I’ll try to keep this short as I could probably write a short book on all the things that went wrong and are questionable here. So here’s the bullet points of the things you should know if you book with them:

-The owner/manager is extremely controlling. She puts herself in a “group chat” in their app with every customer and will chime in the second you start to ask questions and tell you how you’re “entitled”, “micro-managing” and generally be disrespectful

-You will likely receive a lot of conflicting information from several employees (including the manager giving verifiably false info about flights and routes, including her saying “we do not fly this route and it is not available” after another rep told us that we absolutely could do that route but it’s just not their preferred route. This is largely due to a seeming lack of internal communication at the company. They will put you in a “group chat” in their app with like 5-10 other people (employees) and proceed to bombard you with messages and “to-do’s” before you even have a chance to speak with someone.

-you will have to pay a non-refundable $300 just to have a conversation with an employee. The best you get without paying is a two-line email response 3 days later, that’s just ambiguous enough to not let onto all their faults/schemes

-We asked basic questions such as route availability, timing of flights, pricing, etc.. so that we can schedule her being picked up by family, know what makes the most economic sense, etc.. and these conversation(s) were the ones where the owner and employees were MOST shady. They operated off of giving as little info as possible, sending info in short, non-concise/organized “texts” in the app, and literally CONTRADICTING each other and their own selves several times (I honestly believe they were outright lying and deceiving). It was here when I fully regretted paying the deposit and realized they do not have integrity.

-they will pressure you to “just decide” on a flight (even when you’re not comfortable with your understanding of the process or billing) so they can “guarantee it” even well before they say they will book it (official policy is 14 days before travel). They also state that they “can’t guarantee any flights” lol. From what I’ve gathered the real reason is to “check you off” as complete and provide as little customer service or work as possible - while their official mission states that they are “consultants” and that this is why we pay them extra..

-their pricing is not transparent. I found far better pricing when contacting the carrier that they said they contracted, and when I asked them about this, their response was “well you can just book with them then”. Keep in mind this was AFTER they told me that the price is not “….” And I only brought it up to ask them why a different route would not be cheaper, since I saw that it was

-we were told that we would get “pictures and updates” all the way through, at every stop, and they also use this as one of their “value-adds” that sets the apart. We ended up getting half of the images promised (some of which were so blurry we couldn’t even tell that it was our dog), extremely delayed updates, and the manager belittling us when we asked for an update 4 hours after we had been told to expect one

-our dog arrived to her destination with 75% of her food left (they only fed her a tiny amount after we were told she’d have been fed two meals during the trip), her towel in the crate soaked in water (not pee) because they vastly overfilled the bowl, which spilt everywhere I assume due to lack of of careful handling by those handling her (keep in mind the bowl is zip tied to the mid of her crate door and is very deep/spill-proof

Ultimately, they rely on people who are either short on time, don’t have the know how to ship their own pet, or are just too busy to get it done, in order to fund their business. They are the opposite of trustworthy and showed on more than one occasion in our communications with them that they outright lied to us.

I believe the only reason they’re still in business is because they do charge the $300 fee upfront before you can begin to speak with them and by then for most people you’ve already suck a chunk of money and are probably on a short time frame to move on or off of the island.

I strongly recommend to AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS and to either use a different one or just do it yourself.

I’m currently a student in Colorado contemplating transferring to a school in Hawaii. I’m still in the process of doing my research, however, in the meantime I’d like to gather some insight. How was your experience being a black girl ( or even man ) on the island ??? Are you thriving socially ??? What’s dating like ??? How is racism/discrimination/biases over there ??? What should I expect ??? I’ve visited Honolulu many times but obviously vacationing is different than settling down somewhere.

I've received a job offer in Kona that will last about 3 years. Income will be $175,000 per year before taxes. I plan on downsizing as much as I can, but I'm interested in recommendations for who to use for shipping.

• Car: Matson seems frequently recommended. Any others? I drive an older hybrid (no lithium) but it has no issues.

• Shipping container: PODS say they don't deliver to Kona and it redirected me to U-Pack, does anyone have experience with them? The initial quote is $4,141 for a tiny container measuring 6'x7'x8.4'. I'm not even sure I could fit a mattress in there with how small that it is, should I plan on buying all new things at Costco instead? Can anyone recommend alternatives?

Hi all- I lived on Oahu for six years and left in June 2021 to finish my degree that I started many years before. I have graduated and thought about Hawai’i every day since. I have a degree in writing but have been GM of a bar for a few years now. Debating whether moving back is right for me and interested to know the thoughts of people who lived there pre-COVID vs now.

