Hawaii Cost Breakdown (Staying with someone)

View from Koko Head

Travel for 2 to Hawaii

For us, Hawaii was a must. The timing could not have been better, Becky was off from teaching for the winter, Trevor had just quit his job, we had built up enough points to get a free trip on points. To top it off, Trevor's cousin was living in O'ahu as a dive instructor. That meant, we had a place to stay! Staying with a friend or relative for a trip certainly has its perks. But like every good thing, there are bad things that come along with it.

Low accommodation costs and no flight cost!

For us, 6 days in Hawaii was cheap. As you can see, we basically spent about $100/day each. We were provided a place to crash and also had a means of transportation. On a island such as Hawaii, those two can quickly add up!

What can be done to make sure you will be a good guest?

If you are fortunate enough to have someone to stay with, these tips can help you make sure you will be invited back!

1) Be understanding. Yes, YOU may be visiting on vacation, but your host is most likely not. They may be able to afford a couple days to hang out with you, but odds are they have to go to work for some of those days. You may want to go 100 miles an hour, but your host still has their normal life to live.

Cousinly love!

2) This goes with the above statement, but understand your host's schedule. They will not be able to party with you every night (unless your host is Trevor's cousin). If they need to head to work at 8 am, try to find something that allows you also to be out of the house by then so your host isn't preoccupied with trying to make sure you are happy.

Our chauffeur! 

3) Limit the complaining. This is an excellent way to get a bad reputation. Complaining about the bed, the temperature, or having no food is a quick way to get an early exit. No one wants to hear it, especially the person saving you a couple hundred a day.

View from the back porch!

4) Compensate your host. Whenever we got a ride from Trevor's cousin, we made sure to give her gas money or fill her tank. Occasionally we would buy her meal, a drink, or a ticket to an attraction. These small gestures can have significant impact on if you get invited back again.

5) Only people traveling alone may have a pass on this, but make an effort to give your host a break. We did spend a night in a hotel one of the nights. This relieves your host of any obligations and also allows you to have some freedom to do what you want without approval of your host. Chances are, your host is tired of doing the touristy thing that they have done with the previous 5 visitors! 

A great plus is seeing your destination through a local's eyes. We got to check out some lesser know beaches and go exploring off the beaten path!

Heading to a waterfall!