“Have you been to Tahiti?” - Asked the cartoon parrot Kesha. Let's continue his monologue: “Do you know where Honolulu is? In which country?" In our minds, Honolulu is associated with the azure tropical sea, snow-white beaches and slender palm trees. And we are right in that. Because Honolulu is a city on the Hawaiian archipelago. But the answer to the question to which state it belongs to may surprise you. The United States of America! Yes Yes. Honolulu residents (and, according to the 2010 census, there are about four hundred thousand people) consider Washington their capital. Although the outback, this city can not be called. After all, it is the capital of the whole state of Hawaii. And of course, a tourist mecca. Read about sunny Honolulu in this article.
Geographic location
The Hawaiian archipelago lies in tropical latitudes between the 19th and 22nd degrees north latitude and near the 160th meridian of west longitude. The islands are washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The main city in the Hawaiian archipelago is Honolulu. Where is the capital of this state of the USA? It lies on the southern edge of the third largest in the archipelago and the most populated island of Oahu. The name Honolulu itself is translated from the Hawaiian language as "sheltered, quiet bay." And this is true. Typhoons, tornadoes and hurricanes bypass Honolulu. And even the rainy season here does not look as heavy as in other tropical countries. And all because the area where Honolulu is located lies on the leeward side of the trade winds. From strong vortices it is reliably hidden by the Koolau mountain range. Not far from the city, Diamond Head volcano rises - a pilgrimage point for tourists.
How to get to Honolulu?
Isolated islands from the whole world leave you no other choice. Only the plane will take you to the tropical archipelago, lost in the Pacific Ocean. From Moscow you can outline two routes. The first through Frankfurt and Los Angeles, and the second through New York and Los Angeles. From this last American city to Honolulu you need to fly five and a half hours. The lion's share of passengers arriving on the archipelago lands at Honolulu International Airport. Where is it in relation to the city? The airport is located in the western suburbs, near the Pearl Harbor War Memorial and the Bishop's Museum. This is one of the largest hubs in the USA. Every year, it receives more than twenty million passengers. The airport consists of several terminals, between which free wiki-shuttle shuttles run at intervals of several minutes. If your plane lands late at night, you will not need to take a taxi. City buses run around the clock. Route No. 19 follows to the center (downtown). The most favorite place for tourists is the Waikiki beach area. It is followed by SpeediShuttle minibuses and No. 20 city flights.
Honolulu History
The first Polynesian settlement arose on Oahu in the eleventh century. The “calm bay” became the capital in 1804, when the King of Hawaii, Kameamea I, moved here with his court. At first, the palace stood in the modern Waikiki area, but a little later it was built where the business center of the city is located. Europeans found out where Honolulu was in 1794 when the British sailor William Brown swam into a “quiet bay”. In 1845, under Kameamea III, the capital of Hawaii was again moved from Maui to Oahu. Since then, Honolulu has taken on a modern look. The royal palace of Iolani, the Cathedral of St. Andrew and Aliyolani-Hale were built. In 1898, the archipelago became part of the United States of America. In the vicinity of Honolulu was the US naval base Pearl Harbor, which was attacked in December 1941 by Japanese aircraft carriers. After World War II, Hawaii gained rapid development in connection with the tourism industry.
Climate
Hawaiian Islands lie in the tropical natural zone. However, the rain shadow from the Koolau ridge, where Honolulu is located, reduces rainfall. Even the dry and wet seasons, such typical of the tropics, are not clearly expressed here. It's just that in the winter months it rains a little more. In general, we can say that in Honolulu the holiday season lasts all year round. The climate here is fertile. In summer, the thermometer varies between +27 and +31 ° C, and in winter it is + 18–25 ° C. Hawaii is a sunny archipelago. Meteorologists count here no more than 90 cloudy days a year. The sea off the coast of Honolulu is always warm. The water temperature never drops below 23 ° C, and in summer it warms up to 28 ° C. Strong storms are rare. There are no dangerous currents either.
Beaches
Waikiki Beach is a magnificent wide strip of golden sand that spans many kilometers. The name translates as "flowing water." There are many streams that flow from the mountains to the sea. Waikiki Beach is a kind of visiting card of Honolulu. Where to relax, you decide. Indeed, on Oahu there are many beaches for completely different categories of holidaymakers. Moneybags and amateurs have a rest on Waikiki, parents with young children on shallow Sunset Beach, and divers and mask swimmers choose Hanauma Bay. North Store at the northern end is famous for its high and steady wave, so professional surfers go there. Kailua Beach is located on the windward side of Oahu. It is ideal for windsurfing.
Prices
Hawaii, and Honolulu in particular, can in no way be called a budget resort. The prices here are high, and for all goods, since almost 99% of the necessities of life are delivered from the mainland. Hawaii has the highest real estate value in the USA. Therefore, you should not choose a vacation in the Waikiki (Honolulu) region, where the sector of luxury luxury hotels is located. You may find affordable accommodation in Chinatown or in the countryside. Despite the smooth climate throughout the year, Hawaii has high and low tourist seasons. Prices peak in the winter months and March. In summer, the so-called middle season begins. If you want to minimize your spending on vacation in Hawaii at least a little, choose the off-season (spring or fall).
Historical sights
Do not limit yourself only to beach holidays. Where Honolulu is located, there is something to see for an inquisitive tourist. In the city itself, this is the only royal palace in the United States. It is called Iolani. Translated, this means "the palace of the bird of heaven." The building was built in 1882 and acquired electricity and telephones earlier than the White House and the residence of the Queen of Great Britain. Now in the building of the royal palace is a museum.
Another Honolulu attraction is the Pearl Harbor Memorial. But the house-museum of Barack Obama in Honolulu is not, although it is known that the 44th president of the United States was born here and graduated from a local high school.
Natural attractions
The luxurious nature of Oahu, where Honolulu is located, attracts tourists like a magnet. From the city you can see the Diamond Head crater, which you can climb. A stunning landscape opens up from the top. Another attraction of the island is Hanauma Bay on the southeast coast. Children will be interested in visiting the Waikiki Aquarium, where about two hundred species of fish and aquatic animals are displayed. The Bishop's Museum has a rich collection of Polynesian culture. You can stroll through the jungle to Manoa Falls (about a kilometer from the city). Or visit the local zoo. The sacred waterfall (the highest in Hawaii, 335 meters) can only be seen from the air. Many travel companies offer helicopter tours to this unique natural site.