Hello H o n o l u l u !!
That's what we say every time we peer out of that airplane window as we see Honolulu pass beneath us. To us ... it's like coming home, even tho I called Honolulu home at one time, in my heart, it still is my home, my geographical location now is simply where my clothes are, and of course my friends and family - can't forget them, they keep me sane while I'm freezing my okole off ;-) but my heart and soul live in Hawaii Nei.
It worked it's way into my blood the day I stepped off the plane 27 years ago and to this day, the feeling I have about Honolulu, awww heck, Hawaii for that matter, is still just as strong and I imagine it always will be.
She does that ya know, she gets in your blood and there is no escaping. Not that you would want to. The people, the culture, the ocean, the mountains ... all of it. It embeds itself on your soul and you must surrender to it. Oh I'm not complaining ... just trying to explain, in case you have never had the sheer joy of standing on the Hawaiian aina (land). It is all consuming!
And of course everyone that sees Hawaii Nei, has a favorite place ... a special beach, a little town or a whole island for that matter that seems to tug at you. For us it is Honolulu.
Ok ... now I know what you may be thinking, those of you that have been to Honolulu ... this wahine is crackers. Well I am ... but that is a completely different web page ;-) Honolulu is the only place for us.
I've heard it called Cement Heaven, Cement By The Sea and that someday it will fall into the ocean if they build one more building. And I agree with all that ... BUT! There is something about that place, something I can't quite put my finger on, something that every time I am there I feel deep inside of me and that place becomes still until I am back in Honolulu.
Maybe because I lived there and I have such wonderful memories or maybe because I can see Honolulu the way it was, back a hundred years ago. Being a history buff, I have read countless books about Hawaii's history, to me it is fascinating, sad, odd, funny, magical, mysterious ... it's a mix of alot of things. But when I am in Honolulu I can see in my mind's eye, Honolulu of old. I can see King Kalakaua being crowned King on the grounds of Iolani Palace or Queen Liliuokalani's summer place on the shores of Waikiki or Princess Kaiulani's beloved Ainahou. And I can even see the saddest day in Hawaiian history when Hawaii was taken by the Provisional Government on the steps of Iolani Palace.
So you see ... Honolulu to us ...isn't just a place to vacation to escape our mainland life ... no no no ... it is so much more to us. They say Home is where the Heart is ... and I guess they are right. Our hearts live in Honolulu, our souls blow in the trades and it calls to us, and we are helpless but to answer.
AREA: Oahu - also known as The Gathering Place - covers 610 square miles, making it the third largest of the Hawaiian islands.
GEOGRAPHY: The primary features of the island are two magnificent mountain ranges, the Koolaus and the Waianae Mountains, and 110 miles of white sand beaches.
POPULATION: About 800,000
TEMPERATURE: The average high in the winter is 80 degrees, and the average high in the summer is 87 degrees. It is cooler at higher altitudes. Night time temperatures drop an average of 15 degrees.
OCEAN TEMPERATURE: The temperature stays at a consistent 72-76 degrees year-round.
TRADE WINDS: More or less consistent at 10-20 knots, trade winds make Hawaii seem cool and comfortable all year long.
RAINFALL: In Waikiki, the average yearly rainfall is 24 inches, but rainfall increases as you approach the mountains.
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: Polynesian Cultural Center, Waimea Falls Park, Sea Life Park, Arizona Memorial, Diamond Head, Chinatown, Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Hanauma Bay and the Honolulu Zoo and Aquarium.
MAJOR RESORTS: Waikiki features approximately one square mile of hotels, shopping, dining and entertainment strung out along one of the world's greatest beaches. Turtle Bay, Ko Olina and Makaha, located out of the city, are inclusive resorts featuring golf, horseback riding and ocean activities.
MAJOR ACTIVITIES: Oahu has 110 miles of white sand beaches, dozens of hiking trails, 32 golf courses, and is an ideal destination for people interested in outdoor and cultural activities as well as having all the attractions of a major city.
DISTANCES:
Oahu is pretty compact, and everywhere is easily accessible by car.
Waikiki Beach to:
Honolulu International Airport 9 miles
Downtown and Chinatown 4 miles
Pali Lookout 11 miles
Bishop Museum 6 miles
Pearl Harbor 14 miles
Waikiki Beach East via Highway 72 and Diamond Head:
Diamond Head Lookout 1 mile
Koko Head/Hanauma Bay 12 miles
Sea Life Park/Makapuu 16 miles
Kailua Junction 25 miles
Waikiki Beach West to:
Ko Olina Resort 25 miles
Makaha Resort 39 miles
Kaena Point 44 miles
Waikiki Beach Northwest via Pali Highway (Highway 61) to:
Polynesian Cultural Center 38 miles
Haleiwa - via Highway 90, 99, 63 - 35 miles
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Oahu, the third largest of the Islands with an area of 594 square miles, is next in the chain as we move east from Kauai. Oahu is the most densely populated of the Islands with 841,600 persons, about 80 percent of Hawaii's population.Oahu, The Gathering Place, was once the common meeting ground for Hawaii's island kings. Since those ancient times, through tribal wars, arrival of missionaries and the rise and fall of a monarchy, Oahu has remained the gathering place. Honolulu, a stunning metropolis with soaring structures and broad thoroughfares, lies on the leeward side of Oahu, with the green Koolau Mountains rising behind. It has been the capital of the Islands since February 1845, when King Kamehameha made it his permanent residence. There is much on the island of Oahu to attract visitors besides Honolulu. On the North Shore, in the winter, break the finest surfing waves in the world. Once the sport of the island kings, the spectacular waves now draw people from all over the world. Windward Oahu faces northeast into the trade winds, enjoying a heavy rainfall that produces magnificent forests and jungles and the coast is speckled with small bays and ancient fish ponds. Oahu offers a variety of pleasures and gives meaning to the name, The Gathering Place.
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