Hawaiʻi welcomes millions of visitors a year, and most residents are glad to share their home. A few cultural basics and some clear legal rules, from sunscreen to monk seals, make the difference between being a tourist and being a good guest.
What do aloha and mālama ʻāina actually mean?
Most visitors learn aloha as hello and goodbye, and it does mean both. It also means love, and Hawaiʻi takes the word seriously enough to write it into state law. The Aloha Spirit statute describes aloha as mutual regard and affection that extends warmth in caring, with no obligation in return. It lists five values behind it: kindness, unity, agreeableness, humility and patience.
Mālama ʻāina means to love and care for the land. ʻĀina is usually translated as land, but in Hawaiian thinking it is also the source of the food that sustains people. Caring for it is a responsibility, not a slogan.
For you as a guest, both ideas come down to the same thing: be patient, be kind, and leave places better than you found them.
Why does Hawaiian history matter to a visitor?
Hawaiʻi was an independent kingdom until January 17, 1893. On that day a so-called Committee of Safety, made up of non-Hawaiian residents, overthrew Queen Liliʻuokalani. The U.S. Minister, John L. Stevens, supported them, and U.S. naval forces had come ashore in Honolulu the day before. The queen yielded under protest to avoid bloodshed, expecting the United States to restore her.
That did not happen. The U.S. annexed Hawaiʻi in 1898. A century later, in 1993, Congress passed a joint resolution (Public Law 103-150) formally apologizing to Native Hawaiians for the overthrow.
You do not need to become a historian. Knowing this background helps you understand why land, language and sacred places mean so much here, and why some residents have complicated feelings about tourism. A visit to ʻIolani Palace on Oʻahu is a good place to start.
How should you behave at a heiau or other sacred site?
A heiau is a Hawaiian place of worship, often built as stone platforms or walls. Many are still used and cared for today. Treat them the way you would treat any church or temple.
- Stay off walls and platforms. Stepping on stonework can collapse sections that have stood for centuries.
- Do not move, stack or take rocks. At Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, the National Park Service prohibits rock stacking because many of the stones come from archaeological sites.
- Leave offerings alone. Do not touch, move or add to the wrapped bundles you may see.
- No coral graffiti. Writing your name in coral is vandalism, and disturbing cultural resources in a national park can bring fines or arrest.
- Follow posted signs and stay out of areas that are roped off.
Is it illegal to take lava rocks or sand from Hawaii?
In many places, yes. State law (HRS §171-58.5) prohibits taking sand, dead coral, coral rubble, rocks or other marine deposits from beaches and the shoreline, with narrow exceptions such as sand that sticks to your feet, towel or gear by accident. In national parks, removing natural or cultural features is prohibited under federal rules.
There is also a cultural reason. Lava rock is connected to Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes, and many Native Hawaiians regard the land itself as sacred. Haleakalā National Park has received well over a thousand rocks mailed back by visitors, often with letters of apology.
The easiest rule: take photos, leave every rock and grain of sand where it is.
Do you have to stay on marked trails and respect closures?
Yes. Closed trails are closed for a reason, usually rockfall, flash flooding, erosion or cultural protection. The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) cites hikers who enter closed areas, and rescues put first responders at risk.
- Stay on the marked path. Shortcuts damage fragile native plants and spread invasive seeds.
- Respect private land. Many viral spots sit on private property or pass through residents' yards. If a trailhead says no trespassing, turn around.
- Stay out of streams during rain. Flash floods arrive fast, sometimes from rain you cannot see upstream.
- Never turn your back on the ocean, and skip the photo on a slippery ledge.
What are Hawaii's reef-safe sunscreen rules?
Since January 1, 2021, Hawaiʻi has banned the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate without a prescription. The law targets what stores can sell, so check labels before you pack.
Maui County goes further. Since October 1, 2022, a county ordinance allows only mineral sunscreens, meaning those with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as active ingredients, to be sold, distributed or used in the county, which includes Maui, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi. Non-mineral sunscreen requires a prescription, and fines can reach $1,000.
