The Cabana at Waikiki, Honolulu

Advantages: Big city
Disadvantages: Not a beach holiday destination

...If Honolulu conjures up images of grass skirts, garlands and deserted beaches, think again. Honolulu is the cross-roads of the Pacific and a bustling international city. Skyscrapers dominate the down town skyline as they do in any other US state capital. Which is not to say Honolulu is a bad place to visit, just that it may not be what you expect. At Pearl Harbour you can visit the wreck of the USS Arizona, bombed by the Japanese. There is little good value accommodation in Honolulu. It is better to stay in neighbouring Waikiki. No vaccinations needed Flight time from UK is about 19 hours which is pretty horrendous.There is a good network of local buses. Car hire is widely available and is the most practical method of getting around. Taxis are also available... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Lots to see
Disadvantages: be careful about the time of day you go to visit.

...I visited Honolulu Zoo in the summer whilst on Honeymoon in Waikiki. The Zoo is situated at the far end of Waikiki on the way towards Diamond Head. We happened across the zoo after finding adverts in one of the many brochures and fliers you can pick up from the hotels. The Zoo is within easy walking distance of Waikiki hotels and is worth the visit if you have nothing better planned. Unfortunately we chose to go around midday on our first day - jet lag hadn't quite hit us yet so we were wide awake and eager to explore Waikiki. It was a scorching hot day and the animals obviously had better things to do than stare at countless faces visiting them in the zoo. Safe to say they were tucked up in the shade having a nap. Still we were there so we headed off around the different areas. Honolulu Zoo is set into different continents depending... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Variety of Shops & Restaurants, Beautiful Setting
Disadvantages: None

...I love the Ala Moana Center in Honolulu - I have visited it twice now on both of my visits to the Hawaiian Islands. It is a large shopping centre, part of which is in the open air. It is lovely to walk around, browsing in the shops and feeling a nice cool breeze as you do so. There is a wide variety of shops, from department stores to supermarkets to clothing stores and bookshops to small, speciality stores selling gifts, cosmetics, etc. The locals tend to shop there, so it is not full of tacky tourist shops or shops with rip-off prices (as tends to be the case in much of Waikiki). There is a also a wide range of places to eat. My favourite place is the food court, where you have a wide variety of choices from traditional Hawaiian to contemporary American to Chinese. All of the food in the food court is very reasonably priced... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful