The Best of Oahu 1 Everyone
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04_134825 ch01.qxp 10/11/07 11:13 AM Page 4 1 The Best of Oahu Everyone ventures to Oahu seeking a different experience. Some talk about wanting to find the “real” Hawaii, some are looking for heart-pounding adventure, some yearn for the relaxing and healing powers of the islands, and others are drawn by Hawaii’s aloha spirit, in which kindness and friendliness prevail. This book is designed to help you have the vacation of your dreams. For those too excited to page through from beginning to end, this chapter highlights the very best of what Honolulu and Oahu have to offer. 1 The Best Oahu Experiences To have the absolute best experiences on Hawaii and ignore the underwater Oahu, be prepared for a different culture, world, you’re missing half of what language, cuisine, and way of doing makes up this paradise. See chapter 6. things. Slow down—you’re on an island • Meet Local Folks: If you go to that operates on its own schedule. To Hawaii and see only people like the really experience Oahu, we recommend ones back home, you might as well the following: stay home. Extend yourself, leave the • Get out on the Water: You’ll take resorts and tourist quarters, go out and home memories of an emerald island learn about Hawaii and its people. Just rising out of the cobalt sea with white smile and say “Howzit?” which means wispy clouds set against an azure sky, “How’s it going?”—and you’ll usually or the Waikiki shoreline colored by make a new friend. Oahu is remark- the setting sun. There are many dif- ably cosmopolitan; every ethnic group ferent boats to choose from, ranging in the world seems to be here. It’s fas- from tiny kayaks to 100-foot sight- cinating to discover the varieties of seeing vessels, even state-of-the-art food, culture, language, and customs. boats guaranteed to prevent seasick- • Drive to the North Shore: Just an ness. See chapter 6 for details on all hour’s drive from Honolulu, the kinds of cruises and watersports. North Shore is another world: a pas- • Plunge underCOPYRIGHTED the Water: Don mask, toral, MATERIALrural setting with magnificent fins, and snorkel and dive into the beaches and a slower way of life. Dur- magical world beneath the surface, ing the winter months, stop and where clouds of colorful tropical fish watch the professionals surf the mon- flit by, craggy old turtles lumber ster waves. See chapter 7. along, and tiny marine creatures • Watch the Hula: This is Hawaii, so hover over exotic corals. Can’t swim? you have to experience the hula. A Take one of the many submarines or hula performance is a popular way for semi-submersibles. If you come to visitors to get a taste of traditional 04_134825 ch01.qxp10/11/0711:13AMPage5 Hanalei Princeville 0 30 mi KAUAI N 0 30 km Lihue Poipu Kauai Channel Laie PACIFIC OCEAN Airport NIIHAU Haleiwa OAHU Mountain Makaha Kailua MOLOKAI Honolulu Waikiki KaunakakaiKaunakakai MAUI Kaanapali LLanaianai CCityity KahuluiKahului LANAI Lahaina KiheiKihei Hana HALEAKALAHALEAKALA NATIONALNATIONAL PARKPARK THE BEST OAHU EXPERIENCES THE BESTOAHU KAHOOLAWE Alenuihaha Channel 0 20002000 mimi HAWAII (The Big Island) The HawaiianIslands 0 22000000 kkmm Vancouver WWaimeaaimea NORTH PACIFIC San Francisco MaunaMauna KeaKea Hilo OCEAN PACIFIC OCEAN Los Angeles Kailua-Kona MexicoMexico CityCity KilaueaKilauea IkiIki CraterCrater MaunaMauna LoaLoa The Hawaiian Islands HAWAIIHAWAII VOLCANOESVOLCANOES NATIONALNATIONAL PARKPARK 0 2000 mi 0 2000 km South Point 5 04_134825 ch01.qxp 10/11/07 11:13 AM Page 6 6 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF OAHU Oahu Kahuku Point 0 5 mi N 0 5 km Honolulu RE Sunset Beach O H S H T PACIFIC OCEAN R O WAIMEA BAY BEACH PARK N E H 83 T Haleiwa Kaena Mokuleia Point 930 Waialua Kam DillinghamDillingham Farrington Hwy. eha me AirfieldAirfield ha Hw Kaena y. F a 803 r 99 r CENTRAL i n W g A Yokohama t I o A (EWA n N A Bay H E w R y A Wahiawa . N G SchofieldSchofield E BarracksBarracks Kepuhi Point Makaha LEEWARD OAHU H2 (WAIANAE COAST) Mililani Waianae 750 POKAI BAY BEACH PARK 99 Maili Pearl City 93 Waipahu Wilson Nanakuli Tunnel H1 PearlPearl Harbor wy. H Makakilo n Pali to g in Tunnels rr U.S. Fa Ewa Ko Olina Naval Base Kapolei Honolulu PACIFIC Int. Airport Honolulu Punchbowl Crater OCEAN Barbers Point SANDY BEACH PARK Diamond Koko Head Crater Head 04_134825 ch01.qxp 10/11/07 11:13 AM Page 7 THE BEST OAHU EXPERIENCES 7 0 100 mi KAUAI 0 100 km NIIHAU HHonoluluonolulu K Kahuku MOLOKAI am e h MAUI a OAHU m LANAI e ha Laie H KAHOOLAWE w Laie Point y . PACIFIC OCEAN Alenuihaha ChannelHAWAII "The Big Island" Hauula THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS K O O L Punaluu A U Dillingham 83 R Airfield A N Kaaawa G E PACIFIC OCEAN OAHU PLAIN) Kualoa Point Waikane Schofield T Barracks H E Waiahole W IN Kaalaea D W Mokapu Point A K HEEIA a STATE PARK R h D e k C ili Heeia O Hw A y S . Kailua Bay T Kaneohe Kailua H3 MOKULUA Aiea SEABIRD H1 Halawa Hts. WilsonWilson SANCTUARIES Ka TunnelTunnel la M n Lanikai Pearl HarborHarbor oa ia n . n 78 a y a l Hw o o e lik PaliPali Maunawili le a e 61 R ik TunnelsTunnels Hwy. Waimanalo U.S.U.S. d. L y. .. 