Also known as 'The Gathering Place', the beautiful, lush, mountainous island 'Oahu' is the 3rd largest island in Hawaii. From laid back surf towns to tropical, sandy beaches to bustling city life, this island has plenty to do!
Translating to "sheltered harbour", Honolulu is the state capital, largest city in Hawaii and a great place to situate yourself. From here you can easily visit other regions of Oahu including Central Oahu, Leeward coast, North shore and Windward coast.
In this post, you will find all the handy tips you need to know about:
- Why visit Oahu island?
- Where to stay?
- How to get around?
- Where to eat?
- How to budget?
3 reasons why you would visit Honolulu:
1) The culture:
From the food that combines East and West, providing a whole range of delicious options to the historical landmarks found throughout the island to the pidgin English spoken by the locals, you're sure to experience the aloha spirit everywhere you go on the island.
2) The weather:
Hawaii has almost perfect weather all year round, making it a perfect, tropical paradise to go beach hopping. Even during rainy season (Nov-March) you can enjoy rainbow spotting!
3) Water activities:
If you're a water baby, Hawaii is the place for you! From surfing at Waikiki beach to snorkeling at Hanauma bay, I promise you will leave with memories you will never forget!
On top of all that, Jetstar fly directly to Honolulu and often have great package deals that include flights and accommodation together. You can save quite a lot of money if you choose less busy times of the year such as April, May, September, October and November.
WHERE TO STAY:
If you aim to visit the whole island, fancy doing all the main activities and would still like to be in the centre of it all, then Waikiki beach is the place to base yourself! If you're not necessarily looking to stay at the Intercontinental but you want a little more luxury than a hostel then a perfect place in between would be Ambassador hotel.
Located just a 10 minute walk from Waikiki beach and an 8 minute from Waikiki shopping plaza, this affordable hotel offers a rooftop outdoor pool, 24 hour fitness centre, tour/ticket assistance, cafe, grocery store, kids club, free toiletries, computer access, onsite parking, in room safe, bicycle rental, laundry services, housekeeping and room service PLUS they give you a FREE easy-carry, Eco-friendly logo water bottle, refillable at purified water stations to take on your hikes!
You might even get lucky like us and be upgraded from a regular twin room to a deluxe studio with 2 double beds and a fully fledged kitchen providing a stove, refrigerator, microwave and all! We used Booking.com which found the best deals (and easiest booking experience) BY FAR compared to other booking websites. I've actually entered all the details for you on this search bar here (you're welcome!).
HOW TO GET AROUND OAHU ISLAND:
- Rent a car:
We were tossing up between taking buses, ubers or renting a car. After much debate, research and following facebook forums (highly recommend joining the facebook page called 'Hawaii for the Traveller' in the weeks leading up to your visit to ask questions, look for recommendations and make the most of your trip planning. We decided to rent a car for 3 days and to take buses for the remaining days. Renting a car was by far the best decision of our trip since we saved those 3 car hire days for when we wanted to head all the way up to North shore and it gave us the freedom to stop at lookouts, beaches and wherever we felt like on the way. We did a lot of research and found the cheapest option for car hire was Budget Direct. The Nissan was a cute, nimble car and while we did have to get used to driving on the right side of the road, it was so much fun, easy to drive, much quicker to get to our chosen destinations and only cost $18 each for petrol in total when we split the cost between 2 people.
- Take local buses:
For the days where you don't have to travel too far, buy a day pass when you board the bus ($5.50) and head to your destinations. The great thing about the bus transport system is that all the main attractions are on the bus routes and the bus drivers are the most helpful and friendly people you will ever meet! You don't even have to ask, they are so happy to help you (our bus driver even planned our day itinerary for us!)
WHERE TO EAT IN WAIKIKI:
- The Cheesecake Factory:
Did you really go all the way to the USA if you didn't take a visit to The Cheesecake Factory? On everyone's to do list, this restaurant might as well be a main attraction listed in the top 10 things to do in Honolulu. Serving 3000 guests a day, this Californian chain seats a whopping 600 guests! On top of that, their menu features 200 sizable options, including 36 cheesecake varieties! I highly recommend the Reece's peanut butter chocolate cake cheesecake. Yes, I left the restaurant feeling like I had just digested #diabetesonaplate and my arteries were probably bulging from calorie overload but it was SO worth it (so much we came back again).
TOP TIP: Due to its popularity, the wait can be as little as 10 minutes to as long as 3 hours! When we went, there was usually a 30 minute wait (although this was during the quieter month, November) so arrive half an hour early to grab a buzzer then go shopping at Waikiki's Royal Hawaiian Shopping centre! It's actually quite difficult coming out of forever 21 and Macy's within 30 min...
