Honolulu

The Heart of Hawaii: A large American city with a flair of paradise
Looking for the perfect vacation? Congratulations, you’ve found it! Fly to one of the last paradises on earth and experience a great vacation on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu.

It is one that you will never forget.

On the southern coast of the Island is where the capital city, Honolulu, is located. King Kamehameha III made the larger village of Honolulu to the capital city of his kingdom back in 1845. That didn’t change in 1959 after Hawaii became the 50th state of the USA. Today there are roughly 900,000 residents – that is practically all inhabitants of the island, where other than the city, there are only small seaside towns. The city district of Waikiki and its same-name famous beach is the tourist Mecca of the Hawaiian Islands, because of the hotels chains that are located directly on the shore with rooms in all price categories. Honolulu is the city with the largest airport in the entire Pacific region.

The rental car of your choice that can be picked up directly at the airport will enable you to reach all the sights in and around Honolulu quickly and easily. Directly in the city there is a lot of shopping to be done. The selection of the two main shopping streets, Kalakaua Avenue and Kuhio Avenue, ranges from luxury designer labels to the traditional beach boutiques. The famous Hawaii shirts, practical odds and ends and souvenirs of all sizes can be found in the many ABC Shops that are found all over the Hawaiian Islands. The largest and most famous shopping center in Hawaii is the Ala Moana Center with over 240 shops, where you can casually stroll between the tropical plants and fish ponds while finding all kinds of bargains. In the Victoria Ward Center near the Ala Moanas there are not only 120 shops, but also a Megaplex movie theater and several restaurants where you can relax and recover from all the shopping. You should also take a walk through the International Market Place. Here you can stroll around in the tropical weather as you please until 10:30 PM and all the while purchase for little money things like traditional crafts, the famous flower wreaths or even the typical Hawaiian instrument, the ukulele. Other attractions within the city include the Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the USA and the Aliiolani Hale. The former royal seat of government is today accessible for all to see and is now the Supreme Court of Hawaii and a history center.

Outside of Honolulu, which happens to mean „protected port“, is where the U.S. naval base Pearl Harbor is located, something that is very much worth seeing. Here is where the Japanese surprised with an attack on December 7, 1941 and now there is a memorial and visitor’s center. There are also boat trips to the wreck of the U.S.S Arizona which is now washed over by the sea.

Early birds should take on the challenge to mount Diamond Head in the morning, the trademark of Waikiki Bay. In the first light of the day the 755 foot high volcano provides an unbelievable view over the sea, Waikiki and the city of Honolulu can be even be seen in the background.

A whole other world opens up to visitors at Hanauma Bay, which is about 9 miles away. The nearly circular crater of an old volcano has been covered with seawater and is one of the best snorkeling areas in the world. Between the coral reefs thousands of fish in all colors and shapes splash around. Those that arrive before the other visitors may also run into a shy sea turtle under water or maybe see the spouting of sperm whales in the horizon.

The entire exoticism can be seen if you take a drive to the interior part of the island. Along the streets you will see wild papayas, bananas and oranges growing and all around the small city of Wahiawa in the middle of Oahu, pineapples and sugar cane plantations make up the landscape – as far as the eye can see. Two Hawaiian specialties are also grown on Oahu: Kona coffee and Macadamia nuts. Only in small amounts, though, since the main growing areas are found on the largest island of the archipelago, the Big Island. If time allows it, then you should stay one or two days on the island that is around a one and a half hour flight away. Besides the huge coffee plantations, there are two active volcanoes, the Mauna Kea and Kilauea, which can be marveled at. From cracks in the ground burning hot lava has been continuously flowing into the sea since 1983. The old, cooled lava fields within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (about a half-hour drive from the Hilo airport) are allowed to be explored by car and on foot.

So grab your hula skirt and enjoy the American version of the Garden of Eden! Aloha!