Travel DreamScapes: Hawaii: Honolulu Oahu (*)

If you have never visited Hawaii before, I would highly recommend that you begin visiting the islands with a trip to the island of Oahu first.

Called the “Heart of Hawaii” Oahu is the third largest Hawaiian island and home to 73% of the state’s diverse population, a melding of eastern and western cultures rooted in the values and traditions of the native Hawaiian people. Honolulu is the capital and largest city of Hawaii. The city’s name derives from the native words “hono”, meaning a bay, and “lulu”, meaning sheltered.

Honolulu had a chaotic early history as one of the last areas on the globe to be explored and exploited by Europeans. Hawaii itself was subject to strong pressures from many forces, including American missionaries, and opportunistic whalers. On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor, which is west of Honolulu and the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Naval Fleet was bombed in a surprise attack by the Empire of Japan. This action catapulted the U.S. into World War II.

Hawaii became a state in 1959 and that along with the viability of commercial air travel to the island brought an explosion of tourists to Honolulu. Today, tourism is the city’s principal industry, followed by federal defense expenditures and agricultural exports.

Oahu is a place where timeless beauty blends with the modern luxuries of today. Here visitors can swim in the warm waters of world-famous Waikiki Beach one moment then enjoy the dramatic mountain views of the Nuuanu Pali Lookout another. By day you can watch the surfers on the legendary North Shore and by night immerse yourself in vibrant nightlife spots around Honolulu.

No visit would be complete without a trek to Diamond Head which sits prominently near the eastern edge of Waikiki’s coastline. Encompassing over 475 acres, Hawaii’s most recognized landmark is known for its historic hiking trail, stunning coastal views, and military history.

Located in downtown Honolulu is another must see, Iolani Palace. As the former official residence of King Kalakaua and Queen Lili’uokalani, the palace is a marvel of opulence, innovation and political intrigue. It was built in 1882 and became the government headquarters after the overthrow of the monarchy. Government offices vacated the palace in 1969 as restoration of the palace was undertaken. Iolani Palace opened to the public in 1978 after the structural restoration was completed.

Located across from the palace is Ali’iolani Hale, the current home of the Hawaii State Supreme Court. In the building’s courtyard you will find the famed gold-leaf statue of Kamehameha the Great ( 1758 – May 8, 1819). The construction of the building was undertaken in 1872 by Kamehameha V. Unfortunately, he died before the building was completed, and it was dedicated in 1874 by one of his successors, King David Kalākaua. Until 1893, the building held most of the executive departments of the Hawaiian government as well as the Hawaiian legislature and courts. It was from Aliʻiōlani Hale in 1893 that Queen Liliʻuokalani was deposed by public proclamation. Shortly after the Hawaiian provisional government and the Republic of Hawaii were established. Some of the offices in Aliʻiōlani Hale were moved to Iolani Palace, including the Hawaiian legislature. As a result, Aliʻiolani Hale became primarily a judicial building.

A nice scenic drive from Honolulu to the foot of the Ko’olau Mountains will take you to the Valley of the Temples Memorial. Here you will find Byodo-In Temple, a non-practicing Buddhist temple which welcomes people of all faiths to worship, meditate or simply appreciate its beauty. The temple grounds are often used for wedding ceremonies for Hawaiians or visitors from Japan. It was commissioned and built to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. The temple is a smaller-scale replica of the 950-year-old Byodo-in Temple, a United Nations World Heritage Site in Uji, Japan. Inside the temple you fill find a nine-foot tall wooden Lotus Buddha covered in gold and lacquer.

About a 40-minute drive from Waikiki is the present day Dole Plantation. Originally operated as a fruit stand beginning in 1950, Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii’s “Pineapple Experience” in 1989. Today, Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular visitor attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year. Here visitors can ride the Pineapple Express for a whistle stop tour through Hawaii’s pineapple story, walk the grounds, sample the delicious pineapple ice cream and pick up a Dole souvenir to bring home with you.

Who would think of finding a garden in the midst of busy downtown Honolulu? Foster Botanical Garden is the oldest of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens. Its beginning can be traced back to 1853 when Queen Kalama leased a small area of land to William Hillebrand, a young German doctor. A botanist as well as a physician, he and his wife built a home in the upper terrace area of the present garden. The magnificent trees which now tower over this area were planted by him. After twenty years in Hawaii, he returned to Germany and the property was sold to Thomas and Mary Foster who added to it and continued to develop the garden. Upon Mrs. Foster’s death in 1930, the 5.5 acre site was bequeathed to the City and County of Honolulu as a public garden. The Foster Botanical Garden opened to the public on November 30, 1931, with Dr. Harold Lyon as its first director. Over a span of 27 years, Dr. Lyon introduced 10,000 new kinds of trees and plants to Hawaii. The Foster Garden orchid collection was started with Dr. Lyon’s own plants. Through purchases by the City and gifts from individuals, Foster Garden expanded to over 13.5 acres. Today the garden welcomes more than 75,000 visitors annually. Guided tours are given to thousands of school children as well as visitors from around the world.

Finally, a visit to Hawaii would not be complete without a luau. Paradise Cove located at the Ko Olina Resort is one of the largest luau shows. Here visitors can casually stroll through the Hawaiian Village, learn the arts & crafts of the islands and test their skills in various Hawaiian games prior to the Royal Court Procession and the Imu Ceremony. Afterwards you can feast on traditional Hawaiian dishes and enjoy the songs and dances of Hawaii and Polynesia performed by Paradise Cove’s performers.

Not to forget, Oahu offers a full line-up of water activities including Parasailing, Jet skiing, Scuba diving, Wakeboarding, Water-skiing and Surfing lessons. There is so much to do and usually not enough time!

Diamond Head

View from Ohana Waikiki Malia Hotel on Kuhio Avenue in Honolulu

Iolani Palace

The statue of King Kamehameha I stands in front of the State Supreme Court building

The Byodo-In Temple

Foster Botanical Garden (Daibutsu). According to the plaque on its base, this replica of the Great Buddha of Kamakura was dedicated in 1968 to commemorate the centennial of Japanese immigration to Hawaii