I've been reading so many posts that things are starting to run together and I'm getting confused about Oahu, Honolulu and Waikiki. I found a hotel in Oahu/Honolulu that is a pretty good deal but wasn't sure I wanted to stay in Honolulu. Then I saw another post that mentioned Oahu being a better visit than Honolulu, but I thought Honolulu was in Oahu. I'm trying to decide whether it would be worth (saving) my money staying in Honolulu when I'm not searching for crazy late nights and crowded beaches. I want more relaxation, scenic tours, waterfalls and volanic tours. I found a better price staying in Oahu on Waikiki beach than in Maui so now I'm trying to decide which to go with. HELP!

Rest assured Honolulu (HNL-airport code) is on the island of Oahu.

Honolulu is the 10th largest city in the US and sits on the south shore of Oahu not far from Pearl Harbor. As a big, lively city, it has lots of night-life, shopping, dining and man-made sights to see. Waikiki is the section of Honolulu near Diamond Head along the water and is the site of most of the big hotels.

But there is much more to Oahu than Honolulu. Though urban sprawl has now spread the city out quite a distance, there are still places on the north and windward (east) shores that are fairly quiet and rural.

You will not find any volcanic tours (at least to active sites) as the volcano which created Oahu is long dead. The island of Hawaii (usually referred to as "the big island" since it's by far the largest island in the state of Hawaii) is whre you will find most of your "volcano" related tours.

FYI - The main four islands of the State of Hawaii are:

Oahu - Most populated and site of most of the more famous attractions in Hawaii (Waikiki Beach, City of Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Polynesian Cultural Center, etc).

Maui - Second most popular island. Generally considered the most upscale (overall). Also home to Haleakala - a relatively quiet (though not extinct) volcano well known as a popular site to watch the sunrise.

Kauai - Often refered to as the "Garden Isle", is very quiet, rural and laid back, and has some of the most spectacular scenery. This is where "Jurassic Park", "8 Days/7 Nights" and countless other "jungle" movies have been filmed.

Hawaii - Known as the "Big Island", is the site of several active volcano peaks including Mauna Loa and Kiliuea. The island is huge by Hawaiian standards but is not known for great beach (though there are apparently a few decent ones).

Ken

Although Haleakala on Maui is not extinct don't rush there if you want to see a volcano in action. It has been silent for at least 200 years.

I think it really depends on what part of Oahu or Waikiki you pick.

Sounds like Kauai is just the island that would suit you.

I agree with all the posters (great job, Ken), but have a difference with Griswold. Because you mention volcanic tours, it would appear that the Big Island of Hawaii would be the place for you: rural, waterfalls, and volcanoes.

Upscale: Maui; Cultural: Oahu; Lush forests and deep canyons: Kauai.

We just returned from Hawaii and spent three days in Oahu- in Honolulu. IT WAS NUTS! We did love visiting Pearl Harbor and hiked Diamond Head- took a drive around the island. I was glad to leave and spend the rest of the trip in gorgeous Maui.

We went to Honolulu last year and boy it was not like Maui! To congested etc. This year we are going back but we are staying over by Waimea. I heard it is more laid back and not nearly as commercial as Waikiki was. ALso I am not the skinniest girl on the block and everyone on the beach was beautiful. Hope it will be different this time.

Try and see the Polynesian Cultural Center it was great!

The beaches at Waikiki were crowded and touristy and not the scenic ideal that most people picture when they think of Hawaii. I liked the North Shore beaches of Oahu much better. It was fun to see the surfers at Pipeline and when I walked a bit, there were smaller, more secluded areas where I was pretty much alone except for some surfers in the distance. I only hiked Diamondhead (which isn't really a hike and is extremely crowded), but I was told that you can hike to Moana Falls which will take you through some beautiful scenery to some waterfalls. I guess there are some other things off the beaten path on Oahu, so it's a great place if you want to experience the touristy things and the more relaxing things too, but the traffic is horrible and isolated nature stuff is limited I guess. I would probably try a different island if you want just a calm, relaxing vacation.

Waikiki is definitely on the island of Oahu and is very crowded and touristy. If you want a more peaceful scene and still stay on the island of Oahu I highly recommend the Windward side. Lanikai is beautiful and tucked away behind Kailua with white powder like sand, so soft under your feet - quite different from Waikiki. The surf is not as turbulent and you can kayak out to the Mokulua islands. The water is beautiful. Just be wary of a blue bubble - it's the Portuguese Man of War Jellyfish and has stinging tentacles. This way you can still go to the North Shore, the Pearl Harbor Arizona and other things on the island of Oahu. Kauai is beautiful and is wet, green and lush for a reason - rain. I'm told Hawaii is the wettest state. But they pass quickly.

Oahu is the island name, Honolulu a city's name, Waikiki the name of one strip of beach and the area by it.

I would pick Maui for a 1st trip for you. I found it more "Hawaiian" like pictured in the movies.

That said, for an active volcano you need to go to Big Island. For an amazing crater you can see Haleakala on Maui.

I loved Honolulu and stayed in Waikiki several times. Since I was traveling solo this was perfect for me because I did not need to rent a car, and there was plenty I could see and do on foot or taking The Bus around.

Are you aware that this message dates from February 2004?

True. I found it very helpful though. Hopefully others will too.

Oops, nope, sorry, I didn't notice the date. Darnit. Well hopefully the OP figured out what's an island and what's a city and what's a beach by now -LOL.

Okay, plain and simple: Oahu is the island, Honolulu is the main city IN Oahu, and Waikiki is the beach area IN Honolulu. I think that Oahu is probably good for an introductory taste of the Hawaiian islands in general because it's a city but ytou still know you're in Hawaii. The other islands are more rustic, although Maui and Kauai are nice as well. If you have a really good Honolulu deal for good places to stay then take that. And don't worry, PLENTY of people get confused over which place is where.

Oh, great, just when I was starting to feel like I'd helped someone! Hope they had a good trip.

By the way - has anyone heard of Moana Falls - a hike on Oahu? I can't find much on the internet. Please help if you know where it is and how to find it. Thanks.

You're probably not having much success because the spelling is off. It's Manoa Falls. It's in Manoa Valley, which is a short drive from downtown Honolulu.

I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I can't give you good directions. It's well known, though - so with the correct spelling you should get lots of information.

I have pics posted of our hikes in July to both Haleakala and to Manoa Falls at worldisround.com 'olesouthernbelle' and look under Maui,2005 and Oahu,2005.

Belle