Hawaii is one of the most popular travel destinations all around the world. Millions of people visit every single year and this is definitely not going to stop in the future. You just want to ask some people about their perfect vacation spot and you will hear Hawaii being mentioned a surprising number of times. This is because there are so many things to see and do in Hawaii. It is practically impossible to get bored and quality is offered in all you do. You can find affordable luxury vacation rentals in Hawaii and when referring to travel activities, almost all you imagine would be possible.
When you travel to Hawaii there are numerous things that you will learn and many things will surprise you. Besides all the things that you easily find with a Google search, there are other things to say. Let’s just look at some really interesting things that you most likely do not know about Hawaii.
The Alphabet
The Hawaiian alphabet is different than what you would expect since there are just thirteen letters in it. Every single syllable and word will end with a vowel. Unfortunately, just 5 vowels exist.
You will often see a mark that is similar to an apostrophe in Hawaiian words. This is known as “’okina”. This is practically a consonant and it means there is a pause in the word. There are numerous words that are spelled exactly the same but if one has the ‘okina in it, the words are practically completely different. As a very simple example, chicken is “moa”. If you want to say “cooked” you would write “mo’a”.
The Hawaii Big Island
Hawaii is made out of 8 main islands, with the largest one being “Big Island”. The official name for the Big Island is “Hawai’i”. What is of particular interest is that this Big Island is actually getting bigger. The size is increased by over 42 acres per year due to the activity of the Kilauea Volcano, which has been erupting for thirty years now. On the Big Island there is also Mauna Loa, another of the worlds’ large volcanoes. This one is really special because astronauts actually used it in the past to train for the moon voyages as they trained on hardened lava fields. Recently, 6 researchers funded by NASA spent a long time on the volcano’s northern slope as they simulated Mars space station expeditions.
Growth – Of The Unexpected Kind
Hawaii now has the distinction of the only state in the US that grows coffee commercially, together with vanilla beans and cacao. (This is quite interesting since it does take around 5 years for one vanilla bean to grow).
We should also add that Hawaii has the highest US life expectancy rate, with 81.3 years being the average. This is weird for some since people in Hawaii consume the most Spam in the country, per capita.
Diverse Population
You can be old or young and could have been living in Hawaii forever but you will not be called a Hawaiian unless you have Hawaiian ancestry. If you are of a non-Hawaiian ancestry, even if you are born and raised in the state, you are going to be known simply as a “local”.
After the 2010 US Census, we learned that Hawaii features the highest Asian American percentage at 38.6%, with multiracial Americans being at 23.6%. You will also find the lowest possible percentage of white US citizens, at just 24.7%.
The Hawaii Lei
There is no celebration in Hawaii that is complete without it featuring the lei. These flower garlands have some really strict associated rules you need to follow. For instance, if someone offers a lei, it is really impolite to refuse it or remove it while in front of that person that offered it. You should also never wear a lei that you want to give to another person. Never throw away the lei. It is traditionally returned to the ground, ideally in a location where flowers were gathered. Also, if the tied lei is offered to pregnant women, it is bad luck.
Interesting Laws
Hawaii is just one of 4 US states where billboards are outlawed. The other states are Vermont, Maine and Alaska. Also, since we are talking about laws, you should know that snakes are actually illegal. You can only see legal serpents when you go to the zoo.
Different Colored Sand
Most of the images you will see with Hawaiian beaches will feature white or black sand. These are quite popular but when it comes to colors, the diversity offered by beaches in the state is incredibly high. You will have no problems in finding beaches that have yellow, green and red sand. Just be sure that there is a lifeguard where you swim since waters in Hawaii can be really strong.
Final Thoughts
Hawaii is definitely an incredible destination for everyone that wants to have a memorable vacation. The state is so different than what you would expect to see in the US. People are really warm and they love their culture and heritage. You can easily learn a lot about them by simply talking. The Aloha State is welcoming tourists from all around the world and it does so with perfect services. It is basically impossible to have a bad experience simply because of the fact that everything revolves around tourism where you will go.
