Hawaii Vacation Travel Blog

How to Dress
When deciding your wardrobe for Hawaii, plan on packing clothes that suit your lifestyle and travel plans. Start with clothes that are light, loose, and comfortable.

Daytime
• Shorts, sandals or some good walking shoes
• Short sleeve shirts or tops
• Hat and sunglasses
• Swim trunks or swimsuit for the beach

Evenings
• Casual pants and shirts for both men and women
• Dress or skirt and top for women
• Sport coat (if you plan to visit Hawaii’s finest restaurants)
• Light jacket or sweater

Special situations
You’ll need warm clothes if your trip will take you to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island, or to Maui’s Haleakala National Park. That also applies if you’ll be hiking at higher elevations or spending time on the ocean. It does get cool on occasion, particularly if you’ll be spending time up-country on one of the islands, so it’s probably smart to bring a coat or sweater if that’s where you’re headed. Consider bringing:
• Light coat or windbreaker
• Sweater or sweatshirt
• Long pants
• Hiking shoes

Visa Waiver Program should be aware of the new passport requirements by the United States.

• Citizens of countries not participating in the Visa Waiver Program must have a valid visa to enter the United States. To find out how to obtain a visa, visit: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html.

• Click here for immigration procedures to the US from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

For more detailed information click here.

While In Transit

• Passengers arriving with fresh fruits & vegetables; cut flowers & foliage; rooted plants & plant cuttings, or algae; raw or propagative seeds or bulbs; soil, growing media, sand; live seafood (lobsters, clams, oysters); cultures of bacteria, fungi, viruses or protozoa; or insects, live fish, amphibians, etc., must declare them and submit them for inspection to a Hawaii Plant Quarantine Inspector in the baggage claim area.

• If you are traveling with live animals, you must declare them and notify a cabin attendant on your flight prior to deplaning.

• All live animals must be turned in to the airport’s Animal Quarantine Holding Facility by the airline, not the passenger, upon arrival.

• Beginning April 14, 2005, TSA will ban lighters (filled or unfilled) in checked baggage and within all secure areas of the airports.

• Avoid wearing shoes, clothing, jewelry, and accessories that contain metal.

• Refrain from packing or carrying on wrapped presents. Wrapped packages should be mailed ahead of time. Only carry unwrapped presents and wrap them once you arrive at your destination. If the wrapped package sets off an alarm, TSA will need to unwrap it to investigate the source of the alarm.

• Checked baggage will go through a security screening process which may differ, depending on equipment, at each airport.

• Put all undeveloped film and cameras with film in your carry-on baggage. Checked baggage screening equipment will damage undeveloped film.

• Carry-on baggage is limited to one (1) carry-on bag plus one (1) personal item. Personal items include laptops, purses, small backpacks, briefcases, or camera cases. Remember, 1+1.

• Checked baggage is limited to two (2) per passenger.

• Do not over pack. Each checked bag may weigh 50 pounds if you are traveling domestically and 70 pounds if traveling internationally (Hawaii is considered domestic travel) without incurring additional fees.

• Place identification tags in and on all of your baggage. Don’t forget to label your laptop computer. Computers are one of the most forgotten items at screening checkpoints. Security Screening Tips
New passenger checkpoint screening procedures have been introduced to increase the ability to identify explosives and potential threats to aviation security. These include increased use of explosives trace detection machines, expanded pat-down searches and greater discretion for screeners to refer individuals for additional screening.

• You will be asked to show the agent your boarding pass and identification card prior to divesting to the security screening process. Please remember that you are only allowed 1 carry on bag plus 1 personal item.

• Place all carry-on baggage and any items you are carrying with you either on the belt of the x-ray machine or in the bin provided.

• Put all metal objects IN your carry-on bag or in the bin provided at the security checkpoint. Metal objects includes; jewelry, loose change, keys, mobile phones, pagers, and personal data assistants (PDAs).

• Take your laptop computer OUT of its’ carrying case. Place it in a bin, separate from its carrying case.

• Remove ALL coats and place them in the X-ray. This includes suit and sport coats, athletic warm-up jackets, and blazers. If the coat or jacket is used as the innermost layer of clothing, you do not need to remove it. TIP: To help speed the security process, remove all coats prior to reaching the checkpoint. You will save time by consolidating your belongings - divested clothing can now be placed on top of laptops, shoes or other articles in bins submitted for X-ray.

• If your bag is selected for secondary screening, it may be opened and examined on a table in your presence. Do not interfere with the secondary screening of your carry on bag. The screener will advise you when the secondary screening is complete and you may collect your bag.

• Passengers are not required to take off their shoes before going through metal detectors, however if your shoes set off the metal detector, you will have to go through a secondary screening. You may want to voluntarily remove your shoes and place them in a bin provided for the x-ray machine and proceed through the metal detector barefoot.

• Travelers are required to walk through a metal detector unless you require a pat-down inspection for medical reasons.

• If traveler sets off the alarm on the metal detector they will undergo a secondary screening, which requires extra time. To avoid secondary screening remove all metal objects (including belts, sunglasses, objects in your pockets including change, money clips, cell phones etc.) and place them in the x-ray bins before walking through the metal detectors.