Oahu

Introduction

View from Diamond Head, Oahu

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Oahu is the main (but not the biggest, that's Hawaii Island), of Hawaii. It's where most travellers arrive by air and therefore sees most visitors. The interior of the island is mountainous and the edges have fine beaches to explore, including famous Waikiki Beach in Honolulu.

Geography

Cities

• Honolulu

Sights and Activities

• Waikiki Beach is a 2 mile stretch of white-sand beach. You can engage in watersports, soak up the sun, enjoy some snorkelling or if you get there early enough, enjoy a peaceful stroll.

Events and Festivals

• Irish locals celebrate St Patrick's Day with a parade at Waikiki on 17 March.
• The International Bed Race in April is a popular fund raising event culminating in a bed pushing race through Honolulu's streets.
• The King Kamehameha Hula Competition takes place late in June, attracts dancers from as far away as Japan.
• Hawaii International Jazz Festival - this celebration of jazz takes place in July.
• The Honolulu Marathon is run in early December attracting over 30,000 competitors.

Weather

Honolulu in the southwest enjoys a tropical climate, moderated by the California Current. Average daily highs are 80 °F in January and 88 °F in July. Temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F. The southwest has only between 20 and 50 mm of rain during most of the year, more so from November to February. It is quite unusual for to have the wettest time of year coincide with the slightly cooler months. Oddly enough, the possibility of a tropical storm or even a hurricane is higher from May to November, opposite to the wetter months. Still, such storms are less frequent compared to for example the Caribbean or west Pacific. The northeastern part of the island, although comparable regarding temperatures, is much wetter.

Getting There

By Plane

Most visitors come to Oahu by air, as it's the main hub to the Hawaiian islands from mainland USA and several other pacific nations.

Honolulu International Airport (Airport code: HNL), 3 miles (5 kilometres) northwest of the city's CBD, is the main airport in Hawaii and the principal hub of Hawaiian Airlines. There are direct routes to Honolulu's airport from Asia, North America and the Pacific.

Dozens of international destinations are served, among which many cities in the US, such as Los Angeles, Seattle and New York City. Other destinations include Vancouver, Auckland, Fiji, Taiwan, Micronesia, American Samoa, Seoul, Melbourne, Sydney, Manila, and quite a few cities in Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka.

Domestic flights to and from Honolulu include Hawaii (Big Island), Maui, Kauai, Lanai and Molokai. Airlines include Hawaiian Airlines, Mokulele Airlines, Island Air, Mesa Airlines and Pacific Wings.

To/from the airport
TheBus (Honolulu) routes 19, 20, and 31 stop on the upper (departure) level of the airport. Routes 19 and 20 connect the airport to Pearlridge Center (20 only), Hickam AFB (19 only), Downtown Honolulu, Ala Moana Center, and Waikiki. Route 31 connects the airport to Tripler Army Medical Center, via Kalihi Transit Center. Routes 9, 40, 40A, 42, and 62 run on Nimitz Highway within walking distance of the airport.
Taxis, limousine services, (hotel) shuttles and rental cars are all widely available, some of them requiring advance reservations.

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Bus

By Boat

Eat

Drink

Sleep