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Oahu Island
Picture Hawaii Islands  Oahu, the main island of Hawaii, dominated by Waikiki Beach in the south and world class surfing in the north ... Click an icon in the Map of Oahu for more pictures View along the Koolau Range, a razor back 1000-metre mountain ridge that extends along the entire east coast of Hawaii. Kailua is a sprawling beachside suburbia with several golf courses but terrible traffic jams on the two highways that cross the 500 metre mountain range back to Waikiki / Honolulu. The east coast has several picturesque beaches and interesting sites that can be explored on a day tour but there is virtually no tourist accommodation here. During the winter surfing season the town and beaches are packed and vacation homes full. In the summer months between June and October the water is flat and in places good even for snorkelling. The high surf rolls in on the famous North Shore beaches between Haleiwa Town and Sunset Strip where the breaks are at their most fierce. Banzai Pipeline, Rubber Duckies and Pinballs are a few of the world renowned breaks. Waimea Falls Park is Oahu's most natural cultural attraction with an astonishing number of ancient sites, lots of interpretation signs regarding the natural fauna and their medicinal uses, traditional dance performances and insights into Hawaiian life. Kayaking down the Waimea River is a popular tourist attraction as part of the Waimea park Experience. The unusual rock formations at Halona Cove is a great place to explore rocks and cliffs and watch the magnificent blowholes, but being close to Waikiki you'll be surrounded by other explorers. The rugged coastline is also a good place to spot migrating whales. Gorgeous Hanauma Bay offers the best snorkelling in Oahu. Once packed with coaches and tourists on snorkelling tours, the park is now open to those who come by car or public bus to protect the Marine Park from overuse. Koko Crater can be climbed to peer down 300 metres into the crater floor. The south eats coast covers a lovely 5 km stretch of beach, ending at the small village of Wainamlo, popular with locals and with good wind surfing and kite surfing. There is even better wind surfing further north at Kailua Beach. Makapuu Beach is considered the best body surfing beach in Hawaii and is flanked by Sea Life Park with dolphin displays and massive reef tanks with an amazing array of marine life. Rabbit and Turtle islands are sea bird sanctuaries off the south east coast. The beach at Ko Olina, one of the few beach resorts on Oahu outside of Waikiki. The protected bay offers good swimming and snorkelling but few crowds. Maili Beach offers good swimming and snorkelling in summer. The west leeward dry coast of Oahu is more traditional with mostly Polynesians living here. Makaha Golf Course is set amongst stunning mountain scenery, and being on the leeward side of Oahu offers clear and sunny skies year-round. There are several other world renowned golf courses in the area but only a few resorts, with Ko Olina being the only one set on the beachfront. Makaha Beach is a popular surfing area with several high rise condominium blocks, most of which are owner occupied. The surfing here is very protected by the local Polynesians who dislike the invasion of outsiders. |
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