74 thoughts on “How do Hawaii Travelers View Other Visitors and Residents”
Katherine K.
We’ve been visiting Hawaii, mostly Kauai, for almost 30 years, and for 4 weeks for the past 10 years. We totally respect the Hawaiian customs. We LOVE the fact that the Kauai gov’t has limited access to Ke’e beach and instituted an excellent system for permits.
If we see a visitor talking down to a service employee, we ask them to remember that they are children of God and what these people do for us. We love and respect the people who work at our timeshare in Lihue !
We’ve studied the culture and read a lot about it, pus visit museums and other historical places. It’s wonderful. If someone want to take a selfie in a dangerous place, and they fall, well – there’s Darwin’s Rule.
I wish others would value the islands as much as we do !!!
Barbara M
1) We’ve come to realize that such signs are there for a reason. In the case of Queen’s Bath – it is a dangerous place so stay away. It may just be to protect someone’s privacy – so do unto others as you wish done to you! And pray the others stay safe!
2) Knowing me, I’d probably wait for a secluded moment and apologize to that service person on behalf of others like ourselves who are respectful.
3) Uncomfortable as hell and, again, I’d probably take them aside and explain.
4) No way! And I’d probably be praying for them anyway so that would take up my time.
5) It’s hard when you remember when everything was easier but as Kauai has become more of a destination and visitors haven’t malama ‘aina, it was inevitable.
6) I’ve danced hula for 14 years and (pre-covid) take classes from a Professor of Hawaiian Culture here in Albuquerque. She is a direct descendant of Kamehameha and continues her belief in the “old ways” which is fascinating. So that should answer the question.
Joerg H.
1). I think you answer your own question, it’s a question of respect. If the trail is closed, it was closed for a reason, and you should respect that.
2). It depends on the situation. If it’s mild, I might just indicate support for the server directly. If it’s significant, it might require intervention. In either case, it certainly would affect my opinion of that person.
3). Neither, it ticks me off. This is Hawaii, not the mainland, and indeed, things work differently. As I see it, this is an example of the “ugly American” traveler.
4). No, and I would warn them that what they are doing is potentially dangerous. Who knows, they might not realize it.
5). Protecting Hawaii. Hoards to visitors destroying the natural beauty of a place aren’t good for anyone. Sometimes, measures have to be taken so that that place will still be available to future generations of visitors.
6).D, all of the above. It’s a beautiful place AND has an amazing culture. If you just concentrate on the one you’re missing out on 1/2 of the experience.
Charles F.
1. We respect the signs and placards!
2. Depending on how dynamic the situation is, I may make a comment.
3. We travel to Europe and see this a lot. We enjoy and value the differences.
4. No, learned the hard way!
5. We don’t drive, we use “Da Bus” to get around and love it. As seniors, it’s a great benefit.
6. We have stayed at my sister’s in Hanapepe for months at a time and have assimilated into the
neighborhood and local culture, not exactly Kamaaina, but not Malahini.
Elojio
These things people complain about happen everywhere. It emphasizes the lack of institutional supervision available on the islands. My guess is once all the tourists complain enough, there will be a big tax assessment somewhere to hire more law enforcement, to keep everyone safe. They’ll probably take away the homeowner/occupant exemption from the property tax. The tourists buy all the real estate anyway.
Lee S
Interesting list of questions you asked in your post. My husband’s family has been on Oahu since the late 1800’s, and his mom drummed a lot of things into us, which we have passed on to our grandson. One of the most important was to always respect the ocean and NEVER turn your back on it. My husband’s grandfather was swept off the rocks near Makapu’u Point and drowned as his wife and daughter stood by helpless. That taught the family a serious lesson about the power of the ocean.
Concerning the warning signs on Haiku Steps etc., again, tourists fail to realize that they are there for protection and safety. Our son lives not far from there, and many people ignore the warnings. I’m reminded of the warning signs we saw on Kilauea several years ago. Rangers marked out a path to safely treck out to see where lava entered the ocean, and at one point it said that it was unsafe to go farther. We watched as many tourists continued right on by the signs, not realizing that seemingly secure lava benches can collapse and send one right down into molten lava. Many visitors are not familiar with these kinds of hazards, and they ignore them to their own peril.
