“Come, we go holoholo!”
In Hawaiian, holoholo means “to cruise.” This can be an actual boat cruise, or to cruise around in a car or by foot. When you holoholo, you don’t have any firm destination or planned route – instead, it’s about the journey.
Experiencing Holoholo in Hawaii
You’ll see the word holoholo a lot while you’re in Hawaii. Many businesses adopted the word (and idea) to convey a relaxed spirit. Bars, restaurants, and tour companies invite you to slow down and see Hawaii through their eyes.
But Holoholo isn’t about business or tourism — it’s a common practice among locals.
Holoholo is the best way to explore the islands and — in my opinion — the best way to spend any day in Hawaii nei. It’s when you pack the car with snacks, surfboards, some good jams, and no-plan-whatsoever before hitting the roads. Blue skies and sunshine await, and the breezy trade winds in your sail guide the way.
Yes, this is real life, and in the paradise of Hawaii, it’s the kind of life that every vacationer should experience.
Ditching the Maps
I see how this would freak out anyone tied to agendas – not having a plan can be pretty scary. But I’ve incorporated holoholo into my own travels outside of Hawaii. I spent time in Australia with just a map and some Xs to mark our route from Sydney to Coolangatta.
We took a few wrong turns and got lost, but I wouldn’t have done it any other way. If it hadn’t been for our miscalculations in navigation, we would have never discovered the surf gems we did.
How to Holoholo
Let go of the “known,” and leave your route up to luck/fate/travel gods. However you’d describe it, in Hawaii, it’s just called holoholo.
Holoholo opens you up to whatever whimsical journey the universe may have in store. Though you may not know where you’re going to end up, you’re sure to enjoy the adventure that got you there. So take a chance, and go exploring with nowhere particular in mind.
