Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
On TheBus, you're allowed only one bag, which has to fit under the seat. If you have more
gear, you're going to have to drive or take a cab.
Note:
Reservations for all state parks on the island of Oahu cannot be made more than 30
days in advance. To make a reservation, go on line to
www.hawaiistateparks.org/camping/
(each site holds 10 people); an additional fee of $3 will be applied to each extra person over
six people. Payment can be made with a credit card.
Honolulu
SAND ISLAND STATE RECREATION AREA
★
Believe it or not, there is a campground in Honolulu. It's just south of Honolulu Harbor at a
waterfront park. Don't be put off by the heavy industrial area you have to drive through to
reach this 102-acre park with grassy lawns, ironwood trees, and sandy beaches. Campers have
great views—better than those of some of the guests in the $400-a-night rooms in Waikiki—of
the entire Honolulu coastline all the way to Waikiki. In addition to the scenery, the most popu-
lar activity here is shoreline fishing, especially along the western shore of Sand Island. Swim-
ming is an option, but watch out for the rocks along the shoreline bottom; the water quality is
occasionally questionable too. The park is also a good base camp for visiting Honolulu attrac-
tions; it's just 15 minutes from Waikiki or Pearl Harbor.
Only tent camping is allowed in this park, and only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
You'll find picnic tables (some under small covered shelters), restrooms with cold showers
only, and potable water. You'll need a permit; the fee is $18 per campsite per night. Ap-
plications are accepted no earlier than 30 days in advance and can be purchased online at
www.hawaiistateparks.org/camping/fees.cfm
,
or by writing to the
DepartmentofLandand
NaturalResources,
State Parks Division, P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809 (
&
808/587-0300
).
Permits are given for a maximum of 5 days in every 30-day period (and because you can only
stay on weekends, 5 consecutive days aren't possible). The gates close at 6:45pm in the fall
and winter (from the weekend after Labor Day until Mar 31) and 7:45pm in the spring and
summer (Apr 1 until the Fri after Labor Day). The gates do not open until 7am the next morn-
ing; cars cannot enter or leave during that period. TheBus 19 stops at Nimitz Highway and
Puuhale Road; it's just over a mile to walk to the park entrance.
Central Oahu
KEAIWA HEIAU STATE RECREATION AREA
★
At the southern end of central Oahu, above Halawa Heights, this 385-acre wooded park offers
a cool mountain retreat with hiking trails and picnic facilities. This area, in the foothills of
the Koolaus, is filled with eucalyptus, ironwood, and Norfolk pines. The remains of the
Heiau
Ho'ola
(Temple of Treating the Sick) are on the grounds, and specimens of Hawaiian medi-
cinal plants are on display. An excellent 5-mile hiking trail, the
Aiealoop,
offers magnificent
views of Pearl Harbor and the mountains. There's tent camping only; campers have the choice
of flat, open grassy areas or slightly sloping areas with shade trees. Facilities include picnic
