Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3
Oahu
W hen people think of Oahu they
immediately visualize the sunny
shores of Waikiki, where the white-
sand beach and the calm azure waters
are the stars. Families flock to this
vacation wonder not only for the
breathtaking beauty, but also for the
abundance of activities. Waikiki is
famous for every type of ocean activity
you can think of: swimming, snorkel-
ing, sailing, surfing, and more. But
there's also the Honolulu Zoo, the
Waikiki Aquarium, and Kapiolani
Park and all its fun-filled things to do
and see.
Waikiki is just a tiny part of the
island. A drive around the small island
leads you past the most beautiful
beaches in the world; over a rainforest
in the mountains; past tropical farms
with bananas, papayas, and other
exotic fruit; and through small rural
towns. Dotted around the island are
great family outings like Sea Life Park,
the Polynesian Cultural Center, and
even a water adventure park for those
who haven't gotten enough water time
from the great beaches.
The lifestyle on Oahu is geared
toward the families who live here.
Waikiki has movies on the beach, lush
parks fill the landscape, and there's
even a family hike to a waterfall just a
15-minute drive from downtown
Honolulu.
Plus the island is filled with history,
from the Pearl Harbor Memorial to a
replica of an ancient sailing canoe to a
real palace where royalty once lived.
Take your young ones to the interac-
tive exhibits of Bishop Museum,
which houses not only Hawaii's his-
tory, but the histories of most of the
Pacific islands.
And in terms of weather, no other
Hawaiian island has it as fine as Oahu.
The Big Island is hotter, Kauai is wet-
ter, Maui has more wind, Molokai and
Lanai are drier. Oahu enjoys a kind of
perpetual late spring, with light trade
winds and 82°F (28°C) days almost
year-round. In fact, the climate is sup-
posed to be the best on the planet.
Be careful: Once your family expe-
riences Oahu, other islands will pale
in comparison.
1 Orientation
ARRIVING
Honolulu is your gateway to the Hawaiian Islands; even though more and more
transpacific flights are going directly to the neighbor islands these days, chances
are still good that you'll touch down on Oahu first. Honolulu International
Airport ( & 808/836-6413 ) sits on the south shore of Oahu, west of downtown
Honolulu and Waikiki near Pearl Harbor. Many major American and interna-
tional carriers fly to Honolulu from the mainland; see “Getting There” in chap-
ter 2 for a list of carriers and their toll-free numbers.
LANDING AT HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The airport at Honolulu is probably the most cosmopolitan spot in the Pacific,
with passengers from every corner of the globe. Although the airport is large and
Search WWH ::




Custom Search