EXPERIENCE THE SPIRIT OF O‘AHU
IN
LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS
O‘AHU – The beauty of O‘ahu glows in its
eclectic array of historical sites, attractions, cultures, and people. Hidden between the Pacific
Ocean and the many valleys and ridges of the mountain ranges, lie
communities and neighborhoods rich in heritage, exotic cuisines and residents
with stories to tell. Visitors taking
the time to explore O‘ahu’s diverse neighborhoods will discover a part of
Hawai‘i that is often overlooked – the lives of locals.
Downtown Honolulu is the
business center of O‘ahu. Central is the
state’s government center including the state capitol building, Honolulu Hale
(city hall), judiciary buildings, and Washington Place (the Governor’s official
residence). The Hawai‘i State Library
also is located here, as well as ‘Iolani Palace, the only palace on U.S. soil,
and Mission Houses Museum, which contains the oldest existing house in
Hawai‘i. Eating venues are in abundance
with countless plate lunch locations.
Inland of downtown Honolulu,
visitors will find the 20-acre Foster Botanical Gardens, a popular place
to enjoy a picnic while surrounded by exotic flora and fauna.
Filled with color, excitement and
the hustle and bustle of vendors, shoppers, business people, and tourists, Chinatown is a place of history, mystery and
fun. Amidst the lei stands, noodle and
dim sum factories; hole-in-the-wall Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants;
and acupuncture and herbal medicine shops, is the O‘ahu Market. The market is known for having the best
“sashimi” (raw fish), fresh meats and produce.
Chefs from local eateries and fine dining restaurants often visit the
O‘ahu Market early in the morning to wrangle for choice cuts of meat for their
exotic island dishes. In the maze of
vendors, local produce including bok choy (Chinese cabbage), mustard cabbage, Mānoa
lettuce, mango, soy beans, papaya, avocado, Japanese cucumbers, and lemon grass
can be found. Most of these items are bargains compared to
major grocery store prices. If you keep
walking mauka (toward the mountains), you’ll come across the Kuan Yin
Temple. This is the oldest Chinese temple in Honolulu and worshipers
still come here to light candles, burn incense and offer prayers. Another “oldest” is Wo Fat Restaurant,
around since 1882 and still a favorite among locals demanding good, authentic Chinese
food.
High-rise Mō‘ili‘ili
has been a middle-class neighborhood since its development in the 1920s. As a business district along King Street, it
serves local residents and University
of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
students. Flower stalls are numerous,
creating a romantic air about the neighborhood.
Le Flowers sells an endless variety of lei and freestanding
tropical flowers at low prices. For
those seeking the natural way to live, Down to Earth, Hawai‘i’s largest
natural food store, sells everything from organic produce to aromatherapy. For some of the best ice cream on O‘ahu,
visit Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts, Inc. Open late, you’ll find yourself
surrounded by students who love the unique names of the delicious desserts as
much as the flavors. Sports enthusiasts
can head over to Eastside Grill or The Red Lion to watch the
day’s top sporting events while enjoying a drink, pupus and great company. Magoo’s Pizza is a popular gathering
place for casual conversations, loud laughs and plenty of great food and drinks
at college prices. Steps away, ethnic
food abounds with Greek, Thai, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and
Chinese restaurants. Open until 2a.m., Sushi
King serves up large portions of popular Japanese dishes that are sure to
satisfy at lunch, dinner or after a night on the town. People pack into the Mō‘ili‘ili
restaurant for its reasonably priced lunch and early-bird specials.
