List of What they Bring With to Hawaii

Hi Everyone,

We are heading to Maui in August and I'm trying to develop a list of those items I should bring with me. For the condo what items do you bring that are cheaper to bring vs buying on the island?



For example a few of the item's I have on my list are:

1. Liquid Hand Soap
2. Gallon Size Zip Lock bags
3. Spices
4. Sunscreen

Well, having just done this...(Kauai)

Spices are a must...
Wine aerator
Roku or Fire Tv
Fitbit (love them steps!)
Charging brick with 8 ports (rather than 3 chargers etc..)
Car charger
GPS (I use Ipod touch for Kauai Revealed app/book, GPS, Camera, Music, Mail etc..) I don't take my phone on boat/trail--too easy to break/loose/wet
Backpack/fannypack (we use camelback style for water on trails)
Drypack for wallets/electronics on boat/beach
mini tubes of deet and hand sanitizer (hikes etc..)
sunscreen lip balm--expensive and hard to find last time
do-rag for sensitive scalps on trail/boat (cheap, but can be hard to find)
small bag of mixed OTC medicines (pepto, allergy, pain, Imodium etc..)
super chamois cloth--really good for drying or removing water from patio furniture, jeeps (oops, tops off) boat, drying off etc...
dryer sheets: in zippy on way out, put a few loose in suitcase on way back--keeps luggage from smelling like tropical swamp with wet clothes etc...
Photocopy of D license, passport, tickets etc... Keep a copy in luggage and in hand carried bag. What if you loose your wallet/purse? Makes life oh so easy. Keeping a business card/itinerary in check luggage helps if luggage lost. Ever see a CS agent tear a bag apart trying to find out who it belongs to? Keep something easy to see/find inside bag with contact.

We use vacuum bags to pack clothes (keeping quick-change items in separate bag). Makes packing/unpacking easy and keeps stuff dry.

Anything that can leak...I'd avoid. We only check 1 bag, so we're pretty tight on space. We regretted bringing some cooking things--Thai ingredients etc.. they were in cheap plentiful supply at most markets.

Here's some from our list:

batteries
nail clipper
night light
sewing kit
shopping bags
laundry detergent pods
stamps for postcards (yes we still send them)

artringwald said:

Here's some from our list:

batteries
nail clipper
night light
sewing kit
shopping bags
laundry detergent pods
stamps for postcards (yes we still send them)

Click to expand...

Forgot the pods and shopping bags!
Wouldn't use all-liquid pods though...we've had them leak/explode. Very messy.

Hawaii is about the easiest place to pack for in the world. Shorts/T's/swim suits/a couple of Aloha shirts for dress-up. It all goes in a carry-on. If you check a bag, you're taking too much.

Tater's list of non-clothing items is pretty good for a fly-to timeshare vacay anywhere. We have most all of that type stuff in a packing cube that goes everywhere we timeshare. Some items vary by location/season.

Jim

The recommendations above are great tips. I'd add that we take flat laundry detergent/dryer sheet combo things in a zip lock baggie. Packs flat, doesn't leak, gives laundry cleaning ability everywhere. I put the zip lock in an outside zipped pocket of my suitcase, so they're handy to get to for everyone in our group. They can be cut down for smaller loads in smaller washing machines - something you can't do with pods.

One thing I think is a great idea for anyone needing multiple electrical outlets, is this gadget: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-MP-OT...07&sr=8-1&keywords=travel+power+strip+monster

It has two outlets on either side, providing plenty of plug-in space for any oversized chargers you may have. For travel, the cord wraps around the unit and plugs back in to one of the outlets. Others have said they just carry a cheap extension cord, which I suppose would do the same thing, but I like that this thing has about a one-foot cord, so it doesn't get all tangled up. When I bought mine, it was under $10. So maybe shopping around would help.

Keep in mind Hawaii has plenty of purchasing options for anything you don't bring with you, so there is no need to overpack.

Dave

Passepartout said:

Hawaii is about the easiest place to pack for in the world. Shorts/T's/swim suits/a couple of Aloha shirts for dress-up. It all goes in a carry-on. If you check a bag, you're taking too much.

Tater's list of non-clothing items is pretty good for a fly-to timeshare vacay anywhere. We have most all of that type stuff in a packing cube that goes everywhere we timeshare. Some items vary by location/season.

Jim

Click to expand...

We hate checking bags. But, for two weeks, we couldn't get the weight down to a level we could stand. Too hard to get the bag into the overhead and under 50# etc... We take exercise/hike gear (jacket) and guess it gets too heavy with the other stuff. Besides; where would I put the mac nuts and spam candy on the way back?

I like this thread.

