Hawaii - Oahu Island - Honolulu and Waikiki

[IntegraG2]

I stayed at Hotel Renew on Paoakalani. Cost just under 1300 bucks for 10 nights. Room was very modern and had a plasma screen in it. It walking distance from everything and the staff are great. No pool or any attractions but who needs a pool when you have a beach.

Things to do:

Paradise Cove Luau - amazing since its rated number 1

Hans Hedman Surf School - right by Hotel Renew. Only bad thing is there is some coral in the spots they take you. I hit some and got my cord stuck. Salty waves were punching me in the face for a good 5 mins which i could do nothing about until i took the cord of my ankle.

Hanauma Bay Snorkling - Try to get an underwater camera. we bought the fuji one which worked pretty well.

Go to any beach on the north shore - way more secluded than Waikiki. Waikiki beach has too many bums and retarded people that like to surf into a crowd.

Sunset Dinner Cruise - I was with my SO so this was quite nice.

Belly Ride with Dolphins @ sealife park - free admission with dolphin program.

North Shore Shark tours - Shark Cage encounter

Eat at Wailiea Dinner - Its from the 70s. They have unreal kona coffee and coconut pancake syrup. The prices are good.

Cheap places to eat --> Blazin steaks haha

Honolulu Zoo and Hololulu Zoo -- If you have idle time visit these places. Its cheap and they have cool sealife/animals.

Ala Moana Shopping Centre - Stay away from the brand name shops on waikiki. If you wanna shop for decent prices go to this shopping centre. Take the pink line trolley it only costs 2 bucks.

[Gorilla]

nice going to Honolulu in Nov

[benyl]

Originally posted by IntegraG2

Ala Moana Shopping Centre - Stay away from the brand name shops on waikiki. If you wanna shop for decent prices go to this shopping centre. Take the pink line trolley it only costs 2 bucks.

All the brand name shops on waikiki are also in Ala Moana!

[97'Scort]

All I can say is I like the big island over all of them personally, but that might be beacuse I get free room and board from the parents when I'm there

In all honesty, I can't understand why anyone would go all the way to Hawaii and not go to see the Volcano Nat'l Park. It's absolutely stunning in every way. I've been so many times and it never gets boring.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Gorilla
nice going to Honolulu in Nov

Same

3rd year in a row for me, I just love Hawaii.

[That.Guy.S30]

anyone know how the weather is like in january foir waikiki.. it says 19-27 celcius but how is that with the breeze? still hot or just warm?

[97'Scort]

If it's anything like the big island in December, then 26 most days. Feels pretty damn good. Humid too, so feels warmer.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Thi_Thi Subs
anyone know how the weather is like in january foir waikiki.. it says 19-27 celcius but how is that with the breeze? still hot or just warm?

The temperature is pretty much the same year round.

[quazimoto]

you'll find when the wind gets up and it gets really rainy with storms the temperature will drop to the 17-20 mark. November to February tends to be the wet season though so just be aware of that. It is the best time though to see some insane waves.

I still don't get why you guys all love Honolulu. I've always found the other islands a lot nicer. Maui is by the far the most popular. My favorite island is Molokai personally. Honolulu kinda reminds me of Tampa or Miami, it's just not the same tropical feeling.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by quazimoto
you'll find when the wind gets up and it gets really rainy with storms the temperature will drop to the 17-20 mark. November to February tends to be the wet season though so just be aware of that. It is the best time though to see some insane waves.

I still don't get why you guys all love Honolulu. I've always found the other islands a lot nicer. Maui is by the far the most popular. My favorite island is Molokai personally. Honolulu kinda reminds me of Tampa or Miami, it's just not the same tropical feeling.

Maui is for old people who like to sit on the beach and do nothing.

Waikiki has a night life, and some big city fun after the sun goes down.

Oahu has just as many beautiful beaches as the other islands and just as many exotic locations.

I go every Nov and it has never rained once, and yes the waves are HUGE!

[aaronck]

I'm going to Maui in November as well, for the 3rd time in 2 years. It is quiet and relaxing, but who has time for a nightlife with 2 small kids?

Seriously though, Maui is very beautiful, has great food, and a small town feel to it. Why stay up late when you can get up early and have nice looong days in Paradise! If you want to party-go to Mexico!

