Despite the higher prices, the new rules, and all the changes, many travelers still believe Hawaii is worth it. Because while there are many cheaper or trendier places, even easier places, and those with far better infrastructure, we haven’t found anywhere that offers quite what Hawaii does. And we’ve tried a lot.
You know that feeling when you step off the plane and the air is different? Softer. Saltier. And even if you’ve been to Hawaii ten times, or one hundred, it still gets you. That’s what we’re talking about.
In the past year, we have visited Madeira and French Polynesia, to name a few. The kind of places that show up in glossy roundups and bucket lists, promising something very much like Hawaii, either far cheaper, like Madeira, or less crowded, like French Polynesia, and more welcoming. Both are, without question, beautiful. But they’re not Hawaii. Not even close.
What’s changed, and what some visitors are saying.
There’s no question it’s gotten more expensive in Hawaii. Flights, rental cars, 19% hotel taxes, resort fees, and even beach access fees can make a Hawaii vacation feel out of reach. Some longtime visitors have told us they’re rethinking how often they can return, or if they can return at all.
One reader told us they used to come every year but are now looking elsewhere after seeing prices triple in five years. A Canadian couple wrote that they’ve loved visiting all the islands, but can no longer afford it. Another longtime guest put it this way: “I dive, I hike, I support small businesses, but it feels like unless I spend thousands a night, I don’t count.”
For many, it’s not just about money. It’s about the feeling that something has shifted. And while some are stepping away for now, others are finding ways to return in a way that still works.
We’ve searched the world. It’s still not Hawaii.
You have read our reports on Madeira and French Polynesia. Madeira is often called the Hawaii of Europe, and we wanted to see just what that means. And there’s no question it’s beautiful. But while the hiking was incredible and the food was excellent, it didn’t feel anything like Hawaii. The ocean wasn’t warm; the beaches were rocky and hard to reach, and the entire coastline lacked the easy, inviting sense of access we’ve come to expect and love.
French Polynesia was a different kind of dream. Accommodations range from inexpensive Fare (guesthouses) to very expensive overwater bungalows, glowing lagoons teeming with wildlife, and a picture-perfect setting. However, it’s not nearly as accessible as Hawaii, and even accessing beaches can be a real challenge. Add to that language and currency differences, and it simply doesn’t offer the same range of experiences. There’s little middle ground. And very little that feels familiar in the way that Hawaii does.
For all its quirks, Hawaii gives you many options. You can road trip for malasadas and shave ice. You can stay down-market in Waikiki or book a suite with a butler on the Big Island. You can snorkel from the shore or take a helicopter into a volcanic valley. You can stay in anything from a $150-per-night rental to a $2,500-per-night resort. And when it works, it really works.
The feelings that keep people coming back.
Even some of the most frustrated readers admit that they still feel a strong connection to Hawaii. One wrote, “Life is short and we want to spend part of our time left on earth in paradise.” Another said, “Kauai will always remain my happy place. There’s something magical about the island.”
Many are adapting rather than giving up. One reader mentioned switching from hotels to van camping to make the trip more affordable. Another shared, “We cook most nights, snorkel, fish, and drive all over. We’ve done this for years, and we’re going back again. But it will probably be our last trip for a while.”
That tug between love and limits seems to define Hawaii travel now. For some, the scales have tipped. However, for many more, the emotional pull remains stronger than the price tag or policy shifts.
What still makes Hawaii different.
BOH editors have lived in Hawaii most of our adult lives. We know the dirt. We know the dysfunction. We’ve dealt with the state, seen the overtourism, watched the fires, and heard the resentment. We know all the quirks, and we know that not every moment in paradise feels like one. If nothing else, Hawaii is real.
But here’s what else we know. The trade winds still blow. The water still sparkles in that impossible shade of blue. We, like you, still find ourselves looking up from a walk, or a swim, or a simple sunset, and thinking, “There’s nowhere else like this.”
We’ve looked. We’ve tried. Madeira, French Polynesia, and many more. All spectacular. All are missing something that is uniquely Hawaiian.
What Hawaii offers is layered. It’s sensory and emotional. It’s tied to memory. It’s imperfect, and that’s part of what makes it real. We don’t see it with rose-colored glasses. But even with all its perceptible flaws, Hawaii still wins us over.
