DISCOVER OAHU

Including small close-in offshore islands such as Ford Island and the islands in Kaneohe Bay and off the eastern coast, it has a total land area of 596.7 square miles, making it the 20th largest island in the United States. In greatest dimension, this volcanic island is 44 miles long and 30 miles across. The length of the shoreline is 227 miles.

The island is the result of two separate shield volcanoes: Wai'anae and Ko'olau, with a broad "valley" or saddle (the central O'ahu Plain) between them. The highest point is Mt. Ka'ala in the Wai'anae Range, rising to 4,003 feet above sea level.[


INTRODUCTION TO OAHU

The city of Honolulu - largest city, state capital, and main deepwater marine port for the State of Hawaii - is located here. As a jurisdictional unit, the entire island of Oahu is in the City & County of Honolulu, although as a place name, Honolulu occupies only a portion of the southeast end of the island (essentially, the Honolulu District). The island extends from Ka'ena on the west end to Makapu'u on the east. Well-known features found on Oahu include Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Kane'ohe Bay, and the North Shore.


HISTORY OF OAHU

The old Kingdom of Oahu was once ruled by the most ancient Ali'i in all of the Hawaiian Islands. In 1785 Kahekili II King of Maui conquered Oahu and deposed the reigning family and then made his son Kalanikupule king of Oahu. Kamehameha the Great would conquer Kalanikupule's force in the Battle of Nu'uanu. And with the conquest of Oahu in 1795 Kamehameha founded the Hawaiian Kingdom Hawaii would not be unifed until the islands of Kauai and Niihau surrender under King Kaumualii in 1810. Kamehameha III moved his capital from Lahaina, Maui to Honolulu, Oahu in 1845. 'Iolani Palace, built later by other members of the royal family, is still standing, and is the only royal palace on American soil.

Oahu was apparently the first of the Hawaiian Islands sighted by the crew of HMS Resolution on 18 January 1778 during Capt. James Cook's third Pacific expedition. Escorted by HMS Discovery, the expedition was surprised to find high islands this far north in the central Pacific. Oahu was not actually visited by Europeans until 28 February 1779 when Captain Clerke aboard HMS Resolution stepped ashore at Waimea Bay. Clerke had taken command of the ship after Capt. Cook was killed at Kealakekua Bay (Island of Hawai'i) on February 14, and was leaving the islands for the North Pacific.

The opening battle of the Second World War in the Pacific for the United States was the Imperial Japanese Navy attack on Pearl Harbor, Oahu on the morning of December 7, 1941. The surprise attack was aimed at the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy and its defending Army Air Corps and Marine Air Forces. The attack damaged or destroyed twelve American warships, destroyed 188 aircraft, and resulted in the deaths of 2,403 American servicemen and 68 civilians.

Today, Oahu has become a tourism and shopping haven as over 5 million visitors (mainly from the American mainland and Japan) flock there every year to enjoy the quintessential island holiday experience that the Hawaiian Islands and her multicultural people now personify.

A series of earthquakes struck Oahu and the surrounding islands on October 15, 2006, interrupting electrical supplies and knocking television broadcasting stations off the air. Preliminary reports said that the first earthquake measured 6.3 on the Richter scale and originated 155 miles (249 km) southeast of Honolulu.


TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF OAHU

• Ala Moana
• Diamond Head
• Hanauma Bay
• Honolulu
• Honolulu Academy of Arts
• North Shore
• Pearl Harbor
• Polynesian Cultural Center
• USS Arizona Memorial
• USS Missouri
• Waikiki
• Valley of the temples

OAHU IN TELEVISION AND FILM

Oahu has been featured in many movies and television shows, including, but not limited to: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 50 First Dates, Blue Crush, Flight 29 Down, Hawaii Five-O, Disney's Johnny Tsunami and Johnny Kapahala use Oahu as the hometown of the family. Jake and the Fatman, the Jurassic Park movies, Lost, Windtalkers, Mighty Joe Young, The Karate Kid , Magnum P.I., North Shore, and Pearl Harbor.

OAHU HOTELS & ACCOMMODATION

OAHU TOURS, TRAVEL & ACTIVITIES