Aloha, now we’d like to share with you some intriguing and unexpected facts about Hawaii, which is often considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. The name “Hawaii” is derived from the Proto-Polynesian “Hawaiki,” which means “Place of the Gods” or “Homeland.”
Now, take a seat, put your feet up, and check out some fascinating information that you’ve probably never heard before!
More native animal species have disappeared from Hawaii than from any other state.
More species have been lost to extinction in the state of Hawaii, and it also has a greater number of endangered species than any other state in the United States.
About seventy percent of this state’s native birds have become extinct, and the others are considered to be at imminent risk of going the same way.
It is considered impolite to decline to wear a lei flower when it is offered to you by another person.
It is considered disrespectful to decline a lei flower or to remove it in front of the person who presented it to you during a celebration since there are certain regulations that are linked with it. A lei flower is often used in festivities, and there are certain rules that are related to it.
It is improper to discard a lei but rather to restore it to the land, especially at the location where the flowers were first picked.
This is an old custom that has been practised in Hawaii for a very long time, and the regulations that govern it are still taken quite seriously by a good number of the locals.
Surfing originated in Hawaii.
In fact, hundreds of years ago.
And there is plenty of evidence that the current sport of stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), which is very popular across the globe, began here as well – launched by Waikiki beach boys decades ago, resurrected more recently by large wave surfers on Maui, and then promoted to the rest of the world.
You may send a coconut from this location.
And I do mean JUST the coconut. It is not packaged. Not in a box. A huge ol’ coconut with an address written on it. One of Hawaii’s amusing facts!
You may decorate it, paint images on it, turn it into a piece of art, write a message on it, and send it. Just make sure it’s an older dried-out unhusked coconut (as seen in the photo), otherwise, you may require an agricultural inspection before sending.
Various establishments, as well as certain hotels and restaurants, offer adorned coconuts that are ready for sending.
Mount Haleakala in Maui is the world’s biggest dormant volcano.
Its highest point is 10,023 feet, and the interior of the summit crater is around 7.5 by 2.5 miles, however, the majority of the mountain is below sea level.
Haleakala rises over 30,000 feet above sea level if measured from the sea bottom. This huge volcano, which generated 75% of Maui, is inactive… but not extinct. Haleakala’s most recent eruption is thought to have happened in the late 1700s.
Hawaii adds almost 42 acres to its size every single year.
Because to the Kilauea Volcano, the size of Hawaii’s Big Island, which is another name for the state of Hawaii, increases by more than 42 acres annually.
The fact that this volcano has been active for around 30 years and yet manages to surprise people with its eruptions is astounding in and of itself.
The volcano known as Mauna Loa is one of the largest that can be found anywhere in the globe.
In addition, it is situated on the Big Island, and the lava fields there were previously used by astronauts as a training ground before they were sent to the moon.
Only Hawaii is currently capable of producing coffee on a commercial scale.
This state is the only one in the United States that engages in the commercial cultivation of cacao, vanilla beans, and coffee.
One other intriguing fact is that the growth of a single vanilla bean may take up to five years to finish. This is a quite long time for such a simple plant.
On the Big Island, temperatures have been seen to reach both the highest and lowest points ever recorded.
The Big Island is responsible for both the warmest and the coolest temperatures ever recorded in Hawaii. This finding shouldn’t come as much of a surprise given the variety of terrain found on this island.
The settlement of Pahala on the Big Island had a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit on April 27, 1931. This was the hottest temperature ever recorded on the Big Island.
The temperature at the top of Mauna Kea was 12 degrees Fahrenheit on May 17, 1979, making it the day with the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded there.
Hawaiians are just those who have Hawaiian ancestors.
Even though you were born and raised in Hawaii, you are not recognised to be a real Hawaiian unless you have Hawaiian heritage in your family tree. This is true even if you were born and raised in Hawaii.
Locals is the term used for those who were born and reared in the state but do not have Hawaiian heritage, even if they consider themselves to be natives of the state.
The pineapple labyrinth at the Dole Plantation is the biggest of its kind in the world.
A pineapple labyrinth may be found at the Dole Plantation on the island of Oahu. This maze, which has 14,000 colourful Hawaiian plants and was meticulously created, is a popular destination for travellers.
This enormous labyrinth covers an area of three acres, and it hides a secret at its very heart, along with eight hidden checkpoints for those who are determined to uncover it.
Molokai has a population of just 7400 people.
Molokai, which was formerly a leper colony, has a population of just 7,400 people.
There are even fewer inhabitants on Lanai, Hawaii’s smallest populated island available to tourists.
A Frank Lloyd Wright design may be seen in Maui.
It’s the 74,000-square-foot clubhouse of the King Kamehameha Golf Club in Waikapu, which sits 750 feet above sea level against the West Maui Mountains (Central Maui). The legendary architect created this design in 1949 as a private residence (on a lower scale), and it was initially planned as a home for Marilyn Monroe.
Although this is a private golf club, tourists are invited to enter the magnificent clubhouse and take in the breathtaking views! If you want to play a round of golf at this private course, you may buy a limited-time Guest-For-A-Day ticket.
Hawaii is the only state in the United States with two official languages. Hawaiian and English
Some locals believe Pidgin is an official language, however, it is not. Although it may seem strange, since it is widely used here, Pidgin is not an “official” language. (“We Stay Close” means “Closed” in Pidgin.)