Speaking of charging stations, I love that some of the resorts have added USB charging ports to the lamps in living rooms and/or bedrooms. Westin, Four Seasons, and even Shell resorts now have these USB chargers on lamps. It's something I want at home and cannot find those lamps.

DaveNW said:

One thing I think is a great idea for anyone needing multiple electrical outlets, is this gadget: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-MP-OT...07&sr=8-1&keywords=travel+power+strip+monster

It has two outlets on either side, providing plenty of plug-in space for any oversized chargers you may have.

Click to expand...

Since all of our chargers have USB plugs these days, I find it simpler to just to use a single USB charging hub, like this one. Eliminates the need to bring multiple chargers for phones, ipads, kindles, etc. and only uses a single electrical plug. Very compact and saves some space vs. a power strip and multiple chargers.

Kurt

PigsDad said:

Since all of our chargers have USB plugs these days, I find it simpler to just to use a single USB charging hub, like this one. Eliminates the need to bring multiple chargers for phones, ipads, kindles, etc. and only uses a single electrical plug. Very compact and saves some space vs. a power strip and multiple chargers.

Kurt

Click to expand...

USB chargers are great, if your voltages are all the same. I have some things that won't charge if just plugged in to a random USB port someplace. Not real sure why. But I do like the idea that they're becoming more available.

My spouse is a photography nut. When we travel, there are multiple, not interchangeable, battery chargers needed for the various digital camera batteries. These chargers plug into the wall, and sometimes need to be plugged in all at once.

That was what prompted my search to find this power strip thing - every time we'd move into a new timeshare or hotel room someplace, we'd have this scavenger hunt to figure out where the available outlets were. It seemed there was never enough. Inevitably something would have to get unplugged, or we'd have to tag-team the chargers in the one available outlet. That was a hassle.

This power strip thing solved that issue, with the added convenience that we didn't accidentally leave anything behind, because we forgot that one outlet we'd used behind the dresser or whatever. It was easy insurance, with the added benefit that everything was plugged into the one location.

Dave

Don't overpack. Costco and WalMart are both near the airport. You don't even need to pack t-shirts. Great place in Lahaina for t-shirts 7 for $20! I forget the name of the place but you'll see the sign on the way to the timeshare.

Keep these suggestions coming. I wanted to ensure I brought items that were low cost in my area but double or triple the cost in Maui.

What is flat laundry detergent and where do you buy it at?

DaveNW said:

The recommendations above are great tips. I'd add that we take flat laundry detergent/dryer sheet combo things in a zip lock baggie. Packs flat, doesn't leak, gives laundry cleaning ability everywhere. I put the zip lock in an outside zipped pocket of my suitcase, so they're handy to get to for everyone in our group. They can be cut down for smaller loads in smaller washing machines - something you can't do with pods.

One thing I think is a great idea for anyone needing multiple electrical outlets, is this gadget: http://www.amazon.com/Monster-MP-OT...07&sr=8-1&keywords=travel+power+strip+monster

It has two outlets on either side, providing plenty of plug-in space for any oversized chargers you may have. For travel, the cord wraps around the unit and plugs back in to one of the outlets. Others have said they just carry a cheap extension cord, which I suppose would do the same thing, but I like that this thing has about a one-foot cord, so it doesn't get all tangled up. When I bought mine, it was under $10. So maybe shopping around would help.

Keep in mind Hawaii has plenty of purchasing options for anything you don't bring with you, so there is no need to overpack.

Dave

Click to expand...

http://www.amazon.com/Purex-Complete-Laundry-Sheets-Spring/dp/B0053XE87A

like these... many brands. All in one Smell good, easy to pack, no leaky.

Sugarcubesea said:

Keep these suggestions coming. I wanted to ensure I brought items that were low cost in my area but double or triple the cost in Maui.

Click to expand...

I can't think of anything that is double or triple the cost in Maui, and Maui has major discount stores with all the usual stuff. We go for 3 weeks at a time, with only carry-ons.

Everyone takes way too much the first time they go to Hawaii. You will find that you won't wear half the clothes you take. 90% of the time you will be in shorts, T-Shirts, and bathing suits.

Remember that you will have a washer and dryer, so you don't need to take clothes for the full week. Hawaii is very casual, and no one will be critiquing your fashion choices - really.

Also - don't take beach towels - you can get fresh ones every day from the resort and they take up a lot of room.

All good suggestions. I like the flat laundry sheets; I've been shopping at Costco too much....I don't go down the laundry aisle of grocery stores at all.

