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Hawaii Russian Tours

1720 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu , Hawaii 96815 USA

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Reviewed by Anna P.

I went on a kayaking tour to Kaneohe Sandbar with Ilya. Ilya was very reassuring and supportive, so I conquered my fear of water and vast spaces thanks to him! Well-organized tour, beautiful... Read more

Reviewed by Sergey B.

I had tour with Ilya on Oahu . It was fantastic . Ilya is very knowledgeable and positive person . Highly recommend ! Read more

Reviewed by Marta K.

Amazing Tours with Russian Speaking Tour guide. Ilya is such a warm personality and highly motivated guide (recommendable!). The scenery was pure magic...You'll see all the best sites of the... Read more

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Russia Hawaii Tours - All You MUST Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Russia In Hawaii – A Comprehensive Overview

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Hawaii is about as far from Russia as you can get, yet the ties between the Aloha State and the world’s largest country run deeper than you might expect. If you’re wondering how and why Russia factors into Hawaiian history and culture, you’ve come to the right place.

In short: While Hawaii was never colonized by Russia, Russian explorers made contact with the islands in the early 19th century . Russia also had territorial ambitions in Hawaii that led to tensions with other colonial powers. Today, Hawaii has a small but vibrant Russian immigrant community that adds to the state’s cultural tapestry.

Early Russian Expeditions to Hawaii

First Russian Visitor in 1804

In 1804, the Russian Empire made its first official contact with the Hawaiian Islands . The Russian merchant ship “ Neva ” arrived in Hawaii after a long and arduous journey from Alaska.

It was captained by a Russian navigator named Nikolay Rezanov . Rezanov’s mission was to establish trade relations with the indigenous people of Hawaii and explore potential economic opportunities for the Russian Empire.

Upon arriving in Hawaii, Rezanov was greeted by the Hawaiian King Kamehameha I . The meeting between the Russian explorer and the Hawaiian ruler marked the beginning of a unique and complex relationship between Russia and Hawaii.

Despite the language barrier and cultural differences, Rezanov and King Kamehameha I managed to establish a friendly rapport , laying the foundation for future interactions between the two nations.

Also read: A Comprehensive History Of The Rulers Of Hawaii

Russia Explores Hawaii in Early 1800s

The arrival of the “Neva” in 1804 sparked a renewed interest in the Hawaiian Islands among Russian explorers.

Over the next few decades, several Russian expeditions set sail for Hawaii, eager to explore the natural resources of the archipelago and establish a presence in the Pacific region.

One of the most notable Russian explorers to visit Hawaii during this period was Ivan Kruzenshtern . In 1805, Kruzenshtern’s ship, the “Nadezhda,” arrived in the Hawaiian Islands.

Kruzenshtern and his crew conducted extensive scientific research during their stay, documenting the unique flora and fauna of Hawaii and collecting valuable data on the islands’ geography and climate.

Another Russian expedition of significance was led by Otto von Kotzebue . In 1816, Kotzebue and his crew arrived in Hawaii aboard the Russian ship “Rurik.”

They spent several weeks exploring various islands, mapping coastlines, and observing the local culture.

Their observations and findings provided valuable insights into the Hawaiian Islands, contributing to the growing body of knowledge about the region.

It is important to note that these early Russian expeditions to Hawaii were not solely focused on exploration . They also had commercial objectives, as Russia sought to establish trade routes and secure valuable resources in the Pacific.

The Russian explorers were particularly interested in Hawaii’s sandalwood , which was highly prized in the global market at the time.

Russia’s Territorial Ambitions in Hawaii

Russia’s interest in Hawaii dates back to the Imperial Era, when the Russian Empire sought to expand its influence and territories.

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Russian explorers and traders, including Ivan Kruzenshtern and Otto von Kotzebue, visited the Hawaiian Islands.

These explorations were driven by the desire to establish trade routes and gain access to valuable resources in the Pacific region.

Russia Eyes Hawaii in Imperial Era

In the early 19th century, Russia’s interest in Hawaii grew stronger, fueled by the potential strategic advantages the islands offered.

The Russian Empire saw Hawaii as a potential naval base and a gateway to expanding its presence in the Pacific.

Russian officials and explorers envisioned establishing a permanent settlement and even considered the possibility of annexing Hawaii.

One notable example of Russia’s territorial ambitions in Hawaii was the establishment of Fort Elizabeth on Kauai Island in 1817 . This fort served as a trading post and a strategic outpost for the Russian Empire.

However, due to financial difficulties and tensions with other colonial powers, the fort was eventually abandoned in 1819.

Tensions with Americans and British

Russia’s territorial ambitions in Hawaii were met with opposition from both the United States and the British Empire.

The American government, concerned about Russian expansion in the Pacific, saw Hawaii as a potential threat to its own interests in the region.

In response, the United States increased its presence in Hawaii and worked towards establishing its own influence over the islands.

The British Empire, with its own colonial interests in the Pacific, also viewed Russia’s ambitions in Hawaii as a challenge.

The British feared that Russian control over the Hawaiian Islands would disrupt their trade routes and jeopardize their position in the region. As a result, the British government actively worked to counter Russian influence in Hawaii.

Ultimately, despite Russia’s territorial ambitions, it did not succeed in establishing a permanent presence or annexing Hawaii. The islands eventually became a territory of the United States in 1898.

Today, while Russia’s historical interest in Hawaii is a fascinating chapter in the islands’ history, it remains a reminder of the complexities and rivalries that shaped the Pacific region in the past.

Also read: Was The Annexation Of Hawaii Justified?

Hawaii’s Russian Community Today

Hawaii’s rich cultural diversity includes a vibrant Russian community that has made significant contributions to the islands’ history and culture.

Over the years, Russian immigrants have settled in Hawaii , bringing with them their unique traditions, language, and customs.

Today, the Russian community continues to thrive, adding a distinct flavor to the multicultural tapestry of Hawaii.

Russian Immigration to Hawaii

The history of Russian immigration to Hawaii dates back to the late 19th century when Russian sailors and traders first arrived on the islands.

Many Russians were attracted to Hawaii’s favorable climate, fertile land, and abundant opportunities for trade . They established thriving communities, particularly in areas like Honolulu and Kauai.

One notable wave of Russian immigration occurred in the early 1900s when a group of Molokans, a Russian religious sect , migrated to Hawaii to escape religious persecution.

These immigrants brought with them their unique customs, including vibrant folk dances, traditional music, and delicious cuisine.

Despite the challenges faced by early Russian immigrants, such as language barriers and cultural differences, they persevered and made Hawaii their home.

Today, their descendants proudly carry on their Russian heritage, preserving their traditions and passing them down to future generations.

Russian Cultural Contributions

The Russian community in Hawaii has made significant cultural contributions to the islands.

One area where their influence is particularly evident is in the performing arts . Russian ballet, known for its grace and precision, has captivated audiences in Hawaii for decades.

Local dance schools offer classes in Russian ballet techniques, allowing aspiring dancers to learn from the best.

Another notable cultural contribution is in the realm of music . Russian composers, such as Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff, have inspired and influenced Hawaiian musicians.

Their timeless compositions are performed by local orchestras and choirs, showcasing the enduring impact of Russian music on the islands.

Furthermore, the Russian community in Hawaii takes great pride in its culinary traditions . From borscht to blini, Russian cuisine has found a place on the menus of many local restaurants.

Visitors and locals alike can indulge in the flavors of Russia, experiencing the unique blend of spices and ingredients that make Russian cuisine so distinctive.

Although Hawaii was never colonized by Russia, the ties between the two go back over 200 years.

From early Russian expeditions to modern Russian immigrants, Russia has left its mark on Hawaii’s history and culture.

While the connection may not be obvious, looking deeper reveals a fascinating transpacific relationship spanning centuries.

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Jane Smith is a Hawaii resident and author born and raised on the island of Oahu. Her Hawaiian heritage shines through in her writing, infusing it with the Aloha spirit and local flavor.

Jane draws inspiration from the tropical island lifestyle - outrigger canoeing at sunrise, beach picnics, hiking to hidden waterfalls. Her works immerse readers in the beauty and culture of Hawaii.

An avid surfer since childhood, Jane often wakes early to catch waves along the North Shore. She also enjoys practicing Hawaiian crafts like lei-making, lauhala weaving, and kapa cloth printing.

