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City Overview

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Honolulu today is a sophisticated, cosmopolitan city that's also on the doorstep to some world class beaches.

The city is the hub of business, politics, education, entertainment and the arts in Hawaii. Fine dining, resorts, theatre, museums, concerts, shopping, sports, nightlife and cultural events - Honolulu offers all the pleasures of a world-class destination with the blessed bonus of balmy weather year round.

Start your visit in Honolulu, before venturing out to other areas of Oahu. There are wonderful discoveries to be made everywhere you go, every day you are there.

Getting Around

Airport

Honolulu International Airport
Tel: (808) 836 6413.
Website: www6.hawaii.gov/dot/airports/hnl/index.htm

Honolulu International Airport is located 6.5km (4 miles) west of downtown Honolulu and 14.5km (9 miles) west of Waikiki, Oahu's major tourist destination.

Airport services and amenities include visitor information booths and/or brochure racks in the main and inter-island terminals and baggage claim areas, medical facilities, shops, food outlets, a bookstore, barber shop, airline executive lounges, pay phones, mobile phone hire, Internet access, business centre, USO military lounge and meeting rooms (must be prearranged). Hawaii's main post office is adjacent to the airport.

Most hotels can arrange private airport transfers to Waikiki by limousine or minibus. You also can get to Waikiki via TheBus (Honolulu's public transport system), shuttles and taxis. Although hotels and hire cars can be booked at the airport, it is a good idea to make advance reservations.

By Road

Oahu is an island so you can't drive to Honolulu from any other destination. Three freeways link the city with Oahu's largest outlying communities: H-1 runs east-west, H-2 runs north-south toward the leeward coast and H-3 runs north-south in the eastern sector as a connection with the windward side. If you are planning to explore the island on your own in a hire car, be aware rush-hour traffic can add an hour or more to your travel time. Avoid driving into Honolulu from 0600 to 0900 and out of the city from 1530 to 1830 on weekdays.

The American Automobile Association (www.aaa.com) can provide information, and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown services
AAA Hawaii (tel: (808) 593 2221).

Local Transport

Public Transport

TheBus (tel: (808) 848 5555; www.thebus.org), Oahu's excellent mass transit system services the entire island via more than 65 routes. Routes 19 and 20 run between Honolulu International Airport and Waikiki. Buses depart regularly.
 
Schedules for other routes differ; call for specifics and to find out which ones pass major attractions such as Hanauma Bay, Sea Life Park, Polynesian Cultural Center and the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. There is reduced service on weekends and holidays. Fares are free for children under the age of six, and a Visitor Pass provides unlimited use for four consecutive days.
 
The open-air Waikiki Trolley (tel: (808) 593 2822; www.waikikitrolley.com) operates four lines around Oahu, including stops at major attractions such as Bishop Museum, Chinatown, Iolani Palace, Hanauma Bay, Sea Life Park and Ala Moana Center. Trolleys run from 0830 to 2130. Fares include unlimited boarding and reboarding on all lines.

Ask about the pass good for four consecutive days.

Taxis

Taxis provide transportation to and from almost any area of Oahu. They operate on a meter and aside from Ala Moana Center, the airport and Waikiki hotels where they are readily available, they are best arranged by calling the dispatch line. Charley's Taxi & Tours (tel: (808) 531 1333) and TheCAB (tel: (808) 422 2222) are two of the largest taxi companies on Oahu.

Car Hire

Avis (tel: (808) 834 5536; www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (808) 836 1700; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (808) 944 1544; www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel: (808) 836 2213; www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel: (808) 831 3500; www.hertz.com) and National (tel: (808) 834 6350; www.nationalcar.com) run shuttles between the airport and their lots.
 
Check beforehand to see if an international driving licence is required. Some companies allow non-US residents to hire a car by presenting their regular driver's licence and a passport.

Bicycle Hire

Two bike hire companies in Waikiki are Big Kahuna Motorcycle Tours & Rentals (tel: (808) 924 2736; www.bigkahunarentals.com) and Coconut Cruisers (tel: (808) 392 1174; www.coconutcruisers.com).

