I meet a lot of people who have taken trips to Hawaii and found they couldn't bring home gifts for their families because the price was too expensive. A Hawaiian Vacation is already kind of pricey to begin with starting with the plane fare. Bringing home little trinkets or gifts for your family is another added expense.
You can take home wonderful gifts from your Hawaiian vacation if you know where to shop.
This article will tell you where to go if you're taking a trip to Hawaii as well as a few things you need to know. Straight from the mouth of a Kamaaina (local girl).
Like in most places there are flea markets, on the main island of Oahu, there are a couple of great flea markets, this is where the bargains are.
Situated in the west side of Oahu is the Aloha Stadium, near the Arizona Memorial Park in a town called Aiea. The Aloha Stadium Flea Market is the largest flea market on the islands. Open Every Wed, Sat & Sun 6am-3pm
Admission: $1.00 per buyer, 11yrs under free
Located At: Aloha Stadium, 99-500 Salt Lake Blvd.
Ph: (808) 486-6704
From Waikiki: Take the H-1 freeway west to the Stadium exit 1E.
Walk the endless rows of merchandise with the best deals in Hawaii and spend the whole day of family fun for only one dollar per person.
Experience the Aloha with over 700 vendors, crafters and artists from all over the world showcasing exotic imports, handcrafts, and unique art pieces.
What you find at the Aloha Stadium are sold in Ala Moana and many of the shops found in Waikiki, however, the price is way cheaper.
A regular "Hange Loose Hawaii" t-shirt can cost you $10+ in Ala Moana or any Waikiki Shop. At the stadium you can buy them at 5 for $20.
Hawaiian Souveniers, perfumes, aloha attire can all be had at the Aloha Stadium flea market.
Another great flea market to find your gifts at:
AIEA - - WED, SAT & SUN
Kam Super Swap Meet. Kam Drive In. 98-850. Moanalua Road. Hours 5:30am to 1pm. Adm 25 cents per person. Ample paved parking. Also operates on Wednesdays. Outdoor market, with approximately 600 dealers. Wednesday is the market's big day. All types of items sold here including a great selection of Polynesian crafts, collectibles, decorator items, food & produce. This is a very nice, clean market that's lots of fun to attend. Great selection of food, restrooms. Location: 99-500 Salt Lake Blvd, 96701. (808) 483-5535. Fax: (808) 847-9270. It is located near the Pearlridge Shopping Center 98-850 Moanalua Road Aiea, HI 96701
For Quality Hawaiian Attire, don't by any means buy them in Waikiki or Ala Moana or any mall for that matter.
The best place to buy your Hawaiian Aloha Attire is at Hilo Hattie's. Hillo Hattie's is the Store of Hawaii - the world's largest manufacturer of Hawaiian and Island Lifestyle products which provides a truly unique Hawaiian shopping experience.
Located at: 700 N. Nimitz Highway, Honolulu, HI 96817 - Tel. (808) 535-6500
Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu, HI 96814 - Tel. (808) 973-3266
Hilo Hattie stores can also be found on Maui, Big Island and Kauai.
If you are looking to take home chocolate covered macadamia nuts, or any type of macadamia nut concoction. Go to K-Mart, yes, K-Mart. They are by far the cheapest place to buy them. Retail stores can be found all over the Hawaiian islands. If you're going to be staying in Waikiki, they even have a Trolley that will bring you to K-Mart.
Asian type souveniers. There is China Town right smack in the middle of Downtown Honolulu.
CHINATOWN CULTURAL PLAZA
100 North Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
(Chinatown District)
Tel. (808) 521-4934
Although Hawaii is the land of Aloha, please keep in mind the following:
If you hear the word "Haole" (how-lee) they are referring to you. This is the local slang for white people. However, the term means stranger in Hawaii, but we've stereotyped it to mean white people.
When going to the beach, do not leave your purses or wallets unattended. Leave them in your rented car, hidden from view of any passer-byers. Tourist are a big target for theft in Hawaii. Put them in the trunk of your rental car if you have to. Reports of tourist losing all of their valuables because they left it unattended to enjoy the beckoning blue waters, are rampant.
Buy a map or take a few brochures from the air port that will have maps of the entire island or points of interest. You don't want to get lost in the pineapple fields, we still have them although they've gotten rid of a lot. You really can't get lost as all of the streets connect, but if you don't know where you're going, you can endlessly go around in circles.
If you want to blend in, please do not try to use the local language called Pidgin. It can get you into a whole lot of trouble if not used properly.
Speaking of blending in. The surest way for the locals to find out you're not from Hawaii, aside from how you speak . . is your attire. Regular local attire is a t-shirt, shorts and slippahs, err . . slippers. Tourist, especially the Japanese tourist like to venture out with an Aloha shirt, shorts, knee high socks and dress shoes.
If you venture into K-Mart, please do not stand around taking pictures of your family. There are alot of other places you can take sourvenier pictures, just don't do it in K-Mart!!!
Do not venture into Downtown Honolulu especially in the vicinity of Hotel Street. That is the slummy area of Oahu, night time usually brings out the seedy people and usually where many military men frequent. I don't think I need to explain further what I mean.
When venturing to any Hawaiian tourist spot, please don't take home any lava rocks. You can find many already "blessed" lava rocks outside of these places. The Hawaiian postal service reports the numerous lava rocks that are sent back to them from tourist who took home these little freebies and found that the myths were actually true. Bad Luck, poor health can be affixed to the person who brings home "unblessed" lava rocks.
Bringing home plant cuttings. If you want to bring home some of the tropical plants, you don't need to buy them at Wal-Mart or prepackaged. Cut off a 5 inch stalk of a plumeiria plant or a hibiscus plant and put it in a zip loc bag. If you want to take home a gardenia, just make sure you have all the roots taken off. You can bring with you on the plane any cuttings as long as the roots have been taken off and you declare it when you're checking your bags in at the airport.
Make some friends and you may get invited to the numerous house parties that are regularly had. These are not your typical home parties, usually the food is abundant and you'll get to really taste the local food, home cooked to boot! If you do get invited to a local home party, when going into a local home, please remove your shoes!
Your new "local friends" can help you get cheaper rates for the next time you visit Hawaii. Kamaaina's have special rates when renting hotels or cars. They can do all of your reservations for you and get the cheaper rates, of course you have to pay them back. Also, there are houses on the beaches that can be rented that your new local friends might be able to help you get for your next Hawaiian vacation. A lot cheaper than staying at a hotel and you get to wake up hearing the gentle lapping of the ocean waves.
I hope this article will help you on your next Hawaiian Vacation.