Nestled behind the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa is a lush valley
that has retained much of its old Hawaiian charm. Mānoa’s ambience is best captured
in the fine, old homes built at the turn of the 20th century by
families who established many of O‘ahu’s first businesses. In this quiet neighborhood, you’ll find Mānoa
Valley Inn, an arts and crafts bed and breakfast featuring beautiful period
furnishings reminiscent of the pre-World War II lifestyle. Down the road, contemporary, mainstream
Broadway and Off-Broadway entertainment is performed at Mānoa Valley
Theater. Nearby is Mānoa
Marketplace, home to a host of unique shops including Soy to the World,
where those who strive to eat healthy can enjoy all-things soy, from smoothies
to wraps to ice cream; and Island Manapua Factory, which serves a
variety of dim sum (Chinese dumplings) and chow fun. For a more intimate dining experience, just
up the road is the Wai‘oli
Tea Room. Residents and visitors frequent this
historical landmark to enjoy blended teas, breakfast and lunch in a tranquil,
secluded teahouse nestled in the lush, green valleys of Mānoa. Pamper yourself to a lomilomi massage or
seaweed wrap at the Mālama Salon & Day Spa. Mālama offers everything from haircare,
skincare, and body care, with special Hawaiian touches.
Just inland of Waikīkī,
Kapahulu is where you’ll find many favorite local hangouts. Have a plate lunch at Rainbow Drive-In or
Kanak Attack, where the motto is “eat till you sleep.” Enjoy O‘ahu’s best Hawaiian food at Ono
Hawaiian Food, a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant that always has a line
of people out the door and down the sidewalk.
Another local favorite is Irifune, a quaint restaurant known for
its garlic ahi. For great local-style
food, pizzas, pastas, and drinks, Uncle Bo’s is open until 1 a.m. Stop in at Leonard’s Bakery for a
malasada (Portuguese donut), plain or filled with chocolate or haupia (coconut)
pudding, the perfect end to any meal. A
gem of a store is Bailey’s Antique & Thrift Shop, filled with
antique aloha shirts and other memorabilia.
Down the street is Aunty Mary Lou’s Na Lima Mili Hulu No‘eau, a small shop
specializing in handmade feather lei and in classes on how to make feather
lei. For the water sports enthusiast, Island
Paddler specializes in shaping and selling boards. Go Bananas is a kayak and water sport
supply store for the adventurous athlete.
Blue Planet Surf Shop, Running Room and Island
Triathlon and Bike also are great places to find out what’s hot in O‘ahu
outdoor sports.
Just up the road from Kapahulu,
in the shadow of Diamond Head, is a
delightful neighborhood frequented by surfers, tourists and locals. The Diamond Head Market and Grill is a
popular choice for healthy, gourmet food and baked goods. Further down the road, the Diamond Head
Cove Health Bar serves up refreshing acai bowls, made from the popular
Brazilian berry known for its antioxidant benefits and served with organic
granola, berries, bananas, and sweet Hawaiian honey. For a taste of northern Italy, Tavola
Tavola serves authentic Italian dishes using locally grown produce,
including pappardelle al Bolognese, pesce alla Griglia and mouth-watering dolce
(sweets).
Low-rise Kaimukī is a middle-class neighborhood, first
developed in the 1920s. While it was
once the hub of banking giants, Kaimukī today has the feel of pre-World
War II Honolulu, with residential side streets featuring simple homes on neatly
tended plots. This quaint town offers
cozy shops, service establishments and a smattering of good and affordable
restaurants. The Temari
Center for Asian and Pacific Arts, a
small art center tucked away, offers classes in lei making, basketry, book
binding, flower pressing, paper making and painting on silk. Comme Ci Comme Ca Consignment Boutique and
Pzazz are favorites among those who frequent thrift and consignment
shops. Kwilts ‘n Koa is a small
Hawaiian quilt shop and Montsuki features mother and daughter designed
fashions using Japanese kimonos, silk and natural fibers. On Wai‘alae Avenue, take your pick of some
great restaurants: 3660 On The Rise (Euro-Asian),
town (contemporary American/ Italian), 12th Ave Grill
(contemporary American), and Maguro-ya (Japanese) to name a few. Pick up delicious manapua at Kwong On
and fresh island fruits and vegetables at Kaimukī Produce Market. Calm
your mind, body and spirit at Teja Tea House. Experience a non-traditional tea ceremony,
which includes a tea reading, and learn about how tea ceremonies have evolved
in Hawai‘i.
