Hawaii Packing List (Ultimate Guide for All Islands)

Planning your dream trip to Hawaii? You’ll want to check out this Hawaii Packing List before you go!

Heading to Hawaii? Whether you want to hike through the canyons of Kauai, explore the streets of Honolulu, or relax on the beach in Maui, there’s something for everyone!

When it comes to planning your adventure, planning is everything.. That’s where this ultimate Hawaii Packing List comes in! I know how overwhelming it can be trying to figure out what to bring, especially when you’re limited on space.

In this guide, you’ll find breakdowns for how long you’ll visit, which islands you may be visiting, different activities you want to try, and more. By breaking these down, you can know precisely what to pack for your adventure!

So what are you waiting for?! Keep reading to find out more…

Hawaii Packing List

What to Pack for a Week for Hawaii

A week in Hawaii is an excellent time frame to explore one of the islands. When it comes to making your packing list, the trick is to identify which activities you want to do, then go from there.

Just relaxing on the beach? Swimsuits and casual outfits will be fine.

Want to hike up Haleakala, Koko Head Crater, or Waimea Canyon? You’ll want a pair of sturdy hiking shoes and a pair of old comfortable clothes to hike in.

Want to enjoy upscale restaurants in Lahaina or Waikiki? Better pack some dressier clothes!

Pack swimsuits and casual outfits of clothes to enjoy all of Hawaii’s magnificent beaches

What should I pack for 10 days in Hawaii?

If you’re lucky enough to have 10 days in Hawaii, I’m quite envious of you! What you can do in 10 days is really dependent on your goals and energy levels.

Many people would enjoy 10 days relaxing on the beach on one island, and that’s fine. Or if you want a little more intensity, you could double up and visit two islands. For instance you could visit Oahu + Kauai, or Oahu + Maui. Understand you’ll lose the better part of a day when you hop between islands, but the trade off is more variety in your adventure!

Now, what to pack? The longer your trip is, the more activities you’ll probably do. As a result, that means more to pack! My advice is to wear your clunky hiking shoes and a nice outfit onto the plane. That way, you can dedicate more room in your suitcase to swimsuits and casual clothes for the beach/hiking, which are much more compact.

Don’t miss out on excellent hiking opportunities like Koko Crater

2 Week Hawaii Packing List

There’s just about nothing as great as two weeks in Hawaii! In this time frame, you can easily explore two islands and not feel too rushed. Again, I’d recommend Oahu + Kauai or Oahu + Maui.

The reason for this is, Oahu is much easier and cheaper to fly into than the other islands. Plus, the Honolulu airport is basically the central hub for flying into and around Hawaii.

For two weeks in Hawaii, you could very easily need two to three pairs of dressier clothes (restaurants, Pearl Harbor, luau, etc.). Also, at least one pair of hiking clothes, and three to four pairs of swimsuits/casual clothes for beach days.

You’ll definitely want to go to a laundromat once or twice. From personal experience, spending $5 – $8 on laundry is far cheaper than checking extra bags!

Pack some dressier clothes for an outing to Pearl Harbor

Should I Pack a Beach Towel for Hawaii?

If you want to spend time at the beach, you absolutely need a beach towel for Hawaii! I wouldn’t recommend packing one, though. The reason is, your hotel/airbnb can usually provide some. If not, you can buy one at Walmart for cheap.

What Can You Not Bring to Hawaii?

Believe it or not, you can’t bring many items to Hawaii! This is especially true for plants from the mainland US or abroad. Some of these include:

• Corn on the cob
• Coffee Plants
• Citrus from Florida and Puerto Rico
• Coconuts
• Passion Fruit
• … and more.

You can check out the whole list here. Again, clothes and basic toiletries will be fine. Luckily, if you’re not importing plants, then you’re probably good to go!

Hawaii Packing List (Sample)

So far, we’ve covered some different variables for packing for Hawaii. Now, it’s time for a sample packing list.

• 2 polos OR dressier shirts of your choice + tan khaki shorts
• 3 swimsuits
• 3 pairs of old comfortable clothes for beach days (like getting dinner in the evenings, etc)
• 1 pair of old comfortable clothes for hiking
• 2 more pairs of either casual OR dressy clothes (for flying, exploring, etc)
• 1 pair of broken in hiking shoes
• 2 pairs of flip flops: 1 old pair for the beach, and one nicer pair for walking/exploring
• OPTIONAL: comfortable pair of walking shoes (for Waikiki, Lahaina, etc)

This packing list is based off of what I packed for a trip to Oahu. While it’s not 100% exact to what I did, it’s pretty close. Overall, it’s good for 8 days, and longer if you visit a laundromat.

Keep in mind, you can always go to the laundromat to make this packing list last 10 days or 2 weeks. And for your sake, please carry on your clothes! Nothing is worse than arriving in Hawaii without your luggage. Even if your airline reimburses you for lost luggage, you’ll end up spending several hours shopping for clothes, when you could be relaxing.

Hawaii Islands: Things to do, Budget Tips, When to Visit, and more:

Oahu Travel Guide

Planning or dreaming of a visit to Oahu? Whether you’re craving the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, the laid back towns of the North Shore, relaxing on sandy beaches, climbing up volcanic craters, hiking to thundering waterfalls, or enjoying the tasty food, there’s something you’ll enjoy!

Kauai Budget Travel Guide

There’s something about the island that keeps drawing visitors back over and over again.  Perhaps it’s immersing in the slow place of life and enjoying the Aloha Spirit that the island is famously known for.  Now, whether this will be your first visit or your tenth, there’s one thing for certain: you’ll already be planning your return visit before you leave!

Maui Travel Guide

Dreaming of escaping to a serene tropical island paradise?  Maui is one of my favorite island destinations.  I’ve personally loved every single trip to Maui and simply cannot get enough of this amazing place. From chilling on the long, sandy beaches to snorkeling through coral reefs, Maui is the perfect destination for a relaxing getaway.

So, looking for even more great travel tips? Now that you’ve seen this Hawaii Packing List, go check out even more useful travel tips for your adventure below…

Best Suitcase Packing Tips

Planning your next vacation?  Packing your suitcase doesn’t need to be a challenge!  These best suitcase packing tips will show you how to pack your suitcase light and efficiently in only easy steps!

How to Travel Cheap

Dreaming of your next trip? Whether it’s a beach vacation or a road trip, there are so many creative tips for how to travel cheap! I have so many creative tips to share with you.  These tips will help you save for your trip AND drastically reduce your expenses while traveling.

Cheap Flight Hacks

Whether you’re dreaming of a bucket list trip or travel frequently for work, there’s no need to overpay for airfare.  In fact, these cheap flight hacks will show you exactly how to start drastically reducing the cost of your flights today!

Staying in Shape While Traveling

Visiting your relatives for the holidays, or planning a bucket list trip? This doesn’t mean you have to lose progress on your fitness goals. In fact, it can be quite easy to maintain (and improve) your overall fitness if you know what to do!

Bucket List Trips

Travel planning can be an exciting process!  Long evenings spent poring over maps, intense afternoons flipping through guidebooks, and budget research are all just some of the wonderful joys of planning your next adventure. If you’re not quite decided on where to go, don’t worry!  Based on the places I’ve visited, these bucket list trips will show you what I believe are some of the most incredible destinations across America and around the globe!

Have YOU ever been to Hawaii?

What do YOU recommend packing for Hawaii? Leave a comment & share!