General: Hawaii

When finalising destinations for our round the world trip, there was no discussion or debate necessary for Hawai'i. Both my husband and I knew we wanted to stay in this tropical and much revered country; we had heard only positive comments about it over the years. These rave reviews and promises of white beaches with clear seas, the exceptionally high levels of hospitality and nature at its best led us to choose Hawaii as our 'honeymoon' destination ...
...years ago, we have never been on holidays alone! Therefore, the nine day stay on O'ahu was much anticipated by the two of us.

THE GEOGRAPHY
Located in the central Pacific, Hawai'i is 2300 miles from mainland USA and, except for Easter Island, it is farther away from land than any other landmass on Earth. A US state since 1959, Hawaii consists of over 130 islands, with 8 main inhabited islands, the most well-known being Maui, ... more

When finalising destinations for our round the world trip, there was no discussion or debate necessary for Hawai'i. Both my husband and I knew we wanted to stay in this tropical and much revered country; we had heard only positive comments about it over the years. These rave reviews and promises of white beaches with clear seas, the exceptionally high levels of hospitality and nature at its best led us to choose Hawaii as our 'honeymoon' destination with the world tour. Even though we wed nearly four years ago, we have never been on holidays alone! Therefore, the nine day stay on O'ahu was much anticipated by the two of us.

THE GEOGRAPHY
Located in the central Pacific, Hawai'i is 2300 miles from mainland USA and, except for Easter Island, it is farther away from land than any other landmass on Earth. A US state since 1959, Hawaii consists of over 130 islands, with 8 main inhabited islands, the most well-known being Maui, Big Island and O'ahu. Hawai'i is part of Polynesia and Honolulu is the capital city; in fact, it is the only city in Hawai'i.

HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The decision to stay on O'ahu as opposed to the other islands was simple- after a 6 hour flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu we did not fancy a further flight to a different island, no matter how brief! We arrived in HIA in the early evening, tired, dishevelled and in need of a good meal (the American Airlines flight did not provide passengers with a meal, disappointingly).

The airport itself is quite small- one terminal with 34 gates and an arrivals section- but it still feels like a long walk to the baggage claim when you are as tired as we were. The airport had kiosks and shops en route to baggage claim though, which was useful if you wanted to buy a drink, however, what I found extremely welcoming (and rejuvenating!) was the group of musicians that were playing in the terminal; two men playing traditional Hawaiian music on ukuleles were accompanied by two dancers performing the traditional hula dance. It certainly gave us a feel for the culture immediately and put a smile on our tired faces. Many hotels and tour operators were welcoming visitors with handmade fresh leis which was lovely to witness. We had arranged our own flight and accommodation so, from that moment, I was determined to receive a lei at some point during our trip!

It was easy to get a taxi or shuttle bus to Waikiki from the airport. The buses cost approximately $8-10 USD per person and a taxi cost approximately $30 USD (including tip) per ride. We opted for the taxi as we wanted to get to our hotel promptly. The ride took roughly 10-15 minutes.

AQUA BAMBOO AND SPA
Our hotel was one of a collection of Aqua hotels in the area. The user-friendly website (including online bookings and discounts) boasted many facilities at the Aqua Bamboo and Spa- kitchenette, air conditioning, high speed internet, a salt water pool and waterfall and on site spa facilities, amongst other things- therefore, at $93 per night (there were cheaper rooms available) this boutique hotel was great value for money. Situated on Kuhio Ave, Bamboo, as it was affectionately referred to, was in an excellent location, one block- a two minute walk- from the beach and amongst a selection of shops and restaurants. We really couldn't have asked for a better location as not only was the excitement of Waikiki within strolling distance, the hotel was on a quieter section of Kuhio Ave., making for a peaceful night's sleep.

(A brief rundown of Bamboo's amenities: recently refurbished, clean rooms with sofa or dining table and the expected pieces of furniture, big beds with extra pillows available in room, kitchen with all utensils, clean bathroom with complimentary toiletries replaced daily, air conditioning, free high speed wired internet, excellent housekeeping service, pool with waterfall, comfortable sun loungers and cushioned shade area.)

