General Info about Hawaii, USA

The currency used in San Diego/USA is the US Dollar (US$) which is divided into 100 cents (¢). Notes come in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100. There are larger denominations but they are rarely used. Coins used are 1¢ (penny), 5¢ (nickel), 10¢ (dime), ¢25 (quarter), ¢50 and $1, although the final two aren’t seen regularly.

Despite the fact that the state is made up of a number of islands, its weather rarely varies. It has a moderate tropical climate with only moderate temperature changes compliments of the influence of the warm Pacific Ocean. Only two real seasons are observed in Hawaii, summer or Kau in the native tongue which is between May and October and winter or Ho’oilo which takes place between November and April. So while the average annual temperature lies just short of 24 degrees Celsius, the average summer temperature is 29 degree Celsius and the average winter temperature is just a few degrees lower at 25.6 degrees.

On the other hand, rainfall varies quite a bit from one region to the other. The lowest is at Puako on the Big Island averaging 6 inches per year whereas Mt. Wai’ale’ale on the island of Kaua’i receives an average of 486 inches per year. It is also worth nothing that rain or wind storms are more frequent during winter but they usually don’t last more than a day.

Time Zone
Hawaii is ten hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. It does not observe Daylight saving time.

Opening Hours
Shops in Hawaii are generally open between 9.30 and 5.30 from Monday to Saturday but the larger shopping centres are generally open between 10.00am and 9.00pm from Monday to Friday, from 10.00am until 5.30pm on Saturday and from 12.00pm until 6.00pm on Sunday. Office hours are open between 8.00 and 4.30 from Monday to Friday.


Tourist Offices
The main tourist offices in Hawaii are on Oahu at 2270 Kalakaua on the seventh floor of the Waikiki Business Plaza, on Maui at 1727 Pa Loop Wailuki, Hawaii at 250 Keawe Street and on Kauai in the Lihue Plaza Building at 3016 Umi Street. All offices are open between 8.00am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday.

There is no VAT in the US but every state, county and city reserves the right to levy its own local tax on all purchases, including hotel and restaurant bills, airline tickets etc. In Hawaii sales tax is 4% and accommodation tax is 7.25%. So, in order to avoid embarrassment when it comes to paying the bill, you should always check that a stated price includes tax.

Visa Requirements

Currency Exchange


The US phone systems are divided into three digit area codes by city and/or region. All the islands are covered by the 808 area code but if you are calling one island from another you will have to dial 1 followed by the area code and the local seven digit number. This also applies when calling any of the other states. If you are calling the US from outside the country you dial 00, followed by 1, the area code and the local number.





Public Holidays

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