12 OAHU Scams, Rip Offs, Tourist Traps & Mistakes (Watch Before You Go To Hawaii in 2023) !
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ต.ค. 2023
- What are the BIGGEST Scams, Rip Offs & Tourist Traps to avoid on a trip to Oahu in Hawaii in 2023? We take a stroll around Ho'Omaluhia Botanical Garden, point out what to be aware of and what to avoid on in Honolulu and around Oahu Island in Hawaii. Make sure you leave a comment down below and let me know if any of these Rip Offs have happened to you!
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12 Waikiki Rip Offs Tourist Traps & Scams: • 12 WAIKIKI Scams, Rip ...
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Mahalo Jaycation for letting me be in your video! These tips are not just for tourists, but us locals that live here who need reminders (thats including me) 😂 I look forward to the next collab🤙 Congrats on 100K Subscribers!!
Love the lilo and stitch shirt :)
Very cool seeing you 2 collabing. 🤙🏼🤙🏼
You represent Hawaii so well, great vid!
"Don't turn your back to the ocean," is an awesome piece of advice! I've seen too many selfie fail videos in which that advice was so true! 😆
not just the ocean: stupid people in stupid places, doing stupid things...
I have learned that the hard way 😂
I moved to Waikiki and lived there for a year, one of the things I ran into was people selling their old short surfboards saying a beginner would be able to use it easy but if your just starting out get a long board and work your way down
I can confirm the Aulani Luau is very Disney-tastic!! Great food, drink and yes! You get to see Mickey & Minnie do a dance or two with the dancers. But my personal favorite luau is the TOA family luau up on the north shore!! Super family friendly, excellent food, beautiful location, and you get a pass to explore the Waimea valley the day of your luau 🌺
thank you for the heads up! trying to spend a lot but at the same time always want to get the bang for my buck either way bucket list crossed of at 21 much appreciate it bossman YURD
If you're getting groceries or something, when it's time to pay with your card, many will ask if you want cash back. That's one way to get cash, without paying ATM fees.
Super helpful video and beautiful scenery ❤ And Sean! Great job Jay
I too recommend Paradise Cove if you are looking to choose a luau. Its location is second to none and there are loads of fun activities on the beach before you start your buffet meal. And you get live entertainment with your meal, before moving on to the main show in the grassed area with tiered seating.
13:40 Haha I used the Chase ATM and still paid an ATM fee to Chase 😂
Im a kamaaina (Hawaii resident) and I say go to a to a luau. It can be rather pricey but it’s worth it. I go when I have friends and family visiting here. You came here to experience Hawaii right? Then a luau checks all the boxes, just make sure it’s a nighttime luau to take advantage of the cool weather and the fire dancers!
I have some advice on Oahu Luau's! The best Luau I ever attended was when a friend invited me to a Local family celebration Luau. The food was amazing. Much better then the commercial Luau's. Germain's and Paradise are about the same. Drinks, dinner with Kalua Pig etc, and some Hula including Fire dancing. They all seem to have a certain level of good comedy included. The best commercial Luau I attended was at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The dinner at the Center is about the same with Kalua Pig, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Poi, Hawaiian style macaroni salad, and the usual Luau dishes. There is a lot more at the Center including the History and progression of the Polynesians culture and the Hula presentations are by far the best. They cover pretty much every location influenced by Polynesia around the globe. Hope this helps. ALOHA
*SUGGESTION: Eat at 7-11 in Waikiki.*
Save your money, and the Poki is good there.
yes the sandwiches and boxed salads were fantastic are really cheap - I just wish there were more 7-11 stores around
Awesome Jaycation and Sean! Both of you guys gave some really good tips. Good chemistry and flo with you two! And Sean is right, cant take the ocean to court. Lol. I look forward to seeing more videos!🤙
Two thumbs up! Sean is the best!! Love him!!❤❤
@Jaycation Are you still using those soundcor headphones you had as a sponsor in a previous video? contemplating picking up a pair before my next Oahu trip...
Jay ,speaking of Luaus , next time you are in Waikiki go to the Rock A Hula Show. It’s walking distance from every hotel in Waikiki, it’s a full on buffet style dining followed by a show in a 700 auditorium and follows a time line from 1920’s to the present. Featuring Michael Jackson and Elvis impersonators and Melina Brown , I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. (Don’t buy vip package, just get the original) And you have your own photos with the cast after the show !
