Honolulu

Honolulu: Beaches, Volcanoes & Hawaiian Culture

Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is the capital and largest city of Hawaii. Here, the modern buzz of a world-class tourist destination coexists with a Polynesian identity felt in the hula, the food, and the "aloha" hospitality. Waikiki, with its golden sand beach and the Diamond Head volcano in the background, is the tourist heart, but venture a little further and you'll find real history: ʻIolani Palace, Pearl Harbor, and neighborhoods like Chinatown tell the story of an independent kingdom that became the 50th US state.

💡 Fun Facts & History

• 💡The name "Honolulu" comes from Hawaiian and translates roughly as "sheltered bay" or "calm port," referring to its historic natural harbor.
• 💡Hawaii was an independent kingdom until 1893 and was annexed by the United States in 1898, becoming the 50th state only in 1959. ʻIolani Palace, in the heart of Honolulu, is the only royal residence built for a reigning monarch on US soil.
• 💡Diamond Head (Lēʻahi), the volcanic cone that dominates Waikiki's skyline, was named by 19th-century British sailors who mistook calcite crystals in its rocks for diamonds.
• 💡The Pearl Harbor National Memorial, on the outskirts of Honolulu, preserves the USS Arizona, sunk in the December 7, 1941 attack that marked the US entry into World War II.
• 💡The Hawaiian alphabet has only 13 letters (5 vowels and 8 consonants), which explains the repeated sounds in words like "Honolulu" or "aloha."
• 💡Oahu is home to nearly 70% of Hawaii's population, but just minutes from downtown Honolulu you'll find cliffs, waterfalls, and nearly empty beaches.