The islands of Hawaii are one of the most unique places in the United States—scratch that, in the entire world. When people talk about a land far, far away, they may just be talking about Hawaii, over 2,500 miles away from the next nearest landmass. But its distance is hardly the only thing that makes these islands one of a kind. If you’ve ever wondered why Hawaii is so unlike any other place on earth, here are some crazy fun facts about Hawaii that will give you a glimpse of just why this archipelago stands out.
Table of Contents
- Fascinating Fun Facts about Hawaii
- Natural Fun Facts about Hawaii
- Animal Fun Facts about Hawaii
- Quirky Fun Facts about Hawaii
- Random Fun Facts about Hawaii
- Colorful Fun Facts about Hawaii
Fascinating Fun Facts about Hawaii
1. Hawaii is made up of 137 different islands
The only state made up entirely of islands, Hawaii encompasses 137 islands in total, including eight major islands and several islets, rocks, and atolls that span almost 6,500 square miles in the North Pacific Ocean. Here are some fun facts about the Hawaiian archipelago.
Of those 137 islands, only the largest eight are considered significant: Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Hawaii Island. Of those eight, only seven are inhabited; of those seven, most people can only name four—the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, and Kauai. Now you can count yourself among the select few who know just how massive Hawaii actually is!
2. Hawaii has two official languages
Despite being over 200 years old, you may be surprised to learn that English is not federally recognized as the official language of the United States. But that hasn’t stopped Hawaii from recognizing it as one of its two official languages: Hawaiian and English.
Want to add more to your fun facts about Hawaii? It’s the only state in the US with two official languages, making it the only bilingual state in the country.
3. Surfing was invented off the shores of Hawaii
The origins of surfing can be traced back to Polynesia, but its cultivation occurred off the shores of Hawaii. As a result, surfing is almost as synonymous with the islands as its stunning beaches are. And its popularity is thanks to people like Duke Kahanamoku, who shared his love of surfing with the world. Arguably the sport’s most famous surfer, he’s affectionately referred to as the “Father of Surfing” with his own dedicated statue on Waikiki Beach.
4. The hula saved Hawaiian language and culture
On its surface, the hula is a beautiful dance of the Hawaiian people. But you need only look a bit deeper to discover its true nature. For centuries, with no written language, Hawaiian traditions, stories, and histories were passed down orally through hula.
However, the arrival of westerners in the 19th century almost erased it from the islands entirely, threatening to take generations of history and tradition with it. Its only thanks to the revival of the hula by the Hawaiian people that they were able to preserve and restore their culture and language.
5. The Big Island claims one of only four green sand beaches in the world
Papakōlea green sand beach in Hawaii is a marvel, thanks to the volcanic olivine crystals that make up the sandy shore. The high content of olivine in the sand creates a rare sight you can’t see at many other places: a beach where the sand appears green.
As a bonus and another fun fact, the green sand beach lies west of Ka Lae, the southernmost point of the United States.
Natural Fun Facts about Hawaii
6. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to the most active volcano in the world (and the largest)
Interspersed with the sandy beaches and lush tropical interiors of Hawaii are towering peaks that help set its landscapes further apart. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the best places to start for fun facts about Hawaii and its volcanoes.
The park is home to the Kilauea volcano, the most active volcano in the world, and Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano in the world. As Mauna Loa just erupted again for the first time in 38 years, suffice it to say the volcanic part of the volcanic islands speaks for itself.
7. Hawaii claims the tallest mountain in the world
Located on the Big Island, Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain in the world. Yes, even when stacked up against Mount Everest. Mauna Kea stands at a staggering 33,500 feet when measured from base to peak compared to Mount Everest’s 29,032 feet. The height accounts for why Mauna Kea is often snow-capped, even sometimes in the summer!
8. Hawaii is home to one of the wettest places on earth
The wettest place on earth isn’t Forks, Washington, or even Wales, United Kingdom, though funnily enough, it does start with a W. Mount Waialeale on the island of Kauai stands out for its lush vegetation and abundant precipitation. In 2021 alone, it had an annual rainfall of 491 inches. Compared to other precipitous spots on earth, that’s more than Forks, the UK, and a lot of other places combined.
