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Honolulu

Experiential journeys will make you a storyteller
About Honolulu
Translating to “sheltered harbor” or “calm port”, Honolulu is the cosmopolitan capital city of Hawaii and is located in the southern part of Oahu. The city’s landscape is well-planned with urban buildings, commercial complexes, universities, financial institutions and the calm waters of the sea add an ethereal charm to the city.

The Bishop Museum here has a mind-blowing collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts. Other places of interest that are worth visiting are The Honolulu Zoo, Iolani Palace, Foster Botanical Gardens, Walker Estate, Pearl Harbor,  and Hawaii Theatre.

Adventure enthusiasts can hike to the Diamond Head, swim with the dolphins, snorkel at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, and indulge in various water sports like parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet-skiing, surfing, and sailing at the famous Waikiki Beach.

Honolulu enjoys warm weather all through the year with temperatures ranging around 28 degrees Celsius on average. The dry season is from April to October and the wet season is from November to March. If you are planning a Honolulu trip, the best time is from December to August when the water activities are open and the climate is perfect.
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Honolulu FAQ's

Travel Advice

·         There are certain local rules and traditions applicable in every country, make sure you adhere to it.

·         Do not indulge in any fight or brawl with any individual.

·         Do not flaunt your valuables in a public space.

·         Make sure you are always alert and active.

·         Gather enough information about every destination you are traveling to.

·         Avoid undertaking a hike to an unknown destination.

·         Do not leave your valuables or cash in the hotel room.

·         Keep away from the touts.

·         Do not get involved in drugs of any forms.

·         If you come across any foreigner in torn clothes or anyone who seems suspicious to you, make sure you avoid eye contact and try and get away from that situation.

·         In case ever need any help, be gentle and seek help from the locals.

·         To better interact with the locals, it is important for you to learn few words from the local language. 

·         Always take a room in the hotel that is known and famous.

·         Make sure your hotel is not located in any shady area.

·         Do not click pictures in an area that forbids you from taking pictures.

·         Do not film or shoot any area without legal permissions from the authority. 

Drinking Law

The legal age for drinking in Honolulu is 21 years. 

Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?

Pearl harbor and USS Arizona Memorial: One of the biggest tourist attractions of Honolulu is Pearl Harbor. Despite being a home to the Navy's Pacific Fleet, visitors can take a tour here and see the USS Missouri and the USS Arizona Memorial. It is usually the place to start your fun journey in Honolulu. 

Waikiki: The main beach destination of people heading to the island of Oahu and Honolulu, Waikiki is indeed an important place to see. The place is largely known for its large and crescent shaped beach where the visitors come in large numbers to enjoy the swim and the sun. People also come to this beach destination to learn surfing. You can find a number of restaurants, hotels and shops here. 

Lyon Arboretum and Manoa Falls: Lyon Arboretum is a vast 194 acre botanical garden in a rainforest. It features a vast collection of more than 5000 tropical plants from Polynesia and Hawaii. It is also known to have the largest collection of palms in a botanical garden. Lyon Arboretum is also an active research facility that is working on to preserve the tropical forests of the state. It also maintains a number of theme gardens where the visitors can easily wander around. Amongst these, the most popular ones include the bromeliad garden, the herb and spice garden, Beatrice H. Krauss Hawaiian Ethnobotanical Garden, and several others. This facility is both educational and beautiful. There is a path at the entrance of the Lyon Arboretum which leads to the Manoa Falls where bathing is allowed.

Iolani Palace: Iolani Palace is a magnificent Neo-Classical designed building that was completed in the year 1882. It used to be the official residence of the Hawaii's monarchy. The building has now been restored to its original self. It is indeed the best sightseeing attraction which takes you back in the history of Hawaii. The palace once used to be the residence of the Hawaii's royalty until they were dismissed by the America settlers in the year 1893. Then it served as a state capitol before the modern one was built in the year 1969. In the 1970s, this palace was restored and thereafter in 1978, it was opened as a museum.

Ala Moana Park: Tucked amidst the Waikiki and the downtown Honolulu, the Ala Moana Park and Beach offers a magnificent view of the Waikiki. It is an incredible beach for water sports like swimming. It also has a man made reef protecting it from the open sea. Since the water here is gently calm, kids too can have a great time here. The sand here is coarse. On the western end lies the Fisherman's Wharf which is often regarded as the Kewalo Basin. It is a beautiful port where you can hire a boat and go out fishing all by yourself in the open sea. This definitely is a must visit tourist attraction in Honolulu.   

What you will like there?

Beaches to bum on: How can a holiday to Hawaii be complete without sun, sand and surf? Honolulu has it all in abundance! Whether you seem to enjoy relaxing with a Mai Tai in hand at one of those resorts on Waikiki or you just wish to explore the sea creatures from under the glistening crystal clear waters at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve or body surfing the rugged and rough waves at Makapuu, there definitely is a beach for you to explore in Honolulu.   

