Moving to Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii is home to the Aloha Spirit, a feel-goody vibe that permeates the city and surrounding Hawaiian islands. The Aloha Spirit is quite simple: be friendly, be happy, be warm. And Honolulu is a perfect place for all the above. Situated in the middle of the Pacific, it is a tropical paradise that enjoys great weather year round and in the mecca of a number of cultures, who bring unique food and experiences to the city.

However, Honolulu is more than surf’s up and let’s eat some great Asian fusion for dinner. It has a vital role as a economic and cultural port in the Pacific region. For many from the Far East, it is the gateway to America. And for many Americans, it is a great place to anchor a career. For everybody, though, Honolulu is a great place to be. It is paradise, after all. Or, at least as close to paradise as most come…

Layout of Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu is located in the Hawaiian islands, a collection of eight large “main” islands with many smaller surrounding islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is 2,000 miles away from California and is considered a part of polynesia, a larger collection of islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands were created by volcanic activity, and many still have active volcanoes.

Honolulu is the largest city in Hawaii. The city proper is home to about 300,000 people, and the larger metropolitan area has just under one million people. The city is broken down into roughly 15 neighborhoods. Waikiki is the tourist destination; Downtown Honolulu is the financial and business center; the Arts District is home to museums, venues and galleries; Manoa Valley is home to the University of Hawaii; and East Honolulu is recognized as the high-end area with the best schools.

Positives of Moving to Honolulu

Beauty – Palm trees, bright blue ocean, white sand, lush vegetation, a gorgeous climate, rainbows, mountains, waterfalls, exotic flowers, bright sunshine, brighter sunsets… Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places in the world, day in, day out.

Weather – Hawaii’s climate is moderated by the surrounding Pacific Ocean, which keeps temperatures between 66 and 88 degrees all year long. The record, record low for Honolulu is 52 degrees. Insane. It’s sunny most days, but even when it rains it’s warm. And though the area can experience tornadoes and hurricanes, they are very rare.

Cuisine – Honolulu is a melting pot of cultures, primarily American, indigenous Polynesian, and a number of Asian cultures. The cuisine reflects this blend. Residents enjoy unique Asian fusion dishes and fresh local fruit and seafood all the time. Spam, the canned ham, is also extremely popular in Hawaiian cuisine. Whether this is a good or bad thing, people still swear by the comforting food in Honolulu.

Outdoors activities – There is not better place than Hawaii for an active outdoors lifestyle. Hawaii has amazing hiking, biking, beaching, surfing, boating, snorkeling, and sky-based sporting opportunities all year long.

Economy (if you have a job) – Hawaii is a major port and economic center, because it is one of the few places that sits in between the U.S. mainland and Japan, Korea, China and many other south-Asian nations. A lot of commerce passes through, as do a lot of tourists and a lot of new citizens/new residents to the U.S. All of this helps keep the local economy strong.

Negatives of Moving to Honolulu

Vog – Because Honolulu has an active volcano nearby, it can experience days where volcanic gasses get trapped in the area, creating a sort of smog. It’s unpleasant to look at and even worse to smell.

Prices – Honolulu is located on an island in the middle of the ocean. Everything that gets to Hawaii from the mainland must come by boat or plane, which is expensive. Thus, Hawaii experiences prices for basic products that are up to 30% more expensive than on the mainland. Housing is also expensive, because there is a lot of demand to live in a relatively small area.

Isolation – Hawaii is isolated. You can’t simply get in your car and pull a roadtrip to the next state over. If you want to visit somewhere else, you’ll almost certainly need to fly. This is expensive and difficult.

Choice – Hawaii does what it does extremely well. However, beyond that, its offerings suffer a bit. While you can watch a good Polynesian dance at sunset, good luck on your favorite band coming to town, or finding legit Mexican food, or having a wide array of fresh produce at your disposal.

Economy (if you don’t have a job) – Honolulu’s economy is strong, but it is also packed. There aren’t many jobs available. If you have a job, you’re in great shape. However, moving to Honolulu without a job is asking for a struggle.

Traffic – Honolulu, and Hawaii in general, has a lot of cars crammed into a very small area. This creates some awful rush hour traffic, and makes finding parking even at off hours difficult.

Want to get your aloha on? Talk to some Honolulu moving companies right here: Honolulu movers.