We just got back from Hawaii and I wanted to touch on a few things before they left my mind. Val and I will fully be discussing the flights, cars, and activities we did, but for now I just wanted to talk about things to bring and what not to bring when you visit Hawaii. We visited Kauai, Molokai, and the Big Island of Hawaii, but previously we’ve visited Oahu and Maui, this list is pretty good for all the islands but I’ll touch on some specifics for the various islands.
Bottom Line: My “things to bring” list isn’t a dumb no-brainer list like “a hat” or “beach shoes.” Everyone knows to bring those things to Hawaii, my list is a little more nuanced than that and also includes things you should not bring to Hawaii. There are some things you should just buy when you get there and not bother with packing. We’re also light packers so lots of this is based on not checking bags.
In This Guide
What to Bring and Not to Bring to Hawaii:
1: What to bring to Hawaii
1.1: Bring a Water Bottle
1.2: Bring a Costco Card
1.3: Bring Laundry Detergent
1.4: Bring a Soft Cooler
2: What Not to Bring to Hawaii
2.1: Don’t Bring Towels, Buy or Borrow Them
2.2: Don’t Bring Fruits or Vegetables
2.3: Don’t Bring Sunscreen, Buy Hawaii Compliant When You Arrive
2.4: Buy a Reusable Bag
3: Final Thoughts
What to bring to Hawaii
This is my list of mostly travel items to bring to Hawaii. I’m sure you can figure out to bring a bathing suit and a battery pack for your phone, but here’s a few small things you might want to add. I’m glad I had them with me. If you’re a food truck fan, you should also carry some cash. If you’re on Molokai, you should definitely have cash, many stores there are cash only.
Bring a Water Bottle
You’ll want to bring a re-usable water bottle. The flights to Hawaii are long and getting dehydrated on planes is a real thing. So you’ll want a water bottle almost immediately. Once you’re in Hawaii having a water bottle is important for hiking, going to the beach, or walking around town. I like a metal bottle but Val likes a plastic Nalgene bottle.
Here’s our snack while sitting and waiting for our flight on Mokulele Airlines. I was glad to have my water bottle here and on the flight as well.
Bring a Costco Card
Ok, this might seem like a weird thing to bring to Hawaii, but gasoline is really expensive in Hawaii and Costco has the cheapest gas by often 50 cents or more. On Kauai, Hawaii, Oahu, and Maui the Costco is very near the airport and convenient for filling up on gasoline before you return the Hawaii rental car(or Jeep).
Molokai doesn’t have a Costco so this tip isn’t particularly useful if that is your only destination in Hawaii, but on the 4 largest islands is a great thing to have.
A few other tips here are that Costco gas pumps don’t accept the mobile app ID card, only the physical card. So while it may take up a little space in your wallet, I think it’s worth the effort. The other tip here is if you don’t have a Costco membership, have a friend or family member who does buy you a Costco gift card. You can use these at the Costco gas station without a membership, just ask the attendant to turn on the pump.
Bring Laundry Detergent
Ok, this might seem weird, but doing laundry while in Hawaii is a great way to pack light. Our previous trip was 13 days, we were able to pack half as many clothes as we really needed for the trip because we did laundry. When packing laundry detergent we just used a 2oz squeeze bottle, that way it’s perfectly portioned for a load of laundry. Many hotels have laundry facilities, 2 our of the 3 we stayed at did.
We did need to get some quarters, but the hotel desks were glad to make some change for us. A few dollars later we had nice clean clothes for the rest of our trip.
Bring a Soft Cooler
Sitting on a beach, enjoying a beverage, in Hawaii is one of my favorite parts our trip. We did this almost every day, even if it was just for an hour or two at the end of the day, it’s still a great way to soak in the day and beauty of Hawaii.
If you want a cold drink or to keep some takeout poke cold, you’ll need a cooler. I like my AO brand cooler, it packs small and keeps ice for at least 24 hours. Even in the hot sun of Hawaii, it’s still cold after a full day. If you want to take it to the next level, bring a set of coozies for your drink cans. And never bring glass to the beach or pool. I will mention that drinking alcohol on the beach, or at most parks is illegal, I’m not going to touch upon whether you should or not. You’ll have to make your own decisions.
What Not to Bring to Hawaii
When going to Hawaii there’s some things you should leave behind or just buy when you get there. Some of these are opinion based, others are legal requirements.
Don’t Bring Towels, Buy or Borrow Them
Ok, James why would you not bring towels to Hawaii? Well because towels are huge and take up a ton of bag space. Lots of hotels provide beach and pool towels that you’re allowed to take off the property. Usually there’s a checkout system and you just need to make sure you return them before you leave the hotel.
Another great option is to buy some towels while in Hawaii. They are a good souvenir to bring home. That’s what we’ve done on our trips. We also have borrowed some from the hotels, this way if one set is drying, we can use the other.
Don’t Bring Fruits or Vegetables
Don’t bring Fruits or Vegetables into Hawaii. It’s actually illegal to bring them into Hawaii because of the very unique ecosystem. It could be disrupted via unwanted pests on your uneaten apple or banana in your bag.
I often bring a snack onto planes. I’ve also been known to travel with random fruits and vegetables that I have in my house. Just don’t do that when visiting Hawaii. No leftover avocados, apples, or onions.
You’re required to fill out a landing card, much like if you’re visiting another country. In Hawaii this is about the agricultural import laws.
Don’t Bring Sunscreen, Buy Hawaii Compliant or Mineral Based When You Arrive.
Ok, this is another one that seems very strange but hear me out. Hawaii has a very sensitive environment and many sunscreens are bad for coral. There are laws about what ingredients are allowed in sunscreen that’s sold in Hawaii.
This is why it’s better to just buy sunscreen in Hawaii rather than bring it. This is the sunscreen from my normal bag, we didn’t use this in Hawaii. The sunscreen you buy in Hawaii complies with those laws. Another thing to consider is buying mineral sunscreens. These are actually the best for the environment.
Another thing you should do anyway is wear sun protectiveness clothing. That’s the easiest thing to do and it will also keep you cool.
Buy a Reusable Bag
You should have a reusable bag when you visit Hawaii. For shopping at the ABC, grocery stores, or when heading to the beach you’ll want some sort of cloth bag.
Instead of bringing one, this is a great way to get a cool souvenir but also a way to get a carry on personal item for the trip home. Now you’ll have a bag to put your coffee, art, and souvenir towels into for your plane ride home.
Final Thoughts
Beyond the normal things you should bring to Hawaii, I think you should bring a Costco Card, laundry detergent, a soft side cooler, and a reusable water bottle. I think you should not bring fruit, towels, sunscreen, or towels to Hawaii. These are things you should buy once you arrive.
More Hawaii Guides
Do you need a Jeep or 4×4 in Hawaii: Maybe
Flying interisland: Hawaiian Airlines vs Southwest Airlines vs Mokulele Airlines
I suggest bringing an old fabric grocery tote bag (instead of getting one of those glaringly-white ABC bags) to avoid announcing to all “Yes, I’m a tourist!” Easier to blend in at markets, etc.