How To Move To Hawaii - Tips On Relocating To the Islands

If you want to move to Hawaii here are some tips to help make the transition easier.

First you have to decide which island you want to live on. The best way to do this is to visit each of the islands and see what they have to offer. Most of the jobs are in the Oahu area though with enough persistence you can find work anywhere, though it may not be the exact type of work you want.

If surfing is your top priority then you may want to consider living on the north shore of one of the islands because the north swells during the winter are the biggest. Oahu’s north shore is world famous for surfing and every winter major surf contests are held there. Maui is  a little less busy than Oahu and also has great waves, including the famous Jaws.

If you are a person who likes living in a tropical rainforest and you don’t mind some rain then you might consider the Volcano region on the Big Island of Hawaii. Nearby is Hilo which is very lush and wet.  Hilo also has a campus of the University of Hawaii so it is somewhat of a college town, and the downtown area is beautifully situated on Hilo Bay.

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If you prefer a drier and sunnier area then consider Kona on the Big Island. Kona is dry and sunny most days of the year. If you live on the Big Island you can also visit the actively erupting Kilauea Volcano, though at times the volcano can produce an unpleasant Vog, or volcanic gas.

One good way to decide on a final living location is to rent a place for one or two months and then use that time to take short trips around to different islands and see what each island has to offer. This will be a bit easier if you live on Oahu since most flights go through Oahu.

Check out Craig’s List online to see the differences in what is available on each island as far as jobs, housing, items for sale, etc. This will help you get a sense of the costs of each island.

Some well populated areas have higher rents but lower food and amenities costs, while remote areas may have lower rents but very little choice when it comes to food stores and other stores, costing significantly more than in areas where there are several stores providing competition.

Clothing

Clothing needs are quite simple in Hawaii, with a light shirt and shorts being the outfit of choice. If you move to Hawaii try to avoid bringing a huge wardrobe that will only get attract mold in your closet because the items are never worn.

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Furnishings

If you rent a furnished place you can also avoid having to ship or buy furniture, saving considerable costs. A furnished apartment may also have a fully stocked kitchen that will allow you to avoid all of the costs associated with buying pots and pans and other kitchen equipment.

Your Stuff

Just before you come to Hawaii you can mail a lot of your belongings via parcel post. Since this often takes three to five weeks to arrive in Hawaii it will give you some time to get settled before you have to unpack it all.

Personal Documents

You will need all of your personal documents to help you get a Hawaii Driver’s License and for other living needs. Make sure you don’t leave these documents in your checked bags on the airplane as they are too important to risk losing. Keep them on your person or in your carry-on bag.

Get you Driver’s License right away as it sometimes can be used to get local discounts on everything from food to parking.

Transportation

A car is very helpful in Hawaii because, while there are some good bus systems, they typically don’t go to all the great places you want to go such as beautiful remote beaches and mountain hiking trails.

It is often a good idea to ship a car to Hawaii, which may cost about $1000 though it can save you the time of searching for one in Hawaii and ending up with a rust bucket–rust is a big problem on cars in Hawaii, so bringing a car from the mainland at least gives you a fresh start. Also consider rust proofing your vehicle. Car shipping information can be found at matson.com.

In case you do want to ride the bus you can check out the bus system on Oahu: www.thebus.org, Maui: County of Maui, Kauai: County of Kauai, and the Big Island: County of Hawaii.

Pets

If you want to bring your pet with you to Hawaii you need to plan ahead and meet certain requirements to avoid a long quarantine period. Hawaii has strict rules about pets though these have eased in recent years as long as you complete the proper steps. See

Hawaii’s Animal Quarantine Information.

Buying vs. Renting

Rents have gone down significantly in Hawaii in the last few years due to the economic downturn. So have home prices, though not as much as in some other areas of the United States. If you rent at first it will give you time to get the feel of things and see where you want to live based on neighborhood character, climate, cost, convenience, etc.

On the other hand you may not want to wait too long since right now there are historically low interest rates and if prices start to go up again you may not be able to afford the home you thought you could afford.

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