Entry regulations

Good news: Anyone travelling to the US from the 27 countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program (including the UK, Ireland and Europe) who has a valid passport that was issued before 26 October 2005, and therefore includes a machine readable zone, does not need to obtain a new passport until the existing one expires.

Visa Waiver Programme

Under the US Visa Waiver Programme, most British Citizens holding a UK passport do not require a US visa providing:

Duration of stay is not more than 90 days and traveller holds a valid ticket for onward or return travel.

Passport is valid for at least 90 days from date of entry into the United States.

Travel is for business, tourism or transit only.

Traveller is not a journalist on assignment nor an individual seeking gainful employment.

Traveller has never been arrested (even if the arrest did not lead to a conviction) and has not been convicted of a crime.

Traveller has not been refused entry into or deported from the United States and has not previously violated the terms of admission under the visa waiver programme.

If travelling on or after 26th October 2004, traveller is in possession of an individual machine readable passport (NB: Nearly all UK passports are now machine readable).

Traveller completes and presents an I-94W form to the US Customs and Border Protection at the first point of entry into the USA (these forms are available at check-in or on the aircraft) and otherwise be eligible for a visa.

For more information visit www.usembassy.org.uk.

Under the US Visit scheme and after September 30th 2004 all arrivals in the US under the Visa Waiver Programme will have to - electronically - give fingerprints and have their picture taken. The process takes 15 seconds. For up to date information about the new finger print and biometric entry procedures into the USA go to www.dhs.gov/us-visit.

More information: U.S. Customs Service (www.customs.ustreas.gov).

Eat

Contemporary Hawaiian food, like the language and popular culture, is a medley of traditional Hawaiian, American, and Asian Pacific flavors. Pacific “fusion” cuisine was largely invented in Hawaii. Well-known local chefs include Sam Choy, Alan Wong, Russell Siu, Roy Yamaguchi, and George “Chef Mavro” Mavrothalassitis. Seafood is, of course, fresh and tasty.

Local beef comes from ranches on Maui and coffee is grown on the Island of Hawaii. Tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, bananas, guavas, and papaya — as well as fresh sugar cane, can be bought in most corner stores (although you may be surprised to learn that many of those fruits are now imported from distant locales such as The Philippines).

One of the most common ways that Hawaiian food is served is in the form of plate lunch, usually meat or fish with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. It’s always a good deal at any lunch truck, mall, or outside food court. LandL Drive Inn is probably the most widely distributed chain of plate lunch spots in Hawaii. Branches of LandL can be found around the Islands and in some locations on the Mainland as well (as LandL Hawaiian Barbecue). Other islands also have their own favorite spots; for instance, Rainbow Drive-Inn (”Rainbows”) and Zippy’s are popular plate lunch places on Oahu.

Perhaps the best setting to enjoy traditional Hawaiian food is at a luau, or a traditional Hawaiian feast. Tourists can find luaus at various locations in the Islands, including many of the major resort hotels. At a modern luau traditional Hawaiian favorites are served buffet style, and there is also Hawaiian music, hula, and other Polynesian entertainment. The downside is that they can be pricey and prices can vary widely; expect to pay between USD USD 50 and USD 90 per adult and about half that per child.

Dishes that are often found at luaus include:
Lomi salmon, salted salmon mixed with tomatoes, onions, and pepper; like an island salsa
Kalua pig, pork wrapped in banana leaves and steamed inside an imu (ground boiler); similar to pulled pork
Pipi kaula, Hawaiian style beef jerky
Poi, ground taro root paste
Laulau, pork and butterfish (black cod) wrapped in ti leaves then steamed
Luau, seafood (often squid) prepared in a mixture of boiled taro leaves and coconut milk
Haupia, a gelatin-like dessert prepared from thickened coconut milk

Other local dishes include favorites such as the following:
Ahi, yellowfin tuna, excellent as sashimi (Japanese style sliced raw fish) or as poke (chopped and seasoned raw fish).
Mahi Mahi or dolphin fish, served as a steak, sandwich, or in almost-raw thin strips .
Ono, also known as wahoo. The name is also the Hawaiian word for ‘delicious’, and it is.
Shave ice, an island version of snow cones, comes in lots of ono flavors. Order your shave ice with azuki beans and/or a scoop of ice cream.
Saimin, Hawaii’s version of noodle soup or ramen.

