When planning a trip to Hawaiʻi, the most-asked questions we receive are: Which islands should I visit? Or, which island is better?
To help people make this determination, we’ve published a variety of comparison guides that highlight key differences between the islands and provide recommendations based on popular activities, whether it’s bumming on the beach or hitting the trails.
Table of contents
- Oahu essentials: Things to know before choosing Oʻahu
- Getting there, getting around, and island hopping
- Where to stay
- How many days is enough?
- The most popular activities and attractions
- 5 visitor tips to guide your visit
Table of Contents
- Oahu essentials: Things to know before choosing Oʻahu
- Getting there, getting around, and island hopping
- Where to stay
- How many days is enough?
- The most popular activities and attractions
- 5 visitor tips to guide your visit
Great trips are properly planned, and pre-trip knowledge of the islands is essential. To help, we’ve created this “beginner series” that highlights everything you need to know before visiting each island.
Read on for an overview of Oʻahu, or check out our beginner’s guide to the Big Island here.
Things to Know Before Choosing Oʻahu
The island of Oʻahu is much different than the neighbor islands like Maui, Kauaʻi, and Big Island. Before you decide to visit, you should understand how it’s different and what to expect.
- It is the most populated island… by far. Approximately 1.5 million people live in the Hawaiian Islands, and about a million of them are on Oʻahu. This is neither “good” nor “bad.” Rather, it is something to understand before visiting. Along with the people comes great cuisine, culture, and happenings; but the density of people is much different than the neighbor islands.
- It is the only Hawaiian island with a major city. The other islands have towns, but Oʻahu has a legit international city on its shoreline. Honolulu is the capital of Hawaiʻi, and with it comes all the offerings of a major city, including unique neighborhoods, restaurants, shops, bars, events, concerts, shows, and museums.
- It is the only island with reliable nightlife. The neighbor islands offer some post-dinner options (think live music that ends at 10 or 11 p.m.), but nothing as diverse as Oʻahu. The nighttime happenings in Waikīkī and other neighborhoods of Honolulu are extensive as it gets in Hawaiʻi. If you’re looking to mix it up at night, Oʻahu is the island to visit.
- Honolulu dominates the south shore, but other areas are natural and beautiful. Many visitors to Oʻahu never leave the south shore/Waikīkī/Honolulu area, and thus, experience Hawaiʻi through the lens of a major city. We highly recommend getting out and about on the island to see the North Shore, Windwardside (east), and Leeward (west) side to experience “small-town” Oʻahu.
Oʻahu in a Nutshell
Oʻahu is the hub of modern-day culture in Hawaiʻi, featuring the best food and drink scene in the islands, an abundance of history, and a variety of outdoor and ocean experiences. It is the most populous island in the Hawaiian Islands, with about 1 million residents and a large international city, Honolulu, on its south shore.
Honolulu is the capital of Hawaiʻi, and there are several large military bases on the island as well, making it by far the most diverse Hawaiian Island in terms of its people, places, and infrastructure.
A visit to Honolulu isn’t complete without at least having a look at the Diamond Head crater from Waikiki Beach. Image credit: tomasphoto
Waikīkī, Oʻahu’s main tourist area, is the birthplace of surfing, and the North Shore of the island is a revered surfing paradise, home to the Triple Crown of Surfing and other surfing competitions. The windwardside of Oʻahu is lush and laidback, with long white-sand beaches, hiking trails, and offshore islands. The leeward, or west side, of the island has a string of stunning beaches and local communities.
See our overview of Oʻahu for a more in-depth exploration.
Oʻahu’s Natural Landscape
The island of Oʻahu is made up of two volcanoes, the Waiʻanae Volcano out west and the Koʻolau Volcano in the east.
Being the second-oldest island in the modern-day chain (Kauaʻi is the oldest), Oʻahu shows the beautiful detailing of time and erosion, with jagged peaks along its east coast and several instinct craters on the south shore, including Diamond Head, Punchbowl Crater, and Koko Head Crater. Mt. Kaʻala, the island’s tallest peak, reaches over 4,000 feet on the island’s westside.
Though not as ecologically diverse as the Big Island or Maui (due to the relative lack of elevation), Oʻahu does contain many microclimates and a variety of ecosystems to explore, including wet rainforest, elevated cloud forests, and upcountry agricultural lands.
Having an international city and large areas of urban sprawl on its south shore clouds Oʻahu’s natural abundance in some way, but those visiting the west, east, and north shores will find plenty of natural beauty.
Getting to Oʻahu
Oʻahu is the easiest island to reach thanks to its large international airport in Honolulu (airport code HNL). Though you can fly direct to other islands, Oʻahu offers the most number of routes from the mainland and Asia. Most major mainland and Asian airline carriers offer service to Honolulu, and many connections to the neighbor islands will go through Oʻahu as well.
Because of the number of flights, Oʻahu is also typically the cheapest island to fly into from the mainland, although “cheap” is a relative term when it comes to Hawaiʻi.
See below for pointers on how to get around the island and on how to best travel between several islands.
Getting Around Oʻahu
Because of its big-city infrastructure, Oʻahu has the most extensive transportation network in Hawaiʻi. It features the largest network of roads in the islands, including three interstate highways, as well as an island-wide bus system, partial above-ground train (“the Rail,” as it is called), and plenty of rideshare services.
Rideshare
If staying in Waikīkī or Honolulu, one can rely on rideshare services like Uber and Lyft for short trips around town. These services are available and reliable 24/7 in these areas and are the most efficient and affordable way to get around.
Rental Cars
However, when traveling outside the south shore (Waikīkī/Honolulu), a rental car is your best bet, especially when accessing hiking trails or off-beat beaches. Rental cars give you the flexibility to be on your own schedule and see the island at your own pace.
Public Bus
The bus on Oʻahu, affectionately referred to as “Da Bus,” is a useful option if you
- want the cheapest ride in town, and
- have infinite time.
Short trips through the city will be fine on the bus, with fares costing just a couple dollars, but we advise against longer trips due to the slow, inefficient pace of the bus and the tendency for it to be behind schedule. You can download the bus’s app, Da Bus2 (Google or iPhone), to help navigate the system.
The Rail
The Rail technically exists, but it’s still under construction with only a few stops available, and is not useful at this moment for visitors. Don’t bother.
Trolley
In Waikīkī, there is a hop-on, hop-off trolley that can get you around Waikīkī. Check with the nearest concierge or activities desk to obtain a schedule, or buy tickets online.
Traffic
Though all the Hawaiian Islands experience traffic, Oʻahu is notorious for its congestion, and one would be wise to avoid the road during rush hours, whether it’s in a rental car, bus, or rideshare.
Island Hopping From Oʻahu
Honolulu Airport offers non-stop flights to all neighbor islands via Hawaiian, Southwest, or Mokulele Airlines. Fares typically range from $50 to $100 one-way and are readily available each day, with some routes departing every 1 to 2 hours. Flying is the only way to get from Oʻahu to a neighbor island, so if you decide to island hop, you’ll want to book an inter-island flight.
Booking in advance is always a good idea to assure your seat and to lock in a good price; however, if flexibility is your top priority, Hawaiian Airlines offers enough flights between the major islands that you can *usually* find a seat, even at the last minute. Routes in the morning and evening tend to fill up the fastest, with mid-day flights often less popular.