When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by the lovely and cheerful Fe, at reception. She immediately made us feel welcome with her warm nature and was chatting to my husband about sports and even about her son arriving home from Iraq for Thanksgiving. Fe made us feel comfortable and 'at home' at Bamboo, as did all the staff. Everyone greeted you with a smile and a 'hello'. The manager holds a weekly cocktail hour every Thursday between 5 and 6pm, to thanks guests for choosing Bamboo. Cocktails are complimentary.

I would HIGHLY recommend Aqua Bamboo and Spa to Waikiki visitors and would choose to stay there on our next visit to O'ahu.

GETTING AROUND
Getting around O'ahu is easy. It can be done in a few hours if you don't stop and is a lovely day out if you drive around the cost and stop at some well-known tourist attractions. Local buses are frequent and inexpensive; a full guide to the bus routes on the entire island is available for $5 from most ABC stores. The trolley which passes through Kuhio Ave. is free of charge and will take you back and fore between Waikiki and the shopping centres. Taxis are again inexpensive and always arrive promptly when telephoned from your hotel. It certainly is easy to explore this beautiful island on public transport.

WAIKIKI
Waikiki's man-made beach is perhaps one of the most famous and well-known beaches in the world. Famous for its big waves and year-round sunshine, Waikiki beach is a favourite with surfers, tourists and locals alike. Admittedly, the beach and the views are beautiful but if you're looking for quiet shores, you won't find the easily at Waikiki. Even at 730am, the beach is full of bathers and water sports fanatics. Perhaps the North or West coast beaches are better for those seeking a quiet beach.

Restaurants and shops can be found in abundance along the Waikiki beach front. Eateries ranging from small cafes to 4* restaurants can be found here, catering for all tastes. Two restaurants that I can HIGHLY recommend are "Cheeseburger in Paradise", located directly opposite the beach (THE best cheeseburgers I have ever tasted!), and Chili's on Kuhio Ave. Chili's not only has a great selection of appetizers, meals and desserts at decent prices- approximately $45USD for a two course meal for two with drinks and free refills- but it also has the cheeriest staff I've ever had the pleasure of being served by. I would recommend the spinach and artichoke dip with tortilla hips to start, one of their juicy steaks for main and cheesecake for dessert- the perfect meal!

SHOPPING
There are three main shopping areas in Waikiki: The International Marketplace, Waikiki beach front and Ala Moana Shopping Center. Waikiki beach front offers many…and I mean many!... ABC stores which sell a large variety of goods, including groceries, alcohol and souvenirs. Some people had advised me that these stores were expensive; however, I did not find this to be true. The sheer number of ABC stores in Hawaii is absurd but useful nonetheless. You'll also find souvenir and clothing shops along the Waikiki beach front.

The International Marketplace can be found along the beach front too. This is an outdoor market that sells an array of locally produced products, such as, leather goods, jewellery, hand-carved woodwork and artwork by local artists. When it comes to products that are not price marked, you can barter for a good price with the vendors, although you don't really need to as the products were really inexpensive in the first place.

Ala Moana Shopping Centre is a short bus/ taxi ride from Waikiki. Here, you'll find a plethora of well-known stores mixed with locally owned shops and the customary ABC stores. Included in the four storey mall are the following stores: Macy's, Sears, Footlocker, Hallmark, bebe, Abercrombie and Fitch, Gap, Neiman Marcus, Lush and hundreds more. The food court, on the lower floor, offers plate lunches of different nationalities for approximately $10 or less; this includes a filling meal and a drink. After Thanksgiving, the Candy Cane Train takes children on a ride through the lower level and Santa makes an appearance with his reindeer and singing elves- very festive!

