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-- New York Times Magazine
The most developed of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu is fittingly nicknamed 'The Gathering Place.' The island is home to 876,000 people - nearly 75% of the state's population.
Although much of Oahu is an urban scene, it's nonetheless a scenic island with rugged volcanic peaks, tropical forests, fluted mountains, aquamarine bays and valleys carpeted with pineapple fields. Oahu also has some of Hawaii's best beaches - Hanauma Bay is the most visited snorkeling spot in the Hawaiian Islands; the North Shore has Hawaii's top surfing action; and windward Kailua is Hawaii's most popular windsurfing beach.
The heart of Oahu is vibrant Honolulu. As the capital of Hawaii, Honolulu is the political, cultural and economic center of the state. The only US state capital that is located in the tropics, Honolulu boasts swaying palm trees and year-round balmy weather.
Honolulu is an attractive city with an intriguing blend of Eastern and Western influences. Cultural offerings range from Chinese lantern parades and traditional hula performances to ballet and good museums. Honolulu has fine city beaches and parks, some great hilltop views and the only royal palace in the USA. The city is also a diner's delight, with a wonderful assortment of good ethnic restaurants.
Bustling Waikiki, covering 1.5 miles of sparkling beachfront at the eastern side of Honolulu, is one of the biggest resort destinations in the Pacific. Almost all of Oahu's tourist facilities are centered in Waikiki - in fact, Waikiki's hotels plays host to nearly half of all visitors to the Hawaiian Islands. A monument to mass tourism, Waikiki packs an amazing array of visitor amenities: seaside restaurants, waterfront hotels, lively entertainment and a variety of beach activities are all close at hand.
Once the sole domain of Hawaiian royalty and the very rich, Waikiki is one of those places that has the power to lure people from far and wide. It's teeming with sun-seekers strutting about in bikinis, surfers hitting the waves, retirees playing checkers at picnic tables, tourists gathering along the beach to catch the sunset, and there's music wafting from beachside bars.
Still there's much more to Oahu than its urban quarters. Lush forest reserves and lightly trodden hiking trails are just 15 minutes from downtown Honolulu, and all the rest of Oahu's sights are within an easy one- or two-hour drive from Honolulu.
Places not to be missed include the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, with its lovely beach; and the North Shore, with its surf mania. Oahu has plenty of enjoyable off-the-beaten-path spots to explore as well, such as the community-run Hawaii's Plantation Village, the marketplaces in Chinatown and the county's botanical gardens.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best books on Oahu.,
This review is from: Lonely Planet Oahu (Lonely Planet Honolulu, Wakiki, & Oahu) (Paperback)
Before my vacation to Oahu, I researched the various guides to the island. Lonely Planet won over the rest!Now, after my wonderful trip, I can say that L.P. really knows its stuff! You really get the nitty-gritty on traveling the island, not the typical tourist spots. The guide gave me info on lots of great out of the way locations that made this trip a gem. More importantly, it was very honest about certain locales that should be skipped (they were tour bus mecca though). With the pronounciation key, I didn't sound like too much of a mainlander. The restaurants recommended were superb and easy to find as well as the shops. The maps inside the book were essential to driving around the island although to this day I cannot figure out how to get to the Punchbowl Crater (Diamond Head was fab though). I even invested in a large fold-out version of the L.P. map. The first few chapters give lots of interesting history and pertinent info on Hawaiian life. Throughout the book you will find great little nuggets on various spots and background. This really brings everything to life. The L.P. guide is not your grandma's idea of a trip to Hawaii! I loved it and so will you (but you can't have mine because I am going back).
21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fourteen days on Oahu,
This review is from: Lonely Planet Oahu (Paperback)
I won this trip to Oahu and took two girlfriends along for 14 days. In total we had three guidebooks along. The Frommers guide was outmoded. We had the 2003 edition thinking things couldn't change so drastically. The Oahu Revealed book was something from the Fifties with washed out yellowed photos of beaches with nobody on them (ha ha ha!). There were no bumps with the Lonely Planet guide. Driving around the coast was hectic and we relied heavily on their directions for sightseeing. If you only go to see Honolulu I would advise you buy this book and the big oversize map they sell separately.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Happy Visit,
By Karmain (Maui) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Lonely Planet Oahu (Paperback)
Lonely Planet Oahu does it up GOOD. We are loyal LP readers and this one carries on their tradition of casual traveling with attention to budget and out of the way finds. For laughs and keen insights and economical ethnic restaurants, my friends and I stand by LPO. Number One for getting out there beyond touristville.
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