I needed to take my girlfriend on a nice vacation, but I like to have a lot of options when I travel. Oahu Delivered! Amazing beaches, gourmet food, and so many options that you expect in Paradise!
Oahu Travel
The island of Oahu is the most common destination for visitors to Hawaii. and also offers the most amenities. Most of the Hawaiian Cities you’re familiar with are on Oahu, including Honolulu and Waikiki. Oahu is often the gateway to other Hawaiian Islands yet offers all the amenities for a perfect tropical vacation. Oahu’s Beaches are Second to None!
Oahu is the most populated island in Hawaii. This means a couple of things.
On the one hand, you can find everything you need on the island and it’s likely just a short drive.
On the other hand, it does mean it’s going to be more crowded there.
I enjoy Oahu which offers a great vacation every time! I highly recommend it.
At some point, you’ll probably do a Hawaiian Vacation to other islands, but Oahu is a great place to start and return to again and again.
Crowds are manageable and everyone is having a good time.
Why Travel To Oahu?
- Pearl Harbor: Maybe even watch a movie or two before arriving. A very solemn place.
- Polynesian Cultural Center: This was the first of its kind. Cultural experience, educational, and a lot of fun!
- The Beaches: so many incredible beaches!
- Waikiki By Day: Great atmosphere and great beaches during the day.
- Waikiki By Night: Waikiki also provides great nightlife, which is not a part of most the other destinations in Hawaii
- Diamond Head: great hike, great views, gorgeous sunsets. There are some alternatives to Diamond Head that match the splendor of this popular spot.
- Whales: October through February have great whale watching, and Hawaii allows you to get up close to see them.
- Scuba: in Oahu provides the sort of tropical scuba diving he would expect in tropical destinations.
- Natural Tropical settings: Oahu also has gorgeous hikes, spectacular scenery, and a chance to encounter various wildlife.
What must you do in Oahu?
This is a similar list to the Why go to Oahu section.
There are not many places like Pearl Harbor on the planet. For being such a popular destination, Pearl Harbor is surprisingly not too crowded. Everyone should visit Pearl Harbor at least once.
Catch a few sunsets!
So many places to catch gorgeous sunsets all over the island. I assume there are a lot of gorgeous sunrises too but the sunsets have always been easier for me to make it to.
A couple spots I recommend are Waimanalo, Sunset Beach on the North Shore, and Tantalus Lookout. But really, most places on Oahu will likely provide an amazing sunset.
Attend a Luau: there are a few good ones all over the island. The Polynesian Cultural Center is pretty great, but others are equally as good. Sometimes I recommend the Center’s other meal options and then catching a different luau – especially if high-quality food is something you do every meal. (Don’t skip the Night Show though!)
Polynesian Cultural Center’s Night Show! Don’t leave before the night show. Entertaining and Awe Inspiring, in a roomy amphitheater on the North Shore.
Geography & Natural Destinations
Each island in Hawaii is its own county- Oahu Island is covered by Honolulu County.
The North and East side are the Windward side of the islands which gets more rain and more vegetation. Those differences are a little more pronounced on some of the other islands, where there’s been less development.
Cities
The main city is of course Honolulu. Other prominent cities include Kaneohe, Kailua, Mililani, Waimanalo, Laie, and Haleiwa.
Beaches
My absolute favorite beach and the entire world is Waimea Bay on the North Shore. I also love Sunset Beach as a close substitute.
Beaches on the west side are good, and probably some of the least populated, including Mākua Beach in Makaha beach. Checkout the Mermaid Caves if you head over that way.
You’ll hear different feedback on Waikiki but it’s easy to have a great day there.
And on the east side, you have Hanauma Bay and Sandy Beach.
This is just a short sampling. Oahu has many wonderful beaches.
Popular waterfalls on Oahu include
- Manoa Falls
- Waimea Waterfall
- Lulumahu Waterfall
For Laie Falls, “Falls” is a pretty generous title. It’s more like a little rapid in a stream. I did hike it on a very rainy day one time and it turned into a raging rapid – not a great time to be in the mountains of Hawaii.
Travel To Oahu
This may be the easiest section to write.
Airports
Honolulu International Airport – Code HNL
Also known as Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. This is the primary airport in Oahu and the gateway to some of the other islands.
FAQ
Where can you fly from to get to Oahu?
HNL Airport has direction connections all over the Pacific. Most major airports in the United States fly there, even those on the East Coast. You can get a direct flight from the middle as well including Salt Lake City and Dallas.
There are direct, international flights including South Korea, Japan, Australia, The Philippines, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
How did The beaches compare to other Islands?
Every island has amazing beaches. Some of my favorites are on Oahu. Pick a Hawaiian Island for other reasons and I promise it will include amazing beaches.
I only know Waikiki, what else should I do?
I’ll always recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center and Pearl Harbor. The Mermaid Caves are great for an adventure, and you can’t go wrong with a trip to Hanuma Bay. Diamond Head is always popular as well.
The Swap Meet and Ala Moana or shopping.
If you have access to transportation, I’d recommend driving to other beaches. My top recommendation is lots of time on any beach.
Is the Polynesian Cultural Center a multi-day destination?
Not really, but in case you miss anything, they recently offer passes that let you visit any missed villages the next day.
What are the best beaches?
I love Waimea, but there are great beaches all over the island. The western leeward side is surprisingly unexplored and not very crowded.
What is the nightlife like?
In Waikiki, there is great nightlife. You’ll be able to find amazing restaurants, bars, and clubs that you want to hit up every night.
What are the less busy parts of the island?
Definitely the Western and Northern sides. Actually, the further you get away from Honolulu, the more relaxed the atmosphere becomes.
The North Shore does seem to get more and more crowded with each passing year.
Are there any places we should avoid?
Be safe and trust your gut, lock your doors, and hide your valuables. The island is pretty good to those who respect others.
Oahu Covid Awareness
As of Feb 2023, there are no Covid restrictions in place for Oahu County of the State of Hawaii.
Summary & other places of interest
So many incredible places on Oahu to see. You come for the beaches, and there are many all over Oahu. The beaches of Oahu are as amazing as anywhere else in the world.
There are smaller places like Haleiwa & Turtle Bay.
If you feel like scuba diving, there are some amazing dive spots!
If Oahu is the only Island you visit, you will have an absolutely amazing vacation. It’s not necessary to island hop and move your stuff all around.