Popular Hawaii Souvenirs?

[born2cruize]

There is, imo, a truly wonderful Hawaiian jewelry store that is not to be missed if you're looking for nice, high quality jewelry made in Hawaii. It is Na Hoku and can be found on most of the islands. Here is a link to their website: www.nahoku.com I have been buying from them for many, many years. Their quality is top-notch. Their pieces are beautiful. And, they are made in Hawaii. (Note that they do carry other designers' pieces, but the majority of their pieces are theirs - made in the islands.)

 

They have beautiful pieces in all price points.

 

Hope you find something there that will remind you of a truly magical place!

 

We will be on POAm in January, it will be interesting to compare prices between the ships prices and the island prices.

[GypRasc]

Anyone know how much you can get Kona coffee for per lb?

[born2cruize]

Anyone know how much you can get Kona coffee for per lb?

 

Before someone comes on here and posts that they bought Kona coffee at a Wal-Mart for $6.99 lets compare apple to apples.

 

100% Kona coffee in 1 lb packages will go for $25.00 to $35.00.

 

10% Kona coffee will be in the $7.00 to $10.00 range.

 

BTW the high end for 100% Kona coffee is generally organic coffee, you should have no problem finding coffee for $27.00.

[marysb]

If you want a truly beautiful souvenir from Hawaii, go to the lava Light Galleries on the main street in Kona. -Across the street from the pier and walk south a ways.

The photography is stunning and these young men specialize in taking volcano photographs.

We met Nick Selway at the the Gallery and he is very charming and enthusiastic. He will explain where and how every photo was taken. Some were taken in the water where the lava flow meets the ocean. (no photoshop used here).

My teenagers got some for their rooms and I got a couple of beautiful waterfalls/hawaiian scenes for our family room.

 

When you walk in this gallery, you know it isn't the same old predictable stuff.

 

Here is the website -enjoy

[Boytjie]

I liked this one available in ABC stores:

 

[jinxgirl]

This is a great thread, thanks to everyone who has posted! After years of travelling I've learned to be a bit selective about souvenirs and am always on the lookout for that one special and unique item as opposed to yet another t-shirt or mass-produced plastic thingamabob. There are some great ideas here!

 

I have a few questions....

 

(1) In other threads I've seen mention of "Hilo Hatties"....what type of store is this?

 

(2) Can anyone recommend a unique-to-Hawaii spirit or liqueur (not wine or beer) to try while I'm there and to perhaps purchase a bottle of to bring home?

 

(3) Many years ago, a family friend visited Hawaii and brought me back a VERY kitschy item - a "Hawaiian god of luck". It was a small figurine, maybe 2 inches tall, made of black "lava" (not real I don't think), and the idea was to rub his belly for good luck. I've long since lost it but would love to get another one, for old times sake. Do they sell this type of thing in the souvenir shops?

 

(4) Is there a regular ol' grocery store (the type of place "where the locals shop") within walking distance of the tender dock in Lahaina? It's our last port of call before the return trip to the mainland, so might want to stock up on some things.

 

Thanks!!

[Beach4me]

(2) Can anyone recommend a unique-to-Hawaii spirit or liqueur (not wine or beer) to try while I'm there and to perhaps purchase a bottle of to bring home?

 

Thanks!!

 

Ocean Vodka. It's made/bottled on Maui by a company called Hawaiian Sea Spirits. Really cool pic on the bottle, too. The water used in the vodka is harvested from a depth of 3000 feet off the coast of Maui. I always get a few of the small 50ml bottles for stocking stuffers.

 

Here's a link to their website: http://www.oceanvodka.com/

 

Enjoy!!

[jinxgirl]

Ocean Vodka. It's made/bottled on Maui by a company called Hawaiian Sea Spirits. Really cool pic on the bottle, too. The water used in the vodka is harvested from a depth of 3000 feet off the coast of Maui. I always get a few of the small 50ml bottles for stocking stuffers.

 

Here's a link to their website: http://www.oceanvodka.com/

 

Enjoy!!

 

Sounds perfect...thanks for the tip!:)

[furluvcats]

this thread i so enjoyable and helpful..I am returning in March and its great to get ideas of gifts different then what I already have gotten...

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

On every vacation I look for Christmas ornaments (locally made - preferably hand crafted), earrings and a slide for my omni necklace. I am also looking forward to buying flavored Kona coffee. Yum! My main souvenir is my photobook I make when I return home, so will be looking for many wonderful photo opportunities. From what I have seen I should not have any problem finding those!