Here's a few thing we bring or do, YMMV:
1. coffee filters and coffee. DH likes to bring enough coffee for his first morning. Sometimes we don't get to the store until the 2nd day.
2. dishwasher pods or powder. We usually do more dishwasher loads than the stuff provided. It's more of a convenience for us to bring our own than to get more dishwasher stuff from housekeeping.
3. ziplock bags various sizes
4. small blue ice pack and a large insulated lunch bag for canned or bottled drinks. We get a case or two of Hawaiian Sun fruit drinks at Costco. We pack drinks for whenever we're out and about on drives, and drinks in Hawaii warm up really fast.

I usually do bring a suitcase because I find items there that I can't find in my local stores.

Sugarcubesea said:

What is flat laundry detergent and where do you buy it at?

Click to expand...

See Rob's reply in post #14. These sheets are intended for a full-sized washer. The t/s washers I've seen are generally small capacity. If so, we'll cut the sheet in half, so it stretches the quantity for double-duty. They come in a bag or box that may be reclosable - I just repackage them into a gallon-size zip lock bag, and store them on the outside of my suitcase - the fabric softener smell is pretty concentrated. They've been a great item to take along, and I don't have to find those little boxes of detergent that I never seem to have enough of.

Dave

We way overpack! Denise is way better at this.

Traveling 12 weeks per year makes you cut corners. We have the following packed in our suitcases, ready for every trip, so we don't have to think all of the time about what to bring:

Charger station with six short cords
Sunshade for car
Foldable hamper
Laundry washer/dryer sheets (Purex, as posted to Rob)
Small cooler (we use frozen bottles of water to keep things cool)
Spices
Rolls of aluminum foil and saran wrap
Sharp knife for cutting meat
For Hawaii, I take our mushroom/strawberry/egg slicer
Braun toothbrush with charger
Toiletries pre-loaded into a bag, including items like deodorant, toothpaste, lotion, good shampoo/conditioner, hairbrush/comb, acid reducers, benadryl, Tylenol, Advil.
Portable shaver for Rick
Umbrellas
Multi-tool to fix anything that needs fixing.

rickandcindy23 said:

Speaking of charging stations, I love that some of the resorts have added USB charging ports to the lamps in living rooms and/or bedrooms. Westin, Four Seasons, and even Shell resorts now have these USB chargers on lamps. It's something I want at home and cannot find those lamps.

Click to expand...

Cindy, just enter 'lamps with usb port' in the Amazon search window. There are many pages of them. Most are kind of modern for my taste, but there are lots to choose from.

Jim

DaveNW said:

USB chargers are great, if your voltages are all the same. I have some things that won't charge if just plugged in to a random USB port someplace. Not real sure why. But I do like the idea that they're becoming more available.

Click to expand...

It's not the volts, it's the amps. All USB chargers are 5 volts, but some devices, iPads for example, require at least a 2A charger, where a lot of USB chargers are only 1A. If you look out for that, you will usually be good.

Kurt

rickandcindy23 said:

Speaking of charging stations, I love that some of the resorts have added USB charging ports to the lamps in living rooms and/or bedrooms. Westin, Four Seasons, and even Shell resorts now have these USB chargers on lamps. It's something I want at home and cannot find those lamps.

Click to expand...

You might instead consider replacing your outlet with an outlet that also has USB charging ports like this one. I have a couple of these installed in our house, and it is nice not to have the chargers hanging off the outlet all the time (and you can still use the outlet to plug in other things).

Kurt

PigsDad said:

It's not the volts, it's the amps. All USB chargers are 5 volts, but some devices, iPads for example, require at least a 2A charger, where a lot of USB chargers are only 1A. If you look out for that, you will usually be good.

Kurt

Click to expand...

Ok. I knew it was something like that.

Dave

Don't forget the Snail (Us Mail). Check with your Timeshare and see if they will hold packages for your arrival (Hilton Bay Club will).

Pack and mail a week and a half in advance of your trip, call a couple of days before you get there to make certain your stuff is there, and voila - carry ons only.

Priority Mail, 5 business day delivery from CONUS to Hawaii (and vice versa) - 12" x 12" x 6" is $18 one way - no weight limit. Save the box, it's reuseable for sending things back.

(Now if only I could figure out how to ship a compact stereo at an affordable price. . .)

bastroum said:

Don't overpack. Costco and WalMart are both near the airport. You don't even need to pack t-shirts. Great place in Lahaina for t-shirts 7 for $20! I forget the name of the place but you'll see the sign on the way to the timeshare.

Click to expand...

Wow, so this place is on the way to WKORV, what a great price...

After many years of going to Maui, and many times taking too much, this is what we bring now:

Sunscreen
good knife as the ones in the timeshares are usually pretty dull
beachbag