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Sightseeing

Exploring Oahu On Your Own

If you are interested in making your own arrangements, you can check out other commercial tour options with Royal Star Hawaii. Here are their most popular activities in the month of May:

Scenic Oahu Tours
Pearl Harbor Tours
Luaus
Sunset Cruises
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Other reputable companies include Roberts Hawaii and Polynesian Adventure. You may also want to check if any bus companies cater to Chinese tourists and potentially offer Chinese language narration.

Here are other popular places to visit:

Located on the south shore of Honolulu. Its first hotel, the Moana Surfrider, was built on its shores in 1901. Along the main strip of Kalākaua Avenue you’ll find world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, activities and resorts. With Mount Lēʻahi (Lēʻahi Head) as your backdrop, the calm waters of Waikīkī are perfect for a surfing lesson. In fact, legendary Hawaiian waterman Duke Kahanamoku grew up surfing the waves of Waikīkī. “Duke” was instrumental in sharing the values and sport of surfing to the world, and came to be known and respected globally as “the father of modern surfing.” Today, the Duke Kahanamoku Statue, located on Waikīkī Beach, has become an iconic symbol of Waikīkī and the surf culture of Oʻahu. (Click to learn more)

Waikiki

The iconic silhouette of Lēʻahi (Diamond Head) State Monument sits along the Honolulu skyline just beyond Waikīkī. This 760-foot tuff crater is one of Hawaiʻi’s most famous landmarks. Known as Lēʻahi (brow of the tuna) in Hawaiian, the crater was named Lēʻahi Head by 19th century British sailors who thought they discovered diamonds on the crater’s slopes. These “diamonds” were actually shiny calcite crystals that had no value. Today, Lēʻahi Head is a popular hiking destination with panoramic views of Waikīkī and Oʻahu’s south shore. If you plan to hike on Saturday morning, don’t forget to stop by the Kapiʻolani Community College Farmer’s Market. (Click to learn more)

Diamond Head

Just west of Waikīkī, Ala Moana Center is the largest open-air shopping mall in the world. Free trolleys shuttle visitors between Waikīkī and Ala Moana, where there are more than 290 shops and 80 dining options. (Click to learn more)

Ala Moana Center

“Hana” is the Hawaiian word for “Bay” and “uma” refers to the curves of the indigenous canoes. For many years, Hawaiian Royalty used Hanauma bay for fishing and recreation. Hanauma Bay is a must-do for your Oahu island itinerary. It is one of the premier destinations on Oahu if you want to get acquainted with hundreds of tropical fish and marine life. It offers an overall great experience whether you’re a beginner or an avid snorkeler and it’s for people of all ages. (Click to learn more)

Hanauma Bay

Located on the western hem of Honolulu’s financial district, Honolulu’s Chinatown is a center for art and dining roughly 15 minutes west of Waikīkī. By day, explore Chinatown’s bustling markets at the Maunakea Marketplace or the Oʻahu Market. Here you’ll find exotic fruits, seafood, and esteemed temples like the Izumo Taishakyo Mission Shrine and the Kuan Yin Temple that transport you to historic Japan and China. For foodies, The neighborhood’s eclectic restaurants serve everything from dim sum to Eurasian, Vietnamese, Malaysian and even Cuban and French fare. With a range of tastes like this, it’s no wonder downtown Honolulu and Chinatown are up-and-coming culinary destinations. (Click to learn more)

Chinatown

Chang Hsüeh-liang, nicknamed the “Young Marshal” (少帥), known in his later life as Peter H. L. Chang, was the effective ruler of Northeast China and much of northern China after the assassination of his father, Zhang Zuolin (the “Old Marshal”). He was an instigator of the 1936 Xi’an Incident. Chang is regarded by the Chinese Communist Party as a patriotic hero for his role in the Xi’an Incident. Chang immigrated to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1995. He died of pneumonia at the age of 100 at Straub Hospital in Honolulu, and was buried at Valley of the Temples Memorial Park on Oahu. (Click to learn more)

The Tomb of General Chang Hseuh Liang and Edith Chao Chang

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a living museum of six major island nations of Polynesia; Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga. Visitors get to experience the differences in culture of these nations firsthand, all in one place. The center offers a shuttle tour from Waikiki that takes visitors to the center while passing by Oahu’s most notable attractions on the way. The HĀ: Breath of Life evening show is the center’s main attraction, telling the story of Mana and Lani through all kinds of Polynesian dance. (Click to learn more)

Polynesian Cultural Center

The name Pearl Harbor is derived from its Hawaiian name, Wai Momi, meaning water of pearl, because native Hawaiians hunted pearls in these waters. Following the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, the United States Navy established the naval base in Pearl Harbor as soon as they could. Today, while it is still very much an active military base, the USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, and Aviation Museum invite visitors to reflect on the attack on Pearl Harbor back on December 7, 1941. (Click to learn more)

Pearl Harbor