Honolulu

Honolulu, United States

Sunrise behind the volcanic crater of Diamond Head with waves breaking on the shore.

Honolulu combines a working Pacific capital, a royal past and famous beaches in one busy, walkable city.

The place

Honolulu sits on the southern coast of Oʻahu, the island that holds the state capital. Honolulu serves as the administrative center for the merged city and county, meaning the name refers to a much larger area than just the urban core tourists typically focus on. The 2020 census counted 350,964 residents, and the wider urban area holds close to a million people, a gap that shapes how the city feels. Downtown has government buildings, banks and older streets close to the water, while Waikiki, a few kilometres east, is a dense strip of hotels and beaches. Honolulu is the westernmost and southernmost major city in the United States, and it feels distant from the mainland in both distance and rhythm. The weather stays warm for most of the year, with trade winds easing the heat. The city is expensive by American standards, and food, car hire and rooms add up quickly. Traffic is heavy around the harbour and on main roads at rush hour, so visitors often plan their days around it. The harbour that made the place valuable as a port is still a major naval base, and military sites sit among civilian neighbourhoods. Beyond the famous shoreline, the city offers museums, gardens and a strong tradition of Hawaiian music, which gives a fuller picture than the postcard view.

Its story

Honolulu's story begins long before foreign ships arrived, with Polynesian settlers whose descendants passed on accounts of life along this shore. Oral histories and archaeological finds suggest a village stood where the city now sits by the 11th century. The turning point came with Kamehameha I, who united Oʻahu after winning the Battle of Nuʻuanu and then moved his royal court across the island, first to Waikiki and then into what is now downtown. In November 1794, Captain William Brown of Britain sailed into the harbour, and other ships soon followed, so the anchorage became a stop for traders moving between North America and Asia. Trade turned a cluster of houses into a town. In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. His successors built a royal palace, a cathedral and government offices that gave the city its formal character. The kingdom ended in 1893, and the city became the capital of a United States territory after annexation in 1898. The attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941 drew the United States into the Second World War and placed the islands at the centre of Pacific defence. Statehood in 1959 made Honolulu the capital of the state. A fire in 1900 destroyed much of the Chinatown quarter, a reminder of how crowded and fragile the old wooden streets were.

What to see

Culture

Honolulu blends Hawaiian tradition with the habits of a large American city. Hawaiian is an official language of the state, and place names often carry the ʻokina, a glottal stop, and the kahakō, a macron, so the spelling on a sign matters. The word aloha serves as greeting and farewell, and locals tend to be friendly but direct. Music is central to city life. The Honolulu Symphony, founded in 1900, is the second-oldest US symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains, and the city has a strong tradition of Hawaiian music performed in theatres and at the Waikiki Shell. Museums such as the Bishop Museum present Native Hawaiian and Pacific history with care. Hula appears at festivals and hotel shows, and the dancers are usually trained within a formal lineage rather than performing for decoration. Daily life runs at a relaxed pace, with queues at popular eateries and weekend markets. Noise carries across open-air venues and beaches, and residents value quiet on their residential streets. Ask before photographing people taking part in ceremonies, and never remove sand, stones or shells from a heiau or beach site.

What to wear

Traditional Hawaiian dress was made from natural materials. Kapa, a bark cloth beaten from the wauke plant and often printed with patterns, was used for clothing and wraps, while feathers, shell and plant fibres made adornment. In the nineteenth century the mu'umu'u, a loose gown, became widespread, and the holoku, a long dress, grew out of styles introduced through missionary influence. Today the everyday look in Honolulu is far more relaxed. Locals wear aloha shirts with printed patterns, flip-flops, shorts and sundresses, and many people wear aloha shirts to the office on Fridays. Dress is informal almost everywhere, even in restaurants, though some evening events ask for smarter clothes. A visitor should pack light, breathable fabrics such as cotton or linen, a hat, sunglasses and a light layer for air-conditioned rooms. For Diamond Head and other hikes, wear closed shoes with grip. Cover shoulders and knees when entering churches or temples, and keep swimwear to the beach and its immediate area rather than town streets.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. April, May and September bring warm, comfortable days, drier spells and somewhat lighter crowds. The summer months are warm and humid with busy beaches, and the winter months bring more showers.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly into Honolulu's main airport. Route W city bus runs from the airport to downtown and Waikiki, using exact change. Airport Waikiki Express shuttles run to hotels. The Skyline light rail's Lelepaua station is a short walk from the terminals but serves only western Honolulu. Rental car companies operate from a consolidated facility within walking distance of Terminal 2.

Budget. high

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources