Pretty much any job would be better if you could drop it and pick it up in Hawaii, right? Well, why not start at the source where there are a handful of exceptionally fulfilling jobs -- both mentally and spiritually -- and none of them require catering to tourists. It really is just a bonus that they all happen to be located in paradise.


Location scout for the entertainment industry

With everything from Hollywood blockbusters (Jurassic Park, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 50 First Dates) to television series (Lost, Last Resort, Hawaii Five-0), location scouts in Hawaii are paid to explore and find the most beautiful and scenic spots on the islands. Imagine knowing things that aren't in the guide books ...

kualoa ranch


Water/Surf photographer:

You get to spend your days in the water with laid back surfers as your colleagues and the waves as your muse. The only stress from this job would be having to be in a bathing suit 365 days a year.

surf photography


Marine Mammal Veterinarian

Hang out in a pool, play with dolphins and get a tan -- all in a day's work.

dolphin trainer


Helicopter pilot:

Enjoy pristine views of Hawaii's untouched nature, watch as whales and dolphins swim below you in the ocean, discover waterfalls that no one else knows exist. Tourists pay good money for helicopter tours of Hawaii; helicopter pilots get paid for the same experience.

helicopter tour hawaii


Yoga instructor:

Let's face it: yoga teachers everywhere have a pretty good gig. But owning a yoga studio in Hawaii -- where many, many people practice -- takes the job to a whole new level. You'd be paid to embrace the aloha spirit, live a healthy and active lifestyle, and you could hold class outside anytime you want.

yoga hawaii


Travel writer:

Reviewing luxury resorts, taste-testing at fine dining establishments, checking out amenities like surf instructors and spa services? All expensed? Not even a tight deadline could sour this deal.

laptop hawaii


Property Manager:

Millionaires and billionaires own real estate in Hawaii, but that doesn't mean they're always home. After all, someone on Maui has to tend to Oprah's farm while she's away and make sure Steven Tyler's hot tub stays steamy.

hawaii mansion


Farmer:

We know, we know: Farming is hard, back-breaking work. But what if this was your farm:

farm hawaii


Brewer

In Hawaii, almost everything is imported, which means there is a strong demand for and loyalty to local companies that few other markets experience. Plus, your job would include taste-testings on the beach; it'd be like a Corona commercial.

beer beach


Submarine Pilot

Used for scientific and environmental research, submarines in Hawaii get to go where very few people can. Imagine deep sea creatures, underwater volcanoes and shipwrecks, and now imagine the adrenaline rush.

submarine



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  • na pali coast


    rugged coastline in Kauai, Hawaii. Kalalau beach and the Na Pali Coast aerial photo.




  • In this photo provided by the Association of Surfing Professionals, Joel Parkinson of Australia competes in the Billabong Pipe Masters surfing competition on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012 near Haleiwa, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Association of Surfing Professionals, Kirstin Scholtz)




  • Aerial photograph of Waimea Falls


    Waimea falls photographed from a helicopter.




  • Kalaeloa Harbor


    Beautiful coral reef off the South coast of Molokai




  • Woman yoga stretch


    Woman practicing yoga stretching at beach in Hawaii.




  • Reef Hawaiian Pro


    HALEIWA, HI - NOVEMBER 15: Maxime Huscenot of France performs an aerial manueuver at the Reef Hawaiian Pro on November 15, 2012 in Haleiwa, Hawaii. (Photo by Kirstin Scholtz/ASP via Getty Images)




  • Scenic aerial views of Kauai from above


    Scenic aerial views of Kauai from above




  • Scenic aerial views of Kauai from above


    Scenic views of Kauai from above. Keâ??e Beach is at the end of the road on the North Shore.




  • Silhouette of Woman Doing Yoga


    A silhouette of a woman doing yoga on a beach in the tropics. Hawaii, United States. Sunset. Colour image. Horizontal.




  • view to the lifeguard house


    aqua turquoise fresh rolling wave breaking in the ocean at makena beach, maui, hawaii.shorebreak barrel wave




  • JUMPING WHALE


    FILE - A humpback whale jumps out of the waters off Hawaii in this undated photo. Hundreds of Hawaii fishermen are asking the federal government to take North Pacific humpback whales off the endangered species list in recognition of the rebound the population has experienced since the international community banned commercial whaling decades ago.(AP Photo/NOAA Fisheries)




  • Scenic aerial views of Kauai from above


    Scenic views of Kauai from above. Keâ??e Beach is at the end of the road on the North Shore.




  • A bowl of 'ahi' or 'tuna poke' with limu (seaweed), green onion, chili pepper and shoyu (soy sauce).


    Oahu, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Sony Open in Hawaii - Second Round


    HONOLULU, HI - JANUARY 11: A rainbow over the ocean during the second round of the Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club on January 11, 2013 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)




  • Coral Reefs In Danger


    HONOLULU, HI - JANUARY 15: A school of manini fish pass over a coral reef at Hanauma Bay on January 15, 2005 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Many coral reefs are dying from water pollution (from sewage and agricultural runoff), dredging off the coast, careless collecting of coral specimens, and sedimentation. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)




  • Scenic aerial views of Kauai from above


    Scenic views of Kauai from above. The Napali Coastline is the most iconic and remote destination on Kauai.




  • Ahi Poke


    Ahi Poke




  • Surfing Pipeline


    Between the months of November and April, the waves at "Pipe" (Banzai Pipeline) on the north shore of Oahu can be awesome and extremely dangerous. This surfer successfully navigated this wave during an April swell. Amazing to watch surfers ride these monsters.




