Oahu

Oahu is home to 80% of Hawaii’s population and appropriately nicknamed ‘the Gathering Place’. It is also where the vast majority of visitors start their Hawaiian holiday. Waikiki is the centre of the action. A host of hotels make it a bustling, busy and fun beach destination. Don’t come looking for peace and quiet or a romantic beach for two. Elsewhere on Oahu you can visit Pearl Harbour where, on December 7th, 1941, America joined the Second World War. Today Pearl Harbour is a National Memorial with boat trips offered to the sunken site of the U.S.S. Arizona. Another worthwhile place to visit is the elaborate Iolani Palace, home of the island’s former kings and queens and America’s only royal palace. Waikiki offers a variety of shops, bars and restaurants. Outside the Honolulu area, Oahu offers life at a quieter pace, especially at the beautiful Waimea Falls Park on the north shore. Another popular destination is the Polynesian Cultural Centre, which although a little commercialised, offers reconstructions of all the major Pacific Islands.