General Information

Location

On the southeast coast of the island of Oahu, Hawaii, USA.

Time zone

GMT - 10.

Electricity

120 volts, 60 Hz.

Average January temperatures

22°C (73°F).

Average July temperatures

26°C (80°F).

Annual rainfall

585mm (23 inches).

Things to do

Sightseeing Overview

Diamond Head and Waikiki's beaches are musts, of course, but there is so much more to see on Oahu.

Kawaiahao Church, Mission Houses Museum, the Hawaii Maritime Center, the Hawaii State Art Museum and Washington Place (the former home of Queen Liliuokalani and 12 Hawaii governors) are worthwhile diversions within walking distance of Honolulu's skyscrapers.

Just outside the city proper, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl is the final resting place for more than 44,000 US servicemen and women. In Kahala, Shangri La, the estate of the late philanthropist Doris Duke, houses her impressive collection of Islamic art.

Immigrants who came to work on island sugar plantations at the turn of the last century are remembered at Hawaii's Plantation Village in Waipahu. Thirty-two original and authentically recreated structures are furnished with clothing, furniture, household items and other artefacts donated by local families.

Set against the verdant Koolau mountains, Byodo-In Temple is a magnificent replica of the 950-year-old Buddhist temple of the same name in Uji, Japan. Of note are a koi-filled pond, a 2.7m (9ft) wooden Buddha decorated with gold leaf, and a three-ton brass bell that supposedly brings peace and happiness when rung.

Stroll a mile through the world-class botanical gardens at Waimea Valley to arrive at Waihi Falls, where, conditions permitting, visitors can swim in the waterfall pool. The gardens feature 6,000 species of plants from Asia, South America, Africa and Polynesia. Also of interest are ancient Hawaiian archaeological sites including house foundations and a heiau (temple).

Tourist Information

Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
Tel: (808) 923 1811 or 1 800 464 2924.
Website: www.gohawaii.com

Oahu Visitors Bureau
Tel: (808) 524 0722.
Website: www.visit-oahu.com

Passes

There are currently no passes for attractions in Honolulu.

Attractions

Honolulu Academy of Arts
Founded in 1927, Hawaii's premier arts institution boasts special exhibits, art classes, a wonderful cafe and gift shop, and permanent holdings of 35,000 works, including the renowned James A Michener Collection of Japanese ukiyo-e prints.

900 South Beretania Street
Tel: (808) 532 8700.
Website: www.honoluluacademy.org

Waikiki Aquarium
The aquarium was built next to a living reef on the Waikiki shoreline. It spotlights more than 420 species of aquatic animals and plants found in Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. Special programmes include rock pool exploration and after-dark flashlight tours of the aquarium's exhibits.

2777 Kalakaua Avenue
Tel: (808) 923 9741.
Website: www.waquarium.org

Restaurants

Big City Diner
Families flock to Big City Diner's five Oahu locations for the hefty portions and not-so-hefty prices for favourites like Grandma's Incredible Kimchee Fried Rice and baby back ribs with guava barbecue sauce.
1060 Auahi Street
Tel: (808) 591 8891.
Website: www.bigcitydinerhawaii.com
Price: $$

Chef Mavro
Provence native and James Beard award winner George Mavrothalassitis combines French-inspired cooking with fresh island ingredients to create imaginative, savoury dishes like a Hawaiian-Marseilles bouillabaisse and an apple tart with Hawaiian vanilla ice cream.
1969 South King Street
Tel: (808) 944 4714.
Website: www.chefmavro.com
Price: $$$$

Indigo
Indigo's exotic setting of hand-carved Indonesian wood panels, rattan and bamboo is as enticing as its Asian-inspired cuisine.
1121 Nuuanu Avenue
Tel: (808) 521 2900.
Website: www.indigo-hawaii.com
Price: $$$$

