Honolulu is a fabulous island renowned for sunshine, sea, grass skirts and hula necklaces! The hospitality offered by Honolulu residents is second to none and it’s no wonder that so many people choose this destination for a leisure break. It’s also a thriving business center and welcomes corporate visitors all year round. Seeing the clear blue ocean and white sandy beach from the skies when on-board one of Bolt Jets’ private charters is truly gorgeous!
For a wealth of exciting activities to try, head to Oahu which is especially good for children as there’s the Waikiki Aquarium to explore with hundreds of exotic species. Teenagers will really enjoy shopping at the Ala Moana Center or take the whole family hiking around Manoa Falls which offers some sensational views. Obviously, one of the reasons so many tourists head to Honolulu every year is to soak up the sun on one of its white, sandy beaches where hoards or people gather to surf the waves. Waikiki Beach is one of the best-loved in Honolulu and when there, see the Diamond Head Peak off in the distance, especially beautiful on a clear blue day.
Visit the USS Arizona Memorial which pays homage to the 1,102 sailors that were killed during the Pearl Harbor attack. The memorial is located downtown Honolulu and is one of the most visited WW 2 memorials in America. Yes, the queues are long, but it’s well worth the wait.
If visiting Honolulu in November and December, see the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing and be amazed by some of the unbelievable surfers performing their mind-blowing moves on the waves. Another great surfer’s paradise is Waimea Bay which is a well-known surfer’s haven and boasts waves as tall as 30 foot!
Different to surfing, experience windsurfing at Kailua Beach which is home to 2 miles of golden sand and warm blue waters. It’s a great place to stay all day, with plenty of excellent facilities such as picnic tables, free parking and a small restaurant for light snacks and drinks. There are lots of other water-sports to try too such as Kayak rental, dive shops or just peruse the boutiques.
Do go to Diamond Head which was an underwater crater formed some 300,000 years old that occurred during a single volcanic eruption that threw up huge amounts of ash that eventually settled. It is an excellent hiking trail. For more hiking go to Manoa Falls which is a 100 foot tall waterfall but take good walking footwear and marvel at the place where some of Jurassic Park was filmed.
For those people who prefer culture to beach, head to the Honolulu Museum of Art which has a large collection of different exhibits throughout the centuries. Or visit ‘Iolani Palace which is a ten room palace and museum of Hawaii’s last monarchs and a superb glimpse into Hawaiian culture. It’s the only royal residence in the USA, so well worth spending time there.
For shopping, go to Ala Moana Center to the west of Waikiki and is an open air shopping piazza with many designer brand boutiques. It also houses some of America’s most well-known high street department stores and plenty of island boutiques selling beachwear, beach shoes and warm-weather clothing.
