Oahu (Honolulu)

Gateway to Hawaii, with Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor, the beaches of Lanikai and Kualoa Ranch on the east coast, and giant winter waves on the North Shore, a surfing mecca.

Oahu is the most populous island in the Hawaiian archipelago and home to the state capital, Honolulu; about seventy percent of Hawaii's residents live here, and it is known as "The Gathering Place." The island is best explored by region. On the south shore, urban Honolulu and Waikiki are the hub for lodging and shopping, with Diamond Head, Iolani Palace, the Bishop Museum, Chinatown and Ala Moana Center all nearby; about 15 km to the west is Pearl Harbor. Along the southeast coast are Hanauma Bay snorkeling, the Koko Crater trail, the Halona Blowhole and Makapuu Lighthouse. The east (windward) coast has superb beaches such as Lanikai and Kailua, plus Kualoa Ranch, the Byodo-In Temple and the Nuuanu Pali Lookout. The North Shore is a surfing mecca, with giant winter waves, the town of Haleiwa, Turtle Bay and the Polynesian Cultural Center; the southwest's Ko Olina lagoons suit family vacations. The weather is warm all year, with temperatures of about 24–31°C; April–June and September–November bring fewer crowds and better prices; December–March is the big-wave season on the North Shore and also whale-watching season; in winter the east coast and mountains see more showers. Getting there: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is about 20–30 minutes by car from Waikiki; TheBus network covers the whole island, but for the east and North Shore we recommend renting a car to drive around the island, and parking in Waikiki is expensive. We suggest staying 5–7 days. Notes: popular attractions such as Diamond Head and Hanauma Bay require advance online reservations; do not leave valuables in your car, and do not enter the water when a red flag is flying.