[Ven]

Waikiki is the Mexico of Hawaii. Which is fine if you're into that kind of party vacationing, but you'd probably have more fun in Cancun and save a bunch of money too.

[quazimoto]

89coupe I'll take it you haven't been to Maui before. There is a night life in Maui if you know where to go. I have a condo in Maui and live there 3 months of the year. I don't know if I would necessarily call the entire island quiet I think that depends on where you stay. If I were recommending places for tourists to go to in Hawaii I'd go likes this.


1) Maui
2) Kuai
3) Molokai
4) Oahu
5) Lanai
6) Big Island


Of all the islands Molokai is by far my personal favorite. To me it's the most unique of all the islands and has the fewest tourist traffic.

[89coupe]

Oahu #1

Everything else is 2nd.

Best beaches

Best surf

Best shopping

Best restaurants

Best activities

If you are old and boring, Maui is your destination. aaronck, we have a little girl and this year I'm taking my nephew as well. The kids love the busy streets of Waikiki at night, especially all the night acts and nice restaurants.

[aaronck]

I see little kids on the busy LV strip as well, but it's not my idea of a restful vacation.

The place we stay in Maui is a 2 minute walk from one of the nicest beaches I've ever seen, and it's never crowded and very family friendly-I'm sure Oahu is great-actually I'm sure there's not a "bad" island to go to, but Maui so far is my destination of choice.

[Primer_Drift]

Originally posted by 89coupe
The kids love the busy streets of Waikiki at night, especially all the night acts and nice restaurants.

LOL
What about the hookers, homeless and crackheads running up and down the strip at night?

But yes, the Cheesecake Factory at Kalakaua Ave and Dukes has some amazing food..

[89coupe]

Originally posted by aaronck
I see little kids on the busy LV strip as well, but it's not my idea of a restful vacation.

The place we stay in Maui is a 2 minute walk from one of the nicest beaches I've ever seen, and it's never crowded and very family friendly-I'm sure Oahu is great-actually I'm sure there's not a "bad" island to go to, but Maui so far is my destination of choice.

Everyone is different of course. I need to have everything, and Oahu offers that. I know many people who are content just laying on the beach everyday, but I would be bored out of mind.

[89coupe]

Originally posted by Primer_Drift


LOL
What about the hookers, homeless and crackheads running up and down the strip at night?

But yes, the Cheesecake Factory at Kalakaua Ave and Dukes has some amazing food..

They stay to the side streets, I never noticed them on Kalakaua Ave.

My favorite restaurant is Roys, just love it there. Cheescake Factory is great for cheap prices and HUGE portions, my god I have no idea why they serve such HUGE portions.

[Primer_Drift]

Originally posted by 89coupe


They stay to the side streets, I never noticed them on Kalakaua Ave.

My favorite restaurant is Roys, just love it there. Cheescake Factory is great for cheap prices and HUGE portions, my god I have no idea why they serve such HUGE portions.

haha true true.. I don't think I finished even one of their meals completely.

As for the 'undesireables', when I was in Hawaii in march they pretty much congregated from the outdoor market out towards Waikiki beach... they left the obvious tourists alone though, thankfully.

[quazimoto]

89coupe have you ever been to Maui or to Peahi. Sigh North shore = #2, Peahi = #1.

The biggest waves in Hawaii are found in Maui and not on the north shore in Oahu. Waves in the winter on the North Shore hit 20-50 feet.

Waves on the NE and NW portions of Maui do anywhere from 20-85 feet in the winter. Seriously check this out....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB5c39PZFQ4

As for shopping. The Grand Wailea Mall is one of the most upscale malls in all of Hawaii and I really don't see how Honolulu can have many more brand name stores than what there is in Maui.

Best beaches is really a retarded category as all the islands are filled with good beaches with the exception of Big Island which maybe has 1 good one that I know of. Oahu, Kuai and Maui all have 2-3 beaches which rank in the top 10 hawaiin beaches. However the beaches in both Maui and Kuai always seems to have far fewer people.

Each island has quite a few amaziing sites to see but Oahu wouldn't be nearly as interesting as Maui, Kuai or Big Island.

I still think Oahu is a nice place to go for a vacation. I would highly suggest anyone going for a vacation in Hawaii should do at least one day trip to a different island though as they are all quite unique and different from each other.