Regarding tip 12, the ATM fees, the answer is a simple one on this (with some prep work before your trip). Be a member of a credit union that is part of the co-opcreditunion network on the mainland. And, when in Hawaii, use credit unions that are also members of said network.
Hi from Maui. A long time ago my Grandmother owned and ran Polynesian Express Travel / Agency, My family was in the Tourist biz. My self use to drive Circle Island tours, Polynesian Cultural Center, Arizona Memorial/ Downtown city tour... the good old days...
Hahaha soo true what Sean said "You can't take the ocean to court". Lol! Another great collab with you two🤙👍
Cool , thank you for the informative tips that is so important in todays cost to include in vacations on Oahu . Nice to see and hear mr . Kalaponi too. !! Thank you again !! 💕💕👍👍😁😁😁🥊🥊🥊👏👏👏👏👏😁😁😁
Great video Jaycation and collaboration with Sean!! 👍🏽
The fact that none of these are actual ‘scams’ really speaks volumes about Hawaii. One thing I’d respond to is the tour busses. Id rather there be 60 people getting off a bus instead of 30 rental cars on the road. Don’t forgot a lot of people are from different places/countries who may not be comfortable navigating on their own. A counter tip i would have is to learn the bus system, it is very accessible and cheap. You can even go around the island using the bus. 🤙🏽
The Bus is great, we couldn't believe how cheap it was and the drivers are very helpful to tourists
Enjoyed, thanks for the share !
Right on Sean, already a subscriber of you. This is a great video for Tourist.
Aloha! I enjoyed your tips which are going to be super helpful for my upcoming first visit! I have subscribed to your channel and to Sean Kaleponi too! I look forward to checking out more of your videos! 🌴
I don’t have a problem with the hotel in Waikiki even if it’s not beachfront. I been to Oahu several times at least four and everything is just so beautiful. Having to walk a few blocks to the beach is an experience in itself. I also love taking morning jogs along the canal. It’s so beautiful ahhhh. I just want to go back!
Big smile when Sean showed up on your video. We love Sean. Glad we found your videos too so we can watch your videos. We are heading to Oahu on 5/13!!!
1.year round north shore waves,2.frozen poke. Make sure you get”fresh”,3. Not taking into account small parking spots, 4. Thinking all hotels are on the beach. Few are beach front, 5.car breakin “tatless?” Road and west side, 6.go Sam’s club Costco wal mart for snorkeling gear and pineapples, water, 7.do not turn your back to the ocean,8.not getting you souvenirs at aloha swap meet. Go to outlets, 9.most guided tours, 10.luau yes or no? Yes. Pick the one that meets your needs. Paradise Cove good, aulani,etc…, 11. Aka Moana timeshare booths disguised as info booth, 12.lack of mainland banks leads to high atm fees from Hawaiian bank.
@MeEncantaKiley just like your comment
If you got sick from tuna poke, it’s not because it was frozen but because it was likely temperature abused at some point after leaving the ocean. When tuna is geld at warm temperatures long enough it will form histamine and that causes illness in humans. Glad youre ok!
great advice! usually I never learn anything new from these videos but the tips were all so great and not found elsewhere
Fun video and was super excited to see Sean as your surprise guest!!
Keep up the good work mate.
Thank you! Sean is the best.
Nice colab guys🤙🏼🤙🏼.
I like playing tourist! I been to Germaine’s luau and one at the Hale Koa hotel. Entertainment was great! As a local Hawaiian, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Food was delicious as well and the cocktails were yummy too 😁.
Not sure I’d go again cause this was a few decades ago…lol. So expensive now. Though I hear the one at the Polynesian Cultural Center is a good one!! Plus there’s so much other things to do there as well.
Great tips, gentlemen!!
Informational and fair warnings although using common sense usually helps avoiding most of scams but as always there's never enough info available especially if the place is not unfamiliar therefore😎Thank you Jay 🙂👍!!
Thank you for these tips!
@jaycation @seankaleponi what is the place you are at (where this video was shot at)? is it a park ?
Thanks for the tips guys! Sean we did Aulani luau and loved it! Would definitely recommend.
Awesome advice! Thanks guys!
