Oahu Hawaii USA

Oahu is the heartbeat of Hawaii, brimming with sunshine and overflowing with Aloha Spirit. And yes, there are rainbows after showers, filling the blue sky with colors easily seen all over the island. Oahu, anchored by the main city of Honolulu and the spectacular Waikiki Beach, contains most of Hawaii’s population as well as its tourist and social activity.
The accommodation here caters for all budget levels, although the islands are expensive so expect to pay UK equivalent prices. The area is popular with honeymooners including a huge number of Japanese couples, as tropical weddings are a major business.
Oahu has over 30,000 units in more than 80 hotels and 40 condominiums. Wide choice from opulent luxury beachfront accommodation to basic B&Bs. Rates range from the price of a meal to the cost of a small second-hand car, with the beachfront area being the most popular and expensive. There are a few hotels outside Waikiki plus a handful of camping grounds dotted around the island.

Locality:

Oahu is a mid-Pacific island, almost on the Tropic of Cancer, approximately 5 hrs by jet from America’s W coast. Hawaii’s international airport (Honolulu) is located here, 5 mls from downtown Honolulu, which is on the S coast of the island. It is midway along the Hawaiian Islands chain.
Oahu has arguably the finest beaches of the Hawaiian Islands and plenty to choose from. Like all Hawaiian beaches, Oahu’s are open to the public. 1-ml-long Waikiki Beach is crowded year-round, receiving 25,000 visitors every day. Some of the E coast’s best beaches are at Kailua and Lanikai: the surf is gentle, the snorkelling is good, and kayaks and surfboards are usually available for rent at the weekends.

Thousands of shops sell everything from postcards and coconuts to European designer products; Honolulu’s several shopping complexes include the Ala Moana Center and Ward Center . The island’s biggest concentration of shops can be found in Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, and includes the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Waikiki Shopping Plaza and the International Market Place. Other shopping areas are located throughout the Honolulu vicinity.

During the daytime popular activities include water sports including surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving and sailing. Other activities include hang-gliding, hiking, cycling, tennis and golf. For the tourist interested in culture there are museums and memorials of Pearl Harbor, including USS Arizona Memorial and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park and several botanical gardens.
There is a Sealife Park, with a wide range of marine shows and exhibits, also Honolulu Zoo (in Waikiki); Sacred Falls State Park, with an 80-ft waterfall.
The nightlife here offers good variety, mostly concentrated in Waikiki and including comedians, Las Vegas-style floorshows, live music , bars and discos; many Waikiki hotels offer in-house entertainment. There is Broadway and off-Broadway shows by Hawaii Performing Arts Company, the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, and the Hawaii Opera Theater

There are many options for eating out, ranging from hot-dog stands to a few international restaurants offering Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, French, German, Italian and Swiss cuisine. The majority of restaurants feature steak/seafood/American food. The regional Hawaiian fare utilises fresh local fish, vegetables and fruits in imaginative and delicious combinations. Luau (Hawaiian feast) evenings feature traditional foods, dancing and music, but tend to vary in quality and authenticity.

Hawaii Travel Guide

The state of Hawaii includes approximately 130 islands in the Pacific Ocean, many of which are uninhabited. Hawaii is considered the 50th state of the United States of America and is situated nearly at the centre of the north Pacific Ocean. Hawaii marks the NE corner of Polynesia. While it was once a major hub for the whaling, sugar and pineapple industries, it is now economically dependent on tourism and the U.S. military.
The natural beauty of the islands continues to be one of Hawaii’s greatest assets and is the location of some of the finest beaches in the United States, each unique in its dimensions, shapes. These sandy stretches are fronted by crystal waters full of tropical fish darting through beautiful coral. Some of the world’s best surfing and watersport opportunities are on offer here and for those intent on impressive sightseeing, it is hard to beat the thrill of watching lava flow from the world’s longest erupting volcano. Honolulu is the state’s capital, largest city, and cultural hub. Hawaiian and English are the official languages of Hawaii.

Hawaii’s traditions and culture is also an attractions in itself. Most nightlife is centred on traditional festivals which visitors are encouraged to experience as they let themselves free under necklaces of flowers and dance the famous ‘hula’ after sunset.
The Hawaiian islands offer a vast number of activities. Hiking and eco tours are popular on most islands, with opportunities for horseback riding, ATV, air tours, and other methods of exploring the landscape. Museums and historical sites such as Pearl Harbor are also to be found throughout the islands. Cultural activities such as the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu also make for interesting day-long activities.

Oahu is famous for Pearl Harbor tours, but also popular are Shark Snorkel dives in cages, Waikiki snorkel tours as well as around Oahu Tours where you will see all the major highlites of Oahu including Diamond Head, the North Shore and Dole Plantation where you can sample menu items made from fresh picked pineapples.
Maui is the location for Humpback Whale Watching from December 15 to April 15 each year as the massive Humpbacks migrate to Hawaii’s warm waters to bear their calves. Also famous from Maui is the Molokini Crater which is a partially submerged volanco crater that you can snorkel at.

Kauai is untamed and beautiful. It has been featured in many major motion pictures over the past two decades. See this island by land or by air to take in the true beauty of this island.
This Big island is the volano island where you can take a land tour or fly over the incredible huge volanco on a helicopter tour. Doors off flights allow you to feel the heat from the volanco, and amazingly unique experience. Also on the Big Island you have the rare opportunity to swim with Wild dolphins, not capitve one.

Hawaii is best known for its beaches and water activities. Surfing is practically a religion in Hawaii, and scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities exist nearly everywhere. In addition, jet skiing, parasailing and kayaking are available in tourist areas.