Some travelers are reconsidering their tropical vacation plans. Is Hawaii benefiting from a renewed sense of security, or is the perception of safety misleading? Here’s what visitors say in comments, including our personal experiences, and what you might think about before booking your next tropical getaway—whether in Hawaii or the places we travel to beyond.
Why travelers are reassessing safety.
Recent travel warnings for destinations like Costa Rica in particular, and Mexico, have returned safety on travelers’ minds. Reports of roadside robberies near San Jose, carjackings, and other incidents have led to renewed caution from the U.S. State Department.
These concerns, combined with broader geopolitical tensions, have some travelers reconsidering international vacations in 2025. As a U.S. destination, Hawaii continues to offer an appealing alternative—no passport required, phones work, same currency, familiar laws, and perhaps a lower risk of violent crime compared to some overseas locations.
What visitors are saying in comments.
Some travelers are choosing Hawaii with these factors in mind. However, others point out that Hawaii has significant safety concerns. Here’s what travelers are telling BOH about the trade-offs.
Emma, who frequently travels between Hawaii and Mexico, noted: “I love Mexico, but safety has definitely become far more of a consideration. Hawaii feels like an easier choice for me right now—I don’t have to think as much about which areas are safe or not.”
Not everyone agrees. Jason, a frequent island visitor, said: “Hawaii is safer in some ways, but let’s not pretend it’s perfect. Car break-ins are a huge issue, and I’ve definitely seen some sketchy situations in tourist areas, including Honolulu’s Chinatown.”
Lisa, who recently debated whether to travel internationally or domestically and helped spawn this discussion, said: “I was originally planning a trip to Costa Rica, but after reading about the recent crime issues, I decided to switch back to Hawaii. I know it’s not crime-free, but at least I have a better idea of what to expect, and I don’t think I’ll get carjacked driving from the airport.”
Editor Jeff had his share of trouble in Mexico.
He was jailed for the weekend at Rosarito Beach by police who stole his money, had a car break-in while visiting Mexico City, and was the victim of an armed robbery while on the beach at Playa Azul. Jeff admittedly notes he wasn’t staying at a 5-star resort when these events happened. While this was some years ago, he hasn’t personally spent much time in Mexico since.
How safe Hawaii is may surprise you.
While Hawaii may feel like a safe bet, visitors should still take precautions. Petty theft, particularly car break-ins, has been an ongoing problem. A recent Beat of Hawaii report on visitor safety outlined how thieves frequently target rental cars, sometimes even in broad daylight.
At the same time, Hawaii’s reputation for safety doesn’t always match reality. As discussed in a prior report on Hawaii’s marketing claims vs. reality, the state promotes an image of paradise. However, visitors can encounter challenges like theft, emergency response delays, and the risks of rural medicine in less-developed areas.
Compared to many international destinations, Hawaii has relatively low violent crime rates affecting tourists. Visitors generally don’t have to worry about armed robberies or kidnapping, which can be a concern in some countries under travel advisories.
Should travelers even think about these issues?
Safety is always a factor in travel decisions, but no destination is entirely risk-free. Travelers should weigh crime statistics and factors like health risks, emergency infrastructure, and personal comfort levels when choosing any destination, including Hawaii.
For those seeking an alternative to international uncertainty, Hawaii offers a familiar environment with the conveniences of domestic travel. However, visitors should remain vigilant, take common-sense precautions, and research the areas they plan to visit in relation to their needs.
Is Hawaii truly the safer bet in 2025? That depends on perspective. Some travelers will see it as a reliable choice, while others may question whether its safety is being overestimated. What about you?
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We are now in 80’s and have been traveling to Hawaii, by air, for over 50 years. First time on our honeymoon on a Continental Boeing 720B convertible cargo. Then came the Jumbo aircraft, Lockheed Delta L1011, Continental Douglas DC10 before merging with McDonnell, the Airbus 330neo and 321neo. We personally prefer the wide body aircraft over the narrow bodies. They provide a choice of comfort over the 3 or 4 class configurations. We prefer a business class, but will not turn down an upgrade to first class upgrade. We are not looking forward to traveling 5-1/2 hours on flying sardines cans have done that. Our last trip was a 17 day cruise by ship to Hawaii, comfortable wise beats the hell out of flying but the 3 to 4 days to get to and from the destination gets tedious despite the dining and drinking. We prefer being in Hawaii rather than the travel time.
Hawaii is certainly super safe. No ransom kidnappings here.
Anxiety free for sure.
Let’s go!!!
Well, I live in Maui and feel pretty safe. That said, anything can happen and I have heard about recent crime going up. Luckily, not experienced any and hope it stays that way.
