From ancient fishponds and lush rainforests to a beautiful tapestry of traditions and culture woven into our communities, Hawaiʻi is an extraordinary place. This remote archipelago in the Pacific thrived as an independent kingdom for nearly a century before being overthrown by American and European businessmen. While the story of Hawaiʻi contains struggles and […]
On Jan. 1, 2026, Hawaiʻi increased the statewide transient accommodations tax, or TAT, from 10.25% to 11%, with each county allowed to impose a surcharge of up to 3%. Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green signed off on the increase in May 2025; the initiative establishes what state officials call the nation’s first climate impact fee, referred
It’s not at every hotel that, after mailing a coconut (yes, you read that right), you can hop on a beach bike and ride along a shoreline path to dinner. But that’s what it’s like at Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, a luxury retreat originally built in 1961 on a lava field fronting storied Kahuwai
For more than a decade, The Pig and The Lady has been sharing modern Vietnamese and Asian cuisine with locals and visitors in Honolulu. The Pig and The Lady started as a stall at a local farmers market back in 2013. Chef Andrew Le turned his business into a bustling eatery in Chinatown, drawing the island’s foodies as
*This story was originally published on Jan. 15, 2025, and updated in January 2026. The muʻumuʻu has come a long way from its reputation as a gaudy house dress. In fact, it’s very in vogue these days. So much so, January is Muʻumuʻu Month in Hawaiʻi. It started 11 years ago by Kauaʻi designer Shannon
It took a few months before I finally realized that my new normal really wasn’t so normal. For much of the summer I woke up with two numb fingers—middle and ring—sure signs of carpal tunnel that I’d forget about after coffee. And morning coffee was nonnegotiable: Interrupted sleep was the norm for me, and stress
Kauaʻi is one of my favorite Hawaiian Islands to visit—and I’m not alone. The Garden Isle was voted the Best Island in HAWAIʻI Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards in 2025. From verdant valleys and majestic coastlines to laid-back and charming towns, Kauaʻi makes for an unforgettable getaway. And while it’s become a popular destination, Kauaʻi still
Every year we like to look back at the stories HAWAIʻI Magazine readers viewed and engaged with the most. From new restaurants in Lahaina, Maui, to the best beaches across the Islands, here are the 10 articles that received the highest number of views on hawaiimagazine.staging.upspringsites.com in 2025. (Click on the headlines of the stories to read more!) 10. Best Towns in Hawaiʻi in 2025 One-of-a-kind towns dot the
Hawaiʻi takes its firework shows seriously. On New Year’s Eve, beaches are lined with eager crowds waiting for midnight to strike as the night sky lights up with dazzling fireworks. From the shores of Waikīkī to the sands of Wailea, there are dozens of firework displays across the Islands to ring in 2025. Here are
*This story was originally published on Dec. 21, 2017. Much like Thanksgiving, Hawaiʻi does Christmas with its own twist. Sunshine and tropical weather lets the Aloha State’s residents don board shorts and bikinis for their post-Christmas morning surf, while uncles dressing up as Santa are throwing up shakas with the keiki on their lap. Here are
It may be a simple concept, but you can’t help but smile in awe at Reef’s Real Fruit Ice Cream truck. And that’s the goal for Abby Alvin, owner of the vibrant food truck in Kīhei, Maui. With a huge grin, she says it brings her joy watching her customers’ reactions—whether it’s their first or tenth time to her business—as they watch their ice cream swirl out of the machines. Real fruit
*This story was updated on Dec. 24, 2025. A year ago on Dec. 23, 2024, one of the world’s most active volcanoes awoke. That morning, lava fountains spewed from a line of fissures at the base of the summit caldera. Declared episode one, the event was only a prelude to a series of dramatic eruptions at Kīlauea in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Prior to that, the