  • Woman sitting at Hawaiian picnic


    Woman sitting at Hawaiian picnic




  • FILE - The submarine USS Greeneville is escorted to the submarine base at Pearl Harbor, in this Feb. 10, 2001, file photo. A high concentration of important military commands and facilities on the island mean there's a great deal of information in Hawaii that potential adversaries want to know. (AP Photo/Ronen Zilberman)




  • Weeks Of Heavy Rain Overwhelms Honolulu Sewer System


    HONOLULU, HI - APRIL 3: A closed beach sign is posted next to an empty lifeguard stand on Ft. DeRussy Beach in Waikiki April 3, 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii. With near perfect weather across Oahu, Waikiki Beach is near empty of swimmers due to the sewage spill which diverted millions of gallons of raw sewage into a nearby canal last week. High levels of bacteria were detected in the water forcing the Hawaiian Department of Health to close several of Waikiki's most famous beaches. Warning signs were posted along most of Waikiki in English and Japanese. (Photo by Marco Garcia/Getty Images)




  • The sun rises over the Pacific ocean as


    The sun rises over the Pacific ocean as seen from US President Barack Obama's motorcade in Kailua, on Hawaii island, December 28, 2009. Obama was expected to break his public silence on the thwarted attempt to down a US airliner on Monday, as a political storm brewed over the attack. The White House warned Republican foes December 27 not to inject politics into the aftermath of the bid by a 23-year-old Nigerian to destroy a Northwest jet carrying 290 people, as a sweeping national security operation unfolded. The president, vacationing in Hawaii, has not commented on television about the Christmas Day drama, apparently seeking to project calm and avoid the political point-scoring and panic seen after past terror incidents. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)




  • Hawaii, Oahu, Waimanalo, A local couple run a food truck and sell delicious shrimp and steak plate lunches.


    Hawaii, Oahu, Waimanalo, A local couple run a food truck and sell delicious shrimp and steak plate lunches.




  • Barack Obama


    President Barack Obama lays a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial, part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2011, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)




  • Ahi tuna tower at Hotel Hana-Maui restaurant


    Maui, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Picasso Triggerfish (Rhinecanthus rectangulus).


    Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Wok seared ahi at Merriman's Restaurant, Waimea, Waimea Region.


    Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • rainbow paradise beach


    paradise rainbow over tunnels beach on the north shore of Kauai. Hawaiian Rainbow over beach. Haena, Kauai, Hawaii, USA Resort vacation destination




  • Kilauea Coast Entry


    Seeing Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was at the top of my bucket list, and to see red-hot flowing lava was quite simply the icing on the cake.




  • Three Surfers Heading Out to the Monster Waves


    Three surfers, almost in formation, heading out to surf these awesome waves. The Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii has some beauties to surf! On this day, the surf was up, way up.




  • Ala Wai Canal Kalakaua Avenue Bridge Waikiki Honolulu Hawaii


    Ala Wai Canal and Kalakaua Avenue Bridge in Waikiki with the Hawaii Convention Center on the right. Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA.




  • 16/52


    Milky Way, from the top of Mt Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii.




  • Hawaiian table setting with food


    Hawaiian table setting with food




  • Landscape View Of Crop Submerged In Water In Kauai


    Landscape View Of Crop Submerged In Water In Kauai




  • Old empty cracked coconuts on the tropical beach


    Old empty cracked coconuts on the tropical beach.John U. Lloyd State Park, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Florida




  • wild dolphins


    pod of wild spinner dolphins underwater swimming together as one big family in Maui, hawaii




  • Surfboards


    Bunch of surfing boards on a sunny day in Maui amongst palm trees.




  • Coral Reefs In Danger


    HONOLULU, HI - JANUARY 15: A school of manini fish pass over a coral reef at Hanauma Bay on January 15, 2005 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Many coral reefs are dying from water pollution (from sewage and agricultural runoff), dredging off the coast, careless collecting of coral specimens, and sedimentation. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)




  • environment


    eco enviromment - coral reef underwater sea with light off the coast of Maui, Hawaii




  • Turtle swimming


    Green sea turtle glides toward the bottom after coming up for a breadth of air off the coast of Maui, Hawaii.




  • Surfer girl with surfboard


    Maui surfer girl enjoys a beautiful Maui sunset at Makena, Maui, Hawaii.




  • Hiker at lookout on Diamond Head.


    Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • FILE - The USS Honolulu is shown docked at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu in this Feb. 27, 2006 file photo. Spying isn't new to Hawaii, with Pearl Harbor and other island facilities, since before the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, being ripe targets for spying by adversaries of the U.S. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)




  • Napali coast hiking trail.


    Kauai, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Hiker going through tree tunnel on Kailua Trail.


    Kauai, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Hiker on deserted Kalani Beach along trail to Mo'omomi Dunes, at Mo'omomi Dunes Preserve.


    Molokai, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Hiking paths through lunar-like landscape of Haleakala crater.


    Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Pearl Harbor survivor Jack Hammett gazes at Remembrance Wall in the shrine room at the USS Arizona Memorial Friday, Dec. 7, 2012, at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Hammett and many of the Pearl Harbor Veterans gathered at the World War II Valor In The Pacific National Monument remembering the 71th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941 Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)




  • Hiker in Ka'apoko Tunnel linking Wailua and Hanalei Valleys.


    Kauai, Hawaii, United States, North America




  • Acai juice in a bowl. A typical Brazilliam dish ma


    Acai juice in a bowl. A typical Brazilliam dish ma




  • Peacock Flounder ( B. mancus )


    Hawaii, United States, North America