6 ways you can be a mindful tourist on your next trip to Hawai'i

Canada is the second-largest international market for tourism to the Hawaiian Islands, and as such, the importance of Canadians being mindful of their visit is more important than ever.

The pandemic travel hiatus allowed for a regroup of sorts when it comes to the tourism industry in the Hawaiian islands.

While Canadian travellers have long considered it among the top destinations for a trip, the fragility of the islands and their ecosystems, cultures, and more is taking centre stage in a tourism initiative aimed at allowing the mindful travellers a chance to learn and give back while still enjoying the iconic beaches, seafood, and attractions.

We’ve rounded up six ways you can visit this beautiful place respectfully, while still enjoying your trip to this stunning part of the world.

Learn the history

The deadly wildfires that swept through in August 2023 have left many struggling to recover, and some iconic sites have been destroyed. That includes the beautiful and historic
town of Lāhainā on the island of Maui, which was the former capital of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, and one of the largest tourist areas of all the islands.

Devastation from #wildfires at #Maui are just too heartbreaking to watch💔😔 #Hawaii #MauiFires pic.twitter.com/sz8YeAT0pi

— Mario 🇺🇸🇵🇱🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@PawlowskiMario) August 10, 2023

The Lāhainā Restoration Society, a volunteer-run organization, has a new location and is hoping to rebuild its collection. The society takes artifacts through donations, identifies them, and logs them into a database to help other researchers fill in the blanks on everything from sugar cane workcamps to whaling ships to religion and language.

The Lahaina Banyan tree in Maui has shown signs of recovery, sprouting life once again after the devastating Hawaiian wildfire. pic.twitter.com/GC6LhD64fS

— 🦋 Neptune Lily 🦋 (@NeptuneLily) September 18, 2023

While you can no longer tour the buildings on this historic site, you can check out the archives to learn more about it.

Volunteer

“Voluntourism” may be a new term to some, but the act of giving back in a foreign land has a long history, and now it is becoming increasingly easy to do.

For the green-thumbed, there is a chance to remove invasive plants from the Volcanoes National Park on the Island of Hawai’i. Hawai’i is the home to the most endangered species in the world, and there are efforts underway to ensure that those plants and animals don’t go instinct.

We joined other volunteers on a rainy day to hike into the forest where we cut invasive Himalayan ginger, which would then be treated to prevent regrowth, letting native plants reclaim the area. The experience allowed for an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the unique endemic species that are threatened by plants like this one.

Nothing drives the message home more than spending hours and hours sweating and struggling to clear a tiny area in the forest, making each volunteer a very frustrated and outspoken steward for this important cause.

This is only one of the few offerings for volunteer experiences and you can sort by area you’ll be visiting, the cause, and even if it’s kid-friendly or not. Learn more here.

Lean into the language and customs

It might seem simple, but using “aloha” instead of “hello” and “mahalo” instead of “thank you” goes a long way when visiting Hawai’i. While some locals insisted that the pronunciation of poke was poh-key – and not poh-kay – everyone we spoke with was incredibly gracious and grateful for our attempts to respect the language and customs. One of the biggest mistakes we made was to call the Island of Hawai’i the “Big Island” — but now we know and it was an easy change.

There’s a helpful guide to some common phrases, with proper pronunciation to further smooth our efforts to learn some of the language on the trip.

To learn more about the customs, we visited the quaint town of Wailuku, just 10 minutes west of the Kahului Airport is Wailuku, which allowed a unique combination of art and history through the ​SMALL TOWN * BIG ART initiative.

We wandered around public art pieces throughout the off-the-beaten-path area and learned more about the ʻĪao Valley, a historically sacred burial ground, and about the people who have called this area home.

Throughout history, this area has seen immigrants come from China, Portugal, Japan, Korea, Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands, leading to a diverse culture. The melting pot of cultures who trace their roots back to those times are known as the “locals” or “kamaʻāina.” We learned to only refer to things as “Hawaiian,” if we were talking about Indigenous culture and people of Hawaiʻi.

Shop local

 

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A post shared by County of Maui (@mauinuifirst)

From family-owned kayaking companies to which Lū’au to attend, there’s truly a need to support local businesses like never before.

“Every time you eat, shop, play, stay, and support local, you’re spreading your aloha by helping to strengthen our islands’ communities and our economy. We extend a big mahalo for putting Maui Nui FIRST in your buying decisions. Your support means everything!” The county of Maui Office of Economic Development’s website reads in part.

The website has so many incredible recommendations for places to eat, entertainment, and even where to buy your surf gear on Maui, Moloka‘i, and Lana‘i. It is considered a great resource for having an amazing trip while also helping people in the community.

Find your place amongst the stars

One of the ways to be a mindful traveller is to ensure you leave the area the same way — or better — than how you found it. One of our favourites and effortless ways of doing that is to sign up for an excursion offered through a local company, ensuring the profits help in the economic rebuild, and that rules are maintained.

On Maui, a stargazing trip might just be in the stars for you, as the area boasts some of the best viewing spots in the world at Haleakala National Park, which is also known as the “house of the sun” in Hawaiian. According to the legend, the demigod Maui lassoed the sun while standing on the volcano’s summit, slowing its descent to make the day last longer.

We took the tour offered by Maui Stargazing with our telescopic tour guide Jan Roberson who navigated all the go-to spots in the park before guiding us through our first up-close glimpse of planets, the moon, and star clusters from a secluded — but approved — part of the park. The tour includes several stops along the six-hour journey, including a prime viewing area to check out the breathtaking sunset.

Before the sun goes down, be sure to check out the Haleakalā Crater, a dormant volcano, and learn more about the unique environment and animals in this spot. Dress warm as it does get chilly at night.

Want to skip the tour but still visit this area? Learn more about camping, park rules, and visitor passes on the National Park Service’s website.

The author of this trip was hosted by Hawai’i Tourism Canada.

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