Visitors and residents alike can find monthly and special reports on violent crime (and soon property crime) from hawaiicrimelab.com. One post in the Crime Lab’s Crime Observatory of Oahu points out that crime in Honolulu is substantially lower than comparable cities in the Mainland US. While news coverage of specific crimes can make it seem like crime is always up, you can check the numbers to see where things are at relative to where they have been.
On Oahu right now, in the Waikiki area for a few days on family vacation. Waikiki feels very safe, even late at night (at least in the area we have spent time in so far.) Daytime Honolulu has also felt safe, though my family noted the extensive decay of Honolulu overall –def looks run down. But we have not felt unsafe at all.
Huge fan of BOH, and have taken action on the articles describing how to stay safe while traveling.
Reluctantly, you have to be careful anywhere these days. Unfortunately the cancer of illegal drugs is the root cause of crime in many places around the world.
We had a friend who recently stayed in a high end hotel in Cabo. Slipped and fell and needed surgery. They were taken to a hospital which required $10’s of thousands of dollars up front. (Maybe what foreigners experience when they visit the US?) Then he needed to be emergency airlifted back to the US. Fortunately, they had a friend at Southwest Airlines who sent an empty plane to pick them up and bring them back to the US. Cabo being a higher end destination has real estate prices and hotel rates that are similar to Hawaii. Mexico is closer to the Southern border but a couple of hours more in the air for some Aloha is worth it for many.
There’s a difference between perception and reality. The U.S. travel warnings make some people nervous about Mexico, but I’ve had only amazing, safe trips there. Meanwhile, my friend got robbed in Waikiki last year. Go figure. I think a lot of it comes down to where you go and how careful you are, no matter the destination.
Pris. Yep; I worked in Mexico City and Sao Paulo and never had any problem but my drink was spiked in Waikiki and I was knocked down by a pick up and robbed of my Watch
People act like Hawaii is completely safe, but let’s be real—tourists still get targeted. Rental car break-ins, beach thefts, and even some aggressive encounters in tourist-heavy areas. Just because it’s not violent crime doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. My friend had her purse stolen at a restaurant in Waikiki, and she was sitting right there.
I think a lot of this comes down to how comfortable people feel. Some travelers are fine going off the beaten path, while others want predictability. Hawaii wins in that department. Even though things like theft happen, it’s not the same as worrying about violent crime or serious scams.
This is why I don’t stay on Kauai anymore. If I had a medical emergency, I’d be stuck waiting for an interisland flight to get proper care. Due to medical conditions, I had a scare once where I needed to go to the ER, and honestly, it made me rethink how I choose destinations. For me, safety isn’t just about crime—it’s also about access to hospitals.
Hawaii might be safer overall, but I wouldn’t say it’s risk-free. I got my rental car broken into last time, and that’s clearly been happening a lot. I was parked at a beach for less than an hour, and they took everything in my trunk. That’s a real problem, and I wish visitors were warned more about it.
The Shaka guide has countless warnings on this as do several Hawaii vacation websites.
The safety issue is one thing, but for me, it’s also about convenience. I was considering Costa Rica, but I didn’t want to deal with passports, different currencies, and all the extra logistics. Plus, flight schedules to Hawaii are easier from where I live.
Crime happens everywhere, but I do think Hawaii has the advantage of being part of the U.S. Legal protections, familiar emergency services, and no border crossings make a difference. That said, it’s not like you can completely let your guard down. Tourists still get targeted, just in different ways in different places.
I switched my trip from Mexico to Hawaii this year because I just didn’t want to worry about safety. It’s not that Hawaii is perfect, but I feel like I know what I’m getting. Less hassle, less uncertainty, and more relaxation. My two cents.
In the early 1980s our rental car on Maui had a “do not lock this car” sign on the dash and we had to verbally agree to that policy at the time of rental.
I remember flying back from Kauai to Oahu in 1989 and one of the airport security guy said his son lives there and they have to close their doors at night ….what a wonderulf time that must have been living in Hawaii. I was just visiting at that time.
I have lived on Kauai for almost 45 years in the same house. I have never locked any of my doors and in fact I don’t even have a door key! I was raised on a farm on the mainland where we never locked our doors and I carried on with that custom as I became an adult. Some of my windows are just screened, without any glass, as I have large covered lanais around the sides of my home. So even if I locked my doors, anybody could cut through the screens in one minute and get inside. I’ve never had any issues with theft and I don’t lock my car either, whether at home or in Lihue. Yes, it is a wonderful way to live and I am going to continue living this way for the rest of my life, right here in the same house!
And by the way, I travel extensively all over the world and I’ve felt safe everywhere I’ve gone.
Aloha, Yvonne! That is wonderful to read. I have had the same experience so far, but I am more cautious these days than I was 20 or 30 years ago. I have lived in Europe and Washington, DC and always felt safe. The same goes for Maui, but when you say you travelled all over the world, I do wonder if that includes some countries or cities that are not considered very safe …either way, great way to live.