And based on what you’ve told us, it still wins over many of you, too. We welcome your comments.
Photo Credit – Beat of Hawaii on Kauai.
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Hawaii has a certain vibe that cannot be duplicated anywhere on earth. Hawaii is my 2nd home. I’ve been doing C&H for decades and Hawaii is my definition of Paradise.
I don’t feel that Hawaii is all that it’s washed up to be. Yes, I will say that the beaches are beautiful, the forests and nature are beautiful, and the water is so inviting and warm. However, the people who live in Hawaii are just not friendly or welcoming anymore (to be honest I have never felt welcome here, and I’ve lived here for 6 years now). I just don’t understand how you can have such a large amount of your economy wrapped up in visitors, and then treat them so poorly. (And the % is way more than is reported by Googling % of Hawaii’s GDP involved in tourism… trust me we all saw it when COVID hit.)
Work on making Hawaii more affordable and welcoming and maybe people will continue to visit and maybe some will even invest and stay there. I can say that once I sell and move away I will never return. I will try other tropical location, but will not be back here….
I now have lived on maui 8 years.
It’s a different world after Covid in 2020. That’s part of the bigger problem.Covid cost so many their businesses and the corporations swooped in.
It’s not the people in any way. The locals love everyone, as long as they respect and treat them and their land properly.
The problem with Maui is corporate.greed takeover by all the pristine beaches has priced out the average family.
Like Disneyland and Disney world, they have done the same to the average family.
Hawaii is a beautiful place and you will find beautiful people and beautiful places to enjoy yourself there.
But people need to learn to stop patronizing the big time, resorts, that are ripping you off, and they’re hurting the island culture and its people.
Look for local airbnb, and somebody who can benefit and show you what Maui or any Island is really is like.
Aloha 🤙🏝
And in the same vein….. Are there any ‘Mom & Pop’ airlines to get us there too ? …
..lol
You get it!
Mahalo for your comment.
Love my island Maui. I have been visiting 40 years and have owned my condo for 20 years. Its changed like the locals are from WA, CA and Canada and all they build are retail and hotels. But having traveled internationally, Maui and the Hawaiian islands in general are great vacation spots. Its the tropical feel, warm water and the aloha you have within you that comes to life. Yes there are issues with the expense and the islands becoming an elitist vacation spot, but government on the island can do s much better job and its not by raising hotel taxes.
Of the big four islands:
Kauai / Big Island – interesting and remarkable destinations
Oahu – busy crowded messy and not worth it.
Maui – suburban dystopian vision of “Hawaii” packaged up for purchase
It’s somewhat distressing to read that longtime residents constantly write only of sun, sand, and sea. For many who live here, the true beauty of Hawai’i lies in the core Hawaiian values of Aloha, Lokahi, Laulima, and Mālama. Add Kuleana and living Pono, and you have a happy life here. If you bring the crass “me first / my rights” attitude from North America with you, you will not be happy here.
After dozens of Hawaii vacations we chose Costa Rica this summer. Hawaii has gone from expensive to “insanely” expensive. True that nothing can replace Hawaii but here is my trip report. The prices are way less and the people are way friendlier. The locals are genuinely happy you are visiting their country. Shocking! I found the long lost “Aloha” in Costa Rica.
My trip to Costa Rica was 20 years ago and loved the rainforest, hikes and beaches. I agree, the locals were friendly, but the person I travelled with was fluent in Spanish …US travelers were complaining that it took forever to get a coffee or anything else for that matter and we were advised not to travel to San Jose (we did and it was ok). Having lived in the US for 35 years, Hawaii was an easier option for me and I don’t regret my move to Maui several years ago.
After dozens of Hawaii vacations we chose Costa Rica this summer. Hawaii has gone from expensive to “insanely” expensive. True that nothing can replace Hawaii but here is my trip report. The prices are way less and the people are way friendlier. The locals are genuinely happy you are visiting their country. Shocking!
We switched to Aruba.
Been to Hawaii over dozen times and loved it.
Aruba closer, the same time zone, a little bit cheaper and better snorkeling than anywhere in Hawaii.
The locals in Aruba Much friendlier than Hawaiians.
My comment was the same. Just got back from Costa Rica and the people are sooooo much friendlier. The locals actually want us there.
I never understood why east coasters would go to Hawaii.