RECOMMENDATIONS
We took three trips whilst on O'ahu as we wanted to see as much of the island as possible, not just the 'touristy' element of Waikiki. Tours 4 Less was our booking office of choice, because the hotel gave us a 10% discount card. I probably would have used this small, locally owned company even without the discount though, as it was conveniently located on Kuhio Ave. and the prices were competitive. Bernadette, the owner, was very helpful. She wasn't pushing particular trip packages to make money; she was informative and recommended the tours that best suited my needs.

1) Grand Circle Tour
This was a bus tour led by Roberts of Hawaii, a popular bus/ tour company on the island. They picked us up locally at 1015am and took us on a guided tour of the whole island during the 8 hour trip. The driver was knowledgeable and provided an informative and interactive trip for the passengers. We learnt a great deal about the history and culture of Hawai'i and eve knew a few helpful words and phrases by the time we returned to Waikiki. Some of the best sights we stopped at during the trip were: the North shore beaches, which were truly beautiful; the Dole Plantation; the Macadamia Farm Outlet, where we had the opportunity to sample locally produced coffee and macadamia nuts, as well as fresh fruits and coconuts, Pali Lookout, for breath-taking views of Honolulu; and Haunama Bay and nature reserve. I would CERTAINLY recommend this particular tour at the start of your visit to Hawai'i to help you get a feel of the island. You only get a glimpse of places but you can decide which parts you would like to return to during your stay.

2) Polynesian Cultural Centre
Located near the North shore, the PCC (just for the ease typing this review!) is an hour or so drive from Waikiki. We were picked up at 1030am (the park opens at 1230) and did not return until 10pm, so this is a full day's trip. At the centre, most of the activities and displays take place outdoors and there's not much shade; do not forget to take sun lotion, a hat and a drink in your bag! The PCC was established in the 60s as a means of educating people about the Polynesian culture, the different countries, peoples and traditions Polynesia encompassed. The park is divided in to 7 native villages- Fiji, Hawai'i, Tonga, Samoa, Marquesas, Tahiti and Aotearoa (New Zealand)- each containing historically accurate buildings, museum artefacts and cultural displays. Students from the local university lead and participate in the demonstrations within each village; each is a native of the respective island. The proceeds from the centre go towards the students' housing and education, therefore, you will not only have a fun day, but you'll also be helping too.

I would recommend paying extra for a guided tour as the centre is very big and if you want to see a variety of displays before dinner, you're going to need some help. Some of the activities we got involved in were poi swirling, bamboo drumming, a canoe ride and the Hakka. For $110, you get access to the PCC and all its activities, a tour guide, dinner at the traditional lu'au and entrance to the breath-taking finale, Horizons, a show which demonstrates the accumulation of the hard work and talents. This was an excellent day out that I would highly, HIGHLY recommend for both adults and children.

3) Wild Dolphin Cruise
This cruise takes you to the gorgeous West coast of O'ahu. Again, we were picked up locally and escorted to the harbour where we joined the crew aboard the Hoku Na'ia. This particular trip gives you a 'dolphin check' which means that you are guaranteed to see dolphins on the cruise; if you do not, you will have a dolphin check and can return the following day free of charge to try again. We needn't have worried about not seeing wild dolphins as within ten minutes of leaving shore, spinner dolphins were ready to play, show off and swim alongside our boat. There were four babies in the pod too! It was exhilarating witnessing these creatures in their natural habitat as opposed to a water park. We also had the pleasure of seeing spotted dolphins and flying fish, although we weren't lucky enough to see turtles because the water was too choppy. I would DEFINITELY recommend the Hoku Na'ia Wild Dolphin Cruise not only for the pleasure of seeing these beautiful animals swim so close to you but also for the professionalism and helpfulness of the crew and staff and the lovely lunch too!

Wow! I think I've pretty much covered our entire visit to Hawai'i here! I only hope that the details inspire you to visit this beautiful, culturally rich island. Hawai'i is ideal for couples, families, friends, old or young. The friendliness and hospitality of the locals is beyond compare. I have never been to a place where everyone, truly everyone, is as lovely as the Hawaiian people we met- from the hotel staff to the shop assistants, even strangers on the street. I just can't wait to return next year! :) 

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