The 2,584-acre Pālolo
valley is nestled between the green hills of St. Louis Heights
and Wilhelmina Rise. The neighborhood
mainstays of schools, churches and a recreation center are scattered, but
grocery stores and other small businesses are aligned mostly along 10th
or Pālolo Avenues, the two main streets of the valley. Check out the more than 350,000 orchids at Kawamoto
Orchid Nursery. The greenhouse is
ablaze in lavender, yellow, orange, red, green, and variegated blooms. Pālolo is a community where everyone
takes care of each other, and no where is this more apparent than at Frank’s
Pālolo Market, a neighborhood grocery that keeps prices low in support
of the community. Keali‘i o Kamalu teaches
Christian hula with movements choreographed to Christian-based music, as well
as traditional music. Delve into local
artwork at Noelani Gallery and Picture Framing, and go home with a
permanent part of O‘ahu. And don’t miss Hobbietat,
a small shop that has been around for more than 21 years and caters to
everything a fisherman or an enthusiast of radio-controlled model car, boat or
airplane could want.
Kāhala, east
of Diamond Head, is one of O‘ahu’s upscale
neighborhoods. The main shopping center
is Kāhala Mall, home to big name chains such as Barnes & Noble
and Banana Republic, and local favorites including The Vue, offering
Hawaiian clothing and gift items, and Marsha Nadalin Salon & Day Spa. Not lacking for places to eat, Kāhala
has numerous restaurants to choose from including Olive Tree Café (Greek),
I Love Country Café (varied healthy and hearty), Japanese Restaurant
Yoshino, Yen King (Chinese), and Zippy’s.
Hawai‘i Kai is
built around a man-made marina that opens to Maunalua Bay, which is where
tourists and locals partake in a variety of water sports including paddling
outrigger canoes, jet skiing, kayaking, and fishing. With the support of Koko Marina Center
and its collection of specialty shops and eateries, people from around the
island partake in Hawai‘i Kai’s offerings.
Before jumping in the ocean, visit the local ocean activity stores for
the proper equipment. Bob’s Hawai‘i
Adventure, Hawai‘i Water
Sports Center,
and Hawaiian Surf Adventure are just a few to choose from. Make sure to grab lunch at Kona Brewing
Company, Yummy Korean Bar-B-Q, Assaggio (Italian), Kozo
Sushi (Japanese), Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, or Harbor Village
Chinese Seafood Restaurant.
In the town of Kailua,
visitors will discover a shop of odds and ends and unexpected treasures at The
Hunter: Kalapawai Market, a mom and pop store in operation since the
1930s that sells everything from crack seed (Chinese preserved plum) and bento
(box) lunches to its own brand of coffee; and there is a variety of eateries to
choose from, such as Boston’s North End Pizza Bakery and Kolohe
Hawaiian Restaurant. Hearty
breakfasts at Boots & Kimo’s Homestyle Kitchen, deli fare at Brent’s
and Pacifica-style cuisine at Kailua Beach Restaurant will satisfy
all of your cravings. Relax at Kailua Beach
or Lanikai
Beach, and if you’re
feeling really adventurous, take a windsurfing lesson or rent a kayak and
paddle offshore to the Mokulua islands.
Kāne‘ohe, a
large Windward residential suburb, is nestled at the foot of misty Ko‘olau
Mountains. A must see is the Byodo-In
Temple, a place of beauty and tranquility.
Located in the Valley of the Temples
Memorial Park, Byodo-In Temple is a
replica of a temple in Japan
and built in the shape of the Phoenix,
a mystical bird representing life and spiritual hope. Inside the temple is the largest wooden
Buddha hand carved in 900 years. The
temple’s garden, the largest of its kind outside of Japan, is designed to reflect
traditional Japanese grace and serenity.
The reflecting ponds that wind their way around the temple are home to
more than 10,000 carp. It’s common to
see local wedding parties posing for photos throughout the grounds. Ho‘omaluhia (to bring about/cause
peace and tranquility) Botanical Garden is a 400-acre expanse with a
lake; campgrounds; walking trails and picnic areas; visitors’ center complete
with an exhibition hall used by local artists, workshop and botanical library;
and the largest collection of tropical plants in the U.S. Walking tours led by trained
volunteers are offered on the
weekend. For an awe-inspiring view of Kāne‘ohe
Bay, visit Senator Fong’s Plantation and Gardens. Take a tram ride through 725 acres of lush
green foothills and rain forest or walk through a botanical garden with more
than 75 kinds of trees, plants, fruits and flowers. The late Senator Hiram Fong, who served 17
years as the nation’s first Asian-American senator, used to work daily in the
gardens.
