AROUND THE ISLAND All the Hawaiian islands are the summits of a chain of submarine volcanoes, poking from the Pacific more than two thousand miles off the west coast of America. Each has continued to grow for as long as it remained poised above a stationary "hot spot" in the earth’s crust, and then, as it has drifted away to the northwest and lost its steady supply of fresh lava, has begun to erode back beneath the ocean.
Oahu is what’s known as a "volcanic doublet", in that it consists of two separate but overlapping volcanoes. Roughly speaking, the island is shaped like a butterfly, with its wings formed by the volcanoes of the Wai‘anae Range in the west – which first emerged from the waves around six million years ago – and the wetter, higher Ko‘olau Range in the east. In between lies the narrow, flat Leilehua Plateau, with the triple lagoon of Pearl Harbor at its southern end. The symmetrical outline of Oahu is only spoiled by the more recent eruptions that elongated its southeast coastline, producing craters such as Punchbowl, Diamond Head and Koko Head, and thrusting the island out towards Molokai and Maui. Geologists see the fact that volcanic activity was taking place on Oahu as little as ten thousand years ago as suggesting that further eruptions may still be possible.
Just across the Ko‘olaus from Honolulu, the green cliffs of the windward coast are magnificent, lined with safe, secluded beaches and indented with remote time-forgotten valleys. Towns such as Kailua, Kane‘ohe and La‘ie may be far from exciting, but you’re unlikely to tire of the sheer beauty of the shoreline drive – so long as you time your forays to miss the peak-hour traffic jams.
Mere mortals can only marvel at the winter waves that make the North Shore the world’s premier surfing destination; for anyone other than experts, entering the water at that time is almost suicidal. However, Waimea, Sunset and ‘Ehukai beaches are compelling spectacles, little Hale‘iwa makes a refreshing contrast to Waikiki, and in summer you may manage to find a safe spot for a swim.
Although the west or leeward coast of Oahu also holds some fine beaches – including the prime surf spot of Makaha – it remains very much off the beaten track. There’s just one route in and out of this side of the island, and the locals are happy to keep it that way.
As you travel around, keep in mind that no one owns any stretch of beach in Hawaii. Every beach in the state – defined as the area below the vegetation line – is regarded as public property. That doesn’t mean that you’re entitled to stroll across any intervening land between the ocean and the nearest highway; always use the clearly signposted "public right of way" footpaths. Whatever impression the large oceanfront hotels may attempt to convey, they can’t stop you using "their" beaches; they can only restrict, but not refuse to supply, parking places for non-guests.
CLIMATE AND WHEN TO GO Of all the major US cities, Honolulu is said to have both the lowest average maximum temperature and the highest minimum, at 85°F and 60°F respectively. Neither fluctuates more than a few degrees between summer and winter. Waikiki remains a balmy tropical year-round resort, and the only seasonal variation likely to make much difference to travelers is the state of the surf on the North Shore. For surfers, the time to come is from October to April, when mighty winter waves scour the sand off many beaches and come curling in at heights of twenty feet or more. In summer, the surf-bums head off home, and some North Shore beaches are even safe for family swimming. As for room rates, peak season in Waikiki runs from December to March, and many mid-range hotels lower their prices by anything from ten to thirty dollars at other times. Waikiki is pretty crowded all year, though, and there are few savings to be made by coming in summer.
