First-time visitors are often surprised to find that this capital city contains no grass shacks today, even in the most remote residential neighborhoods.
In fabled Waikiki the sound of traffic often outdoes the waves in drowning out the gentle strumming of an occasional ukulele.
Nevertheless, Honolulu possesses some genuine tropical charm along with a Pacific cultural environment unique among the 50 states, of which this was the last admitted to the union back in 1959. And while you may never hear Hawaiian spoken on the street, you can still enjoy Hawaiian music, watch the hula, learn to surf or attend a luau.
Situated on 608-square-mile Oahu, one of the eight main Hawaiian Islands, Honolulu is home to around 800,000 people-about four-fifths of the state`s population.
For most visitors, the city appears to be divided into Waikiki, a beachside suburb guarded by the distinctive profile of a dormant volcano named Diamond Head, and what is known as Downtown, the original city center three miles away. Several shopping and residential areas lie between these two areas and around the periphery of both.
Dozens of beaches ring the island, but a few stand out in the metropolitan area. Waikiki Beach fronts most of the major hotels, and it is there where you can swim, ride outrigger canoes, learn to surf or just hang out looking for interesting people.
To the west, Ala Moana Beach Park is just across the street from the shopping complex called Ala Moana Center.
Beyond Waikiki to the east are a string of beaches fronting the high-priced residential area called Waialae-Kahala, along with the exclusive Kahala Hilton Hotel. And after that is Hanauma Bay, a former volcano crater that is now an ”underwater park,” a haven for colorful fish and ideal viewing for scuba divers and snorkelers.
The must-see sights
Diamond Head crater qualifies as a ”sight” of its own. Not many know that there`s an easily accessible trail through some old military
installations up to the 760-foot summit.
Also in Waikiki, the large Kapiolani Park below Diamond Head is popular, with at least a corner of it devoted to a municipal zoo. The Waikiki Aquarium is also in the park, and another portion is devoted on some days to the outdoor Kodak Hula Show, which has been swinging and swaying there for more than half a century.
The most popular sight in Honolulu is at Pearl Harbor, out beyond the airport, where the USS Arizona Memorial marks the spot where the battleship was sunk on Dec. 7, 1941, during the battle that brought the United States into World War II.
There are several ways to get to Pearl, and it`s a good idea to phone the National Park Service recording at 422-0561 before going.
Another popular sight is Punchbowl Crater, which overlooks Downtown Honolulu and holds the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. World War II columnist Ernie Pyle`s grave is there; so is that of Elison Onizuka, the astronaut from Hawaii who was killed in the Challenger disaster.
Another sight often skipped is the drive through a high-level rain forest above Honolulu on the hills called Tantalus and Round Top. Stop at Puu Ualakaa Park for an albatross` eye view of the city.
There are museums, too
Honolulu`s most famous is the century-old Bishop Museum, at 1525 Bernice St., almost the official repository of all things Polynesian. The Mission Houses Museum, 553 S. King St., sits in and around the first Western structures on the island.
Not far away, Iolani Palace, built by Hawaii`s last king, is open to the public, too; but you`d better reserve in advance at 522-0832. Also Downtown, on Ala Moana Boulevard near the 1921 Aloha Tower, is the 3-year-old Maritime Museum, largely devoted to sea lore of Hawaii. Look for the four-masted vessel named the Falls of Clyde.
In Waikiki, not far from the Hilton Hawaiian Village, you`ll find the Army Museum, headquartered in an old coastal artillery battery building.
In a different vein, there are several art galleries in Honolulu, led by the Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S. Beretania St., best known for its Asian collection.
Dedicated shoppers will enjoy Kalakaua Avenue near the hotels in Waikiki, but eventually they will also want to browse where many residents shop at Ala Moana Center, a 10-minute bus ride from Waikiki.
Some who rent cars also find themselves exploring Pearlridge Center, approximately in the Pearl Harbor neighborhood.
Events, entertainment
The premier event of the year in Honolulu is Aloha Week, filled with parades and other cultural activities marking Hawaii`s diverse ethnic heritage-and usually lasting longer than a week. Always held in the fall, Aloha Week in 1991 will run Sept. 20-29.
At any time of the year, Waikiki is generally the entertainment center of Hawaii, offering more live entertainment than any other American city except Las Vegas. The venerable Don Ho continues to perform at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Other headliners who are also top entertainers include Danny Kaleikini at the Kahala Hilton, the Brothers Cazimero at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Al Harrington at the Reef Towers Hotel and the Society of Seven at the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel. Also you`ll find evening luaus, which include traditional food and entertainment, at the Outrigger, the Royal Hawaiian and other hotels.
Nearly all the big hotels are on or near the beach in Waikiki, and this includes the super-elegant Halekulani, the garden-filled Hilton Hawaiian Village, the dramatic Hyatt Regency, several good Sheratons and the Outrigger Waikiki. Doubles in these modern megaliths generally run upwards of $150 a day.
Two historic beach hotels, both now run by Sheraton, include the 1927-model Royal Hawaiian, known affectionately as the ”Pink Palace,” and the Moana-Surfrider, where the Moana portion has just been beautifully refurbished to the elegance it had on opening day in 1901.
Several good but more modest hotels and condominiums farther from the beach can be had for much less money. These include the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani ($95-$160), the Outrigger East ($75-$105), the Outrigger Waikiki Surf ($45-$75) and the family-operated Royal Grove Hotel ($35-90).
Getting around
Honolulu`s bus system, which extends over the entire island, is known as simply TheBus. Exact change of 60 cents will take you as far as you want to go, and you can even get one transfer for that.
Taxis and rental car companies are plentiful-the latter so heavily competitive that you can often get a car cheaper in Hawaii than in many other parts of the country, sometimes for less than $20 a day.
There are bus tours to all parts of the island. Short cruises sometimes leave from Waikiki Beach, but most cast off from Kewalo Basin, a set of commercial and sport-fishing docks between Waikiki and Downtown. All companies provide transportation to and from the boats. Be aware that the commercial cruises to Pearl Harbor are not allowed to let passengers off at the Arizona Memorial, however. Better go independently for the full experience.
Honolulu has a surprising number of excellent restaurants, many of them at hotels and elsewhere in Waikiki.
Top names this season include La Mer in the Halekulani, the Bali Room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, The Secret in the Hawaiian Regent Hotel and Bagwell`s in the Hyatt Regency.
Good Chinese restaurants include King Tsin, the Great Wok of China and the House of Hong. Leading Thai dining rooms in Honolulu include the Siam Orchid and the tiny Pataya Thai. The best Italian restaurant is probably Sergio`s. Japanese cuisine is led by Suntory in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.
For more information, write to the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, Suite 801, 2270 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, Hawaii 96815, or phone 808-923-1811. Several good Hawaii guidebooks are also available in bookstores across the country.