Thanks for asking interesting questions BOH. I look forward to reading responses.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Lee.
Thanks for helping and for your many comments.
Aloha.
Roger f
Curious, how many tourists perished in the lava?
Bob S.
I’ve lived in Oahu as well as Maui. I had a flower shop and made it a point to connect with a Host family, and hire local kids. I now have a place in Kauai and still have to inform some tourists about beach safety before I pull them out of dangerous shore break. If I see a tourist let a bag blow in the wind, down the beach. I pick it up. As well as cleaning up garbage any time I see it. South shores generally pick up the most Ocean debris. Add to the land and make us all look good. If we weren’t born on Island, we are not Local, period!
Hugh
Wow! What a topic. Cheap airfare and poorly educated travelers have worn down too may beautiful spots in the islands. I think the aloha spirit is still alive but is being ground down by travelers who have no respect for a unique culture. How do you share your wonderful islands without being elitist? All I know is that I work to save enough to come back and position myself to live a few weeks or months like a native in one of the greatest places on the planet.
Warm regards,
Hugh the Haole
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Hugh.
Thanks for that.
Aloha.
Fronn F.
That’s a really funny question. Seems like whenever you get more than one person together, one starts thinking s/he’s better than the other.
HaHaHa.
Geo C.
Thank you so very much for sharing the background for this post. As a former 9+ years resident and frequent visitor since then (mainly because we still own our place in Poipu and have many friends here), I feel somewhat qualified to contribute. So, here goes, according to the comment numbers above:
1. Always respect the local signs and strictly abide by the message.
2. Try to take the visitor aside and explain that the way things are done and behavior is displayed here, particularly in the service industries (in which I worked for seven years), are based on some very deep, cultural values of caring and respect for each other, regardless of one’s station in life.
3. It makes me feel very uncomfortable. As the old saying goes, “When in Rome ….. ”
4. Never, ever! And, remember something else — never turn your back on the ocean!
5. Absolutely protecting Hawaii and for the safety of everyone. Otherwise, chaos can lead to irreparable damage.
6. I want to tap into Hawaiian culture, provided the experiences are genuine and not significantly enhanced to try to impress tourists — Hawaiian culture is so beautiful just as it naturally is!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Geo.
Thanks for giving us a hand.
Aloha.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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We’ve been visiting Hawaii, mostly Kauai, for almost 30 years, and for 4 weeks for the past 10 years. We totally respect the Hawaiian customs. We LOVE the fact that the Kauai gov’t has limited access to Ke’e beach and instituted an excellent system for permits.
If we see a visitor talking down to a service employee, we ask them to remember that they are children of God and what these people do for us. We love and respect the people who work at our timeshare in Lihue !
We’ve studied the culture and read a lot about it, pus visit museums and other historical places. It’s wonderful. If someone want to take a selfie in a dangerous place, and they fall, well – there’s Darwin’s Rule.
I wish others would value the islands as much as we do !!!
1) We’ve come to realize that such signs are there for a reason. In the case of Queen’s Bath – it is a dangerous place so stay away. It may just be to protect someone’s privacy – so do unto others as you wish done to you! And pray the others stay safe!
2) Knowing me, I’d probably wait for a secluded moment and apologize to that service person on behalf of others like ourselves who are respectful.
3) Uncomfortable as hell and, again, I’d probably take them aside and explain.
4) No way! And I’d probably be praying for them anyway so that would take up my time.
5) It’s hard when you remember when everything was easier but as Kauai has become more of a destination and visitors haven’t malama ‘aina, it was inevitable.
6) I’ve danced hula for 14 years and (pre-covid) take classes from a Professor of Hawaiian Culture here in Albuquerque. She is a direct descendant of Kamehameha and continues her belief in the “old ways” which is fascinating. So that should answer the question.
1). I think you answer your own question, it’s a question of respect. If the trail is closed, it was closed for a reason, and you should respect that.
2). It depends on the situation. If it’s mild, I might just indicate support for the server directly. If it’s significant, it might require intervention. In either case, it certainly would affect my opinion of that person.
3). Neither, it ticks me off. This is Hawaii, not the mainland, and indeed, things work differently. As I see it, this is an example of the “ugly American” traveler.
4). No, and I would warn them that what they are doing is potentially dangerous. Who knows, they might not realize it.
