We live on Kauai. Hawaii is home. So when another island keeps getting compared to Hawaii, we can’t help but pay attention. Recently, the island of Madeira (aka the Hawaii of Europe) was ranked the No. 1 Trending Destination in the World for 2026 by TripAdvisor and received Europe’s Leading Island Destination 2025 from the World Travel Awards.
We also ventured to Madeira last year, walking levada trails, eating in neighborhood snack bars, driving roads that make parts of Kauai feel tame, and paying close attention to what travelers actually experience once they arrive and what the trip really costs on the ground.
This is not a theoretical comparison or a recycled press release. It is firsthand reporting about an island destination that keeps winning accolades. We wanted to know why. And we wanted to know how this tiny island off the coast of North Africa could handle this onslaught of tourism without becoming jaded.
After that, the rankings almost feel beside the point. Madeira keeps surfacing because travelers keep talking about it, returning to it, and recommending it to others. The buzz does not come from a single list or award. It comes from repetition. The same island keeps showing up in the same conversations, year after year, while Hawaii increasingly does not. That compelled us to visit and report back.
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What matters more than the trophies is that this has been going on for a decade. At some point, it stops being novel and starts demanding explanation. Not because Madeira is better than Hawaii in some abstract way, but because it seems to be achieving something Hawaii is struggling with right now.
Overlooking Port of Funchal, Madeira Island.
What we kept noticing on Madeira was not a single standout moment or attraction. It was how little friction there was between planning to be there and actually being there. Getting around was straightforward. Parking was a challenge, but usually functional despite overtourism. Trails were very busy but not yet entirely chaotic. Restaurants felt very used, but adequately staffed, and not quite overwhelmed. Prices felt very reasonable everywhere, rather than punitive. None of it was flawless, but very little of it felt over-complicated.
The entire experience stood out because it is increasingly rare in today’s travel world, just in relation to Hawaii. Many destinations that succeed in attracting visitors eventually start pushing back, sometimes subtly and sometimes loudly. And we’ll be visiting more of those in 2026 to share more contrasts and learn about managing overtourism.
Madeira has not avoided pressure or notoriety. Flights are full. Roads are very crowded in places. Too many cruise ships arrive daily. Yet the tone has not shifted toward exhaustion or frustration, as Hawaii’s often does.
We heard that difference repeatedly, not just from officials or tourism campaigns, but from residents. Conversations were frank, sometimes critical of mass tourism, but rarely resentful. Tourism was treated as something Madeira must manage, not something to endure or eliminate. That distinction struck us more than any award ever could.
Cost plays into this in a way that Hawaii travelers will immediately recognize. Madeira is not just reasonable, it still feels fair. Visitors are not yet constantly reminded of what they are paying for or what they are not allowed to do. Fees exist, but they do not dominate the experience. The trip does not feel like a series of costly transactions layered on top of scenery.
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The balance is fragile, not unlike Hawaii. Madeira is already testing its limits, and there are signs of strain if you look closely enough, which we did. But for now, it has managed to hold onto something Hawaii has struggled to keep. It still feels welcoming without feeling exploited. Busy yet not completely overwhelmed. Popular without feeling burned out.
That is the comparison worth paying attention to. Not about winning another ranking. Or which island looks better in photos. But which place still feels demonstrably like it wants you there, even as more people keep coming.
And once you notice that difference on the ground, it becomes hard to forget it now back home in Hawaii.
Gondola on Madeira Island
Hawaii wins the flight, then loses on many other points.
Here is the paradox that makes these rankings sting. A February 2026 round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Maui can be found for about $297. It is nonstop and takes roughly six hours. A flight from Los Angeles to Madeira costs about $486, requires two stops, and takes about 19 hours.
By every practical measure, Hawaii should win this comparison on access alone among visitors from North America. Hawaii is cheaper to reach and dramatically easier to get to and be in. That should matter a lot to travelers, and it still does.