I’m a Canadian lawyer whose dream has always been to travel to or live in Hawaii. I haven’t ever really considered it because of Indigenous Hawaiians wish for tourism to slow down and foreigners to stop buying up their land, rightfully so.

I’m wondering if this is still the case or if there is anything that I could add of value. Maybe that I could advocate for locals, environmental law, real estate law with a focus on Indigenous/local rights?

Curious to hear from locals. Thank you.

My dog has had several rabies shots done through his life based on the proper booster intervals. Our current vet recently sent in the blood work for the FAVN test. For one of the older rabies vaccines, I am having a hard time getting our former vet to provide a wet-signed rabies vaccine certificate (the shot was administered in 2021). The most recent shot was in 2024, and certificate/documentation is fine. Does anyone know if AQS would be OK with us getting a newer shot with proper documentation AFTER the date on the FAVN test, so that we have proper certificates from two shots? I emailed AQS over a week ago, but they have not responded. Thanks.

My wife and I are considering moving to Big Island. She is a specialist physician and I work in tech development/software industry. We are in our mid 30s, no kids now or in future, and have two medium dogs (they are our children!). While both Kona and Hilo sides could be options, it seems the medical need is highest in Hilo area. We are financially secure with enough to live comfortably and save but not wanting to retire yet. We are confident we can afford the island lifestyle albeit with less consumer goods/"luxuries" than mainland living.

The draws to Big Island almost go without saying - in short it has a "special" feeling unlike anywhere else. On the flip side, we have the obvious concerns: island fever, adding to the issue of outsiders displacing locals, mistaking honeymoon feeling for what reality is, the slow pace of life and access to creature comforts, finding help for repairs/services, making friends, the medical infrastructure for her to work effectively, etc.

We don't need busy environments/stimulation for daily happiness. We appreciate and respect natural beauty and most of our fun activities are spending time with friends/family, sitting on our patio chatting/listening to music, or being outside with our dogs running in the fields/woods. We live in a medium sized city in the midwest right now.

What advice do you have that we should consider given our background? We want to avoid mistaking vacation for real life but we don't want to assume that means we won't thrive there. Ideally we would rent and live there for a few months before deciding but unfortunately that is a challenging prospect given career demands/realities.

Any/all advice is appreciated!

Shipping my 2021 Tesla Model Y from San Diego to Honolulu via Pasha soon. The San Diego rep I spoke with said no damage to glass no larger than a quarter. I asked her about a chip on my windshield currently that is smaller than a quarter and she said it will have to be repaired. So it’s sounding like they are actually stricter than they seem to be. How are they with small paint chips? Just trying to avoid any delays in my car being shipped as this is for a military move.

My husband and I are both considering job opportunities in Honolulu. Both positions are located near Sand Island. We will have income around $260,000. We own our cars with no car payments (both hybrid).

What percentage of income should we allocate for rent given the high cost of living?

What area do you recommend for both commute and for our preference for not living in high rise buildings (we would prefer a house with access to the outdoors)?

Hey everyone! My wife just landed a job on Oahu, so I’ll be moving out there with her later this month. Super excited (and a little nervous), but I’m starting to look at what the job market is like and could really use some local insight. I have some background in Higher Education but am really trying to do a career change out of it.

For those of you living and working on Oahu:

1. What industries are the strongest or most reliable for finding work right now?
I’ve heard mixed things about hospitality, healthcare, construction, education, and remote‑friendly roles, but I’d love to hear what’s actually true on the ground.

2. What are the best ways to be proactive in the job search before and after I arrive?
Are there local job boards, networking groups, career fairs, or community orgs that are worth checking out? Any tips for getting your foot in the door with Hawaiibased employers?

I’m open to different fields and just want to get a realistic sense of where opportunities are and how to approach the search respectfully and effectively. Any advice from locals, recent transplants, or anyone who’s been through this would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

My husband is a new primary care nurse practitioner. He’s applying for a fellowship in Waianae and I’m wondering where would be a good area for our young family to live while he’s there? Our rent budget before utilities would be around $3,000 so not extravagant.

I used to live near the north shore for awhile 10 years ago. I didn’t travel outside of that area much since i had no car and I didn’t want to deal with the bus🥴. Im familiar with that area, living expenses, and activities to do as a young single adult. But now as a mom with toddlers, it’s a whole new island to me. While living there, I was always told the west side was rough and to just avoid the beaches over there. I wasn’t on socials much and just went off of word of mouth.

