Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So, I'm not currently looking to relocate to Hawaii but something about Hawaii has recently sparked my curiosity. I guess because it replicates generally an American suburbia isolated on a chain of islands surrounded completely by water thousands of miles from literally...anything...I guess its just odd finding an modern civilized American city smack in the middle of the Pacific fully with Interstates, Malls, Homes and everything you would find in just about any American city yet so....remote.... at the same time.
Okay enough blabbing...
One thing that I have really been wondering is, people who live on different Islands than Oahu, are they able to commute to Honolulu in any feasible mean? Is it possible to make it by Ferry or is flight the only way to Island hop?
Lets say the latter is true, then I am guessing if you want to move to another island, you have to sell all your belongings, car, ect and start over on a different island?
It is sort of an American suburbia and it is sorta not. Honolulu is the only actual 'city' we have around here and it pretty much dominates the island of Oahu. Most of the population of the islands lives on Oahu, so they don't have to fly to get there. The rest of us, well, if we have to go to Honolulu, we pretty much have to fly.
Ferries have been tried several times over the decades but most of them couldn't survive the ocean conditions. The last one finally seemed to have gotten the boat surviving the ocean part down, but they got snaggled up in not getting permitted properly and they died from improper paperwork. Not sure if it was economically feasible for them or not, either.
Some people commute to the different islands for work, although usually it's done on a week basis and they only come home on the weekends. It used to be that folks could island hop for a $20 flight coupon when the tickets were bought in books of six or so. That was before TSA, though, and it was faster to get through the airport.
Interisland freight isn't anywhere near as expensive as freight from the mainland to Hawaii. If we want to ship a container to and from Oahu, it's fairly inexpensive, although I don't know the current numbers. Also, if you're moving from a neighbor island to Oahu, more than likely your Oahu house will be loads smaller than the ones on the neighboring islands so you're only going to want to take half of what you have anyway.
As far as Hawaii being remote, well, it is and it isn't. On a day to day basis, you don't really think about being 2,500 miles from any other large land mass. Mostly we're just concerned about getting to work, the grocery store, etc. It's when you can't get someone to ship something to you that you're reminded that maybe we are kinda far away from everywhere else.
One thing that I have really been wondering is, people who live on different Islands than Oahu, are they able to commute to Honolulu in any feasible mean?
Plenty of Hawaiian Airlines Corporate employees and Flight Attendants commute from the outer islands to Honolulu - but they fly free. Certainly State of Hawaii Senators and Representatives make commutes. Otherwise - you'd most would go broke trying to commute from an outer island to Honolulu on their own dime as the money wouldn't be there to make it worthwhile. I have met some folks from Maui that have commuted during the construction boom on Oahu as they have highly specialized contractor skills and can write off the expense.
There are a lot more people than people probably realize that will commute at least half the month back to mainland, usually SF Bay Area or LA even on their own dime - as the compensation can be so much higher and the type of position isn't available in Hawaii or pays too low.....
So, I'm not currently looking to relocate to Hawaii but something about Hawaii has recently sparked my curiosity. I guess because it replicates generally an American suburbia isolated on a chain of islands surrounded completely by water thousands of miles from literally...anything...I guess its just odd finding an modern civilized American city smack in the middle of the Pacific fully with Interstates, Malls, Homes and everything you would find in just about any American city yet so....remote.... at the same time.
Okay enough blabbing...
One thing that I have really been wondering is, people who live on different Islands than Oahu, are they able to commute to Honolulu in any feasible mean? Is it possible to make it by Ferry or is flight the only way to Island hop?
Lets say the latter is true, then I am guessing if you want to move to another island, you have to sell all your belongings, car, ect and start over on a different island?
My Family has a lot relatives on the mainland, Maui and the Big Island so there is a number of visits from the Aunt's, Uncle's, cousin's, nieces and Nephews during the year for special occasions here on Oahu.
But is it limited because it costs, but it does happen two to three times a year now that I think about it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
