Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chinatown reached its peak in the 1930s. In the days before air travel, visitors arrived here
by cruise ship. Just a block up the street was the pier where they disembarked—and they often
headed straight for the shops and restaurants of Chinatown, which mainlanders considered
an exotic treat. In the 1940s, military personnel on leave flocked here looking for different
kinds of exotic treats—in the form of pool halls, tattoo joints, and brothels.
Today, Chinatown is again rising from the ashes. After deteriorating over the years into
a tawdry district of seedy bars, drug dealing, and homeless squatters, the neighborhood re-
cently underwent extensive urban renewal. Just enough sleaze still flourishes on the fringes (a
few peep shows and a couple of topless bars) to keep it from being a theme park-style tourist
attraction, but Chinatown is poised to relive its glory days.
It's not exactly a microcosm of China, however. What you'll find is a mix of Asian cultures, all
packed into a small area where tangy spices rule the cuisine, open-air markets have kept out
the minimalls, and the way to good health is through acupuncture and herbalists. The jumble
of streets comes alive every day with bustling residents and visitors from all over the world;
a cacophony of sounds, from the high-pitched bleating of vendors in the market to the lyrical
dialects of the retired men “talking story” over a game of mah-jongg; and brilliant reds, blues,
and greens trimming buildings and goods everywhere you look. No trip to Honolulu is com-
plete without a visit to this exotic, historic district.
Start your walk on the Ewa (west) side of Maunakea Street at:
1 Hotel Street
During World War II, Hotel Street was synonymous with good times. Pool halls and beer
parlors lined the blocks, and prostitutes were plentiful. Nowadays, the more nefarious es-
tablishments have been replaced with small shops, from art galleries to specialty boutiques,
and urban professionals and recent immigrants look for bargains where the sailors once
roamed.
Once you're done wandering through the shops, head to the intersection with Smith Street.
On the Diamond Head (east) side of Smith, you'll notice stones in the sidewalk; they were
taken from the sandalwood ships, which came to Hawaii empty of cargo except for these
stones, which were used as ballast on the trip over. The stones were removed and the ships'
hulls were filled with sandalwood for the return to the mainland.
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