Chinatown, Honolulu
Chinatown
One of America's oldest Chinatowns, where flower lei stalls, Chinese bakeries, markets, galleries and bars intertwine. It has a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen.
Honolulu's Chinatown lies on the west side of downtown. It took shape after 19th-century Chinese laborers came to work on Hawaiian plantations, and it is one of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States. Sun Yat-sen studied in Honolulu as a teenager, and in 1894 he founded the Revive China Society here. A bronze statue of him stands in the district. During the day you can browse the tropical fruit and seafood at Maunakea Marketplace, buy fresh flower leis, and enjoy snacks such as Chinese pastries and malasadas (Portuguese donuts). At night, galleries, bars and creative restaurants gather, and there is an art night on the first Friday of each month. Note that some streets have many homeless people, so go in a group at night and keep an eye on your belongings.
Opening hours
Open all day (shops approx. 08:00–18:00)
Nearby sights
- ʻIolani Palace
- King Kamehameha Statue
- Kakaʻako Murals (POW! WOW! Hawaii)
- Honolulu Museum of Art
- National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl)
- Bishop Museum
- Ala Moana Center
- Waikiki Beach