I lived in the South of France and Washington, DC ….loved both, got married and took a flight to Honolulu with my husband’s miles and as soon as we arrived, I had a “feeling” that this is different from anything I ever experienced. We also visited Kauai, the Big Island and Molokai and when we had to fly back from Honolulu, I cried. My husband didn’t understand it and told me we would be back, then tried (unsuccessfully) for 6 years go convince me that there are other places like Hawaii. We went to the Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Bahamas, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica …then I put a sign on the fridge that says “you go your way, I go Maui” where I now live and my “ex” husband is taking care of my company in DC while I got licensed in Hawaii. Love swimming in the ocean, having beach parties with my friend (life music this Tuesday at Kahekili Beach Park if you are on Maui!) and help others achieve their dream.
Big Island is the USA not third world. Water and weather is fantastic year round. Water temp in Hawaii is 80. The Mediterranean 68 probably warmer in August. But we go to Hawaii in winter. Florida is colder in winter. Snorkeling in Florida is limited. Beaches are packed with people. Another reason I like the Big Island, it is not crowded.
Do this: spend $50k on a vehicle and everyone yawns. Spend $5000 on vacation to Hawaii and everyone gets dreamy eyed. Buy a used car and go to Hawaii instead.
I am lucky to live in Kihei the last 20 years and have a large ohana on Maui. I rarely shop at Costco, but early in my residency, I was on my way there when I glanced up and saw the West Maui Mountains especially well lit by the morning sun, revealing every curving wave of the slopes. I unexpectedly began to cry at the beauty of the aina. Mind, I am a hard-boiled retired criminal defense attorney. But red Kihei dust and wonderful smell of the Moana will literally seep into your body if you are open to it. Aloha-
I feel that way when I get out of Longs in Lahaina or drive home to Kaanapali Hillside watching the rainbow over the West Maui mountains. On the other hand, too many areas are dry right now and we really need the rain …
Ive long appreciated this site,its forthright honest, helpful analysis re all things Hawaii…but this article reads at best like an excuse…at worse a Tourism Industry ‘paid, bought & sourced’ influencer marketing scheme. Lived the Islands over 40 year, travelled the world. Hawaii is definitely one of the least satisfying, enjoyable places of them all. Oahus beaches, especially Ala Moana & Waikiki are rocky, rugged-sub-par. The nice beaches are crowded or hours in traffic away. With Hawaii prices sky-high, a smaller budget,a US Passport will bring you to high class low cost destinations full of authenticity, elegance, beauty and culture. Rather than attempting to rationalize, ignore or actually repair Hawaii, the leadership is focusing on high cost low quality ‘fast-food’ corporatized unauthentic mechanical approach. A ‘Lucky you Live Hawaii’ attitude only compounds the problem. This place has great potential and was once affordable & navigable for anyone interested.
While it’s true that the corporate owned restaurants at majority of the hotels are mediocre, overpriced and underwhelming, there are a few honorable exceptions which, while still pricey are definitely worth it and on par with some of the best on Mainland.
Waikiki and Ala Moana are not a fair comparison since they ceased to be “real Hawaii” decades ago, but if we are to talk about overcrowding, try finding a spot for your towel on any beach in the Mediterranean between June and September (because it’s too cold to swim outside that period) and you’ll come back running to Hawaii.
Exactly my thought and experience. However, MBP might not swim in the ocean, so anyplace might work for him. I am “stuck” (in a good way!) in Hawaii because I don’t like cold weather and I enjoy putting my snorkel mask on an swim with the fish and turtles. I also like the people here …sure you’ll find exceptions everywhere, but that’s what they are: “exceptions”, since the majority of the people here are friendly. I live on Maui and loved going back to Kauai in December ’24 after 25 years. Looking forward to visiting the Big Island again and do travel to Oahu once in a while.
Aloha MBP. Believe it or not, many people like living here (including me). See my response to Keoki.
Everything you have enjoyed in life changes over time if you live long enough. Why? We are old enough to have memories of “the good old days” when places were more welcoming, less crowded, more relaxed, and prices were lower. My home town is nothing like it was when I was growing up. Places I traveled to in my 20s in Europe and Mexico are recognizable but crowded and literally “untouchable” due to the hordes of visitors affecting the historical artifacts that we once walked upon in the UK, Italy, Greece, or Mexico. The little $12/night “pension” rooms in France, Italy, and Spain no longer exist, but those countries retain their vitality and fascination despite high prices and a changed tourism experience…. just as Hawaii has changed, but is still, fundamentally, the Hawaii we love. Aloha!
