I recently received this comment from a reader about a trip she and her husband took to Maui for their honeymoon. Take a look and let me know if you have any similar or opposing feelings following a recent trip to Hawaii.
I have to admit, this is not the first time I have heard these sentiments and I'm hearing similar reports more this year than ever before. Is this mostly confined to Maui or are people having similar bad experiences elsewhere in Hawaii. Why Maui? Is it somehow a factor of the poor island economy and numerous layoffs? Is it somehow tied to the ongoing drug problems on Maui. Let me hear from you.
Laurie and Jeff wrote:
"My husband and I came from Kansas in December of 2008 for our honeymoon. We are not 20 somethings who are insensitive to the island culture and the fact that we were visitors to other's home. I felt that the whole trip was marred by how unfriendly the people who lived there were.
I didn't care how expensive things were, I was raised poor and saved for a long time for this trip. We are not rude people and we were totally excited about being somewhere so beautiful.
Multiple people told me how unfriendly Maui was and I simply did not believe them. While we were there our rental car was sideswiped by someone who lived on the island. They were drunk at the time of the accident and when I got out of our car to determine the extent of the damage I was threatened by other local people to move or else. The person who hit us lied to the insurance company and said we hit them and that they were injured. None of this was true but you know what, that's not the point of this opinion.
I would never go back to the islands, not if you paid me to go and I will tell everyone who wants to know what Maui was like is that the island was beautiful but the people we came into contact with were mean and had mean spirits.
I want to see the whole world because I am a whole world kind of person, but I hope that the next place I save up to see will have some love and friendliness in it. Kansas may be a little state in the middle of nowhere and I may hate our politics but the people here are totally evolved compared with those I met on Maui. The friendliest people we met were folks who were from "somewhere else". Ironic huh?"
I am sorry the couple had such a lousy time while on Maui.To spend all that money and leave with a negative mindset is truly sad.
I am a former resident of the island of Maui. I lived there for 11 years and operated 2 small businesses .To be honest it is a truly beautiful place and sadly has many ugly people.I am confident Laurie and Jeff were not ready for the hostility often aimed at Haolies (white people) and tourists.Seriously there are some terrible drivers and plenty attitude against visitors. Honestly there are other places say in the Caribbean that are just as beautiful but I tell you the people are much more civilized and friendly .Had it been me I would go to the Caribbean any day over the overrated Island of NO Aloha. Years ago there was plenty Aloha shown by the Kupunas of the isles now a bunch of boozed out pilau flunkies with a perpetual chip on thier shoulder .I hope Laurie and Jeff find another place to vacation next time and hopefully they will be really welcomed and shown true aloha.The islands aloha is only a post card slogan now ,sad to say…
Mahalo Nui Loa
I’m a white resident of Maui for 14 yrs. n it’s true its physically beautifull here but the locals are a bit rough n negative towards tourists. I’ve travelled in search of a better place n would recommend ;Bali, Thailand, Costa-rica, n India, with Thailand as my no.1 choice. Friendly, cheap, yet up to standard, I go once a year during winter months. youve earned yourself some good karma on your next trip, which I’m sure will be a grear one, K, sincere-aloha,= peace n love.
I think it’s sad that the only reference that this woman is using is based on a car accident with a bunch of drunk people. Most people on Maui are kind hearted and would give you their own shirt if you needed one. Just because people speak different languages and follow different customs, does not give her the right to place judgment on the people of Hawaii. For instance, if she went to San Francisco or L.A., would she have been as condescending? People living on Maui and the other islands have there own lives that include families and jobs and problems just like anyone else. When I was working as a waitress, I can’t tell you how many times that a tourist had insulted me because I’m not fast enough to get them their order before their plane departs (and I’m not talking about Mc D’s). Placing judgment on people as a whole is crossing that racist line. Why hasn’t anyone mentioned that yet? Shame on her.
JJ,
I don’t think that there was anything racist about Laurie’s comments. She had a really bad experience and I have heard many others who have had similar experiences and unfortunately most of them have had them on Maui. Why? I don’t know and that is the big question.
I visit Maui at least once a year, often more, and I have also had some really poor experiences with locals. In all honesty most of them have been folks who are not mainland folks who have moved to the islands. They are people who were born and raised on Maui.
I think this is becoming a quite serious issue that I am hearing more often than ever before.
i have had the pleasure of being 2 hawaii twice. both times i went to waikkii& the big island. I found waikkii very busy& very commercialized. On the other hand the big island was very laid back. Both times i traveled with my mentally& physically challenged sister,the hawaiians were awesume!!!they gave her free gifts&made her feel very special,she would like to move there now.carolyn,my sister said that she felt equal there to other people.its sad to say there isnt alot of true hawaiians left in hawaii, but if you are lucky enough to meet one, there the kindest people you will ever meet!!We even got free cab rides& invited to peoples homes for dinner,you cant beat that. i would go back in a heart beat!!!
