15.Hoard macadamia nuts, Hawaiian coffee and Honolulu Cookies in your luggage.
14. Buy souvenirs from an ABC Store.
13. Gloat over picture-perfect Hawaiian pineapples.
12. Photograph silly poses with tourist spots as your backdrop. (Pictured: Diamond Head)
11. Line up with fellow tourists at tourist traps such as the Honolulu Zoo, Hanauma Bay and Halona Cove. (Pictured: Hanauma Bay)
10. Get a tan in Waikiki Beach.
9. Go gaga over the sight of shore shacks and surfboards.
8. Secretly photograph local surfers.
7. Buy an overpriced souvenir bracelet engraved with your official Hawaiian name.
6. Stop over at a shrimp shack and sample the best catch of the day. (Pictured: Fumi’s Shrimp Farm)
6. Stop over at a shrimp shack and sample the best catch of the day.
11. Line up with fellow tourists at tourist traps such as the Honolulu Zoo, Hanauma Bay and Halona Cove.
11. Line up with fellow tourists at tourist traps such as the Honolulu Zoo, Hanauma Bay and Halona Cove. (Pictured: Hanauma Bay)
11. Line up with fellow tourists at tourist traps such as the Honolulu Zoo, Hanauma Bay and Halona Cove. (Pictured: Halona Cove)
5. Devour hotdog sandwiches (or veggiedogs if you’re vegetarian), fruit shakes and colorful snow cones for lunch.
5. Devour hotdog sandwiches (or veggiedogs if you’re vegetarian), fruit shakes and colorful snow cones for lunch.
4. Order a tropical cocktail that comes with a paper umbrella.
3. Place a hibiscus flower (fresh or plastic) on your ear.
2. Accessorize with a lei.
1. Wear a Hawaiian shirt, sarong or floral dress while strolling around the island.
Oops, was that me in some of those photos? Okay, I admit it; I unabashedly acted like a tourist during my October trip. I couldn’t help it! It was my first time in Hawaii and I was amazed at how it felt like I was in another planet devoted to tropical paradise. Although I was getting sick of all things floral by my fourth day, I look forward to booking another trip there soon. I met a few locals who are willing to take me to hole-in-the-wall spots—the type where lei-wearing visitors will be chased out of the island with a torch.
photos #4, 7, 8, 12, and 13 by Marco Alvarez. All other photos by KateWasHere.com.
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