A predominately Mormon community,
Lā‘ie is a quiet town that hosts some of O‘ahu’s largest
attractions. Polynesian Cultural
Center continues to be popular among locals and visitors. The cultures of the entire Pacific basin come
together and educate guests through entertaining performances and the sharing
of arts and culture of native Polynesians.
While visiting Polynesian Cultural Center,
tour the handsome white structure of the Mormon Temple
and the campus of Brigham Young University.
At
North Shore’s
historic town of Hale‘iwa,
discover old storefronts, cafes, art galleries, and boutiques. Start the day with breakfast at Café
Hale‘iwa where the food is hearty and surfer-sized. Dine alongside surfers of all ages who brave
the area’s 20-foot winter waves. Browse
through the Wyland Gallery with its incredible collection of marine art
or shop with the locals at Jungle Gems, Oogenesis Boutique and Silver
Moon Emporium, where you can spend as little as $15 for a pair of earrings
or as much as $400 for an exotic dress.
Lunch is a must at Kua ‘Āina Sandwich
Shop, a little restaurant with the island’s best burgers (they claim it’s
the splash of vermouth), shoestring french fries and fish sandwiches. For dinner, the newest place to be is Hale‘iwa
Joe’s Seafood Grill. A casual oasis,
enjoy freshly cooked meals while enjoying beautiful views as the restaurant is
situated next to the famous Anahulu Stream Bridge (Rainbow Bridge) built
in 1921. Top this
off with a rainbow flavored shave ice at Matsumoto’s and ask for a scoop
of ice cream and azuki beans. Don’t miss
the Lili‘uokalani Protestant Church, founded by Protestant missionaries
in the early 1830s, Waimea Valley Audubon Center’s 1,800-acre flora and
fauna wonderland, or Waimea Bay, popular for its big winter surf.
Wahiawā is an
older community with relics of rural life remaining. While the U.S. Army Schofield Barracks
and Wheeler Army Air Field are nearby, Wahiawā still hosts some of O‘ahu’s most
sacred treasures. The Wahiawā
Botanical Gardens spread across 27 acres, featuring plants from
Africa and Australia, Asian camphor trees and gum trees
from New Guinea. Another area not to pass up is the Kukaniloko
Birthstones, where royal Hawaiian women once bore their children. Don’t leave without enjoying lunch at Aloha
Korean BBQ or Seoul In (Korean).
But the best part is having dessert at Sunnyside in Wahiawā, which is
famous for its tasty double crust pies.
An up-and-coming O‘ahu community
is Kapolei, designed to be the island’s second big city. With a growing business district and
residential area, Kapolei offers a large selection of activities and
restaurants. Currently, dining is
favored at Loco Moco Drive In, Panda Express (Chinese) and Tasty
Korean BBQ. Kapolei Golf Course is
popular among locals, and the Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park offers
thrilling slides, pools, rides, and much more to cool off both the young and
young-at-heart.
Waipahu is a
neighborhood rich in plantation history, and many of its residents are
descendants of the plantation workers.
To get a glimpse into the history of this area and Hawai‘i, visit Hawai‘i’s
Plantation Village, a partially recreated and
restored village. Comprised of more than
two-dozen structures and many different ethnic groups, visitors are provided
with a window into traditional life on a plantation. Then fast forward through history to the
1890s and take a ride on the Hawaiian Railway. This train served sugar mills, carried vital
equipment and supplies and transported passengers until 1947. A recent addition to the Waipahu area is the Coral Creek
Championship Golf Course. No
other course in Hawai‘i can compare to the beauty, challenge and experience of
Coral Creek. Nestled along the ‘Ewa
Plain, the Par 72, 6,870-yard golf course was designed to expose natural coral
rock formations in cliff-like structures, adding to the beauty of the terrain.
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