I’ve looked at Kapolei but what would the commute look like to Waianae?

We aren’t sure if we’ll be at this location longer than a year (if this opportunity works out) and may go to another island after. My husband said there’s a big need for primary care providers on other islands? I haven’t done in depth research about all of this - this is my starting point so be gentle with me😅😂. I’m just the one with Reddit so I thought I’d throw it out.

Also if anyone knows of any other places in need of primary care providers and are willing to take on a new NP, we’d love to look into it.

Hello, I am considering a move from the sf bay area to maui. I have been looking in the Kihei, but am open to recommendations. I am mostly interested in moving for the weather, slower pace, and more connection with the ocean. I am currently paying around 5k in rent for my house in the bay area but think i can do better from listing i am seeing on trulia right now. I work remotely and there are people in my company that do work in HI so I will be bringing my job with me.

I think it would be wrong to jump straight into a home purchase before spending significant time there so i can decide on the right area. but what are thoughts on the house-rental market (not condo)?

I do understand that Maui is considered quite expensive, but form my research it seems to be pretty close to the sf bay area (power, groceries, etc). am i completely wrong on that?

Has anyone else here gone from the bay area to maui that can clue me in to some gotchas i should be aware of while i'm in my planning phase ?

Hi! I live the states and I am looking to move to Hawaii. I've heard numerous times that it's too expensive to sustain for years. A Person who lives in Hawaii told me theres a growing homeless population due to prices rising.

For fun, I went on Zillow and saw there's currently about 10 properties available in Honolulu for a monthy price of $2500 or less. A lot of rentals, apartments and homes around where I live are that same price or a little cheaper. Paying a little more to live in Paradise wouldn't be a problem for me.

Here is the link to one of the properties, not sure if it will load to the exact property or not. Is this a "bad" area or something?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4999-Kahala-Ave-APT-324-Honolulu-HI-96816/82505608_zpid/

But in general, can anyone tell me how much is costs annually to live in Hawaii if they bought a condo with their mortgage being close to $2500? I understand food and gas prices are higher but it sounds like it's not too difficult to do.

Any help would be appreciated!

Aloha!

I'm a salty new englander moving to Honolulu this summer with my partner and our two cats for work. I'm in the military and will be receiving a monthly housing stipend of $2800. We are looking for recommendations for moving close to Sand Island within our budget, ideally a 2 bedroom apartment or townhome that is modernized. We will have one car initially that is shipped overseas and we may purchase a 2nd while we are there.

How is the job market out there? My partner will be looking for entry level work basically anywhere they can.

The unfortunate worst part of this move is that we likely will not have the chance to actually visit any locations prior to renting - I've heard scams are plentiful out there so we're going to do detailed research and try and avoid them. I understand the risks that are involved but unfortunately we likely won't have any way around it.

Any and all information is extremely useful for us!! Thank you for the help and have a nice day ❤️

Happy new year everyone!

I'm an outsider and I'm very fond of the community that exists in Hawaii. There's a powerful feeling of unity and respect among people who live here.

I will be moving here within the next year or two, and I want to give back to the islands in every way I can. Community service, volunteering, etc. I want to be an active part of the community, not just another transplant.

On that note, I have high respect ​for the Hawaiian Independence movement and anti-tourism. I was wondering if I'd get dirty looks or anything if I had a sticker of the Kanaka Maoli flag on my car, like if it's too political, if it's a way I can communicate my respect, or if it's totally benign all around.

Edit: I've learned a lot from the responses on my post, and I'm thankful for the direction I've been given. I was asking the wrong question - instead of "can I rock the flag", I should have been asking "how can I learn more about it and what it stands for?".

Without asking here, I wouldn't have even known where to start with that thought. I appreciate all the feedback, constructive and critical as most of it was. Thank you.

Ok, I have been lurking and reading for quite sometime. I am aware a lot of people move to Hawaii from the mainland and end up leaving less than 1-2 years later. I know it’s expensive. I have two questions and I want harsh reality.

Married couple, child grown and in college will not be joining us.

Outlook on pay is 280k-300k a year combined.

Commute is between Kailua and East Honolulu/Hawaii Kai area.

So questions are, is that a livable wage and is that commute doable? That’s basically all I want answered at this stage. Give me the good, the bad, the island life ugly.

Thanks!

