As the most isolated population center on earth, the Hawaiian Islands are perhaps one of the most unique locations on earth, which means that life in Hawaii will always be a little different than anywhere else. As a result, the people who call Hawaii home are undoubtedly one-of-a-kind. With a distinct style, specific character quirks, and a unique lifestyle, Hawaii locals are pretty easy to spot – even when they have left the islands.

1. Hawaiians break out the sweaters and pants once it hits 70 degrees.
Aaron Najera/Flickr
2. Rice is its own food group to Hawaii locals. And many of them eat it with every meal, even breakfast.
_Wiedz/Flickr
3. Oh, and they will vehemently defend SPAM from verbal insults. Spam musubi is everywhere, and there’s even a whole festival dedicated to the food every year.
B D T /Flickr
4. Shave ice is one of their favorite go-to treats – and they will argue endlessly that it is 100% not a snow cone. especially if you add a scoop of ice cream to the bottom. Yumm.
Frontriver/Flickr
5. They give directions in relation to the mauka (mountain) and the makai (ocean).
Voctor/Flickr
6. They complain about traffic, a lot. Perhaps, surprisingly, Honolulu has the second-worst traffic in the country, just behind L.A.
Sun Brocki/Flickr
7. Hawaiians view dressing up as throwing on their nice shorts, or a sundress, with their slippahs.
John Fowler/Flickr

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8) When visiting the mainland, they take forever to order from common chain restaurants – like Olive Garden and Chipotle – because they simply don’t exist in Hawaii.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
9. Hawaiians actually pronounce “karaoke” and “karate” correctly, but no one really believes them. Also, they will slip many Hawaiian words into their speech without noticing.
Shazam791/Flickr
10. They wear slippahs… sometimes even when hiking up a mountain.
Kristina D.C. Hoeppner/Flickr
11. They would be totally lost if forced to drive in inclement weather… especially snow.
Enigma63/Flickr
12. Hawaiians have a favorite spot for everything and know where to go to avoid tourists – including beaches, hiking spots, the best food, etc.
Leigh Langman/Flickr
13. They don’t talk about home insurance in terms of tornadoes and earthquakes, but in the context of lava insurance – obviously depending on where they live.
James Hawkins/Flickr
14. Hawaiians appear less stressed than most Americans – because they are. According to a Gallup study, Hawaii is the least stressed state in the country.
Carlton Abas/Flickr

Hawaii locals are simply made to stand out, don’t you think? Tell us in the comments, how else can you spot someone from Hawaii? Then, click here to read about The 14 Types of People You’ll Meet In Hawaii. Which one are you?

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Hawaii Locals

Megan Shute | January 29, 2021

What makes the Hawaiian Islands so, well, different? 

While we might take offense to the word “weird” at times, there’s no denying that the Aloha State is one of the most unique places in the entire country. From bizarre historic stories to the odd places you can visit, you’ll love learning about what makes the Hawaiian Islands so quirky. I personally love telling everyone I meet about the odd and elusive colony of wallabies you’ll find hiding in Oahu’s Kalihi Valley.

What do Hawaii locals love?

Hawaii is perhaps the most unique of the 50 American states, and as a result, people who call the Aloha State home have a distinct perspective on life. While living on an island chain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean has its frustrations and annoyances, most locals will agree that there is no place they’d rather live — and here are 14 reasons why.

What questions should I not ask Hawaii locals? 

When anyone discovers you are from Hawaii or even live on the islands, they always have a ton of questions to ask. It might be because they are jealous, or maybe it’s because Hawaii is so far away from the mainland that all they really know is what they see on postcards or on Hawaii Five-O. Either way, here are 14 questions people always ask when they know you live in Hawaii as well as our answers. Be warned, though: many of these questions are a little bit, well, ridiculous.

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