Hawaii vacations may be healthier than any of us thought. While you may not find the fountain of youth in Hawaii, you’ll definitely be heading in the right direction. This is according to a travel study from The Global Commission on Aging (see it below) that was done right before COVID. Another source, Lonely Planet, says that wellness tourism is the travel industry’s fastest-growing sector, being a $500 billion annual global market.
Some key takeaways from the pre-COVID study include:
â–· More of us are choosing to travel for health and as a result, the wellness tourism industry is booming.
â–· Those who do travel (and observe COVID protocol) have better health and even live longer than those who don’t.
â–· Women who don’t travel often have a higher risk of heart disease compared with those who travel frequently.
â–· Men who travel do better than their non-traveling counterparts.
â–· People who travel reported that they are happier in their lives than those that don’t.
Now that Hawaii vacations are returning and travel has reopened, this study serves as a good reminder of why we travel.
So get ready for a health-giving Hawaii vacation with these 10Â tips:
1. Find Cheap Flights to Hawaii. That’s a healthy start on your pocketbook and relieves financial stress. If you travel during the off-seasons, you may be able to save even more and enjoy less crowding.
2. Come during off-season. Fewer visitors help yield the most relaxing experience. Beaches are less crowded too. Best dates are from late August through early December and following Spring Break until early June.
3. Walk in Hawaii. The Ala Wai Canal in Honolulu, the 8-mile oceanfront Kauai Path and Maui’s Wailea Beach Walk are three examples that offer some great free exercise. The options are virtually endless.
4. Get in or on the water. Try an outrigger canoe ride, snorkel, surf, and swim. These are great ways to burn calories and get in shape on your Hawaii vacation.
5. Hike Hawaii. Exhilarating and unforgettable Hawaii hiking awaits you. Options to consider include Diamond Head or more difficult Koko Head crater hikes on Oahu. Also strenuous Alakai Swamp, Na Pali Coast, and Awaawapuhi hikes on Kauai. Plus Waipio Valley, Pololu Valley, and Mauna Loa Lookout hikes on the Big Island. On Maui, it ranges from the easy Iao Valley State Park trail to the more challenging Pipiwai trail to Waimoku Falls in Haleakala National Park.
6. Come prepared. If you’re not used to being active, you may want to start an exercise program well before you leave. If you haven’t come prepared, be careful for example about the hikes you select, so as not to ruin your Hawaii vacation. That way you’ll be in shape to enjoy the best of the islands and face less risk of exhaustion or injury.
7. Eat healthy and save money. There are many healthy options for Hawaii food and restaurants. Packing a healthy cooler for lunch at the beach is a great start and saves money.
8. Hydrate. The tropical sun demands water. Cooling tradewinds can give you the illusion you don’t need as much water as you actually do.
9. Marvel over Hawaii sunsets. Don’t forget the health benefits of just sitting on the beach and experiencing the negative ions while watching our spectacular sunsets and sunrises. And remember to look for the green flash at sunset.
10. Get in better shape. Return to the mainland feeling and looking better than you left!
Do you have more tips for a healthy Hawaii vacation? We invite you to share them with us.
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Many enjoy walking/jogging along the beachfront path that connects the 4 crescent shaped lagoons in Ko Olina. The lagoons are man made but breathtakingly beautiful. You can see them as backdrops in many Hawaii 5 0 and Magnum episodes.