photo by gusto

Honolulu covers 83 square miles of southern Oahu. It occupies a narrow strip of land, 12 by 26 miles, and it stretches from Pearl Harbor in the west to Makapuu Point in the east, and from the shores of the Mamala Bay in the Pacific Ocean to the foothills of the Koolau Mountains. Its sheltered harbor, white-sand beaches at Waikiki, and imposing Diamond Head and Punch Bowl volcanic craters combine with the balmy weather and a slow, friendly pace of life to attract millions of visitors each year.

Honolulu is the capital city of Hawaii, and is under the governance of Honolulu County. It is the nation’s 11th-largest city, with a population of 861,000, and the leading economic center of the state. Military installations include Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Tripler Army Medical Center, and Hickam Air Force Base; manufacturing and tourism also support the economy.

British Captain William Brown discovered Honolulu Harbor in 1794. Honolulu was originally inhabited by Polynesians, but by the 1820s European and American missionaries had arrived and it became the main residence of the Hawaiian royal family. By 1898, the area was annexed to the United States, and the city was incorporated in 1905. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese in 1941 triggered the United States’ entry into World War II, and throughout that war the area was an important Pacific hub for US forces. In 1959, when Hawaii entered the union, Honolulu became the capital.

Waikiki Beach is by far the main attraction here, and many vacationers never leave their pool or beachside perch. The strip is quite beautiful, but very crowded. White sand, clear blue water, palm trees swaying, and locals surfing make up for the wall of fast-food joints and hotels that line the beach.

The west end has a few luxurious resorts. Each afternoon they offer local Hawaiian entertainment for the price of a cocktail. These oceanside verandas are a great place to sit and watch the sunset.

Ala Moana Beach Park, to the west of Waikiki, is more of a local hangout, though tourists flock to the adjacent Ala Moana Shopping Center. Past Waikiki to the east, toward Diamond Head, is Kapiolani Park, home of the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium. Body builders and other locals congregate at Sans Souci Beach, or “Muscle Beach” as it is known locally.

Diamond Head and Punch Bowl are two extinct volcanoes. Visitors can walk from Kapiolani Park east to Diamond Head and visit the Diamond Head State Monument.

Cultural attractions include the Queen Emma Summer Palace, former mountain home of the wife of King Kamehameha IV, and the Iolani Palace, the no-expensespared royal palace of King David Kalakaua. Museums include the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Mission House Museum, and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum.

Oahu is serviced by Honolulu International Airport, which offers frequent services to the mainland and outer islands. Buses and shuttles offer service to downtown, Waikiki, and most of Honolulu.

Walking and cycling are good ways to explore. Cars are convenient, but parking is limited.