What Island Is Honolulu On? Here Is What You Need To Know!

By Alice Ross | NORTH AMERICA

Jul 10
what island is honolulu on

If you’re planning to go to Hawaii, you’re probably wondering what island is Honolulu on. The capital of Hawaii, Honolulu is located on the third biggest island on this American state, Oahu. 

A city with a population of about 345,000, Honolulu stretches throughout the coastline and hillsides of southeastern Oahu and boasts some of the most famous icons in Hawaii. It also has a lot of resorts, hotels, and other points of interests. As a major city, Honolulu is one of the most well-known destinations in Hawaii. The downtown district is probably the major tourist hotspots in Honolulu. 

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Traveling to Honolulu

With a big population and a lot of scattering urban regions, traffic in Honolulu can be quite overwhelming, mainly because of the knot of one-way streets. There are many parking lots located in the central part of Honolulu, and car rental is extensively available. Honolulu is one of the easiest places to rent a car in Oahu, even though other popular means of transport like taxies, coaches, buses, as well as bicycles.

 Honolulu Airport Welcome Sign

Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is approximately 4 miles from the city and is an essential transportation center. A lot of passengers arrive every day at Honolulu Airport from different parts of the world. With 3 terminals and various facilities, the airport is only a short trip away from the central part of Honolulu, with many hotels scattered around.

Some of the Best Spots in Honolulu

Aside from knowing what island is Honolulu on, knowing what to do and where to go once you get there, is also important. Here are some spots you may not want to miss when you visit Honolulu.

Waikiki

As you can expect, there are a lot of spectacular locations to go in Honolulu and definitely, Waikiki should be on top of the list. It is mainly popular due to its white sandy beach and multistory hotel skyline, Waikiki seems to have all you might be looking for in Hawaii.

Waikiki

It's an epicenter of bars, restaurants, shops, hotels, resorts, and nightlife. If you are interested to learn how to surf, get your sun-kissed skin, meet people, get wasted, or shop ‘til you drop, then this definitely is the place to be. When the evening comes, you are and your significant other can enjoy a romantic candlelight dinner while watching the stars above your head, hit the dance floor at many bars and clubs, or simply wander around the beach and enjoy the moment.

Ala Moana Beach Park

With more than a hundred acres of stunning coastline access and recreational areas, Ala Moana Beach Park is the ideal gathering place for people who visited Honolulu, especially as a group of family or friends.

Ala Moana Beach Park

The common scene to expect here are people coming together to enjoy nice barbeque under the sun, swim in crystal clear waters, and simply spend a relaxing day with a refreshment within reach.

Ala Moana Beach Park is a place that offers something for everyone of any age. In comparison with a lot of beaches in Honolulu, Ala Moana Hawaii offers long lines of shady trees as well as picnic tables on top of the many recreation opportunities which make it perfect for families especially those with kids and all these just across the famous open-air Ala Moana Mall.

Sea Life Park Dolphin Adventures

Sea Life Park Dolphin Adventures

By visiting Sea Life Park, you can experience dolphin adventures which allow you to watch dolphins! This will give you an opportunity to witness why dolphins are called the smartest animals in nature.

While you are there, make sure to check out some of the other park attractions like the Hawaiian Ocean Theater and Dolphin Cove Show. This is the only place in Hawaii you will have the chance to get up close with these animals

Grand Circle Island Bus Tour

If you want your trip to Honolulu to be as stress-free as possible, then you may want to consider joining a bus tour. Grand Circle Island Bus Tour is a 9-hour tour that will take your from Hanauma Bay to the North Shore. During this trip, you will make a stop at several locations like Halona Point, Pali Lookout, Sunset Beach Park, and Byodo-In. There will be no dull moment during this trip as you are able to enjoy picturesque attractions while on the way to the next stops.

Grand Circle Island

The Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

This is no doubt the most popular attraction in Honolulu. Expect to see hundreds of visitors from all over the world visiting this site.

The Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

The memorial spans the sunken USS Arizona where tourists visit to not just learn about the history of Pearl Harbor, but as well as to pay their respects to the USS Arizona’s fallen, heroes.

When visiting here, you have to know the bags and big cameras are not allowed due to heightened security measures. 

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

Situated east of Honolulu, Hanauma Bay is another must-check-out marine life preserve that is home to a lot of species of fish and corals.

It is one of best snorkeling spots in Oahu as it allows visitors to experience and see marine life up close. Whether you simply like the idea of laying down on the sandy beach or swim with sea creatures, it is going to be a priceless experience.

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

​Shopping in Honolulu

While this is not a location, shopping in Honolulu is definitely worth mentioning! If you like shopping to your heart’s content, you will have the options of going to Ward Center, Ala Moana Shopping Center, and The International marketplace to name a few. From cheap souvenirs to signature brands like Gucci and Prada, Honolulu has a lot to offer. The challenge is to decide where to start first.

Ala Moana Shopping Center

Important Tips when Traveling to Honolulu

In order to assure the fun or your trip, there are some things you need to keep in mind. When visiting Honolulu, here are some helpful tips you need to keep in mind.

- Expect to experience traffic

As mentioned earlier, traffic is a common occurrence in this city. With its fame among tourists, rental cars are very popular, that’s why roads are normally filled with them.
That only means a lot of major roads all over the city get congested, mostly in the morning when people go to work and evening rush hours when they need to go back home. If you happen to get stuck in traffic, keep your cool and don’t honk!

traffic jam

Parking is not cheap, so choose your transportation wisely
While most hotels have parking places available and they offer them for free, you have to know that using a car on the island means paying parking fees several times during your trip.

If you are planning to zip around the town, you have to set aside some money on parking spaces and valets. This is mainly because public parking spots are hard to come by. You must remember that popular areas such as Waikiki are pretty small and walking around is a good alternative. Honolulu also offers many well-maintained public hop-on buses that you may want to take if you are going to a short distance.

- Consider booking inland hotels

While getting up in the morning and pulling back the curtain of the hotel room and greeted by an endless breathtaking blue ocean seems magical, it may cause you an arm and a leg.

In order to save some money, you may want to choose a hotel situated a short walk from the beach instead. Of course, if you don’t care about the money, you can always go for it, but if you have limited funds, then be smarter about choosing a hotel for you.

- Snorkeling may not be for the beginners

Keep in mind that the “deadliest beach” of Hawaii, Hanauma Bay, is located in Honolulu. It is well known for being an exceptional place for snorkeling due to its calm waters. However, a lot of tourists, especially the older ones, underestimate the difficulty of snorkeling; assuming it only requires floating instead of actively swimming. Because if this, there have been cases of heart attacks and drowning.

snorkeling

If you still want to go snorkeling, make sure to know the risks and that you have proper gears to do so. Keep in mind that rough waves at other beaches may not be easy to deal with if you are not an experienced swimmer. Be aware of warnings signs, particularly if you are going to deeper parts of the ocean.

Again, aside from knowing what island is Honolulu on, there are many other things you need to know about it. And we hope that this article has been helpful for you to learn more about this beautiful island.

If you have other questions regarding Honolulu, make sure to let us know by leaving comments below. If you like this article, make sure to share it with your friends on your social media handles!

Rating: 4.33 (3 votes)

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Alice Ross, a long-term traveler who left the corporate world to travel the world. I chose to live life on my own phase and live day by day while immersing myself in new experiences, new knowledge, and new people in a different walk of life I met along the way.

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(1) comment

William R. Parks July 12, 2018

thank you Ross, for the beautiful photos of this beautiful town. I really love the fact that you captured the rustic atmosphere of Honolulu.

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