Honolulu

Oahu: Honolulu/Waikiki/North Shore (visited 2008) With some of the most remarkable beaches, a strong Polynesian heritage and some breathtaking countryside/rainforest it is easy to romanticize Hawaii, but like anywhere you go in the world, the reality is often far from the picture post card image you have in mind. That's not to say that Oahu (Hawaii third largest but most commercialized island) isn't without it's beauty and charm, far from it - there are aspects of the island that are simply fantastic, but there is also a number of things that should be noted for those seeking 'paradise'. Firstly, Waikiki Beach may be world famous, but suffers ...  Read the complete review

Hawaii, fortunately, was one of our destinations on our honeymoon in 1984. I had written an opinion on the Dusit Thani Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand recently. This was one of the destinations, of our honeymoon, prior to Hawaii. From Bangkok we traveled to Hong Kong and then Tokyo. It was from Tokyo that we flew to Honolulu in the month of May 1984. We traveled on a Korean Airlines 747 which happened to my almost empty as one of their planes had just been shot down over Russia a few weeks earlier. Your love affair with Hawaii starts as soon as you look through the window of the aircraft upon landing at the airport. Just a mass of blue ...  Read the complete review

When you step off the plane in Honolulu the warm air caresses you, the beautiful perfumes of the flowers surround you, you do step into Paradise. Yes the city is very modern, it is very much a holiday place but if you are lucky enough to be welcomed by a true Hawaiian, with a lei, the feeling of Aloha (love) will be with you. It is a very long flight, it takes seventeen hours from the UK. You can go direct, but please take the opportunity to stop over even if it is just for one night in an air-port hotel, it is worth it. We have flown direct just once, it took us days to get over jet lag and yet when we have done a stop over we are fine! It is not cheap to go to ...  Read the complete review

I stepped off the plane to be met by a group of dancers and the traditional LEI greeting. I was given a garland of flowers for around my neck and wished a pleasant holiday. The people are dedicated to hospitality and it shows. I suppose the first thing everyone wants to do is go to WAIKIKI beach. Well I was disappointed. The hotels have built so close to the sea the beach has got narrower and narrower. Not what I expected at all. It was packed and there was hardly a space available to sit never mind lie. But it was nice to see. In Honolulu itself there was plenty to do and the outside centres had stalls where traders were making crafts. Some were making candles ...  Read the complete review

Hawaii, what a fantastic place to go on holiday. Even though with it’s large active volcano called Mauna Loa it still produces the best beaches in the world. The weather there is absolutely brilliant, and the sea is so clean and that you can see your very own face in it. With such popular neighbouring islands such as Oahu and Maui there is plenty of activities to take part in and fabulous hotels to stay in such as the Hilton with the famous rainbow painted on to one of its walls. Overall I would recommend Hawaii as one of my all time favourite holiday destinations. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you desire more information about the luxurious ...  Read the complete review