 

DH loves Hawaiian shirts, so this is the one vacation where he will be on the prowl looking for them everywhere. He already has Bailey's programmed into his GPS in Honolulu and plans to go there on our first full day right after we go to Pearl Harbor.:rolleyes: He also like to pick up CD's of local music when available.

 

We also have a small wood carving collection. Most are ironwood, but have picked up other items in the Caribbean that we treasure. Now I know to look for more of that while in Hawaii. I plan to spend some time shopping in Lahaina, so may find something there.

 

Ginny: When you stop in Kauai, there is a marketplace with shops and we saw all kinds of unique stuff there. Wood carved sculptures, ornaments, jewelry boxes etc. in various shops. Shark tooth necklaces too which you can find at ABC Stores or Hilo Hatties. This marketplace is walking distance but I got kind of tired after shopping and we took the free tram back to the ship that stops at the marketplace regularly. This shopping area is near the hotel at the beach you can see from the ship. I found a really cute pill container for my purse that has a dolphin on the top in one of the shops. We did that on day 2 in Kauai since we only had the rental car the first day and we were pulling out of port by 2 so we didn't have a full 2nd day there.

 

I found most of my souvenirs at Walmart though.:D Walmart had lots of lei's and some cool gifts and tons of hawaiian shirts at really good prices so make sure Steve goes there. We took the shuttle from Kona pier to Walmart and back.

[Beach4me]

Walmart had lots of lei's and some cool gifts...

 

I usually drop into WalMart to get a few groceries at some point when I'm visiting Maui. I use that opportunity to grab several Hawaiian bookmarks and pens for folks at the office. Useful. Inexpensive. And, they don't take up any room or add any weight to the luggage. And so far, the recipients have enjoyed the little gifts and have actually asked if I'd pick up some more on my next visit.

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

I buy Hawaii calendars online every year from Hilo Hatties. They are 99 cents each plus shipping and this year I didn't do it (ran short on time) and now all my coworkers are asking me where their calendars are for this year.:)

[brunolvr]

Any other ideas for great souvenirs to bring home to friends & family?:confused:

 

Are there any unique pieces of (not too expensive) jewelry? Our daughter loves earrings and since she's staying home and dogsitting for us, we'd like to get her a nice thank-you gift.:)

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Hilo Hatties also sells unusual stuff in their stores. I bought some doilies (sp?) made out of shells for less than $5ea.

 

They also sell wood carvings, mac nuts, Kona coffee, coffee mugs, jewelry/pearls, clothing, calendars etc. and you can pick up a shuttle at any of the ports to take you there. You can buy stuff online too but they don't sell everything online. Just some stuff is online.

http://www.hilohattie.com/

[Kinkacruiser]

I collect masks (they take up less space when hung on a wall) so I'm happy to learn there is a good selection to choose from.

[tanzanite]

there are some loveley jewellry shops in Lahaina i got a loveley large pineapple in 14 carat gold earrings with dolphins a charm with Hawaii for my charm bracelet and a beautiful though expensive hawaiian b angle with my name engraved in Hawaiian black letters my husband had date engraved on it for memories.

[MERLOTCHAMPAGNE]

We have a collection of masks... is that a souvenir option on any of the Hawaiian islands??

[nikki33]

Thanks for posting this web site. Will be in Lahaina on October 7th. I love ornaments, now put up five trees (and counting)

[GlendaleCruiser]

I like to bring sand back with me. I just use a zip lock bag. I have bluish glass bottles at home and so far have sand from San Diego, Cabo San Lucas (Old Cabo), Florida and Barcelona.

 

I'm looking forward to bringing some of that back with me plus a lot of the things I've read about on this thread.

 

Thanks, everyone!

[AZ Karaoke Girl]

Before you pocket any volcanic rock or black sand as a memento, you might check out the urban legend at http://www.snopes.com/luck/pele.asp.

 

Quote from snopes.com: “Legend has it that Pele, goddess of fire & volcanoes is so angered when the rocks (which she sees as her children) are taken from her that she exacts a terrible revenge on the thief. She is especially protective of volcanic rock and sand, two items tourists almost unthinkingly pocket as mementos of their vacations.”

 

The only way to undo the curse is to return the “stolen” items. Thousands claim they had bad luck, poor health, misfortune after taking black sand or lava rocks from the beaches. It may not be true but I didn’t take any chances and according to snopes, it is true that thousands believe this.

[trikeman]

I wish I had gotten some aloha shirts! We found some at a mall in Hanalei (on Kauai) that had them for $5 I think - my dad got one he will actually wear; it was in more muted colors.

