Question:
What can I do in Oahu?
Piano Girl
2009-07-29 06:06:01 UTC
I'm leaving for the Hawaiian island of Oahu in a week. Any suggestions on what to do there? Obviously I'll be at the beach a lot, but anything else?

Links would be great!
Six answers:
Wammy
2009-07-29 16:32:34 UTC
Oahu may be a small island, but there are many activities.

You shouldn't spend a lot of time at one particular beach. Oahu is surrounded by nothing but the Pacific Ocean. You could go to Eva Beach, Waikiki Beach (my favorite, but too crowded), Haunama Bay (greatest snorkeling enviroment on the island), Ala Moana Beach and many more!

Oahu has interesting Historical landmarks like Queen Lilioukalani's Palaces, Brutal Fighting scenes, Volcanoes, etc. You can find out online depending on where you are staying.

The one thing that most tourists enjoy, are luaus. They are really interesting. It feels like you're living like the Hawaiians as they lived hundreds of years ago.

There are many more tourists attractions that would fit your satisfaction.
Melissa S
2009-07-29 09:01:21 UTC
I lived on the island of Oahu for 2 years near Kaneohe Bay. There is a bunch of places that you will definitely want to see. Waikiki is over crowded, but there is great shopping, and great food. I suggest you go to the North Shore, on the way there stop at the Kualoa Ranch. Kualoa Ranch is known for having movies and tv shows filmed there like 50 First Dates, Lost, Jurassic Park, etc...you can go on a horseback ride through the ranch, it's amazing. Take a drive on the LikeLike or Pali highway, the scenery is just breathtaking! Also Hanauma Bay is a wonderful place to visit. You can go snorkeling, surfing, and it does get packed during the day, so you will want to try to get there before 12. Hope I was of some help to you!
Gail F
2009-08-02 00:16:47 UTC
You have been given some good advice, but I strongly suggest that you

visit Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head. You have got to climb Diamond

Head. It does not take all that long and the view is awesome. It is

well worth the climb. I suggest you go as early in the day as possible as it does get hot. If you want a fun place to shop, go to Hilo Hatties -

they have buses running that you can take free.
Peace
2009-07-31 22:36:51 UTC
Scott has a good rundown. Here is a couple of links you can brouse.

On the City and County click on Tourism at top of the page.



http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/main/government/

City and county of Honolulu



http://www.honolulu.gov/multimed/waikiki.asp

Live cam Waikiki beach

Have fun, if you giv your friends the live web cam link, you can call them from your cell phone and they can see you live standing in front of the Duke Kahanamoku statue.
Scott N
2009-07-29 23:36:27 UTC
I am assuming you already know about surfing lessons, Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace (the only royal palace in the USA), so here are other items you may not know about:



OBON: If you want something totally different, you are going during "Obon" (pronounced "oh-bone"), the Japanese festival where deceased ancestors come home to visit their families. Japanese-Americans are a large majority of the population in Hawaii, this is an important festival at many buddhist churches throughout Oahu. Ask your concierge or check on the internet for dates by searching for "Obon 2009 Oahu". The best one (I think) is in Manoa Valley, in the back of Honolulu on July 31/Aug 1st.

http://www.gohawaii.com/event?id=1597



JUNGLE HIKING: For hiking in the rain forest, don't wear shoes (will be unusable afterwards) but make sure you bring good quality flip-flops or Tevas (very muddy, and I see a lot of broken cheap flip-flops on the trail..how do people walk barefoot through the jungle??). And wear repellent. Manoa Falls is right in back of Honolulu, is the highest falls on the island, a small tropical pool at its base, you hike through bamboo forests and giant ferns to get there. Mauna Wili Falls on the windward side is also great, not as lush/slightly drier and bordering on "moderate" hiking. A lot of people hike Diamond Head Crater. I don't particularly think it is a good hike: the Diamond Head hike is in the center of the crater up the rim wall from the "inside", it is hot and dry since the rim of the crater blocks the wind. The view is spectacular at the end though.

http://www.hawaiiweb.com/html/hiking/man…



CHINATOWN: Make sure to walk through the downtown chinatown center. Go along Mauna Kea street to watch the ladies string flower leis where you can buy a fresh orchid lei for about $7. I like Cindy's Lei Shoppe (well-known) but you can select one you like from any of them...note dendrobium orchids last the longest, some flowers (ginger, plumeria) smell good but last only a day or two. then go into the Mauna Kea Marketplace entrance on King Street (it is an inside food vendor mall). If you have never been in a tropical food market in Indonesia or Philippines, this will be interesting to you. An amazing food court.

http://www.cindysleishoppe.com/



BUDDHIST TEMPLE: Have you googled the buddhist Byodo-in Temple on the windward side? Especially if you have not been to Japan, really worth seeing, and usually not too busy mid-week. Ring the bell for good luck. Don't be put off by the entrance road (you have to drive through a cemetary!).

http://gohawaii.about.com/od/oahusights/…



NUUANI PALI POINT: This is considered to be one of the most spectacular view in all the Hawaiian Islands. Take the Pali Highway in back of downtown Honolulu towards the windward side, exit at the lookout. The tradewinds funnel through the mountains here, can be amazingly windy, sometimes dangerously so, just wear sunglasses (part of the fun).



WINDWARD DRIVE: Rather than any destination, the DRIVE itself is what is important here, starting in Kaneohe and ending up on the North Shore. Honolulu is on the drier part of the island, so it is only when you go to the windward side (the side of the island where the wind comes off the ocean and drops the rain) that you will say AH I AM IN A SOUTH SEAS PARADISE! You will pass the Polynesian Cultural Center on the way. This has pavilions dedicated to each major polynesian island in the South Pacific (Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, etc.) They also have a luau (the Center is owned by the Morman Church, so no mai-tai's/booze if that is important to you).



While you are at Pearl Harbor, the Arizona Memorial is a tear-jerker of course, but pay the extra $$ and tour the fully-renovated WWII submarine in the same area. I am not a military history junkie, but it will blow your mind how they stayed underwater in such tight quarters for so long.



SNORKELING: Of course, you may want to snorkel to see the coral lagoons, tropical fish and possibly see a sea turtle. The most famous is Hanauma Bay (east of Honolulu, past Hawaii Kai, going counter-clockwise along the coast). This is internationally-acclaimed. Rent snorkel equipment from snorkel bob's, or rent from the concession on the beach here. Go early, parking is limited and fills up quickly.



NORTH SHORE: Aside from Waikiki, the most popular beach is Waimea Beach on North Shore. Go up and view the famous beaches (Sunset, Waimea, etc.) then get a Hawaiian Shave Ice in the surfing village of Haleiwa (pronounced "hah-lay-ee-vuh") at Aoki's or Matsumoto's.



SHOPPING: Waikiki has interesting shopping, and certainly look at the huge banyan tree at the International Marketplace...but for "real" shopping at a reasonable price, try the Ala Moana Shopping Center. This is a mega shopping center that includes both souvenir and major stores like Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sear's...you get the idea.
Jane Doe
2009-07-29 14:26:58 UTC
tripadvisor.com

is a good site. i use it before i plan a trip.


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