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 […]
*This story was originally published on Dec. 12, 20218, and updated in December 2025. Who says there’s no winter in Hawaiʻi? Here are 12 ways to enjoy the winter season across the Islands. 1. See Sand-ta Claus at Sheraton Waikiki View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheraton Waikiki Beach
Five years after closing his award-winning restaurant—which had been a HAWAIʻI Magazine reader favorite—local chef Alan Wong is moving to Kāhala. The Kāhala Hotel & Resort, to be exact. The James Beard Award-winning chef and pioneer of the Hawaiʻi Regional Cuisine movement will open Alan Wong’s at the luxe hotel in early 2026. The restaurant
The first confirmed humpback whale sighting of the 2025-2026 season was off the coast of Kauaʻi on Oct. 14, 2025. Holoholo Charters recorded the sighting at 7 a.m. Captain Kekoa and his crew aboard the vessel Holoholo spotted the whale along the island’s western coast while en route to Niʻihau for a tour. The
The first time I learned about the Alakoko Fishpond on Kaua‘i was back in 2012, when I hopped on a stand-up paddleboard on the Hulē‘ia River and glided right past it. Back then it was referred to as the Menehune Fishpond, named after the legendary craftsmen who worked at night, building heiau (temples) and fishponds.
Kīlauea continues to keep the world enthralled with its epic eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, which started on Dec. 23, 2024. Ten months later, the volcano remains active and mesmerizing. On Oct. 1, 2025, episode 34 began at 12:53 a.m. HST. According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, lava fountains soared to an estimated 1,300 feet. By
In 1927 a stunning Olympic-size saltwater pool opened on a stretch of Waikīkī Beach, dedicated to the 10,000 soldiers, sailors and other volunteers from Hawai‘i who served in World War I. It featured a grand beaux arts archway leading to an ocean-water swim basin, with bleachers, bathhouses and a panoramic ocean view. Fittingly, on opening
The Hawaiʻi National Park Service announced this week that the Uēkahuna observation deck in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park reopened to the public. Located at the summit of Kīlauea, park visitors can look across the caldera to see Halemaʻumaʻu crater and also gaze up at Mauna Loa. For generations, Uēkahuna has been revered by Native Hawaiians
*This story was originally published on Jun. 28, 2019. After months of watching and waiting, it’s finally here: mango season, which, in Hawaiʻi, runs from March to November, depending on the variety. The sweet and tangy orange fruit first arrived in Hawaiʻi from Mexico in the early 1800s and has been an Island favorite
The prestigious Merrie Monarch Festival wrapped up competition this weekend in Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island. Like every year, the hula and mele were incredible. Jaedyn Janae Puahualani Pavao took home the title of Miss Aloha Hula 2025 on Thursday night at the Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium. Pavao is a student and niece of Kumu Hula Leināʻala
Situated at the foot of the Koʻolau Mountains on Oʻahu’s Windward Side, Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden spans 400 beautiful acres. Opened in 1982, the garden is the youngest and largest botanical garden owned and operated by the city and county of Honolulu. The property features six tropical gardens—which are inspired by geographical regions—and it also boasts
