E Komo Mai, Welcome, to Oahu! In Hawaiian, "Oahu" means “Gathering Place.” Home to approximately 876,000 people and the most visited of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu is only 597 square miles. But don't worry.
Just outside of Honolulu, you'll find, long, quiet stretches of sandy beaches (like the above North Shore beach), as well as peaceful country roads because Honolulu accounts for most of the island's population. In fact, Oahu is a wonderful place for a Hawaii eco vacation. And in Honolulu, you'll find many cultural activities and lots of good fun!
Honolulu, the state’s capital, is home to Iolani Palace, which was the official residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom's last two monarchs -- King Kalakaua, who built the Palace in 1882, and his sister and successor, Queen Lili`uokalani who wrote Aloha `Oe while imprisoned there when the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown by American business leaders.
The island’s official color is yellow and its flower is the ilima (pictured on left), one this is used in the more elegant lei (not a typo, there are no plurals in Hawaiian words).
Diamond Head, the most famous landmark in the world is most often viewed from Honolulu’s Waikiki Beach, as popular today with surfers as it was with Hawaiian royalty who surfed here. Honolulu has been host to many of Hawaii’s most esteemed entertainers, including the late, great Don Ho.
Oahu boasts more beaches than any of the Hawaiian Islands and abounds with water sports. Most tourists have spent their entire vacation at Waikiki. And they never knew what they missed.
Some of the best beaches in the United States, maybe even the world, are found on Oahu, outside of Waikiki. You can kayak, snorkel, swim, body board, take a surf lesson or go on a sailing dolphin swim cruise or both, paddle on a body board to a deserted off shore island.
Many of Oahu's ocean activities, like many of the things to do on Oahu are free or inexpensive. Amazing sunsets on the North Shore and the Leeward side are free of charge, as are front row seats to world-class surfing championships.
The climate in Oahu is welcoming year-round. Hawaii has two
seasons The rainier season of winter, which generally runs from November through April,and summer, May through October.
While the higher elevations are cooler, the daytime temperature at sea level stays around 75 degrees in the winter and closer to
80 in the summer.
Hawaii rarely is hit by a hurricane (the last was Iniki, which hit Kauai very hard in 1992). Hurricane season is June through November.
Oahu's leeward and south sides (including Honolulu) are fairly dry. The lush, Windward side gets more rain, but generally it rains at night or for short periods during the day with the sun coming out again creating beautiful rainbows. When there is a longer rain spell, you usually need drive only a half hour to a dryer side of the island.
Oahu also offers great hiking, bicycling sightseeing and lots of other activities. The island is honeycombed by trails, many blazed by the Early Hawaiians, ranging from sidewalk like pathways to waterfalls, to rugged, cliff hanging treks with views of the Leeward Coast. Bicyclists will find 34 plus miles of bike lanes with many more underway. .
Hawaii’s car rentals and public transportation system (one of the best in the nation) make getting around the island easy.
Accommodations on Oahu include famous Waikiki hotels/resorts like the Hilton Hawaiian Village, as well as alternative lodging such as condos, bed & breakfasts, resorts, hostels, yurts and campgrounds.
Whether you sleep under the stars or in a luxury resort, Oahu is a sightseer's paradise with numerous, striking vistas, lush (and educational) gardens and postcard sunsets.
The North Shore, Central Plateau, Windward and Leeward Sides, and the South Shore (Diamond Head, Honolulu and so on) each offers its own style of beauty.
The multitude of Oahu's cultural, ecological and historical places, attractions and sacred places will amaze you. Just for starters, there's the Bishop Museum and Planetarium with its interactive and live Hawaiian exhibits and brand new science center featuring a three-story walk-in volcano, Pearl Harbor's USS Arizona Memorial, Iolani Palace, the Polynesian Cultural Center, sacred heiau (sacred ancient temples) and in Haleiwa, a surf museum.
Thanks to the island's year-round balmy climate, you can find fun events or festivals year round, including Hawaii’s island-wide largest cultural festival, the Aloha Festival, running from September through October. Speaking of running, the world-famous Aloha Run is held in Honolulu. Then there's the Triple Crown of Surfing
You'll find a large sampling of Honolulu entertainment in the state-wide newspaper, the Honolulu Advertiser. (check their TGIF sections in the Island Life and Entertainment categories.
Oh, and then there's Christmas. The holiday season is huge in Hawaii, a very churched community, but even my Buddhist friends enjoy giving gifts and trimming the trees. Contrary to myth, you can get very good Hawaii budget travel deals in December. In fact the best rates are from October through May, with the exception of holidays. However if you plan it right, you can spend Christmas in Hawaii on a budget.
Love for the arts, performing and visual, is evident everywhere you go on Oahu. In Waikiki, you can always find a free concert or hula performance. Most of Hawaii's famous musicians started or on Oahu.
Israel Kamakawawiole, the late, great Iz, lived on the Leeward Side, and many contemporary style Hawaiian musicians that evolved from the 1970's when the Hawaiian Renaissance exploded on Oahu entertain in Waikiki. Oahu's visual arts are found around every corner..
Luau and Hawaiian style entertainment is easy to find, from the free concerts in the parks and community style luau to big shows like Frank Delima (Hawaii’s zany comedian who after a long string of prestigious Na Hoku awards, still hasn’t learned to follow politically correct manners) to luau and entertainment at the Polynesian Cultural Center and Germaine’s.
Dining on Oahu is fantastic! (Click here for review excerpts). Whether you dine at an upscale restaurant with a world class chef such as Sam Choy or a healthy, organic, growers' market, you're taste buds will be tickled pink (ok pinker). Be sure to sample some Hawaii Regional Cuisine, local food beautifully presented by professional chefs using the freshest Hawaiian ingredients, and local kine grinds (an ethnic mix of local-style comfort food).
Oahu, as you can see, is for good reason, "The Gathering Place," in Hawaii.
Oahu has been called an island paradise for centuries. Reserve your space in this Garden of Eden by purchasing a timeshare now. Because you own the property, you can return again and again to your perfect escape. Owning timeshares allows you to have all the benefits of vacation home ownership, while only paying for the week or two that you use it every year. It's a great alternative to paying the ever-rising costs of hotels.
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