Honolulu, Hawaii — Where to Go
Honolulu Sightseeing Overview
Diamond Head and Waikiki’s beaches are musts, of course, but there is so much more to see on Oahu.
Kawaiahao Church, Mission Houses Museum, the Hawaii Maritime Center, the Hawaii State Art Museum and Washington Place (the former home of Queen Liliuokalani and 12 Hawaii governors) are worthwhile diversions within walking distance of Honolulu’s skyscrapers.
Just outside the city proper, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl is the final resting place for more than 44,000 US servicemen and women. In Kahala, Shangri La, the estate of the late philanthropist Doris Duke, houses her impressive collection of Islamic art.
Immigrants who came to work on island sugar plantations at the turn of the last century are remembered at Hawaii’s Plantation Village in Waipahu. Thirty-two original and authentically recreated structures are furnished with clothing, furniture, household items and other artifacts donated by local families.
Set against the verdant Koolau mountains, Byodo-In Temple is a magnificent replica of the 950-year-old Buddhist temple of the same name in Uji, Japan. Of note are a koi-filled pond, a 2.7m (9ft) wooden Buddha decorated with gold leaf, and a three-ton brass bell that supposedly brings peace and happiness when rung.
Stroll a mile through the world-class botanical gardens at Waimea Valley to arrive at Waihi Falls, where, conditions permitting, visitors can swim in the waterfall pool. The gardens feature 6,000 species of plants from Asia, South America, Africa and Polynesia. Also of interest are ancient Hawaiian archaeological sites including house foundations and a heiau (temple).
Honolulu Tourist Information
Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
Tel: (808) 923 1811 or 1 800 464 2924.
Website: www.gohawaii.com
Oahu Visitors Bureau
Tel: (808) 524 0722.
Website: www.visit-oahu.com
Honolulu Sightseeing
There are currently no passes for attractions in Honolulu.
Honolulu Sightseeing
There are currently no passes for attractions in Honolulu.
Key Attractions in Honolulu, Hawaii
Polynesian Cultural Center
Visit Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Maori New Zealand and the Marquesas without boarding a plane or obtaining a passport. You’ll enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations such as dancing the hula in Hawaii, coconut husking in Samoa and fishing in Tahiti. The center also offers one of the best luaus (Hawaiian feast) on Oahu.
55-370 Kamehameha Highway
Tel: (808) 293 3333 or 1 800 367 7060.
Website: www.polynesia.com
Bishop Museum
Bishop Museum is Hawaii’s largest museum and the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific. Its US$17 million Science Adventure Center encompasses six zones featuring dozens of interactive displays, the centerpiece of which is a 7.9m (26ft) man-made volcano.
1525 Bernice Street
Tel: (808) 847 3511.
Website: www.bishopmuseum.org
Iolani Palace
Built in 1882, Iolani Palace was the official residence of the last two reigning Hawaiian monarchs, King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani. Many precious artifacts are on display, including centuries-old wooden calabashes, feather capes and helmets, and the royal thrones and crown jewels.
364 South King Street
Tel: (808) 522 0832 or 538 1471 (tours).
Website: www.iolanipalace.org
Sea Life Park
Among the diversions at this world-class marine attraction are an aquarium filled with 2,000 reef animals, including sharks, turtles and tropical fish; a seabird sanctuary; sea turtle lagoon; Humboldt Penguin breeding habitat; and up-close-and-personal sessions with dolphins, sea lions and stingrays.
41-202 Kalanianaole Highway
Tel: (808) 259 2500 or 1 866 393 5158.
Website: www.sealifeparkhawaii.com
Chinatown
This feast for the senses offers herbal shops, acupuncture clinics, dim sum restaurants, noodle factories, boutiques selling embroidered silk cheongsams, and open-air markets selling fresh fish and produce. Looking for leis? You’ll find the best prices and selections at the stands on Maunakea Street.
Roughly the area bordered by Nimitz Highway, Nuuanu Avenue, and River and Beretania Streets
Tel: (808) 533 3181.
Website: www.chinatownhi.com
Further Distractions
Honolulu Academy of Arts
Founded in 1927, Hawaii’s premier arts institution boasts special exhibits, art classes, a wonderful cafe and gift shop, and permanent holdings of 35,000 works, including the renowned James A Michener Collection of Japanese ukiyo-e prints.
900 South Beretania Street
Tel: (808) 532 8700.
Website: www.honoluluacademy.org
Waikiki Aquarium
The aquarium was built next to a living reef on the Waikiki shoreline. It spotlights more than 420 species of aquatic animals and plants found in Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. Special programs include rock pool exploration and after-dark flashlight tours of the aquarium’s exhibits.
2777 Kalakaua Avenue
Tel: (808) 923 9741.
Website: www.waquarium.org
