Is Oahu overrated??
Dec 11th, 2002, 02:15 PM
#22
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jjj I like Waikiki but I don't stay there every time. I am also a city person and so I can adapt better to busy places. With only 7 days and if you don't anticipate going back any time soon I would go to Kauai JJJ. Problem is that you will be forever spoiled to visit the other islands. I say stay half the time at the Hyatt and half the time at the Princeville. So easy to just say I don't want to drive to the other side of the island when you are there. Meanwhile when you were home looking at the map it seemed so close. Then you miss stuff. I have been going for about 6 years now and I still find new stuff to see on Kauai. Always cracks me up here when someone says oh you can pretty much see everything in 5 days, island hop!
Maui would nice also. Actually is always my pick when you only have a week. If you are looking forward to nightlife it is a good pick with busy and quiet areas.
Maui would nice also. Actually is always my pick when you only have a week. If you are looking forward to nightlife it is a good pick with busy and quiet areas.
Dec 11th, 2002, 11:48 PM
#24
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I'm a local resident of Oahu...born and raised here on this island and am 36yrs old. I've also been to the other islands and would never consider re-locating. Yes, Oahu is a busy island. And Yes... we have major freeways!! How else are we supposed to drive from one side of the island to another?
There are a lot of outer island residents that relocate to Oahu because of everything that it has to offer. We have all the islands wrapped up in one island here. There's nightlife, great shopping, romantic spots, and activities up the okole!
If you think Oahu is yuck yuck yuck, then its your loss. Don't just stay in Waikiki.... but don't try to ride your mopeds on the freeway either
Aloha!
There are a lot of outer island residents that relocate to Oahu because of everything that it has to offer. We have all the islands wrapped up in one island here. There's nightlife, great shopping, romantic spots, and activities up the okole!
If you think Oahu is yuck yuck yuck, then its your loss. Don't just stay in Waikiki.... but don't try to ride your mopeds on the freeway either
Aloha!
Dec 12th, 2002, 06:24 AM
#26
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Oahu can get touristy, but if you rent a car and drive around you can see some really impressive scenery.
Take a drive along the southeast coast by Makapuu lookout / beach. The scenery along this road is very impressive. Lanikai beach is a MUST - beatiful!
Climb Diamond Head for GREAT views of Waikiki and the beautiful ocean.
Waikiki beach is kind of dumpy - they need to clean the damn cigarettes out of the sand. We never laid out there - just too dirty. The other beaches are great though.
Sunset beach and the north coast is really nice.
Personally, we were not fans of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Took a whole day - we could have been at the beach!
In all, 5 or 6 days is enough on this island. If you have time, I HIGHLY recommend the Big Island if you're into nature / hiking / beaches... you can check out
-Pololu Valley - hike down a huge valley to a black sand beach - very remote.
-Waipio Valley - you can drive down to this black sand beach.
-Helicopter Tour over the Volcanoes - we saw flowing lava.
-Akaka Falls - huge waterfall
-Hapuna Beach - great huge beach on the northern coast
Take a drive along the southeast coast by Makapuu lookout / beach. The scenery along this road is very impressive. Lanikai beach is a MUST - beatiful!
Climb Diamond Head for GREAT views of Waikiki and the beautiful ocean.
Waikiki beach is kind of dumpy - they need to clean the damn cigarettes out of the sand. We never laid out there - just too dirty. The other beaches are great though.
Sunset beach and the north coast is really nice.
Personally, we were not fans of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Took a whole day - we could have been at the beach!
In all, 5 or 6 days is enough on this island. If you have time, I HIGHLY recommend the Big Island if you're into nature / hiking / beaches... you can check out
-Pololu Valley - hike down a huge valley to a black sand beach - very remote.
-Waipio Valley - you can drive down to this black sand beach.
-Helicopter Tour over the Volcanoes - we saw flowing lava.
-Akaka Falls - huge waterfall
-Hapuna Beach - great huge beach on the northern coast
Dec 15th, 2002, 12:55 PM
#28
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Oahu is Miami! It actually has expressways!