Love it!! How incredibly refreshing!! For quite some times, there have been so many articles that (correctly) point out how bad policy, a decrease of aloha among other factors have made this, our home, not as inviting as it used to be. Just the same, I’m with you…there is no place like Hawaiʻi! I just love it when I run into visitors (usually it’s me offering to take a picture of the two of them instead of them relying solely on selfies) and we talk story and it’s wonderful. I try to counteract some of the things that many are already experiencing, thank them for being our guest, give them tips, and just, well, trying to be the aloha we wish to see more of in this place.
Sorry, but you are wrong. So very wrong. Hawaii has died of racism and greed.
I still have to go therebecause a daughter and son in law and two grand kids live, one a 14 year old teenager and one 11 year old pre teen live there but other than them and their parents and their house in Kaneohe there is nothing attractive about Hawaiii any more. The oldest grandchild, now 20, went off to college (University of Colorado) on the mainland three years ago, and has made it clear he might visit but will never live in Hawai again.
Been going to Oahu for business and pleasure since 1975. Both a son and a daughter, separately got married (no, not to each other) had weddings at the Turtle Bay Rresort decades when it was still affordable. We had a lot of interaction with the whole zeitgeist of Hawaii.
What Hawaii was, was beautiful. And dead by suicide.
Sad.
BoH editors: So you went to two places, found them wanting compared to your home base, and that’s it? Why not go to the Cook Islands (a.k.a. “Honey I Shrunk The Kauai”) where English is widely spoken and “Haole Go Home” doesn’t exist? Or to Fiji? Or Palau? Or ?
Don’t get me wrong – after making dozens of visits to Hawaii between 1991 and 2018, to me Kauai and Molokai are both magical places. But if I can’t afford to visit anymore and I’m not wanted, I’ll go elsewhere. It’s a big world out there and I (a Senior Citizen) don’t have much time left to explore it. Already planning a Fiji trip using my AmEx points converted into Hawaiian -> Alaska miles for a free Business Class flight.
Mexico, Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda have beaches, resorts, dormant volcanoes; However, The Hawaiian Islands are Paradise. There is a place on Kauai where the sky meets the sea and on a clear day it truly is a glimpse of Heaven on Earth, Kalalau Lookout Point.
It is Not about the vacation destination, it’s the intangible feeling that is uniquely called the Aloha Spirit. Doesn’t matter the hotel, airline, car rental increases once the Islands call you must return again and again.
On Maui a 150$ a night condo is the absolute bottom , and becoming rare, will cost you almost 300$ by the time add tax ,cleaning, booking fee’s, resort fee’s. The reasons are very high property tax’s for short term rentals, high insurance cost increases because of the fire, which push up hoa fee’s, and of course the the state and Maui county collecting 19% hotel tax. An almost 50 % increase from a few years ago. Since COVID and then the fire, food cost and restaurant price are way up as food quality is down. Lahaina town is gone. Not much value here. But I’ll skimp in other aspects of my life and figure out a way to return because Maui is special, in my soul, and I can’t wait to return. Aloha
I agree; there really is no other place like Hawaii, imo. We’ve been vacationing there 2-3 times per year since 1997 and in the early 2000s bought a few (then) Starwood timeshares on Maui and one on Kauai; they’re great resorts and they are truly our second home and we put a lot of money into the local economy via our hefty maintenance fees. Are we a bit biased as we have unrecoverable, substantial sunk costs in our purchases? Yes; definitely. But I can honestly say, unlike many who post comments here. we have never experienced any negativity from locals of any kind. We travel pono, support locally owned businesses, tend not to go to beaches where locals go, have seen and experienced every beach, canyon, valley, volcano, etc. so now it’s just 2 weeks each trip to relax and recharge. Could we travel to Europe for less money? Certainly, but if I never traveled to Europe again I wouldn’t be upset. But I’ll keep vacationing in Hawaii until I’m physically no longer able to do so.
