A vacation in Honolulu will start at the International Airport where millions of visitors start theirs every year. Soon after landing, most visitors hop in a cab or bus sent from the hotel and begin the journey past downtown Honolulu and on to their reservation at a Waikiki hotel. The sights and sounds of busy street, rushing waves of the ocean and all of this backed by a rich historical background, visitors can hardly stay indoors. It is so exciting to be in Waikiki that most visitors never escape its non-existent borders. Every year over 6 million visitors miss out of sights, which local residents find most winsome and all of them lie within a radius of 2 square miles of Waikiki.
If you are a visitor who would like to get a taste of Oahu through the eyes of a resident, this article may be of special interest to you.
Magic Island Beach Park – Located just opposite to the Ala Moana Shopping Center, this is a very popular attraction lying west of Waikiki. What are the points of attraction in this park? It has two beaches, a jogging path stretching up to 3 miles, tennis courts and much more. If you want to have a taste of the typical Hawaiian culture, take a walk round the park and y would find large families along with their extended families, enjoying a day of togetherness with lots of good food and plenty of sunshine. The beaches are significantly less crowded, so for a great day, grab a barbecue and head down to the beach at Magic Island!
The Contemporary Museum Honolulu - This small museum is located high on a ridge at Makiki Heights Drive and the drive up the ridge offers amazing vistas that would otherwise be missed by most Oahu visitors. The exquisite exhibits in this somewhat small museum keep changing in the 5 galleries and when you have finished viewing these, you could go outdoors for a walk in to the sculpture gardens. 5 acres of meditative gardens which are open to the public and offer some of the most amazing views of Honolulu.
Leong’s Cafe - Many visitors look to a lu’au for more than entertainment especially when they are after some great Hawaiian food. However, if you’re interested in real local style Hawaiian food, you can’t beat Leong’s Cafe located at 2343 North King Street. Some renowned cuisine that you get here includes kalua pig, lu’au stew, lomi lomi and more and both the local residents as well as foreign tourists have been frequenting this place for more than 5 decades.
Champion Malasadas - The local treat called Malasadas are so popular that Fat Tuesday has been re-christened Malasada Day throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The bakery that goes by the name ‘Champion Malasadas’ can be found along South Berertania Street, it is the most famous throughout the island. Anyone that enjoys donuts will like these (even though they do not have a hole) and they come with a variety of fillings or if you prefer, you can eat them without any type of filling.
Honolulu Chinatown - Step back in time and visit a small piece of China, it’s quite magical. Whether you are looking for dim sum, fresh produce, handmade leis, or the new hip lounge, you are sure to find it in Chinatown. Most American stores do not carry the produce that is sold here so that is a treat in itself but this a great place to visit for few hours or even a whole day. Although guided walks are popular, if you are of a mind, why not try looking around unaided, exploring the historic areas taking your time - go on, be adventurous.
You will only truly enjoy Oahu as the locals do if you leave the Waikiki area and explore this beautiful island for yourself. The places mentioned here are only a few but they are a good place to start but just embrace the island and you will not want to leave.