• 1. Never leave anything valuable in your car, no matter what. Hawaii has the highest property crime rate in the nation, and car thieves prey on tourists. They can break in a car and steal video camera, wallets, sunglasses and luggage within 10 seconds. And that is a high estimate. Some thieves have been clocked at 6 seconds to complete their break in and escape. While police have stepped up their patrol of hot visitor spots to try and combat the problem, theft at Hawaii’s beaches, parks, shopping malls and visitors spots is still out of control. In addition, do not leave your car running -- especially with children inside -- while you run into the store. While kidnappings are very rare, car thefts are common and thieves may unknowingly steal your car and your children if you give them the opportunity.

• 2. Never leave anything valuable on the beach without supervision. Again, Hawaii’s high property crime rate and homeless population will help ensure your wallet and car keys won’t be there when you return. (Usually it is ok to leave towels and slippers, but even those can get taken.) Take your valuables with you or rent a locker if you are in Waikiki.

• 3. Want to take a dip in the high seas? Ask a lifeguard first. No matter how good of a swimmer you think you are in a pool or a river, that is nothing like swimming in the ocean. Hawaii’s oceans can have strong currents, big waves and incredible undertows. Before going swimming, always ask a lifeguard about the ocean conditions and watch the ocean for a while before entering. Surfing is fun, but if you are new at it, go to Waikiki where you can take a lesson with an instructor. Don't try to surf the waves at Waimea or on the North Shore unless you are a professional -- those waves can get up to 50 or more feet high. Don't bodysurf at Sandy's Beach on the East side of Oahu or at Makapuu unless you are experienced. The waves are strong and can be deadly to those who aren't experienced. Do not surf at any other location other than Waikiki unless you are fit enough to swim a mile in the rough ocean, because you might have to. Don’t swim in areas that are murky or where you see several green turtles because sharks prey in those areas, and although shark attacks are extremely rare, why be a statistic? Don’t step on coral -- the coral is a living creature, so if you step on it you will kill it and hurt your feet. If you get caught in a fast moving ocean current, ride it out until you reach land or signal a lifeguard or nearby swimmer for help, rather than swim against it, because otherwise you will get tired and may become too weak to swim.

• 4. If you are standing by the ocean and the sand is wet where you are standing -- or close to where you are standing -- know a wave will be coming your way and some of them can be big and powerful. Never stand on wet rocks by the ocean because those are slippery and the next wave can pull you into rough seas.

• 5. If you rent a kayak, make sure the waves are not too big or the currents and wind too strong before you paddle out. Best to go on a day that is calm, always wear a lifevest and go with a guide if possible. If you land your kayak on a beach, remember a wave can come in suddenly and pull it and your paddle back into the ocean, so pull the kayak far out of the reach of the waves onto dry sand before leaving its side.

• 6. Those cute little blue bubbles in the ocean -- don’t touch them. They will sting you. They are called man-o-wars (not the scientific name of course) and they have a bubble, which does not sting, and a separate tail that attaches itself to the bubble that trail several feet in the water and wrap around you and sting you. These man-o-wars are usually only found on the windward beaches. On the leeward, town bound and east side beaches of Oahu, there are occasional jellyfish parties (where the box jelly fish come in great numbers toward shore). Stay out of the water when this happens. Lifeguards post warning signs when these box jellyfish appear (usually 10 days after the full moon for two days). If you do get stung, go to the lifeguard and if there is none around, you can apply meat tenderizer, papaya, vitamin e or ammonia to the sting to help it go away -- it should within an hour if you don’t rub or agitate the sting.

• 7. Unless you want to look like a tomato at the end of the day, wear at least a number 30 suntan lotion at all times, even if it is cloudy or rainy. A hat and sunglasses are key on sunny days. And don’t forget to coat the tops of your feet (and bottoms of your feet if you plan to layout in the sun) with suntan lotion because otherwise you won’t be able to wear your shoes by the end of the day. If you swim, you will have to reapply the suntan lotion, even if it says it is waterproof. If you do get burned, the best remedies are applying aloe or vitamin E to the burn and drink a great deal of water to ensure you are not dehydrated.

• 8. Don’t go hiking in Hawaii without a guide and enough drinking water and food to last the night and a cell phone that has a fully charged battery. It also is a good idea to bring bug repellant, suntan lotion and a light rain jacket. It is easy to get lost on even the simplest hiking trails -- or take a fall and get hurt -- and it is important to have the proper equipment to get out of these kinds of tough spots. If you do get injured or lost, call 9-1-1 and give the best description you can of where you are, including the name of the trail you are on, nearby landmarks and how long you hiked.

• 9. Don’t open the hotel room door without first checking through the peephole to see who might be there, and if you were not expecting anything, call the hotel operator to see what is being delivered. Don’t leave the lanai door unlocked when you leave and chain the hotel room front door while inside. In the hotel elevator, watch who gets on and off and if they get off on your floor, make sure they are a good distance away before you enter your hotel room so that they cannot follow in behind you.

• 10. Realize that Hawaii street signs are notoriously poor, and people here give strange directions, rarely using North, South, East or West, but rather using Hawaiian words to describe where to go. Get a good map, talk to the concierge before leaving the hotel for good directions and for any tips on where you plan to travel. On Oahu, the most visited island, most people give directions this way: go Mauka (toward the mountains); go Makai (toward the ocean); go toward Diamond Head (toward Diamond Head); and go Ewa (the West side of Oahu).

• 11. If you are a guy and a gorgeous girl in a short skirt and high heels solicits a date with you, she probably expects you to pay for it. Prostitution is illegal in Hawaii, but prostitutes do patrol the streets of Waikiki, downtown Honolulu and Chinatown. All prostitutes in Chinatown and Downtown Honolulu are transvestites -- no matter how convincing they might be otherwise. Prostitutes in Waikiki are likely the gender they appear, but they are notorious for luring customers to their hotel rooms, where they mug them or have their pimps do the mugging. Naturally the customers are afraid to report the crimes.

• 12. Want to get "high" -- do it legally by having fun outdoors or exercising. Hawaii is the "Ice" or "Meth" capitol of the United States and those selling a variety of illegal drugs often use false substances that are even more harmful than the actual drug and they market these to visitors.

• 13. High rollers, place your money on a sailing cruise, horseback riding or dinner on the beach. There is no legal gambling in Hawaii, and any gambling operations you encounter are illegal and likely run by the local or Japanese, Korean or Samoan mob. Don’t go there.

• 14. Don’t get into a fight with a big local guy or big local girl -- they is sure to have many relatives nearby and the end result won’t be good for you.

• 15. Want to fit in so you are not a target? Don’t wear a suit unless you are in court, don’t wear black dress socks (or any socks for that matter) to the beach or with your slippers, and don’t wear matching alohawear. Aloha shirts or muumuus or tee shirts and shorts are the way most local people dress and there are very, very few places in Hawaii where you will ever need a tie.

• 16. Don’t touch mango skin or the sap from the tree unless you know you are not allergic. Mangoes, in season in the summer, can cause a severe reaction in those who are allergic to them, including shortness of breath, blisters, hives, rashes and other unpleasant side effects. Most people can eat mango, but a small percentage of people who come into contact with the tropical fruit get a strong reaction from the sap and skin.

While Hawaii is paradise and relatively safe in terms of violent crime, following these safety tips from the experts will help you make sure all visitors return to home safe, happy, tanned, relaxed and intoxicated with the Aloha spirit.

Reach Malia Zimmerman, editor and president of Hawaii Reporter, via email at mailto:Malia@hawaiireporter.com

Hawaii Visitor Guide...