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The articles
- 01
The KingdomWho was Queen Liliʻuokalani?
The sister of King Kalākaua who became Hawaiʻi's last reigning monarch, then was deposed, tried, and held in her own palace.
- 02
When to ComeWhen is hurricane season in Hawaiʻi, and does it matter for a visit?
When Hawaiʻi's hurricane season falls, how often storms reach Honolulu, and what a visitor should actually do about it.
- 03
When to ComeWhat is Lei Day, and how is it celebrated in Honolulu?
What Lei Day on the first of May celebrates, where Honolulu marks it, and how to time a visit around it.
- 04
When to ComeWhat happens in Honolulu on King Kamehameha Day?
How Honolulu marks King Kamehameha Day on 11 June, from the draped statue downtown to the floral parade through Waikīkī.
- 05
When to ComeWhat is the best month to visit Honolulu?
How Honolulu's steady warmth, trade winds and festival dates shape the best month for a visit.
- 06
Getting AroundCan you get around Honolulu by bike with Biki?
How Biki's bike-share stations cover Honolulu's shore, and where a rental car, bus or walk still serves a visitor better.
- 07
Getting AroundHow does the HOLO card work on TheBus and Skyline?
How the HOLO smart card pays for TheBus and Skyline, with free transfers and automatic fare capping for visitors.
- 08
Waikīkī Beach and Kalākaua AvenueWho was Duke Kahanamoku, and where is he remembered in Waikīkī?
Where to find Duke Kahanamoku's statue and other memorials along Waikīkī Beach, and why he still matters here.
- 09
Waikīkī Beach and Kalākaua AvenueWhere can you take a first surf lesson in Waikīkī?
Why Waikīkī's gentle, man-made surf became the beach where visitors take their first lesson, and how to book one.
- 10
Day TripsHow do you get a reservation for Hanauma Bay?
Why Hanauma Bay needs a reservation, how the booking window actually works, and what to do nearby if it is full.
- 11
The OceanWhich sunscreens are legal to sell in Hawaiʻi, and why?
What Hawaiʻi's sunscreen law actually bans, what it does not, and how to pack or buy around it.
- 12
The OceanWhen do box jellyfish come to Waikīkī, and what should you do?
Box jellyfish follow the moon, not the calendar: when they tend to arrive at Waikīkī, and how to find out before you swim.
- 13
The OceanHow do you spot and escape a rip current at a Honolulu beach?
How to read Honolulu's beach warning signs, spot a rip current, and swim free of it safely.
- 14
ʻIolani PalaceWhat will you see on a tour of ʻIolani Palace?
What to expect from a tour of ʻIolani Palace, room by room, from the throne room to the queen's imprisonment cell.
- 15
Diamond Head (Lēʻahi)How do you reserve and climb the Diamond Head trail?
How to book a Diamond Head reservation, what the trail from crater floor to summit involves, and what to bring.
- 16
Getting AroundDo you need a car in Honolulu?
Why most visitors can see Honolulu without a car, what TheBus, Skyline, bikes and taxis cover, where a car makes sense, and how to rent one for just the days you need it.
- 17
Getting HereHow do you get from Honolulu airport to Waikīkī without a car?
By bus, by shuttle, by taxi or ride app, or partly by the new Skyline rail line: how each way from the airport to Waikīkī works, what to do with your luggage, and which suits whom.
- 18
Day TripsHow do you plan a visit to Pearl Harbor from Honolulu?
What the Pearl Harbor National Memorial includes, how the USS Arizona Memorial reservation works, the no-bags rule, how to get there without a car, and how to visit a war grave.
- 19
The KingdomWhat happened to the Hawaiian Kingdom, and where can you see it in Honolulu?
How the kingdom was founded, how it ended in 1893, and a walk through the downtown blocks where its palace, government house, royal church and the queen's house still stand.
- 20
Eating & DrinkingWhat should you eat first in Honolulu?
A plate lunch, poke, saimin, a malasada, shave ice and a plate of Hawaiian food: what each is, where it came from, and how to find it in the city without a reservation.
- 21
The OceanWhere can beginners swim safely in Honolulu?
The calmest water in the city for children and weak swimmers, what makes each beach easy or tricky, how to read the lifeguards' signs, and the reef, jellyfish and sunscreen rules to know before you get in.