Ha ha ha ha ha. Nice try. The something more is locals with their hands on guests pockets. Tourism taxes are supposed to take care of tourism sites. Why are there so many additional fees? Why do visitors pay for parking when locals don’t?
I travel to different places to get different experiences and the experiences of being appreciated and welcome is very high on my list.
I love Hawaii and plan to come back, but there are places in the world with as good or better beaches, a welcoming vibe, and that speak English. Just because you have been to Madeira (the Azores are better if we are talking Portugal) and French Polynesia does not mean you have experienced the best alternatives.
Two English-speaking options in particular are worth noting: the Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda. The Bahamas has a wide variety of price points (just like pre-Covid Hawaii). The US dollar is mostly accepted there, there are coral reefs just like Hawaii, and there is a distinctive cuisine to try. The Bahamas is easily accessible.
Antigua is the former headquarters of the Caribbean fleet of the British Navy. The beaches there are spectacular and easily swimmable with calm water. The locals are friendly and inviting. You can ride a yacht in Antigua on an excursion for just $100-200 per hour per person.
Sometimes you get what you pay for. With all its flaws, including sometimes unjustified cost of many things, thanks to mismanagers of the State, what makes a huge difference is that Hawaii is US and offers almost all benefits found anywhere on US Mainland. If you go beyond just natural beauties, Caribbean in general can’t escape that insufferable odor of any Third World dumpster. Equally important, climate in Hawai’i is incomparably better than anywhere in Caribbean any time of year, day or night.
Beautifully well said!
I agree completely with your statements.
Aloha to you and all who love Hawaii!!!
I agree with you article, tho I haven’t traveled to other island nations, Hawaii just pulls me back!!! It’s magical and a place and feeling that I feel every time I go, and that I long for!!
I love your content. I started subscribing to your newsletter before my first trip to Kaua’i earlier this year, and I am still enjoying your reports. I 💯 agree there is nowhere else like the Hawai’ian Islands. Earlier visits had been to O’ahu and Maui. My husband and I co-owned a condo in Kihei with friends for many years, but had never before traveled to Kaua’i. I was captivated by the Aloha spirit all over again, and the feeling remains months later. I will find a way to return (and keep your newsletter coming!).
Why go and spend your hard-earned money when you’re not wanted. Your elected politicians created this mess; you made your bed.
Stan / First: develop an awareness of the people around you. Second:Remember the canoe journey. We are going forward to somewhere we have never been.Be Pono.
I understand your arguments, but at the end of the day most of us have to deal with budgetary realities.
I don’t drive a Porsche. I’d really like one and there’s no question that they are better than the car I drive, but I can’t afford one. Hawaii is becoming the Porsche of vacation destinations. While there are ways to economize such as cooking your own meals, the costs of those efforts continues to escalate and is pricing people out of the market.
This seems to be the deliberate strategy. A smaller number of higher revenue generating customers. Its the only way I can explain the escalating hotel pricing as occupancy rates continue to drop. Hawaii no longer seems to want any visitors that are budget conscious.
I think it’s important to remember that neither the state nor people of Hawaii set the hotel rates. That is done by the out of state (and in many cases out of country) hotel conglomerates. To a large extent the same is true of vacation rentals, which are disproportionately owned by non-Hawaii individuals and increasingly, corporate interests. And by the same token, those revenues almost all flow out of state.
Why those rates don’t come down (which would also decrease the real dollar cost of the hotel tax) while occupancy decreases is a good question, but don’t blame Hawaii.
It’s not as black and white. Can’t always point fingers at “evil corporations”, while ignoring exorbitant local and state taxes and fees imposed by the local and state government. Not to mention a typical red tape wherever you look which inevitably increases the cost of running any business, not just hospitality. Every product gets a price tag based on the demand, and the islands are still in high demand, no matter how much people moan about the cost or feeling unwanted.
Really appreciated your comments today re “…still not Hawaii.” We, too, have tried to find alternatives, e.g. Fiji and beach areas of New Zealand & Australia, the Caribbean islands — Hawaii is simply The Best for us. There are so many ways to experience Hawaii (especially The Big Island) without spending a lot of money. We love it!
Big Island for the win.
You haven’t mentioned any Caribbean island, or Mexico? How do those stack up in your opinion?
Well said BOH editors!
Mahalo Nui for every word in this article!
Aloha to all.