The simplest choice anywhere in the islands is a mineral sunscreen, plus a rash guard and hat so you need less of it.
How close can you get to monk seals, turtles, dolphins and whales?
Hawaiʻi's marine animals are protected, and some distances are federal law. NOAA Fisheries recommends or requires these minimums:
| Animal | Minimum distance | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian monk seal | 50 feet (15 m) | Guideline |
| Monk seal mother with pup | 150 feet (45 m) | Guideline |
| Sea turtles (land and water) | 10 feet (3 m) | Guideline |
| Hawaiian spinner dolphins | 50 yards (46 m) | Federal law since 2021 |
| Other dolphins and small whales | 50 yards (46 m) | Guideline |
| Humpback whales | 100 yards (91 m) | Federal law |
The spinner dolphin rule took effect on October 28, 2021. It bans swimming with, approaching or staying within 50 yards of spinner dolphins within 2 nautical miles of the main islands. The humpback rule applies to boats, kayaks, swimmers and drones alike.
Never touch, feed or chase wildlife. If an animal changes its behavior because of you, you are too close. To report a sick or injured marine mammal or turtle, call the NOAA hotline at (888) 256-9840. Our wildlife guide has more on where to see each species.
How do you pronounce Hawaiian words correctly?
The Hawaiian alphabet has 13 letters: five vowels (a, e, i, o, u), seven consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w) and the ʻokina.
- ʻOkina (ʻ): a glottal stop, like the break in "uh-oh." It is a consonant, so Hawaiʻi is said "ha-WAI-ee" with a small catch before the last syllable.
- Kahakō (ā): a line over a vowel that makes it longer. It can change a word's meaning entirely.
- Every vowel is pronounced. Say each one: Ka-me-ha-me-ha.
You will not be judged for an accent. Making the effort is a sign of respect people notice.
Should you call residents "Hawaiian" or "local"?
In Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian refers to Native Hawaiians, the Indigenous people of the islands, much like an ethnicity. Someone who was born in Hawaiʻi but is not of Native Hawaiian ancestry is usually called local, a Hawaiʻi resident or someone from Hawaiʻi. Using the terms correctly is a small courtesy that matters.
How can you support local businesses and Maui's recovery?
The Lahaina wildfire of August 8, 2023 killed 102 people and destroyed much of the historic town. Recovery is ongoing, and many survivors still live with the loss. If you visit West Maui, be considerate: respect restricted areas, do not photograph damaged homes or sites, and remember that people around you may have lost family or homes.
The most useful thing you can do is spend where it stays local:
- Eat at family-run restaurants and food trucks, and shop at farmers markets.
- Book tours with locally owned operators, ideally ones that share Hawaiian culture with permission and context.
- Buy art and crafts made in Hawaiʻi rather than imported souvenirs.
- Volunteer. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority's Mālama Hawaiʻi program, launched in 2020, connects visitors with groups doing fishpond restoration, beach cleanups, food bank work and Maui recovery. Some hotels offer perks for taking part.
On Hawaiʻi Island, the county and visitors bureau created the Pono Pledge in 2018. It asks you to stay out of places you don't belong, leave lava rocks and sand, watch wildlife from a distance and respect the ocean. It is a good summary of everything above, wherever you go in the islands.
Facts checked October 2026. Wildlife distances follow NOAA Fisheries guidance; sunscreen and shoreline rules follow Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes and Maui County Code. Rules and closures can change, so check posted signs and official sources before you go.
- NOAA Fisheries: Viewing Marine Wildlife in Hawaiʻi
- NOAA Fisheries: New regulation protects Hawaiian spinner dolphins
- Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §342D-21 (sunscreen)
- County of Maui: Mineral-only sunscreen FAQ
- Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes §171-58.5 (sand and rocks)
- NPS Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau: Coral graffiti and rock structures
- Hawaiʻi DLNR: The Apology Resolution (Public Law 103-150)
- Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority: Mālama Hawaiʻi dashboard