If you can manage the American sized portions then go wild but if you're used to the portions of the rest of the world then an entree (plus a cheesecake afterwards!) is plenty. We were two athletes with appetites and can confirm that the entrees at The Cheesecake Factory are the size of Australian main courses. Highly recommend the avocado egg rolls!
- Surf and Turf Tacos:
Located close to The Food Pantry, about a 5 minute walk from Waikiki beach, this place is quick, cheap, big and tasty! What more could you ask for? With a 'select and slide', chipotle style system, you're served up in no time. If you're a burrito fan with an appetite larger than your wallet then grab one here! They also offer rice bowls if you're looking for healthier options. This was not only quick, convenient and tasty but very economical as we couldn't finish the sizable portion so saved half of it for lunch the next day (the envious stares we got from fellow flight passengers was quite satisfying when I whipped out the remains of my spicy steak rice bowl!)
- The Street Food hall located at International Marketplace:
With Vietnamese, Mexican, Japanese and Chinese options, you've got all the Phở, tacos, ramen and dumplings at your fingertips! Mi Almita Cantina is an awesome restaurant/bar located just outside the food hall and usually has a live musician, outdoor dining tables and great atmosphere. Come here on a Tuesday as they do Tiki Taco Tuesday: $2 tacos, $2 Frozen cocktails and $2 off any Tequila shot! #tequilaandtacos
- Marukame:
Japanese food in Hawaii is THE BEST. The Japanese make up 16.7% of the island's population (43% in 1920!) and since the majority of tourists who visit Hawaii are Japanese it's safe to say the Japanese food is definitely up to scratch! I often forgot I was in the US when we came here as the super clean streets and all of the Japanese people made me feel like I was in Japan! It is unheard of for Marukame NOT to have a queue winding all the way outside and down the street as tourists and locals flock here to munch on some quality udon noodle! Steam flowing all over the shop and the tall, white chef hats make this noodle house a truly memorable experience. There are also plenty of ramen joints throughout Waikiki town to satisfy those grumbling stomachs!
- Teddy's Bigger Burgers:
If you're a burger queen like me and want to taste a true American burger then head nowhere else! With such an extensive menu filled with various meat and bun options, you could opt for a lettuce bun to make yourself feel slightly less at risk of cardiovascular disease but if you're going to go for it, go BIG with the Oreo Nutella shake as well! (Attention Australians! Please note that the 'mini' size is equivalent to a regular in Australia...probably applies to other countries too since America is the #landofplenty).
- Eggs n Things:
There is one on Waikiki beach and one in Waikiki town, both as busy as each other! If you like your eggs scrambled, omelette style, sunny side up, poached, in a crepe or however you can imagine them, they've got them here! Expect a long wait and massive serving sizes!
HOW TO SURVIVE OAHU ON A BUDGET:
Honolulu is super expensive...
According to its annual TripIndex Cities cost-comparison study, conducted by Tripadvisor and an independent research firm called Ipsos, Honolulu is ranked the second most expensive city in the U.S. for a summer trip. It costs a whopping $8.99 for a gallon of milk!
If you're a budget traveller like me and would rather save money for fun activities instead of food then follow these handy travel tips which saved us a lot of money for those memorable Hawaiian experiences:
- Easy as ABC:
You will find ABC convenience stores everywhere on the island. Here you can buy cereal, snacks, souvenirs, sun cream, even beach mats. Head to the refrigerated section to pack a lunch for the day. Every day, they stock up with fresh wraps, salads, poke bowls, fruit salads and sushi, which are perfect for picnics and easy to pack in your day bag.
- Walmart to the rescue:
If you want to go super budget and be prepared for the whole week then take a trip to Walmart (20 minute bus trip from Waikiki town) and buy a dozen eggs, cereal, milk, bread, sandwich filling, fruit and snacks. That way you can cook your own breakfast every day, bring a packed lunch for all your day trips and save eating out for dinner time. You'll be surprised at how much you will save for those worthwhile activities if you're just a little prepared! #mealprep
- Bus it:
Take the bus everywhere. Buses are super easy to catch in Honolulu and take you to all the main attractions. Buy a day ticket for $5.50 and use it multiple times for places like Hanauma bay, Iolani palace, Waikele outlet stores and pretty much everywhere! Just don't lose your ticket!
- Do free activities:
The great thing about Honolulu is that most activities are free as they more often than not involve the beach. A few free activities to do here include:
- Waikiki historic trail walk
- Swimming/sunbathing at any beach: Waikiki, Lanikai, Kailua, Kuhio, Sans Souci, Queens, Ala Moana, Sunset, Bonzai pipeline, Waimea...is that enough options to choose from?
Great, so now you know everything you need to know about this island but how on earth do you plan your trip to optimise your time and do all the activities offered?
Take what you like from my 7 day itinerary of Oahu island, found in my latest post '7 day itinerary for Oahu Island'!
Happy travelling!
