Added: 07/05/2005 |
Exotic Vacation - Hawaii, OahuOahu is the main, most popular Hawaiian island. It is where Honolulu, Pearl Harbor and Waikiki are. Oahu is the best value for money, of all the Hawaiian islands. There is good reason to be so popular.
Geography and climate. As with most Hawaiian islands, the climate is wet and windy on the north shore, where the moist winds hit the land and dump their load of rain. The south shore, where Waikiki is, is correspondingly sunny and drier. The airport is at Honolulu, a 20-minute ride/drive from Waikiki beach. The resorts on Oahu are mostly sprinkled along the sunny southern shore, with the focus on the Waikiki beach area. The rest of Oahu, however, also has some very tropical, rural, beautiful scenery.
Areas. The most touristy area is Waikiki, where there are many resorts. The market-driven transportation infrastructure is great and there`s lots to see and do, without needing a rental car. However, if you`re in Oahu for more than a few days, rent a car for at least one day, and explore eastern, northern and central Oahu. The eastern part of Oahu is beautiful, and very similar to parts of Maui or Kauai ... rural, tropical ... not many people around, in many places. Central Oahu has some pretty sights and many not-very-pretty pineapple fields, amidst which is the Dole plantation visitor center ... worth a visit. The northern part of Oahu has Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipleline ... famous for serious surfing.
Activities. Oahu has some really beautiful beaches, most notably Waikiki beach. Waikiki bay has offshore rocks & reefs which make it a relatively calm bay, which makes for good watersports. West of the Outrigger Waikiki Shore, you`ll find some good watersports rentals. Rent an ocean kayak, watercycle, or windsurfer and enjoy the best part of Waikiki bay. The western part of Waikiki bay has some serious coral reefs worth exploring, so plan on some snorkeling. Eastern Oahu boasts Hanauma bay, famous for snorkeling. It looks beautiful in pictures, and as you walk down the path towards it.
Especially in the winter, the oceans off the north shore are notoriously dangerous, with huge waves. The Banzai Pipeline is probably the most famous of these. Go there, or to Sunset beach. Sit on the beach and watch the surfers battle it out. Not every wave is a monster wave, but it`s still fun to watch. The sand gets so hot is burns you, so plan ahead.
There are many bars and clubs at Waikiki, at the larger resorts and also independently. For this reason, Oahu has by far the most active nightlife in Hawaii.
Tours. Highly recommended is the tour to Pearl Harbor. Use so called "Discover Hidden Hawaii" tours, and you will be very impressed.
Business Services. If you need to stay in touch with business, temporary dial-up internet service can be arranged with local vendors, plus several resorts have business centers with internet access, or internet access in the lobby. Best of all, you don`t have to be a guest at the resort to use the business center ... you rent the equipment by the minute.
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