Honolulu Travel guide Honolulu

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Honolulu

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In short

Honolulu in short

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How to get there?
Where to stay?
Practical information

Honolulu is the capital of the State of Hawaii, an American archipelago in the middle of the Pacific. Located on the south-east coast of the island of Oahu, the third largest island in the archipelago, it covers an area of almost 300 km² if you include the urban area in the broad sense, with all the neighbouring towns. It is divided into two distinct parts: Downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. The city is best known for its Diamond Head volcanic crater, which is both a park and a military base. It is 15km west of the city that lies the Pearl Harbor naval base, whose attack by Japan on 7 December 1941 prompted the USA to enter the war against the German coalition.

Honolulu has many tourist attractions. In Downtown Honolulu, you can visit the historic Capitol District on foot. Admire the Victorian-style Iolani Palace, the only former royal residence in the United States. Opposite the Supreme Court, the bronze statue of King Kamehameha, featured in the credits of the TV series Hawaii 5-0, welcomes visitors.

For the best views of the city, head to the top of the 56-metre-high Aloha Tower. In Honolulu harbour, you can admire the Falls of Clyde, a superb four-masted ship moored in the harbour. Head north to discover the exotic and lively streets of Chinatown. Here you'll find acupuncturists, tattoo parlours, colourful open-air stalls and numerous temples.

Hawaii is one of the two American states that have no borders with other states.

Ala Wai marina

Why go to Honolulu?

Of course, to go to Honolulu is to land on Oahu, and so embrace all the promise of the island and even its archipelago. A must-see seaside destination in the Pacific, it's also a trip into the tropical jungle, as well as a great cultural discovery, a blend of continental American culture and the Maori culture of the Pacific islands. When you realise that part of Jurassic Park was filmed on the island, in the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, you'll quickly realise the unique appeal of these extraordinary landscapes covered in equally remarkable lush exotic flora.

Coming back to Honolulu, you'll be pleased to know that there's a lot of fun to be had in the evenings, and that the city is particularly well provided for in terms of entertainment, restaurants and outings of all kinds.

During the day, you can take a stroll through Hanauma Bay Park (which has a lake nestling in the heart of an ancient volcanic crater), spend a day enjoying the beautiful beaches, including Waikiki Beach, take a bike to explore the city's various parks, visit the Diamond Head site, whose crater measures around 1.2 km in diameter, or visit the many tourist sites, such as the Lyon Arboretum botanical gardens, the Royal Mausoleum or the Pacific War Memorial.

We recommend you take the trolley (which is actually a tourist bus that looks like a trolley) to Waikiki. This way, you can enjoy the surprising pink Palace of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel alongside skyscrapers and other glass towers. On Kaiulani Avenue, cross the cobbled floor of the pleasant Victorian-style King's Village shopping arcade. At Kuhio Beach, you can admire the statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the "father of surfing", and the Wizards Stones, four "enchanted stones" with so-called sacred powers. If you're looking for a lively spot, just wander along the 4km seafront to find a good address!

If your soul is sensitive to the marvellous culture of the Pacific and its peoples, museums such as the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, the Academy of Arts and the Contemporary Museum open their arms to you.

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How to get there?

With the archipelago right in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there's no quicker way to get there than by plane. Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) has excellent connections and is the destination of choice. It's very close to the city (5 km), so you'll be on your way to your hotel in no time. Hawaiian Airlines is based there.

Where to stay?

Honolulu is a city that makes travellers and sports enthusiasts from all over the world dream. As a result, there are so many hotels to choose from that choosing a hotel in Honolulu can be a difficult task, as they all seem to be worth the long journey. Honolulu is also unique in that almost all the city's hotels, of which there are almost a hundred, are located along Waikiki beach, the most famous beach in the world along with Copa Cabana. In a rectangle around 4 km long and 1 km wide, the hotels are all next door to each other. There are real palaces like the Halekulani, which welcomes its guests like royalty for 650 euros a night. Apart from these exceptional hotels, you can expect to pay an average of €200 a night at the Pacific Beach Hotel Honolulu, for example. In this area, don't expect to find a room for less than 100 euros a night.

Practical information

Formalities for entering the USA

As a UK citizen, you must apply on the Internet for and obtain authorisation to travel to the USA (ESTA) at least 72 hours before departure. Do this as early as possible.

Moreover, an electronic or biometric passport will be required for all family members, including infants.

Otherwise, you will need to obtain a visa.

As far as COVID is concerned, adults must still be vaccinated according to a complete vaccination schedule. However, a negative virological test for Covid-19 is no longer compulsory. For more information, see the link below.

Practical information

Information on vaccination requirements for COVID:

Safety

As an American megalopolis, Honolulu is considered safe for travellers during the day. At night, the level of security drops considerably, but the tourist areas seem to be spared because of the police presence. Robberies do occur, as in major French cities. We advise you to be careful, no more and no less than in France.

There are occasional sharks on the Hawaiian coast, notably the tiger shark, which can attack surfers if mistaken for sea lions, but there is little chance of encountering one on the beaches of Honolulu. Schools of stinging jellyfish can also occur, but less so than on the west side of the island. Just keep an eye out for them.

Practical information

Daily information on jellyfish population flows

Public transport

TheBus, as it is known, is the island's bus network, which covers Honolulu. We advise you to buy a pass for as long as you need. Another option: the inexpensive "trolley" tourist minibus will take you to the city's tourist attractions. Here too, buy an unlimited pass for the duration of your stay.

Practical info

For The Bus fares and routes (and even traffic disruptions), go here

For trolley fares and routes, go here or call (808) 593-2822.

Health

No vaccinations are required.

Before you leave, take out international travel insurance to cover your health, repatriation and civil liability costs, or you could end up with particularly expensive hospitalisation costs in the event of an accident or illness on the ground.

Dial 911 to contact the police, fire brigade and the equivalent of our ambulance service.

Taxes and tips

Your purchases of goods (excluding restaurants) will be subject to the state tax of 7.75% plus a local tax of 0.5% in Honolulu in 2023 (compared with 4% in the rest of Hawaii).

As in the rest of the United States, tips must also be added to your expenses. There are no regulations as such, but rather a custom:

15% minimum for food and drink (excluding drinks alone).
15-20% for a guide, masseur or delivery person.
1 to baggage handlers, doormen and bartenders for a drink ordered on its own.
10% for a café or fast-food restaurant.

Honolulu has the 2nd highest tourist tax in the world. Find out more before booking your hotel.

What to eat in Honolulu

Hawaiian cuisine is varied and rich. There are several dishes worth trying, such as pork kalua. This is pork stewed in banana leaves. Lomi-lomi is also very popular: the dish consists of raw salmon marinated with chives and tomatoes. Large prawns are also widely available, often cooked in coconut milk.

As for desserts, all the exotic fruits are delicious: coconut, lychee, mango... Pastry lovers are particularly fond of the coconut cake known as haupia. You can also try shave ice, which is crushed ice in syrup.

What to take home

Shops are open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 9pm and on Sundays from 10am to 7pm. The Ala Moana shopping centre is famous for its many shops. Tourists are generally looking to buy clothes with the word Aloha on them. But it's often in the small shops that you'll find the best products, such as macadamia nuts and honey. Jewellery made from coral, pearls or jade is also very popular.

lightbulb_outline Editor's tip

Even if you're not going to the beach, don't forget to protect yourself from the sun (sun cream, sunglasses, caps and anti-UV swimwear). The sun's rays are quite aggressive, especially for fair-skinned people. The weather's fine all year round, the sun's out all the time, and UV rays are worth protecting yourself against, even on grey days.

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