Shokudo Japanese Restaurant and Bar
The dining room's eye-catching contemporary design creates a lively atmosphere that makes trendy Shokudo an ideal place for patrons to share a variety of Japanese plates from the inventive 60-item menu.
1585 Kapiolani Boulevard
Tel: (808) 941 3701
Website: www.shokudojapanese.com
Price: $$$

Zippy's
With 23 locations on Oahu, this is a fine budget option offering salads; sandwiches; and plate lunches (best sellers include chilli, fried chicken and the Zip Pack - fried chicken, fried fish, teriyaki beef, Spam and rice topped with furikake or seasoned seaweed).
1450 Ala Moana Boulevard
Tel: (808) 973 0870.
Website: www.zippys.com
Price: $$

Night Life

Waikiki and Chinatown are where you'll find Honolulu's liveliest nightspots. Top shows include the Magic of Polynesia (tel: (808) 971 4321; website: www.magicofpolynesia.com) and the breathtaking Cirque Hawaii (tel: (808) 922 0017; website: www.cirquehawaii.com), which features high-energy dance numbers, balancing acts, clowns, contortionists, aerialists, gymnasts and more.

Bars:Barefoot Bar, Duke's Canoe Club Waikiki, 2335 Kalakaua Avenue, is the place to rub shoulders with longtime beachboys in an oceanfront setting of palm-leaf thatching, bamboo, rattan and surfing memorabilia. Sipping a mai tai somehow seems more satisfying when your view encompasses Diamond Head, the beach and the sparkling blue Pacific, which it does at Mai Tai Bar, The Royal Hawaiian, 2259 Kalakaua Avenue. The focal point of Tiki's Grill & Bar, ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel, 2570 Kalakaua Avenue, is a 'volcano' that 'erupts' when light shines through it at night. Fishnets, lava rock walls, and carved wooden tikis and war clubs add to the retro Island décor. Cavernous Bar 35, Chinatown, 35 North Hotel Street, offers late night gourmet flatbread pizza to accompany its selection of more than 100 beers.

Clubs: Perched on the 30th floor, The Hanohano Room, Sheraton Waikiki, 2255 Kalakaua Avenue (website: www.sheraton-waikiki.com/de_hano.htm),  boasts panoramic views of Waikiki, Diamond Head, and the Koolau and Waianae mountain ranges. For those who appreciate R&B, funk, and jazz, Jazz Minds Art & Cafe, 1661 Kapiolani Boulevard (website: www.honolulujazzclub.com), is Hawaii's newest live jazz venue, where prominent local artists jam six nights a week. Next Door, Chinatown, 43 North Hotel Street, draws a hip mid-20s to mid-30s clientele with deejays that spin house, hip hop, and techno on the weekends in a brick warehouse. Within stumbling distance, you'll also find the urban chic lounge and art gallery thirtyninehotel, 39 North Hotel Street (website: www.thirtyninehotel.com). Professionals pack Rumours, Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson Drive, which features five bars, a large dance floor and lots of room to mingle. If you're not shy, there are two go-go cages where you can show off your moves. The dance music is 80s, 90s and now.

Wonderlounge, West Honolulu Diamond Head, 2885 Kalakaua Avenue is where affluent professionals of all ages flock for the phenomenal view of Diamond Head (especially when the moon is out) and live jazz on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The stunning serpentine-shaped bar, which was crafted of Italian marble, offers more than 300 different liqueurs. The design of Zanzabar, 2255 Kuhio Avenue, is based on the Egyptian collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Think huge pillars, statues of gods and goddesses, large lions and leopards, and a bust of King Tut. Patrons in their late 20s to late 40s come to listen and dance to an eclectic mix of music from the 50s to current hits. Tuesday is Latin Night, featuring lively dance shows and bands playing salsa and merengue.