63 w H Waimanalo Bay NavalNaval BaseBase li 72 a Tantalus HonoluluHonolulu P Int.Int. AirportAirport HonoluluHonolulu PunchbowlPunchbowl EAST OAHU CraterCrater Makapuu N i m H1 Makiki Pt i t z Hawaii Kai 72 Hwy. Manoa Valley Honolulu Harbor SANDYSANDY BEACHBEACH PARKPARK Waikiki DiamondDiamond KAPIOLANI PARK KokoKoko Hanauma Bay HeadHead CraterCrater HeadHead 04_134825 ch01.qxp 10/11/07 11:13 AM Page 8 8 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF OAHU Hawaiian culture. For a more gen- 1941, the day that Japanese war- uine Hawaiian hula experience, catch planes bombed Pearl Harbor. Stand- the hula halau performed Monday ing on the deck of the USS Arizona through Friday at 1pm at the Bishop Memorial, which straddles the eter- Museum. See chapter 7. nal tomb for the 1,177 sailors and • Experience a Turning Point in Marines trapped below deck when America’s History: The United the battleship sank in 9 minutes, is a States could no longer turn its back moment you’ll never forget. See on World War II after December 7, chapter 7. 2 The Best Beaches See chapter 6 for complete details on all the windward side of the island. On these beaches and their facilities. weekends, local families consider it • Waikiki Beach: This famous stretch the place to go. Weekdays, you prac- of sand is the spot that originally put tically have it all to yourself. Hawaii on the tourist map. No beach • Kahana Bay Beach Park: With salt- anywhere is so widely known or so and-pepper sand, a crescent-shaped 1 universally sought as this narrow, 1 ⁄2- beach protected by ironwoods and mile-long crescent of soft sand at the kamani trees and, as a backdrop, a foot of a string of high-rise hotels. lush junglelike valley interrupted Home to the world’s longest-running only by jagged cliffs, you’d swear this beach party, Waikiki attracts nearly beach was in Tahiti or Bora Bora. five million visitors a year from every Kahana offers great swimming (even corner of the planet. In high season, safe for children), good fishing, and it’s packed towel-to-towel, but there’s perfect conditions for kayaking. no denying the beauty of Waikiki. Combine that with picnic areas, • Lanikai Beach: Hidden, off the camping, and hiking trails, and you beaten tourist path, this beach on the have one of the best beaches on the windward side has a mile of powder- island. soft sand and water that’s safe for • Malaekahana Beach: If you’d like to swimming. It’s the perfect isolated venture back to Hawaii before jet spot for a morning of swimming and planes brought millions of people to relaxation. With the prevailing trade Oahu, back to the days when there winds, it’s also excellent for sailing were few footprints on the sand, then and windsurfing. Sun-worshipers go north to the romantic wooded should arrive in the morning, as the beach park at Malaekahana. This is a shadow of the Koolau Mountains place to sit in quiet solitude or to blocks the sun’s rays in the afternoon. beachcomb along the shore. There’s • Kailua Beach: Imagine a 30-acre good swimming most of the time, public park with a broad, grassy area and good snorkeling when it’s calm, with picnic tables, a public boat but no lifeguard. Surprisingly, very ramp, restrooms, a pavilion, a volley- few visitors come to Malaekahana— ball court, and food stands. Add a one of the best beaches on Oahu, it’s wide, sandy beach, great for diving, a true find. swimming, sailing, snorkeling, and • Sunset Beach: Surfers around the board- and windsurfing, and you’ve world know this site famous for its got Kailua Beach, which is tops on spectacular winter surf—the waves 04_134825 ch01.qxp 10/11/07 11:13 AM Page 9 THE BEST SNORKELING & DIVING SITES 9 can be huge, thundering peaks reach- the summer this same bay is glassy and ing 15 to 20 feet. In the summer calm—a great place for swimming, months, Sunset calms down and snorkeling, and diving. Oh, and by becomes a safe swimming beach. It’s a the way, despite what the Beach Boys great place to people-watch year- croon in “Surfin’ USA” (Why-a-mee- round, as you’ll spot everybody from ah), it’s pronounced Why-may-ah.