Another great collaboration
Thank you for the info, moving out there this summer for a teaching gig and am so stoked
Would you recommend the turtle canyon snorkeling tour? Or just go on your own? Never been snorkeling
Ahhhhhhhagagahalalalbhalalaggaga a Jaycation @hawaiiantraveller collab!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Love it! The parking at the Surf Jack is true 😂 The turns are so tight. Our last rental car had a huge ding/scuffs that looked whoever had that car before tried the Surf Jack (off-site) parking lol Be sure to photograph and video the condition of the rental before taking the car! Rental companies may come for you months later for damages they think you might have caused.
Awesome job jay thumb up hope for you coffee this morning
Nice tips man Aloha!
It's like you say, it's not a rip off if you enjoy it, but thanks to your videos we can tell in advance if we're going to find something worth it. Congrats again on the 100k n best local SD TH-camr. 👍
Hi Jaycation, do you consider going to Polynesian Culture Center and fir Luau is a rip-off? It will be our first time there. Thank you!
A personal pet peeve of mine about Oahu tourist traps/"scams" is about Kuoloa Ranch. In general, I have no issue with the Ranch, what they offer, and if course the scenery is gorgeous. However, it seems like everyone who visits and does a video promotes it as "where they filmed Jurassic Park." False!!! There was one, two-minute scene from the movie filmed there and the majority of the movie was filmed on a different island entirely; Kauai.
I know that if I shelled out for a Jurassic Park tour and then found later that this wasn't really true, I'd feel pretty let down.
We found that out too. It's basically a 4-wheeler/ATV rental track with some animals at the entrance. The staff were all great...scenery beautiful...but the "Jurassic Park" angle needs dropped. 😁
Should i drop this tour? Lol😅 which do u recommend? I found out they offer a few. Thank you
@@karinachavez2425 I recommend it. I've done the Ocean Voyage, Raptor tour, and Jungle Expedition. They're all good, but, yeah... for the scenery and beauty of the place. Not so much for the movie stuff, though many were filmed there.
So glad you have Hawaii video's. Your videos for San Diego and Vegas helped immensely when we visited there 2 years ago!! Can't wait to watch some more, just watching this one I got good tips!! Thank You!!!
Thanks for the love and for watching the vids!
Staying a few streets back from the beach will certainly save you money for your room , but it comes at a cost too. When you do want to go to the beach, you then have to lug everything such as towels, coolers, or umbrellas city across city streets and traffic for several blocks which is a royal pain in the butt (especially if you have children). Not to mention if you need to go to your room to use the restroom or get a forgotten object, you have to go back through the traffic. A beachfront hotel is soooo much easier! Also, don’t get the ocean view rooms!!!! If you can see just a sliver of ocean, that counts as ocean view and you pay a premium. I actually prefer the city view rooms on Waikiki because you’re never in the room during the day when you can see the ocean, and at night the ocean is pitch black. City view though gives you a great view of the city lights and residences that are on the side of the mountains.
Can you do a video about local crafter markets on Oahu? Lokahi Kailua Market is a great on happening every Sunday in Kailua. Supporting small local businesses!
Love the collaboration :)
Great video! Love you and Sean! I agree on the luaus. If it's your first time on da island, go to one that gives you the best history. ABC is good for a quick stop to pick up stuff but ya, expensive! Like you and Sean said, Costco, Sam's Club, Safeway, Walmart, Times, etc. All good and cheap! Keep up the great work braddah! \m/
Where did you guys film this video. The views are awesome and would love to go there.
Thanks Jay 😊
Agreed!
🤙🏼Super Teeny Tiny parking spaces
🏝️but, What parking meter?
Might I add:
🤙🏼Walmart = use any debit card and get up to $100 cash back (don’t use any ATMs)
🏝️North Shore - Food Trucks 🍤
🏝️Get your poke at Tamuras
🍣 like try 7-11’s pork hash and musubi
🤙🏼Westside = Leave NOTHING in inside your vehicle !!
**They’re prefer you to keep you and your vehicle in town, but if you do venture out, they strongly suggest coming no farther west than Ko Olina. Seriously. (See 😮 below.)
(PS - check safety and registration before leaving car rental place - might be expired 😂 )
😮”Ha’ole” is not meant as polite salutation.
🚘Stay off the highways 7-10am/2:00-6pm. Traffic is da kine. 🤦🏼♀️
Aloha!🌈🙏✌🏼
Thank you just found your channel by accident. Great content & tips. I maybe living there. I have subscribed. I currently live in Homer Alaska. Not sure if you travel but check out this amazing town at the end of the peninsula where there is no more land. Glacier views.
A timeshare is *NEVER* a good deal.
My family makes the best Hawaiian food but I still recommend going to luaus. We ain't gonna cook for you! Its a fun experience even if its touristy.
Nice video. We have family in Oahu. We visit often. Luckily. we have family who works for the resorts and we get employee rates. Best time of year to visit. Is early December before the Marathon and before the holidays start. You get the Christmas feel without a million people on Christmas vacation.
Awesome video, new subscriber
🤙🏾mahalo for the support!
For the disney aulani luau do i need to have a hotel or i can just pay for the show and go there?
👍👍👍👏👏👏👏thank you for your tips
Sean reminds me of Hauoli Reeves...
Thank you, Jaycation, for including Sean on your videos, enjoy you both, very informative. MAHALO
Hey there we are staying at the Hawaiian princess resort in Waimea... We are divers but snorkle NOT scuba... Any suggestions for food shopping or fresh fish restaurants? Thank you!! 🐬🌏🤙🐠🌊🧜👣
Saw the waves in December it’s was awesome
kinda discouraged about vehicle theft, but thanks for the heads up
@Jaycation where's the best Luau to go to in Honolulu?
He said Paradise Cove and I can agree with that. It was alot of fun and food was excellent
@algernon5776 Paradise Cove was the best Lua I've ever been Hospitality was beautiful..Food and entertainment rocked..I recommend this place to anyone
I was hoping the special guest would be Sean!! Now i don't feel like I'm cheating on anybody since you're both on the same vid
So true about Ala Moana shopping centre. It's gone downhill since I was last there 10 years ago. This time there was no signage at all telling you where the stores were, no directories, only ones advertising Asian stores, in Japanese or Chinese. I couldn't even tell which level I was on or how to get out of there and back to the street. The information desks as you said have been taken over by time share vendors. On my second attempt at navigating this store, I eventually found a customer information office and paper maps, it was hidden on the lowest level next to the car parking and I only stumbled across it by accident. Also the whole place has such a strange layout. Rows of stores that are only accessible from the carpark but not inside the centre; and the food court is like a trap, also hard to access. The International Marketplace on the other hand is very beautiful, lots of open air space and gardens and a great stage area for hula performances etc. And everything is easy to find there.
I went to the Luau at that Aquarium and I TH-camd other luau before choosing the aquarium, the shows are great but the food was not good. The ribs were boiled, and food was not flavored well! I loved the show! I was disappointed in the foods around the island! I was looking for local greatness seafood and BBQ. I think the luau s made it look like they BBQed the pig but bring out lots of boiled chicken and ribs with BBQ sauce in place of what they show being cooked on the fire pit. I know boiled food, it was horrible,lots of food was thrown away by myself and other guests. We got one beverage a can soda and we had to buy alcohol. This was the least expensive Luau but the best view. $125 a person or more
Got that right…Can’t sue the ocean. Good one lol
Where did you film this??? cause I would like to go there on my next trip back to Hawaii
I think it’s Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens but I’m not sure.
FYI: if you are a member of a credit Union, you can get cash free of charge as there are multiple shared ATM from Hawaiian credit unions.
Luau's are good for Tourists absolutely😊 as a local, I personally do not have a desire to go but I have with friends. I recently took some friends on the two Luau's we work with. The food is amazing😋
Which two luaus had amazing food?
No Bank of America or Wells Fargo!! Thanks for the tip, unfortunately I’m already here in Hawaii!! Haha I had to pay $4.75 to get $100 out. That seems like the tax rate
A trick you can do is instead of getting cash at any ATM, go to any store instead, like Walmart, buy something, use debit, then get cash back. NO FEES.
@@DecrepitBiden we tried at the Target, and it skipped the cash back part… they said to try buying another M&Ms and click the $40… it didn’t show up again. We did this 3 times before giving up. The employees didn’t know how to make it work either
@@latruce Maybe they removed the option now, or you need higher purchase amount before it shows up? I rarely use debit at all, mostly cash & credit.
@@DecrepitBiden we tried one Target. It could have been just that one
Dukes on Waikiki Sunday's at 5 for live music with Henry Kapono and his band.