Live Music:The Banyan Court, Moana Surfrider, 2365 Kalakaua Avenue (website: www.moana-surfrider.com/de_court.htm), and House Without a Key, Halekulani, 2199 Kalia Road (website: www.halekulani.com), offers hula and live Hawaiian music in a lovely oceanfront setting. Hawaii Calls, the radio show that introduced Hawaiian music to the world, was aired at the Banyan Veranda from 1935 to 1975. Chai's Island Bistro, Aloha Tower Marketplace, 1 Aloha Tower Drive, has nightly live dinner music provided by big names in the local music scene, while The Veranda, The Kahala Hotel and Resort, 5000 Kahala Avenue, with plush settees, oversized chairs, and plenty of plants and pillows, is designed much like a spacious, comfortable living room.

Shopping

Shopping in Honolulu offers a wealth of opportunities for souvenir buying.

Shopping centres

The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Ala Moana Center, Ward Centre, Ward Warehouse and Aloha Tower Marketplace are the major shopping complexes in Honolulu. Designer and local fashions, jewellery, bath and beauty products, shoes, furniture, toys, swimwear, souvenirs, computer equipment, music, books, great restaurants - they offer wonderful distractions for every age and every budget.

Key areas

Several shops specialise in quality made-in-Hawaii wares, including artwork, handcrafted wooden bowls, candy, teas and coffees, and soaps imbued with plumeria, ginger, coconut and other tropical scents. Look for the Little Hawaiian Craft Shop at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, 2233 Kalakaua Avenue, Native Books Na Mea Hawaii at Ward Warehouse, 1250 Ala Moana Boulevard. Nohea Gallery and Welcome to the Islands at Ward Centre, 1200 Ala Moana Boulevard, and the Hawaiian Quilt Collection, The Islands' Best, Hilo Hattie and Martin & MacArthur at Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard.

Shopping hours

Shops usually are open Monday to Saturday 1000-2100; most close a few hours earlier on Sunday.

Events

Narcissus Festival
January/February
Celebrates Chinese culture.
Various venues
Website: www.chinatownhi.com

Cherry Blossom Festival
February/March
Celebrates Japanese culture.
Various venues
Website: www.honolulujapanesechamber.org

Honolulu Festival
March
Music, dance, exhibits and a parade promote harmony between the people of Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region.
Various venues
Website: www.honolulufestival.com

Lei Day celebration
May
Everyone dons a lei during this celebration of flowers, colours, fragrance and aloha.
Kapiolani Park
Website: www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/programs/leiday

Pan-Pacific Festival, Matsuri in Hawaii
June
Demonstrations and exhibitions of art, music and dance from Japan and Hawaii.
Various venues
Website: www.pan-pacific-festival.com

Aloha Festivals
September
A statewide event spotlighting Hawaii's unique history, culture, arts and traditions.
Various venues
Website: www.alohafestivals.com

Hawaii International Film Festival
October
A showcase of independent, animated, and feature films that center around Asia- and Pacific-related themes.
Various venues
Website: www.hiff.org

Professional surfing competitions
November and December
North Shore beaches
Website: www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

History & Culture

Neal S Blaisdell Center, 777 Ward Avenue (tel: (808) 591 2211; website: www.blaisdellcenter.com), is Honolulu's primary special-event venue. It encompasses a multi-purpose Arena, Exhibition Hall, Galleria and Concert Hall that can accommodate a wide range of events, from concerts and plays to sports competitions and trade shows. Resting in the shadow of Diamond Head across from famed Waikiki Beach, the Waikiki Shell (tel: (808) 591 2211; website: www.blaisdellcenter.com/venues/waikikishell.html) is a beautiful outdoor amphitheatre for concerts and dance presentations that are most dramatic in the evening, when the moon and stars shine overhead. It seats 2,400 people, with room for an additional 6,000 on the lawn.

When it opened its doors in 1922, the Hawaii Theatre, 1130 Bethel Street (tel: (808) 528 0506; website: www.hawaiitheatre.com) was the most elegant venue in Honolulu for plays, variety shows, musicals and silent films. Over the years, it fell into disrepair, but a spirited community effort saved it from the wrecking ball in 1986. Listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Places, it reopened a decade later as a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose performance centre.

The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau's website, www.gohawaii.com, includes a current, comprehensive calendar of major cultural events.

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