For specific places at which to eat, see the individual island or city articles. Be sure to check the coupon books that are available at display stands for meal specials.

Drink
Hawaii well may be the birthplace of the foofy umbrella drink and offers a colorful array of fruit and booze concoctions. The Blue Hawaiian, Hawaiian Screw, and original Hawaiian Punch can be easily found. Passion-orange-guava (P.O.G.) juice is a popular mixer. Non-alcoholic variants are often available. Of course, standard beers, wines and liquors will also be on the menu.

Many small restaurants and all “to-go” places do not sell alcoholic beverages. However, in some cases it is customary to bring your own alcohol to such places, which may even provide you with a bottle opener, but check beforehand.

Kona Brewing Company [2], on the big island, is a local microbrewery. Its beer is widely available in restaurants and stores throughout Hawaii, but not much outside of the state.

Norwegian Cruise Lines operates U.S.-flagged cruise ships between the islands. Most cruises originate in Honolulu Harbor.

Currently, there are no ferries between the Hawaiian islands, but a local company, Hawaii Superferry, is aiming to have ferries between Oahu and Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island running in early 2007 if things run on schedule.

Car rentals should be booked as soon as possible as the price charged is based on a supply/demand basis. The exception is Waikiki where you will not need a car on a permanent basis so just rent a car the day before you want one. Collision insurance coverage is very expensive through car rental companies so if you have a gold plus Visa or MasterCard and it offers collision coverage, use it.

If not, get coverage from your own insurance company prior to your trip. Car rental rates for 5 or 6 day periods are often the same as 7 day rentals. Use your gold card Visa or MasterCard for medical and trip cancellation insurance if it has coverage, and if not, buy from your flight travel agent.

By plane

Most flights from the mainland US and almost all international flights land in Honolulu on the island of Oahu. Direct service from the mainland is also available to Kahului on Maui and Kona on the Big Island as well. The flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco takes about 5 hours, comparable to a flight between the West and East Coasts.

As Hawaii is one of the United States, travel to Hawaii from the U.S. Mainland is not much different from traveling between two states on the Mainland. It is not necessary to bring a passport (or any documentation of U.S. citizenship) when traveling to Hawaii from the U.S. Mainland. The only paperwork that you’ll be asked to fill out is required by the U.S. and Hawaii State Departments of Agriculture to prevent harmful plant pests and diseases from coming into Hawaii. Any fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and the like need to inspected by Department of Agriculture personnel at your point of arrival. To avoid problems, avoid bringing such items with you if at all possible.

For entry requirements from other countries, see the Get in section of the United States article.

By car

Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. whose Interstate Highways don’t connect to any other state. This is due to the state being a series of islands in the Pacific Ocean. If you want to take your car to Hawaii it will either need to be amphibious or freighted by ship. For car rental information see “Get around” heading further down.

By boat

While the days where everyone arrived in Hawaii by boat are long gone, there are limited numbers of trans-Pacific cruises to Hawaii that leave from ports on the West Coast.

Golf courses are numerous and scenic. Deep-sea fishing is very popular off Hawaii’s Big Island. The Hawai’ian islands are particularly good for watersports. For would-be yachtspeople, one-week yachting charters are available, with or without crews. All boats are equipped with Coast-Guard-approved safety equipment and are under Coast Guard supervision. Surfing is, of course, a very popular sport - for both participants and spectators. Waikiki Beach is probably the most famous surfing beach in the world; learners are welcome here.

Snorkeling is especially popular near the Molokini Crater off Maui, as well as at various sites around each of the islands. Increasingly popular is the hair- and dust-raising sport of downhill biking, particularly so on the 64km (40 miles) of Haleakala volcano’s slopes in Maui. In addition, there are some exciting international events such as the Canoe Races, in which outrigger canoes race against each other. One particularly grueling race course runs from Molokai to Waikiki. Races take place from autumn to spring