5 more secret pleasures that make Hawaii so desirable

Think Hawaii and what usually comes to mind are beaches, ocean and swinging in a hammock with a cold drink in hand. When you go beyond the obvious

Hula and Hawaiian music

Now that covid is starting to fade (thank goodness!), Hawaii’s iconic hula shows are starting to return to hotels, shopping malls, and other public venues.

Hula is Hawaii’s sacred dance, and often considered the heartbeat of Hawaii. There are two forms of hula —  hula kahiko (ancient hula) and hula auana (modern hula). Either form is beautiful and mesmerizing, and unless you’re at a luau or the Merrie Monarch, hula shows are free to watch.

If hula isn’t your thing, or you can’t find it nearby — there’s always Hawaiian music. From slack key to local favorites to contemporary — it’s not hard to find someone playing live in a restaurant, bar, or hotel.

Hana hou (encore)!

Pidgin

What comes to mind when you think Brooklyn accent? Or Texan accent? How about Hawaii?

Every place has its own spoken dialect, but I like to think that Hawaii’s “pidgin English” is one of the most unique and interesting in the world. There’s nothing even remotely similar in sound, vocabulary, or intonation. Listen for yourself:

Bonus: Pidgin includes the shaka 🤙🏼, which is like a mix of hello, thank you, awesome, greetings, goodbye, and aloha.

Dressing down

Hawaii is one of those places where it’s totally acceptable to wear your beach clothes pretty much anywhere. This includes school, the store, eating out, concerts, dates, the beach…you name it.

The most you’ll ever dress up is throwing on a dress or aloha shirt for a special event, and even then you’re probably off the hook if you show up in your beach clothes.

In Hawaii, it’s much more likely to embarrass yourself by overdressing than underdressing.

Island hopping

Living full-time on an island that’s always warm and sunny and covered in golden-sand beaches is a dream that few people will realize in their lifetime.

Just getting the chance to visit a beautiful tropical island is a privilege very few in this world can afford.

Now, imagine Hawaii — it’s all that treasure and beauty times 6 islands (Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai), and each one offers a truly special and unique experience.

The best part? Any visitable island in Hawaii is no more than a 40 minute plane ride away.

And island paradise that’s so close

Speaking of island hopping, let’s back up and talk about how easy it is to get to Hawaii.

From any US west coast city, it’s no more than a 5.5 hour nonstop flight. Several airlines fly here, which keeps prices competitive.

There are endless options for accommodations — naturally, we recommend Sunny Maui Vacations — and all you really need to pack is a swimsuit, slippers, and some sunblock.

What are you waiting for?

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Need a hand with your next Maui vacation? Please contact the Sunny Maui Vacations team at info@sunnymauivacations.com or call 808-240-1311, ext. 21. We’ll find you the best vacation rental condo or rental home in South Maui and help you with any and all recommendations and activities across Maui.

Image credits: Vincent Camacho, Cristian Palmer, Leon Macapagal, Avi Waxman, Satyawan Narinedhat

Need a hand with your next Maui vacation? Please contact the Sunny Maui Vacations team at info@sunnymauivacations.com or call 808-240-1311, ext. 21. We’ll find you the best vacation rental condo or rental home in South Maui and help you with any and all recommendations and activities across Maui.