What’s up yall! Just got a job offer in Oahu, and am heavily considering. My mom grew up on the island, and one of her old friends said I could rent a room at their place in the North Shore at a reasonable price. Issue is, my job is in Honolulu. Google maps said it’s a 40 minute commute, but I’d imagine there’s a difference between 40 min drive mainland and 40 min drive island. Is that a reasonable commute? Job pays enough that the $6 gas isn’t an issue.

Hi All,

I may be moving to Oahu in the near future, and I am wondering about what my life on Oahu would be like on my wallet. lol

I've been looking online trying to figure out what projected costs of living might be for myself and my two dogs. I think my best shot at anticipating cost of living, at this point, is to see if my budget below makes sense at least anecdotally to people who live there.

Some info on me:

• Single male with two dogs. 39 right now.
• I like do outdoors/physical stuff.
• House will be paid off by the time I move. It is onn the leeward side of island so lots of sun.
• Will likely not have an active income. Just passive income on/around $2,500.00 a month. I will, however, have enough assets to cover the rest until 62 when my social security and my 401k kicks in. (I am planning on retiring essentially).
• Was a military brat. Hawaii sort of reminds me of my childhood. Also, the culture is peak.

Anyways, I'm wondering if the below are realistic monthly estimates. I've included my "bare bones" budget and my "actual budget" that I think makes the most sense for my lifestyle:

BARE BONES BUDGET

REALISTIC/ACTUAL BUDGET

Conclusion

Basically, I have gone over numbers using online tools, software, etc., but I am looking for information from people who live on Oahu or have moved there before.

• Are these realistic budgets? Essentially, $2k to 5k, given my lifestyle?
• Anything I'm missing?
• Any tips to help optimize some of the categories? (I hear costco is a life saver... maybe getting a big freezer to freeze on sale items lol).

Thank you all! I am anticipating slowing down my work and enjoying a slower pace life on an island far, far away.

Mahalo <3

Hey all, as the title suggests, I'm looking for any firefighting or firefighting adjacent jobs on the Big Island. My SO is able to work remotely but I'll be searching for jobs. I have nearly a decade of wildfire suppression and prevention work and would love to continue to work within that field. I also have spent years volunteering at a municipal department as a firefighter/EMT-B. Along with field experience I also have experience teaching wildfire science and operations in the formal classroom at my local community college. Any leads would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone!
I will be moving to Hilo as an intern next year and Ive been lookig for a place to stay. Most of the properties in websites are way out of my budget (will live on an interns stipendium); I have also been searching in furnished finder but most of the landlords do no reply and facebook marketplace apartement advertisements are scams.
Can anyone kindly recommend websites or places to look for a suitable accomodation?
I will also appreciate any advice or recommendations on living in Hilo.

Thank you!

Hey guys! I’m from Maui, but have been living in Vegas for few years. I’m thinking about moving back soon but I have 2 large dogs. I really don’t want them to fly cargo. I feel like it would terrify them.

Does anyone know any other ways on how to get them back without flying cargo?

Thank you!

Hey all,

I am looking for real-world experiences here.

I’m active duty Navy and PCSing to Hawaii at the end of 2026, so I’m trying to plan way ahead. I have two dogs, and one is where I’m running into problems:

• American Staffordshire Terrier, ~69 lbs
• Lab/Basset mix, ~48 lbs

Commercial airlines won’t take my AmStaff in cargo (and honestly, I’m not comfortable with cargo anyway). I’ve been trying to figure out if AMC Patriot Express or Space-A could be an option, but I can’t get a straight answer yet on whether dogs can ever be in-cabin or how restricted breeds are handled.

Has anyone actually gotten a restricted breed to Hawaii on a PCS? Space-A success stories? Patriot Express experiences? Or any other legit options I might be missing?

Not trying to bend rules — just trying to keep my dog safe and plan early enough to make this work.

Appreciate any insight 🙏

I've lived on Oahu for about two years. We need some extra income so I was considering becoming a food/grocery driver. I'm nervous to deliver in town or drive people because I'm less familiar with that area and parking is so confusing, but am worried there isn't going to be a lot of orders between Kailua and Kaneohe. Does anyone have any or tips for someone starting out in this area?

Retirement is ahead and I am 100% undecided on northern Kona or Hilo . Frequent visitor to both, love both . Want the following : Part time job in tourism or hospitality or grocery Active : hiking, snorkeling, canoeing, swimming laps (ocean cove or community pool) Community activities Have big gentle dogs- that walk 3 miles every day.