Clicked on the video because of the Kobe jersey, but subscribed because the content is actually 🔥!!! 💪🏽🙌🏽
MAHALO for the TIPS! We love Hawaii! LET'S GOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Disagree about break ins Happens on the westside. It happens anywhere!
Sean
Another great video what to watch out for when traveling to Oahu.
It's not a trip to Hawaii if you don't do a luau. Have never been to Hawaii but it's definitely something I want to experience.
You'll enjoy the luau, I always go to one when visiting Hawaii.
@vandalynwilkerson3498 which one do you recommend? Thank you
Aloha🌈, just got back with a fabulous Father/son trip. Avoided the traps but I pretty much accepted everything is just expensive. We found good places to buy food and never left anything in our car. Parasailing, although expensive, is just a frickin blast! My 4th time there and not my last! Mahalo for posting this vid. 🤙🏼🤙🏼
Bruh vehicle break ins is happening on every part of every island on every hike from Makaha all the way to makapuu lighthouse trail. You should’ve just said don’t leave stuff in your car NO MATTER where you are on Oahu cause nothing is safe!
Straight pro tips😊
Local petty thieves break into tourists' cars. Police look the other way.
ABC Stores is The Absolute Last place you're able to find Fresh poke. When searching for fresh poke or sashimi, don't be afraid to ask workers How fresh the fish is &, if possible, do they offer sample tastings. 8/10 stores won't mind you asking. Aside from Foodland, Safeway & Times...other places that offer Fresh poke include...Fort Ruger Market, Keeaumoku Seafood, Tamashiro Market, Fresh Catch, Ry's Poke & Shave Ice, Tamashiro Market, Alicia's Market & Poke on Da Run....among other places
I prefer to buy my day old poke at the gas stations... It's tangy!
@@jimmckinnon7148...And spend the rest of vacay Planted/Worshipping at the porcelain altar?!-lol...What Ever floats your boat!
My favorite botanical garden in the background
This past August we were in Maui and we could not believe how thin the parking spots are. We are from Massachusetts and our parking spots on the east coast are massive compared to hawaii
What happened to Germaine’s luau? The last time I visited Oahu was in 2000.
If you are visiting Oahu, do yourself a favor and stay away from the west side or don’t go past ko’olina for your safety.🤙🏾
I definitely agree on avoiding excursions. We pre-booked our entry to Diamond Head and took an inexpensive Uber to the entrance. We did do just one Luau (in matching Hawaiian shirts!), even if we get back to Hawaii I doubt we'll do another.
it's easy to get to Diamond Head on The Bus $3
The beach front hotel strip thing is definitely a trap with sites like expedia. I had them do that to me in Vegas. They advertise places like the strat being on the strip, but anyone who has been there knows it's not. Even the county doesn't consider it on the strip. I haven't checked expedia for Hawaii, but I guarantee they do the same thing.
Also the waves thing is definitely a problem. I am an Oregonian and love the coast and it unfortunately happens a lot, tourists will go to take their pictures and get hit by a big wave and swept away.
Yup Hawaii is expensive..we always hit up Costco and Walmart before getting to resort . Always have breakfast in room with kitchen
Always go to happy hour specials or local bars.... Food trucks are awesome.... we stay in place with kitchen...buy food for breakfast and lunch....
great sandwiches and packaged salads at 7-11 and ABC stores, for picnic lunches on the beach or in the parks, a big saving
SEAN!!
THE POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTRE!!!! Total rip-off, not worth the high price tag, out of the way, and hardly anything to do/see other than performances and a lagoon
We got broken into at Pali lookout
Shout out to tamashiro market for the best poke. I still get one scoop rice and half pound shoyu poke at food land though.
Not a fan of advocating for disposable plastic water bottles and snorkel gear but I get your cost saving tips
where is the location for this video ?
Damn! Even in Hawaii cars are getting broken into? 😂😂
I've heard that after you load up your car to go to the airport, you DO NOT leave it unattended, even to eat lunch. One person stays in or with the car at all times.
happens in New Zealand too, where crime rate overall is quite low
I'm bringing my daughter in April for her spring break. This will be our first time in Hawaii and I really would like to experience a luau atleast once. The energy, the food, the drinks, the culture, story telling, but I really don't want to have to pay crazy amounts of money.
I keep a credit union account and they refund all ATM fees