Don't limit yourself to one island. See at least Maui and Kauai.
On my last trip to Hawaii, I visited Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island.
Kauai: This is where Jurassic park and many other movies are filmed, and for good reason. It is the garden isle. It is sparsely populated. Take a BLUE HAWAIIAN helicopter ride. Take a raft trip along the NAPALI COAST with the optional landing to see ruins of old temples. Take a kayak trip. See the grand canyon of Kauai (wiamai canyon...misspelled, i know)
On Maui, drive to HANA. Take one day each way. Fantastic. 10 miles an hour with one lane bridges and hairpin turns. Fantastic scenery! Take the snorkeling trip offered by the PACIFIC WHALE FOUNDATION, a nonprofit group, to Molokini, the half submerged volcano located some miles offshore. Drive up to the extinct volcanos of HALEAKALA and see the sun rise or set (about 40 degrees on top so dress accordingly and don't take the bike ride unless you like it wet and cold). If you want some REALLY hair raising driving but gorgeous scenery, drive along the northwest side of the island, even though your rental car agreement forbids it. Oh, rent a convertible!
The big island is the only place to see a live volcano. You'll see miles and miles of barren landscape covered by lava flows. Some fantastic snorkeling spots as well.
Snorkel on all the islands, right from the beach. See SNORKELBOB.COM for neat and secluded locations. Rent prescription masks from him as well.
If you have time for Oahu, THEN add it. There ARE worthwhile things to see there IF YOU HAVE TIME. The ARIZONA, and the POLYNESION CULTURAL CENTER top the list. There are lots of bars and nightspots, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're looking for. But these should be low on your list of priorities if you've never been to Hawaii before.
Don't limit yourself to one island. See at least Maui and Kauai.
On my last trip to Hawaii, I visited Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island.
Kauai: This is where Jurassic park and many other movies are filmed, and for good reason. It is the garden isle. It is sparsely populated. Take a BLUE HAWAIIAN helicopter ride. Take a raft trip along the NAPALI COAST with the optional landing to see ruins of old temples. Take a kayak trip. See the grand canyon of Kauai (wiamai canyon...misspelled, i know)
On Maui, drive to HANA. Take one day each way. Fantastic. 10 miles an hour with one lane bridges and hairpin turns. Fantastic scenery! Take the snorkeling trip offered by the PACIFIC WHALE FOUNDATION, a nonprofit group, to Molokini, the half submerged volcano located some miles offshore. Drive up to the extinct volcanos of HALEAKALA and see the sun rise or set (about 40 degrees on top so dress accordingly and don't take the bike ride unless you like it wet and cold). If you want some REALLY hair raising driving but gorgeous scenery, drive along the northwest side of the island, even though your rental car agreement forbids it. Oh, rent a convertible!
The big island is the only place to see a live volcano. You'll see miles and miles of barren landscape covered by lava flows. Some fantastic snorkeling spots as well.
Snorkel on all the islands, right from the beach. See SNORKELBOB.COM for neat and secluded locations. Rent prescription masks from him as well.
If you have time for Oahu, THEN add it. There ARE worthwhile things to see there IF YOU HAVE TIME. The ARIZONA, and the POLYNESION CULTURAL CENTER top the list. There are lots of bars and nightspots, but it doesn't sound like that's what you're looking for. But these should be low on your list of priorities if you've never been to Hawaii before.
Dec 15th, 2002, 01:10 PM
#29
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I think it was Robert Louis Stevenson that once said Oahu was the loveliest island he had ever seen. It is gorgeous. And while we have freeways on Oahu like ther are in in Florida, we also have mountains, waterfalls, valleys, beautiful beaches, the best weather of all the islands, and rainbows galore. Last time I looked, Florida was flat.
I would never recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center. There are many other wonderful cultural venues in Oahu that just don't exist in the outer islands. We love it here, but also like our outer island getaways.
I would never recommend the Polynesian Cultural Center. There are many other wonderful cultural venues in Oahu that just don't exist in the outer islands. We love it here, but also like our outer island getaways.