5). Protecting Hawaii. Hoards to visitors destroying the natural beauty of a place aren’t good for anyone. Sometimes, measures have to be taken so that that place will still be available to future generations of visitors.
6).D, all of the above. It’s a beautiful place AND has an amazing culture. If you just concentrate on the one you’re missing out on 1/2 of the experience.
1. We respect the signs and placards!
2. Depending on how dynamic the situation is, I may make a comment.
3. We travel to Europe and see this a lot. We enjoy and value the differences.
4. No, learned the hard way!
5. We don’t drive, we use “Da Bus” to get around and love it. As seniors, it’s a great benefit.
6. We have stayed at my sister’s in Hanapepe for months at a time and have assimilated into the
neighborhood and local culture, not exactly Kamaaina, but not Malahini.
These things people complain about happen everywhere. It emphasizes the lack of institutional supervision available on the islands. My guess is once all the tourists complain enough, there will be a big tax assessment somewhere to hire more law enforcement, to keep everyone safe. They’ll probably take away the homeowner/occupant exemption from the property tax. The tourists buy all the real estate anyway.
Interesting list of questions you asked in your post. My husband’s family has been on Oahu since the late 1800’s, and his mom drummed a lot of things into us, which we have passed on to our grandson. One of the most important was to always respect the ocean and NEVER turn your back on it. My husband’s grandfather was swept off the rocks near Makapu’u Point and drowned as his wife and daughter stood by helpless. That taught the family a serious lesson about the power of the ocean.
Concerning the warning signs on Haiku Steps etc., again, tourists fail to realize that they are there for protection and safety. Our son lives not far from there, and many people ignore the warnings. I’m reminded of the warning signs we saw on Kilauea several years ago. Rangers marked out a path to safely treck out to see where lava entered the ocean, and at one point it said that it was unsafe to go farther. We watched as many tourists continued right on by the signs, not realizing that seemingly secure lava benches can collapse and send one right down into molten lava. Many visitors are not familiar with these kinds of hazards, and they ignore them to their own peril.
Thanks for asking interesting questions BOH. I look forward to reading responses.
Hi Lee.
Thanks for helping and for your many comments.
Aloha.
Curious, how many tourists perished in the lava?
I’ve lived in Oahu as well as Maui. I had a flower shop and made it a point to connect with a Host family, and hire local kids. I now have a place in Kauai and still have to inform some tourists about beach safety before I pull them out of dangerous shore break. If I see a tourist let a bag blow in the wind, down the beach. I pick it up. As well as cleaning up garbage any time I see it. South shores generally pick up the most Ocean debris. Add to the land and make us all look good. If we weren’t born on Island, we are not Local, period!
Wow! What a topic. Cheap airfare and poorly educated travelers have worn down too may beautiful spots in the islands. I think the aloha spirit is still alive but is being ground down by travelers who have no respect for a unique culture. How do you share your wonderful islands without being elitist? All I know is that I work to save enough to come back and position myself to live a few weeks or months like a native in one of the greatest places on the planet.
Warm regards,
Hugh the Haole
Hi Hugh.
Thanks for that.
Aloha.
That’s a really funny question. Seems like whenever you get more than one person together, one starts thinking s/he’s better than the other.
HaHaHa.
Thank you so very much for sharing the background for this post. As a former 9+ years resident and frequent visitor since then (mainly because we still own our place in Poipu and have many friends here), I feel somewhat qualified to contribute. So, here goes, according to the comment numbers above:
1. Always respect the local signs and strictly abide by the message.
2. Try to take the visitor aside and explain that the way things are done and behavior is displayed here, particularly in the service industries (in which I worked for seven years), are based on some very deep, cultural values of caring and respect for each other, regardless of one’s station in life.
3. It makes me feel very uncomfortable. As the old saying goes, “When in Rome ….. ”
4. Never, ever! And, remember something else — never turn your back on the ocean!
5. Absolutely protecting Hawaii and for the safety of everyone. Otherwise, chaos can lead to irreparable damage.
6. I want to tap into Hawaiian culture, provided the experiences are genuine and not significantly enhanced to try to impress tourists — Hawaiian culture is so beautiful just as it naturally is!
Hi Geo.
Thanks for giving us a hand.
Aloha.