Oahu Travel

Oahu, with nickname "The Gathering Place", is the third largest island in the Hawaiian Islands chain. It has an area of 608 square miles which was formed by two volcanoes that erupted millions years ago and magically created today best known tropical island and one of world's top travel vacation destinations.

Oahu, a diamond-shaped plot of earth about 64 kilometers long and 42 kilometers wide, has been the center of Hawaiian culture and history. The Hawaii State capital and largest city Honolulu is situated on Oahu Island. As the most populated island among all Hawaiian islands, Oahu is the home of 864,571 (July 1999 estimate) people, about 75% of Hawaii State's population.

Beside the residents of this island, about five-million visitors from around the world land at Honolulu International Airport every year for vacation. They travel to Oahu for one and only paradise with nice weather, Waikiki and other beautiful beaches, finest surfing waves, exciting water sports, magnificent forests and green mountains, challenging golf tournament, and a 21st Century modern city Waikiki-Honolulu. Oahu beaches, mountains, parks and gardens, waterfalls, museums and historical attractions, luxury hotels and resorts, surfing, snorkeling, camping, hiking, and transportation gateway make Oahu one of most important travel vacation destinations in Hawaiian Islands.

You can reach Oahu Island by airplane. All major airlines provide discount flight services to Oahu Honolulu Airport from the United States mainland, Canada and international cities.

You can get around Oahu by rental car, bus, shuttle bus and taxi. Major Car Rental companies offers car rental services to Oahu Honolulu Airport. You can make reservation online to get discount rental car for your Oahu Waikiki Honolulu vacation.

One of the best features of Oahu Island is its public bus system. Oahu's buses provides very convenient and excellent services to take you to all directions over Waikiki, Honolulu and the whole island, including all must-see tourist attractions.

Oahu Island has many luxury hotels and scenic resorts with great architects, attractive setting, style and charm, restaurants, pools and spa, shops and entertainment, and modern business facilities.

Most of these Oahu hotels and resorts are located in Honolulu and Waikiki Beach area, or closed to Hawaii national parks and Oahu tourist and natural attractions with spectacular view.

Built in 1927 and remodeled in 1997, Sheraton Royal Hawaiian Hotel is the world famous pink palace of pacific paradise. As a historic building, Sheraton Royal Hawaiian Hotel is an oceanfront luxury resort on the best stretch of Waikiki Beach of Hawaii Oahu Island with an unique blend of Moorish-Spanish design of coral pink stucco. The Sheraton Royal Hawaiian Hotel of Oahu Waikiki is the most celebrated landmark of Waikiki Beach.

Located on Waikiki's widest stretch of beach, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort Hotel & Spa features lush tropical gardens, waterfalls, exotic wildlife and priceless artwork. As Waikiki's only true resort, the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort hotel offers visitors a perfect blend of luxurious accommodations, over 20 restaurants and lounges, shopping, recreational and cultural activities, nightly entertainment and more.

The Turtle Bay Resort Hotel is located on the North Shore of Oahu, 45 minutes from Honolulu Airport. All guest rooms feature spectacular ocean views. The resort has just completed a $50 Million renovation which includes a full service day spa and a children's pool with waterslide/tunnel. The North Shore coastline is home to the some of the world's most legendary surfing spots - Sunset Beach, the Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay. Turtle Bay Resort has almost five miles of beachfront that includes the beauty of Kawela Bay, Kuilima Cove and, of course, Turtle Bay. Only 45 minutes from the high pulse and energy of Honolulu, guests will enjoy the natural tranquility of the North Shore lifestyle and spectacular ocean views from every one of the 443 magnificent cottages and rooms. The resort features two lushly landscaped pools, two championship golf courses, ten tennis courts, horse back riding, hiking and mountain bike trails, world-class dining and shopping.

Although Hawaii Islands is located in the tropical zone, its climate is comfortable because of the ocean currents that pass its shores and the trade winds that blow across the land from the northeast. The annual average temperature is about 24°C (75°F). Oahu climate is perfect for outdoor sports, including golfing, tennis, hiking, surfing and other water sports.

Oahu has 50 miles of beautiful sandy beaches along its sunny coastline. Waikiki Beach, the most famous beach in the world, stretches about two-mile along Waikiki coast. This white sand beach is popular for all kind of water sports, including Swimming, Sunbathing, Snorkeling, Surfing, and more. As a portion of Waikiki Beach, Kahanamaku Beach with its lagoon's calm water is safe for children playing with water and sand. Ala Moana Beach Park, Waimanalo Beach Park, Kailua Beach Park and Waimea Beach are other beaches around Oahu Island.

Oahu Island has many beach parks or parks scattered along its seashore. Sea Life Park, one of the East Oahu parks, is a marine attraction. Ala Moana Beach Park in Honolulu, Haleiwa Beach Park in Haleiwa, and Kailua Beach Park located near Kailua town all offer picnic areas.

Beside these parks there are gardens and waterfalls as well. Manoa Falls is situated not far from Honolulu. Waimea Falls Park is located off the Kamehameha Highway. They all are marvelous places and tourist attractions.

As the third largest and second oldest island in Hawaii chain, Oahu has been the center of Hawaiian culture and history since King Kamehameha I. Today, Oahu has many museums and historical attractions in every corner of this most populated island. Besides the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, the Iolani Palace in Downtown Honolulu, and the Diamond Head State Park in Waikiki, you can also find several temples, including Byodo-In Temple, Mormon Temple and Valley of the Temples on the north shore of Oahu Island.

There are many water sports and outdoor activities available on Oahu Island, including golfing, sailing, whale watching, deep sea fishing, diving, snorkeling, surfing and windsurfing.

Oahu is often called the surfing capital of the world. The North Shore is an ideal surfing destination and a host location to the International Winter Surfing Championships.

Honolulu is the number-one shopping town in the Hawaii State. Because of the rich cultural diversity you can find all kinds of unique gifts, woodcrafts, jewelry, and aloha wears at appealing prices. Oahu has several major shopping centers, including Ala Moana Center and Victoria Ward Centers in Honolulu, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and International Market Place in Waikiki. Beside these shopping centers, there are other shopping malls spread all over the Oahu Island.

There are many activities in the evening on Oahu Island. With spectacular tropical sunset and ocean views surrounding the whole island, major Waikiki hotels and resorts around Oahu Island present Hawaiian Lu'au and Polynesian Revues to their guests. Other tourist activities offered by local services include sunset cruises, dinner shows, and Hawaiian music performance.