Speaking about Pidgin, it has made its way into our neighbourhood signpost. You may see signs here with misspelt terms that lack the “d.” “Ice Shaved.” “Fish Smoke.” “Saturday open; Sunday closed.” That missing “d” is just accepted in Hawaii.
Aloha is a Hawaiian word that means both “hello” and “goodbye.”
You just can’t go wrong with such a versatile welcome.
Hawaii was the first state to prohibit the use of plastic bags.
Oahu, the most populous Hawaiian island, joined the other Hawaiian islands in banning plastic bags from their establishments in July 2015.
As a result, it became the first state to completely prohibit the use of plastic bags.
A lot of Hollywood films are shot in Hawaii.
Several popular movies have been shot in Hawaii throughout the years, even if they are not set there.
Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, 50 First Dates, Godzilla, Tropic Thunder, and You, Me, and Dupree are among these films.
The Kualoa Ranch is home to several of these shooting sites.
Before entering someone’s house, Hawaiians take their shoes off.
It makes no difference how clean, stylish, or costly your shoes are, or what the occasion is. The shoes are removed at the entrance. That’s the usual around here. So, if you’re going to a dinner party, choose socks that don’t have any holes.
Each Hawaiian island has its own official colour and flower.
The official colour of Maui is pink, and our flower is Lokelani (aka Damask Rose). The yellow hibiscus is the official flower of Hawaii (pictured).
By the way, the Humuhumunukunukupuaa is the state fish of Hawaii (aka reef triggerfish). The name means “triggerfish with a pig’s snout.” Adorable, right? This is one of the Hawaiian language’s longest terms, and it’s an unusually lengthy name for a little fish (about 10 inches long). One of many tongue-twisting facts about Hawaii!
The Hawaiian state flag seems to be confusedly British.
That’s because the Union Jack (the British flag) and the stripes from the American flag are both included in the design of this flag, which was commissioned by Hawaii’s King Kamehameha I in the 1800s.
Snakes are outlawed in Hawaii.
The only snakes that are legally permitted to be maintained in Hawaii are in zoos.
The Hawaiian macadamia nut does not originate in Hawaii.
The world-famous Hawaiian macadamia nut is not native to Hawaii but was initially brought as ornamental vegetation from Australia in the 1880s.
This nut did not arrive in Hawaii until the 1920s when it became a harvest crop.
Hawaii is the only state that is completely made up of islands.
Hawaii is the only state in the United States that is completely made up of islands.
This state is made up of 132 islands, comprising eight major islands (Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe) and 124 islets, reefs, and shoals.
Sharing nature’s wealth is a Hawaiian custom.
When someone has a backyard tree that produces “too much” fruit, they bring a box to work, leave some for neighbours, or give it away to those who would appreciate it. There is no squandering.
Huge bunches of ripening bananas are often seen hanging in a Maui hotel lobby, a supermarket, or other public venues. Alternatively, boxes of freshly selected mangoes, avocados, starfruit, or whatever else is in season.
Help yourselves if it is clearly put there for others to enjoy. However, the guideline is to take just what you need. Not even a handful.
The banyan tree in the middle of Lahaina is one of the world’s biggest.
When it was planted in 1873, the famed Lahaina banyan tree was eight feet tall, and it is currently the tallest banyan tree in the United States. It’s an incredible sight, with hundreds of interwoven trunks and branches spanning a quarter mile in diameter.
Hawaii is rabies-free, and quarantine rules are exceedingly tight to maintain it that way.
As a consequence, bringing your pet dog or cat to Hawaii for a short visit is difficult. It takes months of planning and certification, or months of quarantine here after they arrive. So, unless you’re living here permanently, it’s better to leave Fido and Fluffy at home.
Hawaii is one of just two states in the United States where all kinds of gambling are prohibited. (Utah is the other state.)
As a consequence, while gambling is illegal in Hawaii, locals are utterly infatuated with it. We are huge Las Vegas lovers.
Because so many locals travel and/or ultimately relocate to Las Vegas, we refer to it as Hawaii’s “9th island.” So… it addresses the age-old question: Where do you go on vacation if you live in Hawaii? Baby, it’s Vegas.
Hawaii is the second-largest state in the United States.
Hawaii is the second-largest state in the United States, stretching 1,523 miles from Ni’ihau island to the Big Island.
In Hawaii, Billboards are outlawed.
Hawaii is one of four states in the United States that prohibit the use of billboards for advertising purposes.
By law, no structure on Kauai may be higher than a palm tree.
Not only that, but there are no cities, motorways, chain restaurants, skyscrapers or buildings, and very few mainstream retailers on Kauai.
Furthermore, the island’s maximum speed restriction is merely 50 mph!
Hawaii operates in its own time zone.
This beautiful state has its own time zone, known as Hawaiian Standard Time, and is one of only two states that does not observe Daylight Saving Time.
Although it may seem apparent, Hawaii also has a saying – if you’ve ever heard the term “Hawaiian time,” you’re not alone…
Because of the casual atmosphere and hot weather, there is often less of a hurry to get where you need to be.
As a result, the term “Hawaiian Time” often refers to coming later than planned for an event or meeting.
Hawaii is the only state that recognises a monarch.
Hawaii is the only state in the United States that honours a king; on June 11th, they commemorate King Kamehameha Day.
This king is well remembered for unifying the Hawaiian Islands in 1810.