International Market Place
 

I haven't been to Oahu for several years. When I was there, I heard lots of talk about tearing down or renovating the Internation Market Place. Is the Market Place still open? Has it undergone "renovations"?

6 weeks until we are in paradise !

Thanks a bunch,
-Lisa

still there, still nothing but crap there, not what it used to be years ago. If you're in the area might as well check it out, but not worth an extra stop. Aloha Tower Marketplace is much nicer.

Most of what you find there can be gotton for less at the Aloha Stadium swap meet. Plans have been scaled back quite abit for IMP last I heard supposed to do some minor improvements.

Last fall we stayed across the street from the marketplace. I agree. It has changed. I was there last in 1988 and thought it was neat.

This time, I kid you not, there must be one hundred kiosks with each and every one of them selling the exact same things as their neighbor! It amazed me. I mean how can you stay in business when you offer the same bracelet for sale as about 40 other kiosks within 40 yards of your kiosk? Or the same t-shirt as everyone else? It was pretty sad.

Have you been to the zoo? We had a lovely time there.

aww, thanks matnikstym! yes, Aloha Tower Marketplace is nice , check it out: www.alohatower.com

plans to renovate International Marketplace were out on hold indefinitely duevto monetary concerns.

Good to hear that everyone agrees that the International Marketplace is now nothing but a bunch of crap. When it looked like they were going to replace the whole damn thing there was an outcry to save this "treasure". The truth is that it is a dump that has to go. A large part of Waikiki is now a dump. Fortunately, there is hope for Waikiki as they have already levelled Lewers Street and are in the process of replacing it. I hope International Market Place is next, and maybe in 15 or 20 years Waikiki will be restored to respectability.

I first visited the International Marketplace in 1965. In those days there were a lot of T-shirt shops on the street, there were absolutely NO "high end" stores in the area as there are today, etc., etc.

I remember very vividly the paintings on velvet and so forth. Some folks thought the stuff being sold THEN wasn't so hot.

After visiting this past January I have to agree it seems to have become even worse as hard as that is to believe.

Not much there anymore.

But, it is still nice to walk through.

They do have some free entertainment on the stage in the back end of IMP. Also a small food court.

There is still entertainment like metalman & others in front of IMP at night.

Lots of Oahu info:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34812564

Thanks for all the input.

The consensus seems to be…If I am walking by there stop in, but it is not worth going out of my way to make a stop.

I will be sure to visit the Aloha Tower Marketplace. I checked out the website and I agree with all of you, it is a worthwhile stop.

I really like the idea of visiting the Zoo. It looks like a nice place to spend a morning.

I have been reading this forum every day in preparation for our trip. I cannot thank you all enough for your invaluable advice.

Cheers,
-Lisa

IMO, the best thing about the International Market place is the enormous, 100 year old banyan tree--that is worth a look see if you're in the area. Last year, DH and I went to the zoo for the first time--we loved it, particularly the very active, playful monkeys and seeing eucalyptus trees for the first time; their trunks are so colorful! Enjoy a great trip!

I had the healthiest, cheapest, and one of the best meals of our visit at the very back of the IMP food court in June--a tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat bread and a smoothie made with real fruit.

In 1973, my daughter and I ate at Trader Vic's, I believe up in that banyan tree. It was quite nice then.

We did get a couple of pretty slipper pendants this year, one 14 carat gold and the other black opal. We gave them to each other for our birthdays.

I think all the vendors there are all the same family..ya think? I wish they would just re-do it and get a higher quality of vendor in there. I love the setting and the banyon tree. It would be just a shame to see that tree taken out. I think Waikiki got "junky" when they built all that stuff in front of the Royal Hawaiian. I stayed there for six weeks my first trip to Hawaii...more years ago than I can think about...who was it said "if I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself"!!! LOL..but anyway, you got to the Royal from a long sidewalk directly from the street. The grounds were just beautiful as was the view of the hotel. When I went back to Honolulu many years later and saw what they had done, I almost cried!!! Horrible!!!! But...progress, ya know? Anyway, I hope they do something nice with the International Market Place area at some point. It's a lovely setting when you get in there under the trees.

We stopped in while taking a walk one evening. Prices were all over the place for the same things. Example: a necklace that is sold everywhere is quoted by the first vendor near the street at $30; another vendor was $18. I bought it on Duke's Lane nearby for $12 including the matching earrings.

If we weren't walking by, I wouldn't have stopped in.

I really like Cocunut Willys in the IMP. It's a restaurant that has free music entertainment. The food is cheap and edible. It's not fancy but very casual. The beers are cheap and it is elevated so you can people watch under that big banyan tree everyone is talking about. It's my favorite place to stop for drinks in Waikiki. Must admit I haven't enjoyed any shopping there though. Nothing unique or very interesting. I agree the Aloha Tower Marketplace is great.
Have a great time!
Annika