Watching the original incarnation of Hawaii 5-0 as a child, I was never quite sure where the island actually was. The tropical settings, multi-cultural cast and slightly incongruous presence of skyscrapers and town cars were, at the same time, both hugely evocative and highly confusing. However, there was one thing I was absolutely certain of: wherever it was, I wanted to go (and I also wanted to do that thing with the waves and the plank of wood).
While, sadly, my surfing ability never progressed beyond that tricky stage where you look marginally less competent while standing up then when you are falling in (think: constipated crouch, rigor-mortis arms and cross-eyed levels of concentration), my desire to visit Hawaii remained undimmed. I’m glad to say that, when I eventually arrived, the Islands exceeded all my expectations, and Oahu remains one of my all-time favourite destinations.
Located pretty much in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (a full five-hour flight from Los Angeles), the distances involved make the Hawaiian Islands a rare “one-stop” destination for European travellers but, if you are considering a trip to Australia or New Zealand, I urge you to at least consider a “Round The World” ticket (where you travel one way via Asia and the other via the Pacific), which will normally allow a stopover in Honolulu. This kind of ticket typically costs a little more than a straight-forward Eastern Hemisphere fare, but you should be able to find some great deals by trying a couple of Cheapflights’ long-haul specialists. This is one reason why we include phone links as well as pure online vendors – Round The World trips are an area where talking to an expert provider in person can still pay dividends.
Of course, the name Hawaii can actually be a little misleading – there are six main Islands in the group – in no particular order Oahu (oh-wah-who), Maui (mau-ee), Kauai (ka-why-ee), Molokai (molo-kai), Lanai (lan-eye) and Hawaii (also known as “The Big Island”). It is Oahu, rather than Hawaii itself, which is the best known, being the home of State capital Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbour and big-wave Mecca “The North Shore” (not to mention being Danno and Steve’s “5-0” stamping ground).
So what’s so great about Oahu? For me, it’s the meeting of two distinct and contradictory cultures: full-blown American comfort and convenience alongside unspoilt Pacific Island charm. Unspoilt might not be the first word to come to mind if your over-riding image of the Hawaiian Islands is downtown Honolulu or Waikiki Beach; however, the fact that the majority of Oahu’s hotel beds, bars and other tourist infrastructure are concentrated in Waikiki means that the rest of the Island is likely to come as a real surprise. You need to hire a car to get the most from a visit to Oahu, but once you have wheels, there are a huge amount of options for seeing the “other side” of the island. Whether you are planning a couple of days as a “stop-over” on the way back from the Antipodes or a full-blown two-week vacation, read my post on Top five Oahu attractions.
(Image: stuseeger)
