Making a move to an island can be challenging! If you find yourself making the move, congratulations on moving to East Hawaii!! We created this resource guide to help make moving to East Hawaii easier and also getting set up before and after you move on island for a stress free start to your new life on this island!
This is a living document and if you find a service or provider you recommend, email us and we will include in order to help even more folks.
If you are looking to buy real estate, we have an incredible team! Please contact Julie@Ziemelis.com for assistance. We offer fantastic information about the market, insights into neighborhoods and life in East Hawaii. For info about East Hawaii market trends and neighborhood insights check out our 365 Hawaii Real Estate Minute YouTube channel. Here are the East Hawaii specific videos: https://www.youtube.com/@365HawaiiRealEstateInfo/search
The circle of Aloha continues! Mahalo and E Komo Mai!
Moving Guide For East Hawaii
Personalized Concierge Service
Meet Tammy and Dave – owners of Hawaii Relocation Concierge service (HRC)
Offering a full range of services for everyone! Many of their clients are long term residents who need a little help with things like handyman services, vacant property monitoring, grocery shopping and pet sitting and more while they go off island. HRC is an invaluable service to those who are planning their move to the island, from vacant property monitoring, mail and package receipt, and vehicle pick up and/or delivery from and to the docks, they will help make the transition much easier.
Moving Your Belongings
Most residents who move to the Big Island wish they had not brought so much stuff. Buying furnishings from Costco, Facebook Marketplace, REStore, estate and garage sales, consignment stores, etc is a very good option if you want to save thousands of dollars in shipping costs. If you plan on bringing your things with you, here are some moving service companies that can help:
Kona Trans
(808) 329-4111
Honolulu Freight Services
http://www.honolulufreightservice.com
Royal Hawaiian Movers – Hilo
Keaau, HI · (808) 217-9915
Town & Country Moving Storage
Moving and storage service
100 Makalika St · (808) 969-1911
https://www.tcmovers.com/storage.html
Moving Your Car
Here are a few local resources to consider for shipping your car to Hawaii.
Remember, you have to ship your car with nothing in it. Depending upon where you are shipping from will be how much you pay, but on average it costs about $1800 to ship your car from the Port of Oakland to Hilo using Matson as a cost estimate.
Matson
1-800-4MATSON
http://www.matson.com/matnav/services/hawaii.html
Hawaii Car Transport
(808) 445-6695
http://www.hawaiicartransport.com/car-shipping-to-hawaii.php
Pasha Group
(808) 935-6318
Hawaii Relocation Concierge
Contact: 808-896-3255
http://www.hawaiirelocationconcierge.com
Sometimes your vehicle arrives on the dock before you land. HRC can pick
up, temporarily store and deliver.
Moving Your Pets
Moving your pets over to Hawaii can be quite a process due to the fact that the entire Hawaiian Island chain has been able to stop rabies from occurring here, so they have a strict vaccination and quarantine regimen that needs to be followed.
Here are the Hawaii State requirements:
http://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/animal-quarantine-information-page/
The Pet Moving company we personally worked with was Animal Land personally. It was a great experience! They answer their phones and get things rolling quickly. We’ve also worked with Island Pet Movers while helping to transport pets to and from Hilo Airport’s Air Cargo. However, on the weekends they only communicated through email, this may have changed.
Animal Land Pet Movers
(877) 379-8625
Island Pet Movers
(808) 783-8419
Veterinarians
Pahoa Animal Hospital
15-2714 Pahoa Village Rd Unit C3
Pāhoa, HI 96778
(808) 930-5888
https://www.pahoaanimalhospital.com
Good Karma Spay and Neuter Clinic
399 Hualani St #14A
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 657-4663
Horvath Agnes DVM
Mobile Available & Large Animal
111 E Puainako St # 108
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 929-8231
https://www.horvathmobilevet.com
Mai’kai Veterinary
Located in: Prince Kuhio Plaza
111 E. Puainako St. Ste. A-109
Hilo, HI 96720
(808)959-2273
Aloha Veterinary Center
819 Laukapu St.
Hilo, HI 96720(808) 935-7387
Hilo Veterinary Clinic
585 Laukapu St.
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 961-3486
Pet Hospital-Hilo Clinic
667 Kanoelehua Ave.
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 961-0638
Island Veterinary Center, LLC
550 Lama St, Hilo
HI 96720
(808) 731-6350
Getting Your Electricity Turned On
HELCO (Hawaiian Electric Light Company) is the main electric company.
Contact: (808) 548-7311
They suggest giving them at least a two-day heads up to get your power] turned on. A service establishment charge of $20 is required to start or reconnect electric service to any customer. There is an additional charge of $25 for same-day service requests.
Getting Your Water Turned On
Department of Water Supply, County of Hawaii
Contact: (808) 322-0600
http://www.hawaiidws.org/index.htm
To get your water service turned on or prevent it from being turned off, you
will need to give them a $100 security deposit. (Void if you have water
catchment.
Water Catchment
Uncle Tilo’s Clean Water LLC
Contact: (808) 965-1026
https://www.tiloscleanwater.com
Many of the homes in lower Puna district have water catchment tanks.
Unless it is treated you cannot drink out of them. You will need to change your filters and UV lights regularly for drinking. Easy to do but you can have a service help service it for you.
Getting Your Cable/DSL
Spectrum is the main service provider for TV, Internet, and home phone.
