Voluntourism – How to Travel Sustainably & Mālama the ʻĀina

A wonderful way to travel respectfully is to reduce your carbon footprint, support local, and spend some of your time and energy to give back to the land. Hawaiʻi has incredibly beautiful forests, mountains, beaches, and reefs to offer. However, a pattern has developed where as spots gain more exposure, the more they become damaged with foot traffic and littered.

What is Voluntourism?

A wonderful way to immerse yourself in appreciating Hawaiʻi's natural beauty is by partaking in voluntourism. This type of travel combines tourism with volunteering, so that when you visit, you also partake in some form of charity work or conservation. When visiting Hawaiʻi, there are many ways you can give back to the land, such as beach cleanups, native tree planting, or fishpond restoration.

 Tourism can be regenerative and very beneficial to the environment if you are willing to put effort in leaving a place better than when you arrive. Not only is it an act of service, but it is a way to gain a meaningful perspective on a new culture, connecting deeply with the land and local communities. When traveling to Hawaiʻi, carry the principles of mālama ʻāina (caring for the land) and mālama kaiāulu (caring for the community).

Resources to Get Started

Mālama Hawaiʻi Program

Photo Credit: Ingrid Barrentine

Kanu Hawaiʻi began in 2006 as a movement of kānaka (Native Hawaiians) who were passionate about protecting and promoting Hawaiʻi's natural resources and culture. With a mission to strive toward change rooted in kuleana (responsibility), they have led the initiative incorporating tourists into restoring Hawaiʻi. They partnered with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau to create the Mālama Hawaiʻi Program, the main one-stop place to help visitors find volunteer opportunities that align with their values and interests, allowing them to give back to the islands during their stay. Learn more here.

808 Cleanups

Photo Credit: 808 Cleanups

With a mission to restore Hawaiʻi from mauka (mountain) to makai (ocean), this nonprofit aims to educate and empower the community to restore Hawaiʻi through decentralized cleanups and environmental stewardship. They focus on cleaning up litter, graffiti, and invasive plants across beaches, parks, trails, and coral reefs. Learn more here.

Waipā Foundation

Photo Credit: Waipā Foundation

What began as an agricultural initiative to provide sustainable food has expanded into a broader mission of stewardship of the land and honoring traditional Hawaiian practices. Their main initiatives include stream restoration, reforestation, agroforestry, and a coastal resilience project. Learn more here.

Mālama Maunalua

Photo Credit: Mālama Maunalua

This centralized initiative focuses on restoring Maunalua Bay on Oʻahu through community kuleana (responsibility). Their work aims to improve water quality and support the ecosystems in the bay. They focus on removing invasive algae, assisting coral growth, and implementing rain gardens to mitigate runoff. Learn more here.

Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi

Photo Credit: Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi

Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi proactively engages in championing conservation to safeguard Hawaiʻi's native ecosystems and cultural heritage. Their practice centers around restoring the biodiversity and resilience of the ahupuaʻa by removing invasive plants and planting native ones. Learn more here.

Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership

Photo Credit: Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership

This organization aims to improve your connection to the forest, educate you about native and invasive species, and give you the ability to contribute to the watershed's health. They focus on removing invasive species, weeding, planting native plants, and collecting seeds for future planting. Learn more here.

Aloha Tree Alliance

Photo Credit: Aloha Tree Alliance

Aloha Tree Alliance's mission is to mitigate climate change through community-led reforestation of the Kuliʻouʻou Ridge Trail. They strategically place water along the trail, repair the trail, remove invasive species, plant new trees, and grow more plants in a native plant nursery. Learn more here.

Kuleana Coral Restoration

Photo Credit: Kuleana Coral Restoration

Kuleana Coral Restoration focuses on restoring, protecting, and monitoring Hawaiian coral reefs using modern science and indigenous management techniques. Their work centers around reattaching large, dislodged corals, fragmentation to stimulate growth, coral caching, and an emergency response team. Learn more here.

Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi

Photo Credit: Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi

This agricultural place of restoration works to continue its mission to perpetuate Hawaiian culture and practices through the restoration of the land. Volunteers can contribute in a loʻi (taro patch), participate in agroforestry conservation, and help with poi and kūlolo production days. Learn more here.

Practicing Aloha

Aloha Designs Ring in 14k Solid Yellow Gold

Aloha is at the very core of Hawaiʻi's values, and these restoration and stewardship initiatives are pioneers of what practicing "aloha" looks like. Aloha goes beyond an expression of emotion; it is a philosophy of living with kindness, harmony, and deep respect for others and the land. When you visit Hawaiʻi, practice aloha by giving back to the beautiful islands that welcome you and taking care of them in return.

Maui Divers Jewelry aims to represent the essence of Hawaiʻi while supporting Hawaiʻi. All pieces are designed, handcrafted, and finished by local artisans in Hawaiʻi using the finest materials. As Hawaiʻi's most trusted jeweler, Maui Divers Jewelry has given back to over 100 local businesses, supporting many missions of mālama ʻāina (caring for the land) and mālama kaiāulu (caring for the community). Shop Exclusively Made in Hawaiʻi Designs.