 

I saw a craftsman on the sidewalk in Kona making hats and other items from fronds (palm or coconut or something else, I'm not sure). Wish I'd gotten one of those.

 

My souvenirs were mainly the leis I made on board the ship; I bought the supplies they sold and made seashell and kukui nut leis for my mother, aunt, and self; and kukui nut leis for my dad and husband. I also made a ribbon lei for myself. I missed that class but they had directions printed out and it was easy to follow them.

 

I don't like macadamia nuts but I took some back for my coworkers. We got them for $5 a pound at Banana Joe's fruit stand on Kauai (near the lighthouse). I wish I'd bought some Kona coffee but am not supposed to drink a lot of caffeine. :)

 

I also got one of the "red dirt" and one of the "lava rock" t-shirts for my son - the former with a moa (Hawaiian chicken) on it and the latter with a Honu (turtle). I also got him a Donkey Balls shirt and a shirt with that fish with the impossibly long name.

 

My husband and I spent some time on our last day in Oahu looking for koa wood sculptures but did not have any luck; we'd also looked in Lahaina.

 

I also buy a gazillion postcards in case my photos don't turn out well.

 

I think this is the fish your talking about. Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

[beachchick]

Before you pocket any volcanic rock or black sand as a memento, you might check out the urban legend at http://www.snopes.com/luck/pele.asp.

 

Quote from snopes.com: “Legend has it that Pele, goddess of fire & volcanoes is so angered when the rocks (which she sees as her children) are taken from her that she exacts a terrible revenge on the thief. She is especially protective of volcanic rock and sand, two items tourists almost unthinkingly pocket as mementos of their vacations.”

 

The only way to undo the curse is to return the “stolen” items. Thousands claim they had bad luck, poor health, misfortune after taking black sand or lava rocks from the beaches. It may not be true but I didn’t take any chances and according to snopes, it is true that thousands believe this.

 

For me it's much less about whether it will bring bad luck and all about the fact that we are asked not to do it. We ask visitors to our state to respect various regulations and requests, so we do the same in other states (and other countries).

 

However...My mom snuck home a small piece of lava many, many years ago. My dad found out about it and told her to mail it back because it was not right to take it. My mom had already decided to do so because she had had the worst luck during the 2 or 3 months since she had brought it home. So who knows?

 

beachchick

[jnc411]

My favorite thing to do is to look for small paintings , usually watercolors, either at stores or outdoors stalls, markets , etc. I have a nice collection now, from many places and each time I look at them I have fond memories of that trip.

For Hawaii , I purchased a silver necklace and earrings set in Kauai , it is of Plumerias , I just love it . I also like to buy coffee and macadeamia nuts at gifts for those at home. I got some really cute aprons for my daughter and daughter-in-law at the internantional market place in Honolulu. Another thought is a CD of hawaiian music , now that will really give you good memories. We are going again in Nov. so I am going to try to get some christmas gifts for family there if I can. Have fun :)

Cori

[Cruisin' Chick]

When we were on the Golden Princess in December, we went to the Big Island Candies in Hilo. It was interesting to see them making the candy (big glass window), but I don't eat macadamia nuts and most of what they sell (other than coffee) contains nuts. Plus I thought the prices were steep.

[Diana68]

If you want a truly beautiful souvenir from Hawaii, go to the lava Light Galleries on the main street in Kona. -Across the street from the pier and walk south a ways.

The photography is stunning and these young men specialize in taking volcano photographs.

We met Nick Selway at the the Gallery and he is very charming and enthusiastic. He will explain where and how every photo was taken. Some were taken in the water where the lava flow meets the ocean. (no photoshop used here).

My teenagers got some for their rooms and I got a couple of beautiful waterfalls/hawaiian scenes for our family room.

 

When you walk in this gallery, you know it isn't the same old predictable stuff.

 

Here is the website -enjoy

Thank you Mary!! :D

 

I had read your post before our trip, so when I saw their shop, I had to go in. I met CJ Kale(John), Nick's partner. These guys do some amazing work. I ended up spending hours in their studio chatting with John, as I tried to pick out my favorites from their work. He took the time to tell me about how he captured each of his images, as I picked through stacks of images that I loved, and finally worked my way down to 10 that I purchased.

 

This video shows how they were the first(and only) photographers to catch shots of flowing lava from inside of a wave...amazing.

 

 

If any of you are ever in Kona, I highly recommend checking these guys out!!