Hawaii Travel News

On Hawaii beaches without ropes or volunteers, a resting turtle can look like a rock until visitors are already too close. We live between two very different turtle encounters, and the contrast raises the question almost no one can answer: what do you do when harassment happens and no one is there to stop it?

Why will people still cross an ocean to reach Hawaii? Somewhere out on the Pacific right now, a woman is rowing alone toward Oahu, with months of open water between her and the islands.

Starting July 1, Hawaiian replaces the free Main Cabin meal on most mainland routes with a pre-order menu costing up to $17. The food looks better, but it is no longer included.

Thousands of Maui vacation rentals that once looked headed for phase-out may now have a possible path forward after a major county shift. For Hawaii visitors who built Maui trips around condo stays, the future suddenly looks far less certain in a completely different way.

Hawaii delivers when visitors stop traveling on autopilot. These rules help turn higher costs, tighter access, and longer logistics into a trip that works.

Makena’s Big Beach is getting bathrooms, showers, and parking upgrades. But the filing also lists toll booths and pay stations, raising questions about whether Kauai-style visitor controls could come next.

Paia feels overrun with cars and traffic, yet Maui County Council voted to forward a project that would add 170 homes and more to the iconic town.

Hawaii remains a top summer 2026 pick, just not in the same way it was a year ago. Visitors are planning later, watching costs more closely, and making every day count more.

Hanalei Bay looks like a postcard this Memorial Day, which is usually when BOH editors head to North Shore. Yesterday’s shark advisory and holiday crowds have pointed us somewhere else.