But then you land on the runway overlooking the Atlantic off the coast of Africa, and much of that advantage evaporates fast.
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Where Hawaii loses is the moment you start spending money.
In Madeira, we routinely paid $15 to $20 per person for dinner at small, family-run restaurants. These are not compromised meals or stripped-down experiences. They are full plates, local wine included, served in places where residents actually eat alongside visitors.
In Hawaii, comparable dinners now start at $40 per person, if you are lucky, and climb quickly. For many visitors, $75 or more is no longer unusual once tax and tip are added. That gap is not subtle, and it repeats itself across nearly every category of daily spending. In Madeira, tipping is not expected, and tax is included in the price.
Accommodation tells the very same story. In Madeira, we stayed in a well-located apartment in Funchal with a full kitchen and water view for less than $100 per night. In Hawaii, similar accommodations routinely run $300 (again, if you are lucky) or more per night, often before resort fees, cleaning fees, 19% tax, and assorted add-ons are factored in.
Groceries in Madeira cost roughly one-third as much as in Hawaii. Rental cars, when needed, were also far less expensive and straightforward. Even simple conveniences like espresso or pastries never triggered the consternation that has become second nature for Hawaii visitors.
Urban art in Funchal, Madeira.
Access is important, too, and Madeira has not locked things down.
Hiking is one of Madeira’s biggest draws, and access remains relatively straightforward. Popular levada trails charge a modest €3 fee, and reservations are generally not required. Trails feel maintained, viewpoints are developed, and basic infrastructure like restrooms and parking is consistently present.
Hawaii faces similar pressures, but the response has increasingly been permits, timed entry, shuttle systems, and closures rather than improved infrastructure. Some of that is understandable given environmental strain and visitor volume. Madeira faces the same growing pressures, too. The difference is that Madeira has not made the experience feel adversarial or exhausting to plan, at least not yet.
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We have already covered these contrasts in depth, including how Madeira feels like Kauai decades ago, what the “Hawaii of Europe” label gets right and wrong, and the startling similarities and differences that only become obvious once you are on the ground. Those earlier pieces do the heavy lifting on the place and our experiences. This one is about what the numbers say now in light of the latest awards.
What Madeira gets right, and what it still lacks.
Madeira works because it does not price normal travelers out of daily life. It still feels possible to arrive, explore, eat well, and move around without feeling like every decision requires financial planning.
It also has limits. There are simply no sandy beaches to speak of. The weather is decidedly not as tropical as Hawaii. There is no Hawaiian culture or history to engage with. The travel day from the mainland U.S. is very long and inconvenient, and that matters more to Americans than it does to Europeans, who can reach the island in just a few hours.
Hawaii should win this comparison on experience, access, and emotional pull. The fact that it does not win the awards says far more about how Hawaii is handling tourism than about Madeira’s appeal.
The rankings are just a symptom, not the cause.
The world is not choosing Madeira because it is “better than Hawaii.” It is choosing Madeira because Hawaii has become so expensive that even a 19-hour journey to the Atlantic feels like a reasonable tradeoff.
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These rankings are not an insult to Hawaii. But they are a signal. Travelers see what Hawaii costs once they arrive, and they are voting with their attention, their wallets, and their willingness to return. The lists simply reflect that startling reality.
The harder question is whether Hawaii’s tourism industry is paying attention, or whether this is just another ranking that gets dismissed by them while the underlying visitor costs keep getting worse. Visitors have already noticed the extreme difference. And the world clearly has too.
A study just released by the personal finance website WalletHub rated Hawaii the worst state in the U.S. in which to drive.
The same study found Vermont the best state to drive in, followed by Iowa, with Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana rounding out its top five.
Joining the Aloha State in WalletHub’s worst five states for driving, from Nos. 46 to 49, respectively, are Maryland, California, Montana and Washington.
