’ll see some big differences between Christmas in Hawaii and on the mainland. But you’ll also find some striking similarities, including the fact that, just like on the mainland, there’s plenty of...

More than 130 islands make up the Hawaiian Archipelago. However, the state’s population is largely concentrated on four major islands: Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai. Each has its own distinct features, character, and vibe. More than 73,000 people have chosen to make their home on Kauai. What draws people to the Garden Isle, as opposed to Oahu, the Big Island, or Maui? Below, we’ve compiled our list of the nine biggest reasons people decide to move to Kauai. Take a look and see if these nine advantages make it clear that moving to Kauai is right for you—or that another Hawaiian island might...

The Big Island of Hawaii is the island that birthed a king—King Kamehameha the Great, the first to unite the entire archipelago into a single kingdom. The future king was born in Hawi, located in what is now called the North Kohala district of the Big Island. Legend has it that Halley’s Comet streaked across the sky the night before he was born. If its royal lineage alone doesn’t convince you, we’ve compiled a list of 11 (more) reasons why the Big Island is an awesome place to live. If you’re trying to decide which Hawaiian island to move to, these reasons will help you...

Should the south Kona community be called “Captain Cook” or its original Hawaiian name, Ka’awaloa? That was the question surrounding Hawaii House Concurrent Resolution 27, a measure to change the name of the community named for the 1900s post office established by the Captain Cook Sugar Company. Although this particular resolution didn’t make it out of the state Senate Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, it highlights a topic that’s gotten more traction lately in Hawaii: restoring Hawaiian place names. When Mary Kawena Pukui, Samuel H. Elbert, and Esther T. Mookini wrote their 1976 edition of Place Names of Hawaii, they estimated that...

Although Hawaii is no longer an agricultural powerhouse, the market for locally grown produce is still alive and well in the Aloha State. Nowhere is this more evident than in the farm stands and farmers’ markets you’ll find all over Hawaii. To give you a sense of what you’ll find at one of Hawaii’s many farmers’ markets, we headed to the Upcountry Farmers’ Market on Maui. This Saturday market is one of Maui’s biggest and most popular, and it’s been operating in some form or another for 40+ years. Currently, it’s held on Saturday mornings from 7:00 am to 11:00 am at the Kulamalu Town...

Hawaii residents speak more than 130 languages. Among that list is Pidgin, officially recognized as Hawaiian Pidgin English by the Census Bureau. Pidgin originated as a way for waves of immigrants from China, Japan, Korea, Portugal, the Philippines, Europe, and other origin points to communicate with Native Hawaiians and each other once they arrived in Hawaii. According to census data, more than 1,200 Hawaii residents speak Pidgin at home today. You’ll also hear Pidgin words and phrases sprinkled into everyday conversation all over Hawaii. Now, if you didn’t grow up speaking Pidgin, we don’t suggest you start now. (Trust us on this one.) However, if...