When not writing or adventuring outdoors, you can find Jane sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar, listening to ukulele music at the night market, or cooking up a big pot of stew at home.

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• Things to do in Hawaii

Russian Fort Elizabeth

The island of Kauai has so many sites and activities to entertain visitors during their visit. One of the best is Russian Fort Elizabeth, a National Historic Landmark located southeast of present-day Waimea — and IMI has the perfect tour for those looking to visit.

The star fort is the last remaining Russian fort on the Hawaiian Islands, built in the 19th century because of an alliance between the Russian-American Company and the High Chief Kaumuali’i. The builder and agent of the Russian-American Company, Georg Anton Schäffer, built the Russian Fort Elizabeth without the permission of the Tsar, and was forced to leave Kauai upon this discovery. The fort eventually was taken over by King Kamehameha’s supporters. After being practically used in attempted military coups, the fort was abandoned in 1853. This diplomatic relic housed Hawaii’s first Orthodox Christian church.

Russian Fort Elizabeth is 17.5 acres of Hawaiian coast, so even if you’re not the biggest history buff around, you’ll love spending the day touring around the remains of the fort. You’ll want to make sure you bring your sunscreen, water, sunglasses, and cap, as well as a full battery for your camera — Russian Fort Elizabeth is one of the most picturesque landmarks on the island.

Travel Tips

• Comfortable shoes for walking
• Extra pair of Slippers/Flip Flops
• Sunscreen, Hat and Sunglasses
• Extra change of clothes
• Water bottle

IMI Tours offers a fun and informative tour of Russian Fort Elizabeth — make your reservation now! Russian Fort Elizabeth is featured on the  Waimea Canyon Half Day Eco Fun Tour or find out more about things to do in Kauai with IMI Tours.

If you need a ride on Kauai, consider booking a holoholo – a local rideshare service that can take you to top attractions, restaurants, the airport, and more.

Why Choose IMI Tours

Our quality starts with the intent to be a completely non-invasive tour company dedicated to revealing the real truths and history of the land and people of our home, Hawai’i. We use smaller vehicles for all of our Hawaii tours to provide a more intimate, relaxing, and safer travel experience. Our passionate, local employees welcome you to our beautiful state of Hawaii and take you back in time to experience the Kingdom Hawai’i once was. Safety and dependability is developed through continuous training and are the cornerstones of our tour service.

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Tuesday, April 30, 2024 79° Today's Paper

Analysis: Why Russia has its eye on Hawaii

By Kevin Knodell

Feb. 13, 2022

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COURTESY U.S. NAVY / 2012

The Russian Navy ship Admiral Panteleyev transits the waters of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam during the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise.

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up a Pacific diplomatic tour in Hawaii on Saturday as Russian troops were massed on the Ukrainian border in Europe. American officials have stated they consider the Pacific region to be their top strategic priority and want to assure regional allies they haven’t forgotten them even as tensions brew elsewhere.

But Russia has not forgotten the Pacific either.

While American policymakers have been vocal about wanting to keep an eye on China’s growing presence in the Pacific, over the last year it’s been Russia’s military operating most overtly near Hawaii — the nerve center for American military operations in the region.

Hawaii has a complicated relationship with Russia, which is simultaneously a military rival for U.S. forces in the islands and a key player in supplying oil that Hawaii depends on to power its electrical grids. The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s 2020 State of Hawaii Data Book listed Russia as the state’s No. 3 international trading partner for imports.

That attracts both Russian ships and spies.

In May, the U.S. military tracked the Vladivostok- based Russian spy ship the Kareliya lingering about 15 miles to the west of Kauai, prompting American commanders to delay a planned missile test at the Pacific Missile Testing Range.

The Kareliya’s arrival preceded the arrival of dozens of warships and planes from Russia’s Pacific Fleet in June just off the Hawaiian islands that conducted what Russian officials described as the largest exercise its Navy has conducted in the Pacific since the end of the Cold War.

Hawaii National Guard F-22s scrambled several times in response to Russian bombers flying close to Hawaii’s airspace, though there were no direct confrontations. After the majority of the warships left at the end of the exercise, a spy ship stayed behind to monitor maneuvers by the American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson off Hawaii.