888-406-7063
Supplementary Spectrum page: This additional resource allows residents to compare and contrast services with other providers in the area. Remember to allow at least a week, sometimes two, for the “cable guys” to show up and connect you.
Getting Your Telephone Landline
Hawaiian Telcom
Offers bundles for phone and TV
Toll Free (877) 482-2211
http://www.hawaiiantel.com/default.aspx
You may think your cell phone is enough. There have been enough cell
phone tower and cable issues with weather and accidents that you need to
consider having a landline in your home for emergencies.
Mobile Phone Providers
Verizon seems to be the consensus of the best mobile network on the east side of Hawaii Island. Although ATT has added more towers in Keaau so services should work. Sprint customers say they get frequent dropped calls.
AT&T
333 Kilauea AveHilo, HI 96720
Across from Panda Express.
Contact: (808) 935-9749
Sprint
Right by the Prince Kuhio Plaza
Address: 111 E Puainako St Ste 108A, Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: (808) 959-2699
Verizon
111 E Puainako St, Suite 3030-1,
Hilo, HI, 96720
(800) 880-1077
Getting Your Driver’s License
Department of Motor Vehicles
Address: 349 Kapiolani St, Hilo, HI 96720
Contact: (808) 961-2222
https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/finance/vehicle-registration-licensing
Stop by Long’s Drugstore and pick up the Driver’s License Manual to take
the test (Not everyone has to take the test, read requirements). You
can also go to the DMV site to take practice tests
online.http://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/library/motor-vehicle-safety-office/
You will need some form of proof of license eligibility from the last state in which you held a license.
Review this list to prove you live in Hawaii BEFORE you go:
http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/finance-dl-hi-legal-presence#HPPR
Due to Covid you will have to make an online appointment.
Registering your vehicle
Motor Vehicle Registration
Contact (808) 323-4818
While you are at the DMV, register your vehicle too. You can download the forms you will need from
here: http://records.co.hawaii.hi.us/Weblink8/Browse.aspx?dbid=1&startid=63777
There is a new vehicle registration inside the Safeway in Hilo that you can
use to save time, too.
You will also need to have a vehicle safety inspection before they will
finalize the registration of your vehicle. Get this done as soon as you get
your vehicle on the island. Cost is about $25.
Lex Brodie’s
1089 Kilauea Avenue,
Hilo, HI 96720
(808) 329-5823
https://www.lexbrodiesfastlube.com
Wally’s Garage
15-1897
Keaau, HI 96749(808) 966-9275
www/https://808wallys.wixsite.com
Setting Up Your Bank Account:
There are no mainland “mega” banks here in Hawaii. Here’s a list of some of
the more popular financial institutions:
Bank of Hawaii
(808)-643-3888
First Hawaiian Bank
(888)-844-4444
Central Pacific Bank
www.centralpacificbank.com
(808)-544-0500
American Savings Bank
www.asbhawaii.com
(808) 627-6900
Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union
www.hicommfcu.com
(808) 627-6900
HFS Federal Credit Union
www.hfsfcu.org
(808) 930-1400
Big Island Federal Credit Union
big island federal credit union
(808) 935-9778
Getting Your Child A TB Test
Before you can enroll your children in school, you will need to get them a TB
test. You can do this at the County Health Services or through your child’s
own doctor. Here are the locations, times, and phone numbers of the County
Health Clinics
https://health.hawaii.gov/tb/files/2018/06/TST-Clinic-Schedule-05.18.18-
v1.pdf
School Enrollment
If you are considering a move to the island and have school age children, you should know that many charter schools on the island require you to apply for their school admission by February before the Fall semester for their lottery requirements. Check each school’s website for the guidelines.
Local charter schools include:
http://www.kuaokala.org/index.html
https://sites.google.com/haaspcs.net/hawaiiacademyofartsandscience/home
https://clahawaii.org and https://www.volcanoschool.net/contact-us
Health Care Centers
Major East Hawaii hospitals are located in Hilo.
There is an Urgent Care in Hilo on 670 Kekuanaoa and in Keaau (Puna District) 16-590 Old Volcano Rd# B which are highly recommended for emergencies. They are open 7 days a week, and can be a good alternative to the hospital emergency room.
• Hilo Medical Center (808) 932-3000
• Big Island Health Care (808) 885-3627
• East Hawaii Health Clinic (808) 932-3730
• Bay Clinic (808) 333-3600
• Kaiser Permanente Medical Center outpatient clinic (808) 334-4400
• Hilo VA Clinic (808) 935-3781
• Hilo Urgent Care Center (855) 580-5923
• Keaau Urgent Care (808) 966-7942
• American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345
• Veterans Services (808) 969-3833
Registering to VOTE and how to contact your elected representatives:
A state-by-state guide provides a unique clickable state map with
information about voter registration, ways to change a voter registration
address, details on how to vote by mail, and absentee ballot deadlines.
Service Organizations
We sincerely hope that this resource list makes your move to the Big Island less daunting!
If you have not yet done so, subscribe to the 365Hawaii YouTube channel to learn about adventures, hiking, and more.
Also, join the 365Hilo Newbie’s Group on Facebook to create community and network!
Julie Ziemelis is a Realtor with Real Broker on Hawaii Island who believes knowledge and community provides a helpful platform for success on moving to Hawaii Island. She is the co creator of the 365Hawaii YouTube Channel and 365Hawaii Real Estate Minute. She blogs and offers Ohana services at www.365HawaiiLiving.com