I have been to Maui every year for the last 3 years, and will be going again this August. Out of all the islands Maui is the most beautiful, has a large variety of things to do, and has alot of ALOHA. We have met some locals and they would give you the shirt off of their back. We have NEVER had any problems with the locals. We love Maui so much it is on our mind all of the time, and if we could afford to we would move there. Like the mainland there are people everywhere who are rude or hateful. Maui is the only place in the world we want to go to on vacation.
My husband and I went to Maui in September 2008 on our honeymoon and, I don’t see why it matters but, I am a 20-something and my husband is in his early 30’s. I am not naive about culture or assimilation because of my age because many travelers my age are very respectful and aware of their surroundings. Anyway, we had an amazing time while in Maui. We found that the locals were very friendly and helpful, and when asked, they gave us direction, advice, a handshake and a smile. I know that some locals around our age were more into surfing and doing their own thing than being friendly but, we just figured that was how some young adults were, no worries. However, we did encounter many couples that were very open to giving advice on where to go and what to do. We loved Maui and would go back in a heartbeat. It was one of our favorite vacations and we will have fond memories of it always.
“It’s the economy, stupid!” People in America are economically stressed by current economic conditions. It is said that a newly-married couples first argument is about money problems, and this applies to the human family at large. There is a new term being written about -econocide- suicide and other violent actions toward family members; people going into their former work places with guns and shooting at no one in particular. Read Hawaiian history and learn how the haole has ripped-off the local people since the former’s arrival. I make no excuses for violence and unfriendly people but I do try to come to understand why? Learn a few phrases of Hawaiian and use them. It will not prevent all problems but will show respect for a peoples’ culture. Mahalo Nui Loa >
I listen to KQNG from Kauai about everyday via the internet, and within the past week or two, I believe there was a story about several visitors harrassed in a night club at Nawilili. I’m sure that would be easy to research.
I have traveled to Hawaii many times and been on multiple islands over the years (pleasure and business) and have always been treated great.
I will have to admit that Hawaiian’s tell me I am part Hawaiian when they find out about my vast knowledge about the islands, the culture and history, but I am not sure if that has contributed to how me and my husband have been treated.
My wife and I just spent 30 days in Hawaii (Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai) and loved it. I don’t think we ever observed any negative actions towards up from the local people, whether Hawaiians or transplanted mainlanders. Granted, we didn’t have that much contact with the locals, but the ones we did speak or interact with seemed very pleasant and friendly. I’m sure there are some in Hawaii who resent the tourists, but you get that to some degree anywhere you go.
My six trips to Hawaii since 1995, including all but Ni’ihau, have always been pleasant. I am sorry that the honeymoon couple had that accident and the problem they did, but that could have happened anywhere.
The aloha, friendliness and charm of the locals have always been much appreciated and reciprocated. Hawaii is my favorite vacation state, and my daughter and I have made friends that we treasure.
Again, sorry they had such a bad experience; I do think that they have overgenralized about the people in Hawaii.
Aloha and mahalo nui loa
I guess what strikes me is … is that we can only use one incident as our example to why Maui is unfriendly and there are usually two sides to every story. I would be interested to hear hotel employees, restaurant employees and anyone else they came in contact with to see hear how they were treated by this couple! I find it very hard to believe that every person they came in contact with was “mean” to them. Is it possible they got what they handed out?? Makes me wonder!!
I live on the Big Island in Kukuihaele which is very local and I was told the stink eye was the norm here. We wave, smile and talk to everyone and just ignore the few that don’t wave back. Love the locals here. We don’t like going to Kona too much like California. Try the Big Island even the locals don’t like Maui or Honolulu because where there are a lot of people it gets crazy.
As an ex-pat from Oahu, now living in Sydney, I’m appalled by the earlier comments generalising Hawaii to one island, Maui. We have 8 islands! There are good and bad people where ever you go. Might it be that the tourist were afraid of the native island ‘looks’? Are the locals sick of tourist looking at them with disdain or disgust? Hawaii just celebrated 50 years of becoming the 50th state of USA. Citizens come to Hawaii to get the ‘island feel’ w/out leaving the USA(so to speak). All those other suggested places need a passport. I challenge those same tourist to go to a different part, not the main tourist areas, of some of the countries that were suggested for vacation and see how their experience is there! One visit to one island does not make an ‘experience’. Hawaii has been providing ALOHA for the world and keeping US borders safe. I’m grateful for Hawaii…all 8 islands!
