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Oahu

Hawai'i's third-largest island, carrying about two-thirds of the state's population.

HawaiiCapital: Honolulu

Family FriendlyNightlifeCultural HeritageAdventure

Oahu ranks third in area behind Hawai'i Island and Maui, yet roughly a million of the state's 1.4 million residents live on it. That concentration is why the island reads as a city with beaches attached rather than the reverse: downtown Honolulu, the state capitol and the university are all here, and Waikīkī's three kilometres of sand sit inside the city limits.

Pearl Harbor is a working naval base as well as a memorial; the USS Arizona Memorial is built over the hull of the battleship sunk on 7 December 1941 and is reached only by boat. In winter the North Shore reverses the mood — swells out of the North Pacific put surf regularly above six metres at Waimea and the Banzai Pipeline, roughly November to February.

Quick facts

Currency

USD

USD accepted

Language

English

Power

—

Driving

Right

US-style

Airport

HNL

Daniel K. Inouye International

Emergency

—

Police · Fire

When to go

Monthly breakdown

Storm risk: Low

Jan

Rain

Feb

Rain

Mar

Rain

Apr

Best

May

Best

Jun

Best

Jul

Best

Aug

Best

Sep

Best

Oct

Best

Nov

Rain

Dec

Rain

Best monthsRainy season

Major events

Mar

Honolulu Festival

Three days of Japanese, Hawaiian and wider Pacific performance ending with a fireworks show off Waikiki, reflecting Hawaii's deep links with Japan.

Cultural

May

Lantern Floating Hawaii

On Memorial Day, thousands of lanterns carrying names of the dead are floated off Ala Moana Beach at sunset. Free, and one of the largest gatherings on the island.

Religious

Dec

Vans Triple Crown of Surfing

Three contests across the North Shore between November and December, held on a waiting period so the events run only when the swell arrives.

Sporting

Hidden gems

Nature

Kaena Point

The islands northwest tip, a two-hour walk on an old railbed to a protected reserve with albatross nesting between November and July.

Historical

Byodo-In

A 1968 replica of a 950-year-old Kyoto temple set against the Koolau cliffs; built for the centenary of Japanese immigration to Hawaii.

Beach

Makapuu tide pools

A scramble down from the lighthouse trail to pools cut into the lava shelf; the sea comes over the rim without warning.

Local food

Plate lunch

Two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and a meat, on one plate. It came out of plantation lunch pails and is still the standard working lunch.

Spam musubi

A slab of grilled Spam on rice, wrapped in nori. Hawaii eats more Spam per head than any other US state, a habit that dates to wartime rationing.

Shave ice

dietary_tags.vegetarian

Ice shaved fine enough to take syrup like snow rather than crunch like a snow cone; often over ice cream with sweet azuki beans underneath.

Safety tips

Water-Safety

North Shore winter surf between November and February is not swimmable for visitors. Waimea and Pipeline draw spectators onto rocks and beaches that get hit by sets without warning.

Crime

Break-ins at trailhead and beach car parks are common and rental cars are obvious. Leave nothing visible, including in the boot, and take passports and cards with you rather than hiding them.

Nature

Valley trails like Manoa and Maunawili flood fast after upland rain even when it is dry at the trailhead. If a stream crossing has risen since you passed it, wait rather than cross.