Listed first in its panel of nine experts conducting the studies is Panos Prevedouros, past chairman and professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
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According to WalletHub, its commissioned experts compared the 50 states across 31 key metrics of a copacetic commute, including ownership and maintenance costs of a street-legal, road-worthy automobile, average gas prices, rush-hour traffic congestion, and road quality.
One category in which the 50th state shined was in safety — checking in at No. 4, trailing only Alaska, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
“I’m encouraged by the fact that we rank No. 4, as far as safety is concerned,” Reed Mahuna, Hawaii Police Department interim chief, said Tuesday. “I’m not exactly sure (of) their methodology.”
Hawaii found itself 39th on the list in the traffic and infrastructure category, which takes into account time spent commuting as well as the quality of the roads themselves. Asked if the neighbor island roads hurt the state in that regard, Mahuna replied, “It depends on what they mean by infrastructure.”
“If you look at Oahu, certainly they have more infrastructure as far as traffic is concerned, freeways and what not,” he said. “But the capacity of the infrastructure has been exceeded by the amount of vehicles, if you look at how bad traffic is on Oahu.
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“So, while it’s true, if you look at the neighbor islands, we don’t have freeways, and we have less infrastructure — but we also have a lot less vehicles, so the traffic isn’t quite as bad.”
Hawaii ranked 49th out of the 50 states in ownership and maintenance costs of an automobile, with California the only state more expensive in that regard.
“Those looking for a new or replacement car need to research their next purchase,” Prevedouros said in a statement. “Sources like Edmund’s and Consumer Reports are free of hype and provide reliable data on vehicle features, performance, long-term costs, and (miles per gallon). Buyers should visit a dealer well-informed and always test a few comparable models before committing to a purchase. They should ignore the so called ‘dealer pressure.’ If they already own an expensive vehicle to run, then they can consider a swap with a low-running-cost model at a dealer, Carvana, etc.”
In addition, those needing vehicle repairs may also find wait lists and high prices. The WalletHub study ranks Hawaii No. 50 in auto repair shops per capita and No. 46 in auto maintenance costs. The 50th state also ranked No. 49 in commercial car washes per capita, with Vermont — the top overall state for driving in this study — being the only state with fewer car washes, population-wise.
The study ranked Hawaii with the second-highest gasoline prices, with California taking No. 50. That, however, is refuted by the American Automobile Association’s prices by state published Tuesday.
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AAA lists the average price for a gallon of regular in Hawaii, at $4.41 per gallon — 21 cents a gallon higher than California, which ranked No. 49 at $4.20 per gallon, and $1.59 a gallon higher than the national average of $2.82 per gallon. Nineteen states boasted regular gas at less than $3 per gallon, with Oklahoma taking the top spot at $2.31 per gallon — $2.10 per gallon cheaper than Hawaii.
Mahuna noted the metrics responsible for Hawaii’s presence at the bottom of WalletHub’s list “appear to be, in some ways, a result of the cost of living.”
“You know, vehicles are more expensive here; they’re expensive to ship,” he said. “Interisland shipping of a car is upwards of $800 dollars now. If you find a good deal on a car on Oahu, it’s expensive to ship.
“And getting your car fixed? We have a lot of rural areas where there are no good shops to get your vehicle fixed. I can understand that.”
According to WalletHub, data used to create their ranking were collected as of Dec. 19 from: U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Energy, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Insurance Crime Bureau, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Prediction Center, American Automobile Association, The Road Information Program, Federal Highway Administration, State Farm, QuinStreet Insurance Agency, EverQuote, the Insurance Information Institute and WalletHub research.
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The Tribune-Herald also reached out to the state Department of Transportation, which didn’t reply in time for this story.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seemed likely to strike down Hawaii restrictions on carrying guns into stores Tuesday in the justices’ latest firearm case since their landmark decision expanding Second Amendment rights.
The Trump administration backed the challenge to the law barring guns in places like malls and hotels unless the property owner specifically allows them. It’s sometimes referred to as a “vampire rule,” for its permission requirement.