Last summer I visited Hawaii islands and I want to tell you, that I completely disagree that people there were not friendly and all. A nice people wearing Hawaiian shirts with smiles on their faces. So, maybe that couple had a terrible luck during their visit, because i agree, of course, that there are unfriendly people on Hawaii islands, but i don’t think there are a lot of them.
Maui has been my home for 10 years. Some locals can be unfriendly and/or have attitude but I understand their position. They’ve seen, over the years, many of their unspoiled beaches and favorite fishing spots become home to the very wealthy non-locals. In our 10 years living here, I’ve seen quite a few remote, pristine beaches cut up into developed land. The locals live here with fewer and fewer places that are uncrowded and feel like a disney attraction. Having said that, I work in the tourism industry and I fully appreciate the warmth and happy energy coming from mainlanders on vacation here though there are times that I feel saddened that the once remote walk in the jungle is now a crowded tourist spot. Maybe if this woman could comprehend the changes that the locals have seen in the past few decades, she could appreciate where the animosity is coming from. I’m sorry she experienced this. Personally, I try not to focus on the negative energy and see that there is also a whole lot of aloha here. I’ve lived in Thailand, Costa Rica, and Italy and Maui is by far the best!
We were harassed as we carried the Blue Book around. The locals looked at us crosseyed and we wondered why until a salesgirl where we were buying watershoes clued us in. She said this book changed the island for the worst. We didn’t get a happy feeling visiting Maui. Argentina sounds better now.
I am reading this page because I am currently in Maui and was wondering if I am the only feeling the rudeness of some locals here. From our hotel (Sheraton) to eating out in Lahaina, it seems like most of the locals have a chip on their shoulder and are ready to bite off your head if you dare say something they don’t like. I parked in Lahaina and paid their stupid $5 parking for the afternoon even if I was only staying an hour. I was leaving and decided to give my ticket to some tourists who just arrived. The attendant, rude MFKR, said to me in a rude manner – You, take your ticket back. You can’t do that. I told him I paid for it and I can do what I want with my ticket. If I decide to give it to these nice tourist, I can do so. He became very rude and aggressive and I talked back tell him he’s very rude. He threatened me saying watch out tonight. You will be in trouble calling his hooligan friends. I mean, really crazy @#$%. Even in our hotel, we wanted to leave a paper message for another guest and they said it costs $2. We are staying in a 4-5 star hotel and they are too lazy to deliver a message. The people are front desk are so rude, lazy and incompetent. This rudeness is really ruining my vacation.
I’m currently vacationing on Maui, and I’m definitely sensing animosity directed at tourists, based on my experiences at restaurants, driving the roads, or hanging out at the beach. While I’ve had both good and bad experiences, the overall impression is that I am not welcome here, and it’s really sucking the fun out of this trip.
I agree….I have been to Maui and would never go back. The town of Lahaina was particularly unfriendly with a parking lot attendant yelling at me and my family, a store clerk following us around like we were going to steal something, and two young women at a miniature golf place who let us stand for a half hour without waiting on us before we got disgusted and left. We even went to a local restaurant where everyone stared at us and were then told there would be a 2 or 3 hour wait for a table, while tables were clearly available. I am sure the locals had a big laugh about that one! The only friendly people were those who were paid to be so at hotels, etc. I have travelled to many places in the world where I didn’t even speak the local language and have never had an experience like Maui. I hope the folks there are reaping what they have sowed in terms of a big decline in visitors!
There are always going to be rude and nice people living anywhere you go. I’ve had a similar car accident happen to me and you know where it happened? Sacramento! *Gasp* You mean it happens on the mainland too!? No way!!
And you know what else happened to me today in Maui? I just got off work and wanted to do some dinner shopping at Safeway. Being the afternoon dinner rush, I had to circle the parking lot a couple times in search of a space. When I rounded the corner there was a car backing out with someone already waiting for it. Another car next to me needed to back out as well. I tried getting out of the way by driving forward so the car behind me could park and we would have less cars holding up everybody else. The car that was waiting for the spot honked at me with one of those really long and obnoxious honks thinking I was trying to steal his spot. Guess what? He was a tourist.
And don’t get me started on what happens at my husbands store where tourists try to pretend they’re local just so they can get a discount or how rudely they treat him. We’re people just like in any other US state (Yes, Maui is part of the US. Not a different country) trying to make a living. But just cause We’ve had some run-ins with rude tourists doesn’t mean we’re gonna go out of our way to be rude to them. My mother taught me better than that.
So if there are rude locals, there are also some pretty rude tourists as well. Don’t judge a group as a whole just because of some negative experiences.