What Can I Do On
Oahu?
HONOLULU
Visit the only
royal palace on USA soil, stroll through Chinatown and shop at the
Mauna Kea Marketplace or enjoy wonderful Chinese cuisine at the
local restaurants. Visit the Kuan Yin Temple and the Izumo
Taishakyo Shrine.
You can't miss
Waikiki, the center of all of the action in Oahu. Most of the
Oahu accommodation is located here in the modern, luxury hotels.
Historic and cultural events take place here and the world famous
Waikiki Beach
attracts millions of visitors each year. Enjoy
surfing, windsurfing and body boarding or arrange for a diving or
snorkelling trip.
Charter a boat for
a day or evening sail or try your hand at blue water fishing. Prized
sports fish are plentiful in the offshore waters. Snorkel in the
clear blue waters of
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve filled with colorful fish and learn about the fragile ecosystem of the bay.
Take the keiki
(children) to the
Waikiki Aquarium to see the state fish (the humuhumunukanukuapuaa) up close and personal. The Bishop Museum
includes millions of artifacts and photos about Hawaiian and other
Pacific cultures. A planetarium show demonstrates how voyagers
navigated under the stars to sail the Pacific.
Take the
opportunity to try the various Hawaiian and Chinese cuisines in some
excellent restaurants. Try a shave ice or a malasada (local style
donut) before checking out the incredible patterns of the Hawaiian
aloha shirts and garments in the local markets.
Honolulu boasts a
fine selection of clubs and venues for those seeking nightlife
action with a choice of both DJ's and live bands performing at
various venues.
[More
about Honolulu]
THE NORTH SHORE
During the winter months the north
shore provides some of the largest waves in the world to such
beaches as Sunset Beach,
Waimea Bay and Ehukai Beach Park, home of
the
Banzai Pipeline.
For horseback
riding, ATV tours and kayaking, visit
the 4,000 acre Kualoa Ranch. The
Waimea Valley Audubon Center
is a nature preserve and botanical
garden and home of Waihi Falls, where visitors can swim in the pool
at the base of the falls. At Kahuku try a plate of locally
grown prawns from one of the shrimp trucks that line the
Kamehameha
Highway. Shrimp scampi, shrimp tempura and garlic shrimp are all favorites.
Experience the
culture of Hawaii and the South Pacific in seven recreated
traditional villages of Polynesia in the
Polynesian Cultural
Center. The Horizons evening show offers Polynesian
entertainment where you can learn to dance the hula and enjoy a
traditional luau.
[More about the Oahu North Shore]
CENTRAL OAHU
This area is a mix
of small communities separated by miles of pineapple fields. Sample
fresh cut sweet pineapple and explore Dole Plantation’s 1.7 mile
garden maze. Pay tribute at the
Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor
and explore the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS
Bowfin
Submarine Museum and Park and the new
Pacific Aviation Museum.
THE OAHU COAST
The windward
(eastern) side of the island is set between the towering green
slopes on the Koolau Mountain Range and offers a scenic alternative
to Honolulu. Visit the
Sea Life Park and watch entertaining shows
featuring dolphins, penguins and sea lions.
Makapuu Point
Lighthouse is nearby and the short hike of about a mile will provide
breathtaking views of the windward coast and Rabbit Island. During
the winter months migrating humpback whales can be seen from this
vantage point.
Makapuu Beach and
the white sandy beaches of Kailua Beach, Kailui, Waimanalo Bay and
Sandy are all favorites of tourists and locals alike. The
Byodo-In
Temple is a re-creation of the 900 year old temple of the same name
in Kyoto.
Byodo-In is located
on the Kahekili Highway, Kaneohe. Drive the Pali Highway SR 61,
between Honolulu and the windward town of Kailua (or vice-versa) and
stop at the
Pali lookout for magical views along the coastline.
The western coast
of Oahu is known as the Leeward Coast.
Hawaiian Waters Adventure
Park features a unique variety of rides for all ages. Kaena Point is
the most western tip of Oahu and can only be reached by hiking.
Scenic views of the
Waienae Coast to the South and Mokuleia to the north reward the
hiker after a long and hot journey.
What
Oahu Accommodation Will I Find?
Our
Hawaii accommodation page
offers instant, online reservations for all types of accommodation
across the island at prices guaranteed to be the lowest available at
the time of reservation.
Most of the Oahu
accommodation is
in the Honolulu area with the majority of the leading hotels located
on or near Waikiki Beach. There is a wide selection of
accommodation choices
available throughout Oahu ranging from 5 star hotels and condos to
privately owned vacation rentals.
 View
List Of All Oahu Accommodation
Search By Dates & Room Type
Search For
Oahu Vacation Rentals Only
When Is The Best Time On
Oahu?
Oahu is a year-round
vacation destination. The "wet season" is generally from October to March and
results in cooler temperatures. The "dry season" runs from
April to September with warmer temperatures. Average winter temperatures
in January are 65/80F (18/27C) and summers in July are 74/88F (23/31C). It is not unusual
for the beaches at Waikiki to be sunny while it is raining only a few
miles away.
The influx of
snowbirds escaping from the harsh winters in their mainland states
means that December to February is the busiest time on Oahu.
For detailed
weather forecasts visit the Hawaiian Islands
National
Weather Service Forecast website.
Getting To
Oahu & Getting Around?
Flights from all over the world arrive at
Honolulu International
Airport located 5 miles (8km) from the city downtown area. All persons arriving on International
flights must first clear Customs and Border Protection inspection
before exiting the airport. Transfers to and from the airport are quite quick and inexpensive.
Ground
transportation to your accommodation is via either the
Airport Waikiki
Express, rental car, pre-arranged ground transportation
or
taxi cabs.
Oahu offers an
excellent public transport bus service that runs approximately every
30 minutes depending on the route number. Most of the city and
adjoining areas can easily be reached via public transport. Travel
to areas further afield such as the north shore will require a
rental car or being part of an organised tour.
[More about flights to
Hawaii] |