9. The largest dormant volcano can be found in Hawaii
Travel to the house of the sun, and you’ll find the largest dormant volcano in the world. Haleakala is a massive shield volcano responsible for forming over 75 percent of the island of Maui. Hawaiian legends say Haleakala’s 10,000-foot peak is where the god Maui lassoed the sun to slow its descent across the sky.
Animal Fun Facts about Hawaii
10. About 70 percent of Hawaii’s original avian wildlife is now extinct
Some fun facts about Hawaii are less fun and more tragic, like the fact Hawaii has lost over half of its native bird species to extinction. The loss of so much native wildlife has led to Hawaii’s rather dour moniker as “the extinction capital of the world.”
Thankfully, Hawaii has several programs and projects to help preserve and restore many of its endemic species. So, possibly, decades from now, the Aloha State will have a more charming moniker to befit its conservation efforts.
11. You can’t have a pet snake in Hawaii
Other fun facts have some not-so-fun reasons behind them. For example, in Hawaii, you can’t own a pet snake. While that may be sad news for reptile lovers, it’s for a good reason: protecting Hawaii’s endangered native bird population.
The punishments for defying this law are no joke, either. Perpetrators found smuggling snakes can face up to three years in jail and fines of over $200,000.
However, Hawaii does have an Amnesty Program for voluntary surrenders, which is one way to avoid penalties and keep Hawaii’s native populations safe.
12. Hawaii is home to only two native mammals
Hawaii is known for its diverse and unique birds, which makes its two native mammals, the Hawaiian hoary bat, and the Hawaiian monk seal, all the more fascinating. Almost all of Hawaii’s land mammals were introduced by humans, with the exception of the hoary bat. As the only native land mammal in Hawaii, the hoary bat is the official state land mammal, while its aquatic counterpart, the Hawaiian monk seal, is the state mammal.
Quirky Fun Facts about Hawaii
13. There are just 13 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet
They say to keep things simple, and the Hawaiian language does just that. The Hawaiian alphabet has only 13 letters—A, E, I, O, U, H, K, L, M, N, P, W, and ‘. Though the ‘okina was used as early as the 1820s, it wasn’t officially added to the alphabet until 1864, when it became the thirteenth letter of the Hawaiian alphabet.
14. The Hawaii state fish is the Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa
Now, this little fact contains several more fun facts about Hawaii to put a smile on your face. The first is that schoolchildren played a big part in the Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa being chosen as the state fish. Its name translates as “triggerfish with a snout like a pig,” which is both funny and endearing. And its name is one of the longest words in the Hawaiian language, coming in second only to another fish, the Lauwiliwilinukunukuʻoiʻoi, which roughly translates to “long-snouted fish shaped like a wiliwili leaf.”
15. Hawaii boasts the only royal palace in the US
The US isn’t big on monarchies; otherwise, we wouldn’t have had the Boston Tea Party. Despite that, the US still boasts a royal palace on its shores. Built in 1882 under the Hawaiian monarchy, Iolani Palace served as the royal residence to Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs—including, another fun fact here, Hawaii’s first and only female queen.
After the US annexed Hawaii in 1898, it became the first and only royal palace on US soil. Now, it serves as a National Historic Landmark where visitors can learn about the Hawaiian monarchy and Hawaiian culture.
16. You can mail a coconut anywhere in the world from Hawaii
Forget postcards. Visitors to Hawaii can make their trip unforgettable by mailing a coconut anywhere in the world.
While most vacation itineraries rarely include a trip to the post office, many visitors make an exception to stop in at the Hoolehua Post Office on Molokai and post a coconut. After making your mark on the coconut with decorations provided by the post office, the post-a-nut program can send your nut anywhere. It’s a crazy, fun fact about Hawaii that you can’t miss out on during your next island visit.