Last month the U.S. military again tracked a Russian spy ship sailing near Hawaii. Its arrival came as the Russian military began its latest buildup around Ukraine. Russia previously invaded and annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014.

Wade Turvold, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Waikiki, said that all countries want to keep tabs on their rivals. The Russian military operates ballistic missile submarines around the world, including in the Pacific, and likely has other assets in the Russian Far East.

“Russia gets great strategic bounce from having the world’s largest nuclear arsenal. And so it’s very, very cautious of maintaining the safety of its (nuclear submarine) bastions,” Turvold said. “Therefore Russia wants to know what and where the U.S. military is operating.”

But Russia’s interests in the Pacific are broader — and go back much further.

A Pacific power

The Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet has its origins in Tsarist Russia and was used to enable the empire’s colonization of Alaska and several other parts of North America’s Pacific Coast.

Agents of the Russian Empire even established three forts on Kauai, most notably Fort Elizabeth, and mounted a coup attempt against King Kamehameha I in 1817. But the coup, known as the Schaffer Affair , was launched without the tsar’s knowledge and failed spectacularly, effectively ending Russian hopes of establishing a strategic outpost in Hawaii.

After World War II the Soviet Union invaded and annexed the Kuril Islands from the defeated Japanese Empire. To this day the islands, where the Japanese Navy assembled its force for the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, remain disputed territory between Tokyo and Moscow.

“What those four southern Kuril Islands give Russia is unimpeded access to the Pacific Ocean,” Turvold said. “Russia considers itself a great power, and great powers don’t give up territory.”

During the Cold War, Russia’s Pacific Fleet — then called the Red Banner Pacific Fleet — hauled weapons to communist allies and guerrilla movements across the Pacific and Indian oceans and dispatched submarines and spy ships to the waters around Hawaii and Guam. Oahu-based U.S. Navy P-3 Orion surveillance planes were on a constant lookout for Soviet submarines.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many Russians living on their country’s Pacific coast moved west to Europe in hopes of finding greater economic prospects. The Russian Pacific Fleet also also shrank in a post- Soviet naval reorganization.

But in 2010 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans for a “turn to the east,” a re-investment in Siberia and Russia’s Pacific coast in hopes of lessening the country’s dependence on trade with Europe and exporting its vast oil and natural gas reserves to growing economies across Asia. Russian officials also announced plans revamp their Pacific Fleet.

“Putin and Russia strategically recognized that the economic engine of the world is in the Indo-Pacific region, and they pivoted there a year before we did a re-balance there,” Turvold said.

In 2011 then-President Barack Obama announced America’s “Pivot to the Pacific” in recognition of the region’s growing importance, though the American pivot has been slowed by continued entanglements in sprawling conflicts elsewhere around the globe.

Russia still has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and maintains a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, but it has never fully recovered from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia has a decreasing population and has a gross domestic product of about $1.5 trillion; the state of Texas alone has a GDP of $2 trillion. Even so, Russia currently spends 4.3% of its GDP on its military compared to the 3.7% the U.S. spends.

“In general, their strategic goal is to maintain their status as a great power, to have a seat at the table, if you will, which they know is going to be problematic with a decreasing population,” Turvold said. “It has an out-sized military for its economic stature, but it uses that quite effectively.”

In August the Russian Defence Ministry announced plans to beef up its military infrastructure in the Kuril Islands. In October, the Russian and Chinese navies held their first-ever joint patrols in the Sea of Japan and officials announced Russia’s Pacific Fleet would be receiving four new submarines.

Russia and China have stepped up cooperation in recent years, sharing military technology and increasing trade ties with an eye to challenging the entrenched international system the United States and its allies built after the Cold War.

“This ‘turn to East’ is really becoming the turn to China,” Turvold said. “China and Russia have congruent economies — Russia is flush with natural resources and China needs them. And so that has worked out well for both states.”

But the budding relationship isn’t without complications. The two powers’ interests sometimes diverge in unexpected ways.

“Although the Russia- China relationship is indeed growing closer, there are still a few points of disagreement, one of them being Russia’s involvement in the South China Sea,” said Lucas Myers, the coordinator for Southeast Asia at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C.

Oil, guns and money

Beijing considers almost the entire South China Sea, a critical waterway route through which at least one-third of all international trade travels, to be its exclusive territory within a maritime border called the “Nine-Dash Line,” including numerous territories claimed by neighboring Vietnam, the Philippines and others.

The Philippines issued a legal challenge, and in 2016 an international court ruled that most of Beijing’s claims had no legal basis. But the Chinese military has dug in, stationing troops and building bases on disputed land formations and sometimes attacking vessels from neighboring countries.

The Hawaii-based U.S. Pacific Fleet has stepped up “freedom of navigation operations” in the region and strengthened ties with countries that feel increasingly put upon by China’s claims, including former enemies like Vietnam. Though Russia officially claims neutrality in those disputes, it has also been quietly pursued its own interests in the region.

Russian ships delivering oil, natural gas and weapons are no strangers there. Russia is the top weapons exporter to South and Southeast Asian countries, including several engaged in territorial disputes with China.

Vietnam has been one of Russia’s top arms customers for decades, buying guns, planes, missiles and submarines. Vietnam’s state-owned PetroVietnam also has been working with Russian state-owned and semi-state-owned energy companies to drill for oil and gas in the South China Sea inside the Nine-Dash Line.

“For Vietnam, Russia provides a sense of security that China will likely restrain itself from being too aggressive against Russian-owned and -operated oil and gas rigs in the South China Sea,” Myers said. He added that China’s “gray zone” strategy of using maritime militias — ostensibly civilian vessels working with its military to harass foreign ships — is meant to give Beijing leeway to “apply coercive pressure below the threshold of military conflict.”

Over the past decade, disputes between Vietnam and China over undersea oil drilling rights have led to standoffs and occasional bursts of violence at sea, disrupting operations. In 2020, deployments of Chinese ships and political pressure from Beijing prompted Russian state-backed firm Rosneft to back out of an ambitious drilling project in disputed waters off Vietnam. On Feb. 4, Rosneft inked an $80 billion deal with China.

“As a result of Russia’s geographic distance and close ties to China, Vietnam and other countries cannot solely rely upon Russia against China’s claims in the South China Sea. This reality partly drives Vietnam’s outreach to the United States,” Myers said. But he added that those countries want to avoid being overly dependent on America, and “they will therefore attempt to keep Russia engaged as much as possible.”

Vietnam has been a key source of foreign oil for Hawaii, though data from DBEDT shows those imports have gradually declined at the same time tensions at sea have disrupted drilling operations. But the crude still flows.

In 2020 Vietnam provided about 3% of Hawaii’s imported oil, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. During the same period, 34% of oil imports to Hawaii in 2020 came from Russia, making it the top foreign oil source that year.

“You can kind of trace Russian military activity and the price of oil,” Turvold said. “When the price of oil is high, they have the money to fund military operations, to send their fleet to sea to exercise. When the price of oil is very depressed, then they don’t and you see their ships more in port.”

A changing map

Russian spying efforts in and around Hawaii could also relate in part to concerns closer to home for the Kremlin. The Hawaii-based U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s assets include most U.S. bases in Alaska.

Chinese, Russian and American military planners alike have been thinking much more about the prospect of Arctic operations. With melting of polar ice caps opening new trade routes and opportunities for undersea resource excavation that both the Kremlin and Beijing are eager to capitalize on, there’s an increasing confluence of Pacific and Arctic issues.

American fishermen off Alaska have been reporting increasing encounters with Russian military ships and aircraft conducting exercises in the Northern Pacific, and in August the Hawaii- based Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and other vessels reported encountering Chinese Navy ships transiting through the Aleutian Islands.

While both Russia and China are eager to challenge American power, the merging of Arctic and Pacific interests poses another potential point of friction between the two powers. Russia hopes to use new Arctic trade routes to sell its oil, while China hopes to drill for Arctic oil and mine for minerals.

“What’s really interesting is that China admonishes Russia not to make unlawful sea claims in the Arctic,” Turvold said. “Isn’t that funny, when they themselves, of course, have done so in the South China Sea.”

But for now both Russia and China seem content to work together to pursue their common interests. Though the eyes of the world are on the Russian military buildup in Ukraine, Russia is still keeping tabs on Hawaii.

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RUSSIA HAWAII TOURS (Honolulu) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go