Oahu (Hawaii, USA)

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Overview

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Oahu is the heartbeat of Hawaii, brimming with sunshine and overflowing with Aloha Spirit. And yes, there are rainbows after showers, filling the blue sky with colors easily seen all over the island. Oahu, anchored by the main city of Honolulu and the spectacular Waikiki Beach, contains most of Hawaii's population as well as its tourist and social activity.

The accommodation here caters for all budget levels, although the islands are expensive so expect to pay UK equivalent prices. The area is popular with honeymooners including a huge number of Japanese couples, as tropical weddings are a major business.

Oahu has over 30,000 units in more than 80 hotels and 40 condominiums. Wide choice from opulent luxury beachfront accommodation to basic B&Bs. Rates range from the price of a meal to the cost of a small second-hand car, with the beachfront area being the most popular and expensive. There are a few hotels outside Waikiki plus a handful of camping grounds dotted around the island.

Locality:

Oahu is a mid-Pacific island, almost on the Tropic of Cancer, approximately 5 hrs by jet from America's W coast. Hawaii's international airport (Honolulu) is located here, 5 mls from downtown Honolulu, which is on the S coast of the island. It is midway along the Hawaiian Islands chain.

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Oahu has arguably the finest beaches of the Hawaiian Islands and plenty to choose from. Like all Hawaiian beaches, Oahu's are open to the public. 1-ml-long Waikiki Beach is crowded year-round, receiving 25,000 visitors every day. Some of the E coast's best beaches are at Kailua and Lanikai: the surf is gentle, the snorkelling is good, and kayaks and surfboards are usually available for rent at the weekends.

Thousands of shops sell everything from postcards and coconuts to European designer products; Honolulu's several shopping complexes include the Ala Moana Center and Ward Center . The island's biggest concentration of shops can be found in Waikiki's Kalakaua Avenue, and includes the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Waikiki Shopping Plaza and the International Market Place. Other shopping areas are located throughout the Honolulu vicinity.

During the daytime popular activities include water sports including surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving and sailing. Other activities include hang-gliding, hiking, cycling, tennis and golf. For the tourist interested in culture there are museums and memorials of Pearl Harbor, including USS Arizona Memorial and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park and several botanical gardens.

There is a Sealife Park, with a wide range of marine shows and exhibits, also Honolulu Zoo (in Waikiki); Sacred Falls State Park, with an 80-ft waterfall.

The nightlife here offers good variety, mostly concentrated in Waikiki and including comedians, Las Vegas-style floorshows, live music , bars and discos; many Waikiki hotels offer in-house entertainment. There is Broadway and off-Broadway shows by Hawaii Performing Arts Company, the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, and the Hawaii Opera Theater

There are many options for eating out, ranging from hot-dog stands to a few international restaurants offering Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Laotian, French, German, Italian and Swiss cuisine. The majority of restaurants feature steak/seafood/American food. The regional Hawaiian fare utilises fresh local fish, vegetables and fruits in imaginative and delicious combinations. Luau (Hawaiian feast) evenings feature traditional foods, dancing and music, but tend to vary in quality and authenticity.

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Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why most Americans have never bothered getting a passport.