15 Tall Tales About Hawaii That Tourists Swear Are True
Enchanting Hawaii in the Pacific is a treasure trove of awe inspiring landscapes, rich culture and interesting history. There’s plenty of charm to Hawaii, but its been a welcoming place for myths that tourists cling to like surfboards in high tide. They color visitor expectation and experience ranging from magical stories told through generations to modern day.
Some are just innocent misconceptions, others are outright whoppers, but they’re all worth exploring at the very least for laughs. Let’s take a look at some of the most entertaining, and false, tales that have helped create Hawaii’s mystique.
It’s Just One Big Volcano
Many believe that Hawaii’s Big Island is a single, massive volcano when it’s actually home to five separate volcanoes: Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, Hualālai, Kohala, and the still active Kīlauea. Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea are big enough to dominate the island, but the rest play a big part in the island’s geographical diversity.
The ‘Aloha Spirit’ Means Everyone Is Always Happy
Hawaii holds the cultural value “Aloha spirit,” all about being kind, respectful and in the community. But it’s not a promise of perpetual happiness and perfect unity. Hawaiians have their bad days and stresses like anybody else, especially in an isolated, high cost state. The “Aloha Spirit” is less about a unbroken chain of happiness, and more about intention and connection.
Locals Wear Hawaiian Shirts Every Day
Hawaiian, or ‘aloha’, shirts are a must for tourists, but locals save them for special occasions. Usually they are worn as business casual or for celebrations, not as everyday clothes. When you walk into a local neighborhood wearing a loud, floral print shirt, you will get some amused glances.
In Hawaii, Surfing Is a Piece of Cake for Everyone
While Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing, it’s not easy to master the waves. Thousands of tourists sign up for a lesson hoping to channel their inner Duke Kahanamoku, only to repeatedly wipe out. The reality is even the most experienced surfers know the ocean is powerful and illusive. Surfing injuries accounted for 12 percent of ocean sports incidents in Hawaii in 2020, a reminder that it’s not all smooth sailing.
Hula Is Just a Tourist Fun Dance
Hula isn’t just an entertaining performance to entertain visitors, as many believe. Hawaiian culture and history is deeply rooted in it as a sacred art form. It preservers traditions and honors ancestors and as such l tells stories through its movements and chants. Taking it as something light, makes it less important to the local community.
Pineapples Come From Hawaii
While Hawaii is known for its pineapples, most of the fruit you see on the mainland didn’t come from the islands. Hawaii’s pineapple farming has dwindled over the years because of other countries competing. Now, the state produces less than 1% of the world’s pineapple. At present most pineapples are imported from such places as Cost Rica and the Philippines.
Beaches in Hawaii Are All White Sand
Every Hawaiian beach isn’t a postcard-perfect stretch of white sand, and tourists often imagine that it is, but reality is much broader. Hawaii has black sand beaches, created by volcanic activity, green sand beaches made of olivine crystals and even red sand beaches, the result of eroded iron rich lava. A beautiful example of one that goes against the white-sand stereotype is Punalu’u Beach on the Big Island, whose sands are black.
There Are No Snakes in Hawaii
In this case, that’s mostly true — Hawaii is known for having strict laws about anything even remotely snake like, which it employs to protect its fragile ecosystem. But snakes do show up occasionally, sometimes due to illegal pet trade or just stowing away on the cargo ship. Of particular concern are brown tree snakes, which are a constant vigil for local authorities and a serious threat to native bird species.
Hawaii Has No Winter
Snow in Hawaii is as likely as a shark drinking a Mai Tai, but the islands do have winter in a very different way. Snow falls on Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island in winter months, drawing adventurous skiers and snowboarders. At the same time, lower elevations are cooler, with more rainfall—a far cry from the endless summer most visitors expect.
All the Islands Are Close Together
The Hawaiian Islands appear clustered on a map, but they are very far apart. Yet as an example, Oahu is about 70 miles to Maui, and you’re over 200 miles away from the Big Island from Kauai. As a result, inter island travel is more complicated and time consuming than most tourists expect.
The Beaches Are Constantly Circled by Sharks
Hawaii is full of shark fears, but attacks are incredibly rare. The Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources says Hawaii averages only three to four unprovoked shark incidents a year. Deep waters are the preferred habitat of most sharks, and they tend to avoid human interaction, so they’re far less menacing than Hollywood would have you believe.
It’s Always Sunny in Hawaii
Hawaii is as much about rain as it is about sun. For instance, Hilo on the Big Island is one of the wettest cities in the U.S. with an average annual rainfall exceeding 120 inches. In the tropics, rain showers are brief but frequent and part of what makes Hawaii a lush green paradise.
Locals Live in Grass Huts
Hawaiians aren’t living in grass huts like characters in a Robinson Crusoe novel, no. Most housing is modern, but high costs mean that many locals struggle with housing. Most of today’s traditional Hawaiian hale structures, including pili grass covered hale made of wood, are seen only in cultural demonstrations or restored historical sites.
Hawaii Is a Tourist Trap
There are plenty of tourist hotspots that Hawaii is known for, but there are also plenty that remain untouched and just out of the way of the beaten path. There are authentic experiences for those who are willing to explore responsibly: from hidden waterfalls, to secluded hiking trails. Often, by connecting with locals, you will find these lesser known treasures.
Lava From Volcano Moves at Lightning Speed
Lava from volcanoes in Hawaii are awe inspiring, but not the explosive rivers of fire they are often imagined to be. Lava advances slowly, steadily, giving people plenty of time to evacuate. Hawaiian volcanoes are not the norm of dramatic, fast moving eruptions like you see in the movies.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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