Top sights

• Waikiki Beach – Honolulu's resort hub, with 3 km of white sand facing Diamond Head. Surfing lessons, sunsets, shopping on Kalākaua Avenue and hula shows al…
• Diamond Head State Monument – A 232 m volcanic tuff cone next to Waikīkī. A 1.3 km trail passes through a tunnel and bunkers to the summit, with 360° views over Waikīkī…
• Pearl Harbor National Memorial – The memorial to the Japanese surprise attack of 1941, with the white memorial spanning the sunken USS Arizona, the surrender deck of the ba…
• Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve – A horseshoe-shaped bay formed when the sea broke into a volcanic crater. Its coral reef shallows host more than 400 species of tropical fis…
• North Shore, Oahu – A world surfing mecca. In winter, 10-metre waves break at Pipeline and Waimea Bay and pro contests are held here. In summer the coast turns…
• Kualoa Ranch – A private ranch tucked beneath the cliffs of the east coast, the filming location for more than a hundred movies and TV shows, including Ju…
• Polynesian Cultural Center – A large cultural park on the north shore in Laie, with six Polynesian village showcases, plus an evening luau and a fire-dance spectacle.
• ʻIolani Palace – The only royal palace in the United States, built in 1882 by King Kalākaua of the Kingdom of Hawaii, witnessing both the glory and the fall…
• King Kamehameha Statue – The golden bronze statue of Kamehameha I, who unified the Hawaiian Islands, stands in front of the Hawaii State Supreme Court and is a symb…
• Bishop Museum – Hawaii's state history and natural history museum, with the world's richest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts. Highlights includ…
• Lanikai Beach – Often ranked among America's most beautiful beaches, with powdery pink-white sand and turquoise water facing two small islands. Climb the p…
• Kailua Beach Park – A roughly 4-km white-sand bay on the east coast with good facilities for families. It is the base for kayaking to small islands and for kit…
• Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail – A paved trail climbs the sea cliffs at the southeastern tip of Oahu, overlooking the red-roofed lighthouse built in 1909, Rabbit Island and…
• Hālona Blowhole – A lava tube blowhole beside the southeast coast road, where incoming waves shoot water several meters into the air. Next to it is a small c…
• Koko Crater Railway Trail – Climbs straight up an abandoned WWII cable car track, with about 1,048 railroad-tie steps leading to the crater rim. Known as a 'natural st…
• Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout – A cliff lookout at a pass in the Koʻolau Range, overlooking the emerald cliffs of the east coast and Kaneohe Bay. It is also the old battle…
• Mānoa Falls – A rainforest trail just 20 minutes by car from Waikiki, winding through bamboo and giant trees to a waterfall about 45 meters high. It has…
• Byodo-In Temple – A 1:1 replica-style temple recreating Byodo-In in Uji, Kyoto, with vermilion halls reflected in a koi pond, backed by the steep green Koʻol…
• Waimea Valley – A tropical botanical garden valley on the North Shore. A paved trail of about 1.2 km leads to Waimea Falls, where you can swim in the pool…
• Dole Plantation – A pineapple-themed park in central Oahu, where you can ride a pineapple train, walk through a giant plant maze, and must try the signature…
• Ala Moana Center – One of the world's largest open-air shopping centers, with more than 350 shops and a food court, directly across from Ala Moana Beach Park.
• Chinatown, Honolulu – One of America's oldest Chinatowns, where flower lei stalls, Chinese bakeries, markets, galleries and bars intertwine. It has a bronze stat…
• National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) – A national cemetery set inside the extinct volcanic crater Punchbowl, where tens of thousands of servicemen from WWII, the Korean War and t…
• Honolulu Museum of Art – Hawaii's largest art museum, with collections of Asian, European, American and Pacific art. Its courtyard-style architecture is beautiful i…
• Haleʻiwa Town – A North Shore surf-culture town where wooden old streets are lined with surf shops, galleries, shave ice stands and shrimp trucks. It is a…
• Laniakea Beach (Turtle Beach) – A small beach beside the North Shore road where Hawaiian green sea turtles come ashore to bask almost every day, making it the best place t…
• Ko Olina Lagoons – Four artificial lagoons at a west-coast resort area, with water as calm as a swimming pool, ideal for family swimming and snorkeling. It is…
• Kaʻena Point – The wild headland at the westernmost tip of Oahu. Hike along the coastal dirt road to the nature reserve to see albatross nesting and Hawai…
• Waimānalo Beach – One of Oahu's longest beaches, with about 8 km of white sand and pale green to deep blue water, backed by the steep Koʻolau cliffs. It is f…
• Kakaʻako Murals (POW! WOW! Hawaii) – A street-art district in former warehouses in Honolulu, with dozens of large colorful murals. It is a popular photo spot.

Where to eat

• Helena's Hawaiian Food – A legendary traditional Hawaiian restaurant opened in 1946, famous for its pipikaula (short ribs) and recipient of a Ja…
• Leonard's Bakery – The flagship Kapahulu location serves freshly fried Portuguese malasadas and is one of Oahu's most famous dessert stops…
• Rainbow Drive-In – A classic Kapahulu plate lunch spot operating since 1961, famous for its Mix Plate and loco moco, located close to Waik…
• Ono Seafood – A tiny takeout poke shop about a mile from Waikiki, serving made-to-order fresh ahi poke. Closes by 16:00.
• Giovanni's Shrimp Truck – One of the most famous shrimp trucks on the North Shore in Kahuku, serving a dozen shrimp with two scoops of rice. The…
• The Pig & The Lady – Chef Andrew Le's Vietnamese fusion restaurant, relocated from Chinatown to Kaimukī in 2025. Famous for its Pho French D…
• Senia – An upscale Chinatown restaurant serving shareable small plates made with Hawaiian ingredients. Famous for its roasted b…

Itineraries

• Oahu Classic: Four Regions Explorer – Based in Waikiki, explore Pearl Harbor, Downtown Honolulu, the Southeast Coast, and the North Shore day by day.
• Hawaii Three-Island Tour: Oahu, Maui & Big Island – Fly into Honolulu and out of Kona, connecting the main highlights of three islands with two inter-island flights.
• Micronesia Island Hopper Crossing – Follow the United Airlines Island Hopper route east from Guam, passing through Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae to Majuro.