17. It’s illegal for buildings on Kauai to be taller than a palm tree
Ever wondered how Kauai remains so beautifully untamed? The Garden Isle doesn’t look like a real-life Garden of Eden by chance. Kauai law prohibits the construction of any building taller than Hawaii’s famous palm trees.
So, why does such a specific law exist? Simple. Just like Kauai resisted King Kamehameha’s efforts to unite Hawaii, the island has held steadfast against efforts to turn it into a place of luxury condos and towering skyscrapers. The result is unobstructed views of paradise.
Random Fun Facts about Hawaii
18. You can’t gamble in Hawaii
Those who love a good bet might find this less of a fun “fun fact” about Hawaii, but it’s true. The state is one of only two in the US—the other being Utah—to make gambling illegal. As a result, you won’t find any casinos on the islands or out on the water. While cruise ships can offer Vegas-style casinos in international waters, they have to close up shop as soon as they hit Hawaiian ones.
So, where do you go when you want to gamble? Simple. You can hop on a plane and head to Hawaii’s ninth island: Las Vegas!
19. Hawaii has its own time zone
Island Time isn’t just a chilled outlook on life and the concept of time; it’s a real thing. The Hawaiian Islands have their own official time zone. Considering they’re located more than 2,000 miles from the nearest landmass, it makes sense Hawaiians run on their own schedule.
What schedule is that, exactly? Depending on daylight savings time, Hawaiian Standard Time runs 2-3 hours behind Pacific Standard Time and 5-6 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.
20. The Big Island is still growing
The Big Island is called that for a reason. With over 4,000 square miles, it’s the largest island in the Hawaiian Island chain and larger than all the other islands combined. And it’s still growing.
If you remember your fun facts about Hawaii so far, you’ll recall that the Big Island is home to Kilauea, the most active volcano in the world. With the Pu‘u‘ō‘ō eruption from 1983 to 2018 and Kilauea’s 2018 eruption, the island added over 1300 acres of land over the span of 35 years. And as long as the Big Island’s volcanoes remain active, more land will continue to be added in the future.
21. Hawaii is the birthplace of many celebrities, including an American president
If you’re a fan of presidents, actors, sports athletes, or singers, you may already know this fun fact about Hawaii: it’s given birth to a lot of celebrities. Famous people from the Hawaiian Islands, including big names like President Barack Obama, Bruno Mars, Bette Midler, Jason Mamoa, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Wie, and B.J. Penn, abound. Maybe it’s something about that Hawaiian water.
22. You’ll find 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones in Hawaii
Officially, the numbers on this one differ slightly depending on who you ask. But, if you refer to the original Koppen Climate Classification System from 1884, Hawaii claims four of Koppen’s five major climate systems and ten of his fourteen subgroups. It’s one of the few places on earth where you can travel to so many different climate zones in such a small area.
Colorful Fun Facts about Hawaii
23. Hawaii’s state flower is the yellow hibiscus
The hibiscus flower became Hawaii’s state flower in the early 1920s. However, it wasn’t until 1988 that recognizing only the yellow hibiscus as the state flower became official. Before that, many people thought the official flower was the red hibiscus, so don’t be confused if you see some old illustrations of the bright red hibiscus flowers. Instead, you can chuckle to yourself, knowing the history behind this fun fact about Hawaii!
24. Hawaii is known as the Rainbow State
Here’s a fun fact you’ll want to keep an eye out for. Hawaii is known by many nicknames, from the official Aloha State moniker to its unique island nicknames, but one that stands out is the Rainbow State. Thanks to the spectacular conditions in Hawaii, you’re more likely to see a rainbow here than anywhere else in the US. If not splashed across the Hawaiian sky, then certainly on many of Hawaii’s state license plates.
25. Aloha means hello and goodbye
This may be one of the best Hawaii fun facts to use as a signoff. On top of meaning love, the Hawaiian word aloha means both hello and goodbye, which makes it the perfect expression to encapsulate the spirit of Hawaii. The Aloha State will make you feel right at home, from greeting you upon arrival to filling you with warmth during your stay and sending you off with a fond farewell.