Culture or Cultures to explore: Honolulu was originally inhabited by the Polynesian migrants which were later joined by the United States. This archipelago of Pacific Ocean is, by all means, a true definition of East meets West. Nowhere will you experience something just as dynamic as this than in the cosmopolitan city of Honolulu. To explore the distinct cultural scene of Honolulu, you must visit the abundant Buddhist temples found in Chinatown or marvel at one of the most superior collections of Asian art that you have possibly seen anywhere. You must spend a day or two exploring the Polynesian Cultural Center. That in no way means, you’ll forget the fantastic ramen served at one of the most wonderful Japanese restaurants of the city.

Jungles to Trek: For once just leave the city streets behind you and get yourself amidst the Jurassic Park jungles, quite literally. Take a short but muddy trek to the Manoa Falls which is some 100 feet tall. You’ll be lead through the bamboo laden rainforests which are literally Jurassic enough to serve as the right backdrop for the movies and also for television series. When you are here trekking, you’ll never feel far from the city yet feel so close to civilization.

Volcanoes to climb: Another great thing to do in Honolulu is climbing out of the woods into the sky to reach the top of the two different volcanic craters. Both of these craters offer panoramic views of the islands. One of the most popular hikes of Oahu is the Diamond Head so you must definitely try out the Koko Head Crater Trail if you wish to try a steeper and a less cramped alternative.

Art and artefacts to appreciate:
 Need some refuge from the mid day heat? Head to the cool climates of some of the best museums or galleries of Honolulu. The city has abundant of options when it comes to places to see. You can find complete collections dedicated to:

Contemporary artists - The Spalding House

Hawaiian artists - Hawaii State Art Museum

International masters - Honolulu Museum of Art

Natural History - The Bishop Museum

Given the extensive variety of world-class museums available all around the city, it is certainly easy for you to spend some time from your holiday exploring the indoors of the city. Sunburn too needs a break, no?

History to relive: Hawaii has a vast ranging history. A conquering king led his forces to victory on the Oahu’s eastern slopes and finally unites with the Hawaiian Islands under the monarchy rule. A winter day that, till date lives in infamy because of the surprise attack on the western harbour of Oahu, drew a massive republic into the WWII and changed the complete course of history. These events and many others are illuminated and commemorated by the museums, temples, palaces, statues and monuments of Oahu like nowhere else on the Islands.  

Architecture to ogle: 
You have so much more to the Honolulu architecture than just the resort towers and the tiki huts. Of course these things exist too, they do so alongside the city of phenomenal architectural diversity. Some of the grand places to see include the Hawaiian State Capitol building, Gothic Cathedral of St. Andrews and the cone-shaped legislative chambers which were patterned by the volcanoes of the island. You must also check out the Kalakaua’s Iolani Palace which features architecture detailing which is nowhere to be seen elsewhere in the world. To check out the Islamic art here, you can visit the 14,000 square foot Shangri La of the Doris Duke.  

Energy to enliven:
If Hawaii is lax and lazy, Honolulu is young, lively and energetic. It has the most well spirited nightlife in the world which makes you get off your hammock and actually feel alive.

Ocean Sports: 
When it comes to water sports or surfing, Hawaii is the world headquarter. The climate here is fantastic and the water is cool but not very cold making it ideal for water sports. The waves are variable and depend on the beach you opt for. One of the world’s best surfing destination is the North shore of Oahu however in Honolulu too you’ll find some great spots to carry out this adventure activity. Some of the best places to show your love for water are Kaka?ako, Sandy’s, Waikiki, Diamond Head and Ala Moana Beach Park.   

Local Hawaii Food: 
For someone who enjoys eating, if the food of a tourist attraction is great, everything else is good too. Hawaii will hold a deer spot in the heart of every foodie. Sample the diverse selection of food available here. Just try as many dishes as possible to best satiate your belly. One of the most famous Hawaiian restaurant that you really need to try is the Helena’s. You can also visit the People’s Café which is just as great. Some of the must try dishes include the taro paste, laulau, poi and kalua pig. Besides Hawaiian, you can find Japanese, Filipino, Thai, Chinese and Korean restaurants spread all across the city.

Honolulu Reviews

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Jidhin Janardhanan
Reviewed: 13 Nov 2022
4.0/5
With our guide, we boarded one of America's most cherished battleships located on the conclusion of World War II in Hawaii. Our tour guide told us about the battleship's history as he led us through all of its exhibits and displays. It was a fantastic experience, all thanks to our guide. and the thr... Read More
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Agrata Khanna
Reviewed: 07 Feb 2022
4.0/5
We had this opportunity to step aboard one of America's most cherished battleships. It was a patriotic moment when we learnt about the various wars in which the vessel was involved. Thankyou Thrillophilia for making this possible for us. We truly appreciate your efforts.
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Anjaneya Kocchar
Reviewed: 16 Jan 2022
4.0/5
We got our tickets to Battleship Missouri Memorial at an amazing deal on Thrillophilia. It was a beautiful time there, exploring the marine weapons and museum exhibits. I would totally recommend this to everyone visiting Hawaii.
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Satyen Chattopadhyay
Reviewed: 03 Sep 2021
5.0/5
The Battleship Missouri Memorial in Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state. I booked my tickets for this attraction via Thrillophilia and got great discount, and really loved the visit to this place. With the tickets, me and my cousins enjoyed a tour of the ship, as well ... Read More

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