Hawaii, on the other hand, said the measure is aimed at ensuring private owners have the right to decide whether they want firearms on their property.
Conservative justices, though, seemed roundly skeptical of the state’s argument, questioning whether Hawaii could make similar rules restricting First Amendment freedom of speech rights on private property.
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“You’re just relegating the Second Amendment to second-class status,” Justice Samuel Alito said.
Very few people had concealed-carry permits to carry guns in Hawaii before the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling that found the Second Amendment generally gives people the right to have firearms in public. The state has granted thousands since then, attorney Neal Katyal said.
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Four other states have enacted similar laws, though presumptive restrictions for guns on private property have been blocked in places like New York.
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If the court strikes the measure, Hawaii business owners could take their own steps to bar people from bringing in guns. The outcome won’t affect other state restrictions on guns in places like parks, beaches and restaurants that serve alcohol.
The case came before the court after it was challenged by a gun-rights group and three people from Maui. A judge originally blocked it, but an appeals court allowed it to be enforced.
The Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision by late June.
The justices are hearing another gun case this term, about whether people who regularly use marijuana and other drugs can legally own guns.
In recent years, the justices have struck down a federal ban on gun accessories called bump stocks from Trump’s first term. They upheld regulations on ghost guns imposed under then-President Joe Biden, however, as well as a federal gun law intended to protect domestic violence victims.
Trump administration supports challengers to the law
Gun rights group and other plaintiffs sued the state
WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court was set on Tuesday to weigh a challenge to a Hawaii law restricting the carry of handguns on private property that is open to the public, such as most businesses, without the owner’s permission.
The court will hear arguments in an appeal by the challengers – three Hawaii residents with concealed-carry licenses and a Honolulu-based gun rights advocacy group – of a lower court’s ruling against them. The lower court found that Hawaii’s measure likely complies with the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
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Hawaii’s law requires “express authorization” to bring a handgun onto private property open to the public, either as verbal or written authorization, including “clear and conspicuous signage.”
Hawaii argued in court papers that its law strikes a proper balance between “the right to bear arms and property owners’ undisputed right to choose whether to permit armed entry onto their property.”
The plaintiffs sued to challenge Hawaii’s restrictions weeks after Democratic Governor Josh Green signed the measure into law in 2023. They are being backed by President Donald Trump’s administration, which argued in court papers that Hawaii’s law “deprives individuals who want to exercise their Second Amendment rights of their ability to go about their daily lives.”
“A person carrying a firearm cannot pick up a cup of coffee, get lunch at a drive-through restaurant, stop for gas, enter a parking lot, go into a store, buy groceries or perform other routine tasks that require setting foot on private property,” Justice Department lawyers wrote.
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A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
A federal judge preliminarily blocked Hawaii’s restrictions. But the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely ruled against the law’s challengers, prompting their appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court did not take up an aspect of the legal challenge that focused on the law’s provisions banning the carrying of handguns at beaches, bars and other sensitive places.
In a nation bitterly divided over how to address persistent firearms violence including frequent mass shootings, the Supreme Court often has taken an expansive view of Second Amendment protections. The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, widened gun rights in three major rulings in 2008, 2010 and most recently in 2022.
The plaintiffs in the Hawaii case have cited that 2022 ruling’s holding that the Second Amendment protects the right of individuals to carry a handgun outside the home for self-defense. That landmark 6-3 decision, called New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, was powered by the court’s six conservatives, over dissents from the three liberal justices.
The Bruen decision invalidated New York state’s limits on carrying concealed handguns outside the home. In doing so, the court created a new test for assessing firearms laws, saying that restrictions must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” not simply advance an important government interest.
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The court in 2024 ruled 8-1 that a federal law that makes it a crime for people under domestic violence restraining orders to have guns satisfied the court’s stringent history-and-tradition test.
In March, the court will hear a bid by Trump’s administration to defend a federal law that bars users of illegal drugs from owning guns.
Reporting by John Kruzel; Editing by Will Dunham
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