Oahu Hotels

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Top Oahu hotels

Honolulu Hotels: 1987 Reviews - 4711 Photos
Hawaii Kai Hotels: 9 Reviews - 25 Photos
Hanauma Bay Hotels: 18 Reviews - 46 Photos
Kahuku Hotels: 9 Reviews - 33 Photos
Waikiki Hotels: 324 Reviews - 811 Photos
Haleiwa Hotels: 63 Reviews - 158 Photos
Kaneohe Hotels: 17 Reviews - 59 Photos
Kalihi Hotels: See nearby hotels
Mililani Town Hotels: See nearby hotels
Honokai Hale Hotels: 1 Hotel
Aina Haina Hotels: See nearby hotels
Pearl City Hotels: 17 Reviews - 37 Photos
Nanakuli Hotels: See nearby hotels
Kaimuki Hotels: See nearby hotels
Waianae Hotels: 7 Hotels

Oahu Tourist Traps

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Tourist Traps
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Tourist Traps
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Waterslide heaven at a price
by AKtravelers
Money!
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Most Viewed Tourist Traps in Oahu

International Market Place Honolulu

7 Reviews There's a stall or 2 that sell perfume. These look like name brand perfume (only slightly cheaper than Duty Free). We bought "John Gaulteir Le Male" for $50 yet on getting this home we found it was...

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Shopping Waikiki

4 Reviews Notice that the high-end shops in Waikiki and Ala Moana (Hermes, Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Rolex, YSL etc.) are gorgeous and well-stocked. If you're from Japan or somewhere else where there are ridiculous...

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Waikiki Honolulu

7 Reviews If you just slide up (north or maka) Kapahulu Ave within about a mile, you'll find a much more authentic Hawaii. Restaurants, coffee bars, surf shops, a couple of off-beat bars. Going even further...

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Free Breakfast deals Honolulu

3 Reviews One trap is the Free Breakfasts offered by tour companies. Because we were first-timers, we went, even though I read it was a tourist trap. It boils down to - you get what you pay for. The free...

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Taxi-cabs, Shuttles & Trollies Honolulu

4 Reviews Honolulu Airport Shuttles is owned by someone who owns 3 other taxi companies. So they tell you you are getting a good deal as compared to other companies, which they own and offer you "VIP deal" just...

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Much Over-priced! Shop around Honolulu

7 Reviews Well I'm ashamed to say that I was sucked in big time by a lady selling crystal. It was my first ever visit to Waikiki and I guess I was high on the thrill of just being there! I went into a gift shop...

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PCC & other Luau's Honolulu

2 Reviews This place is a total rip-off. It looks more like a bad Disneyland ride from the 50's--and the show finishes with an advertisement for the Mormon Church. Even met a guy that used to work there at our...

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Scenic Disappointments Honolulu

2 Reviews Honolulu and Waikiki are nothing but one way streets so be sure to have a map handy AHEAD of time. Don't be stuck like we were driving around for two hours, trying to navigate all of the one way...

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Package Deals or Steals! Honolulu

3 Reviews Never leaves any value in your car. Thieves are watching for tourists-cars and are waiting until they are out of sight and in less than a minutes they will have broken into your car taking off all...

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10.

Sea Life Park Honolulu

3 Reviews My daughter's family went there today for the dolphin encounter. She said the water was absolutely filthy. She said that the park had really gone downhill since we were there 5 years ago. The water...

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11.

Hilo Hatties Honolulu

2 Reviews This is a waste of your time, and not worth all the hype in all the travel magazines. The store has limited options, and in all honesty you can find absolutely everything there for a lesser price, if...

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Parrot Guy

by Me_Shell_79

Watch out... I worked this out but my friend got hooked in. We were walking down the street and a guy had a parrot/ cockatoe and said "here hold this and I will take a photo of you with the bird', I was like no thanks but my un-travelled friend said ok. Anyhow after holding the bird, the guy asked for a $20 donation towards the wildlife. I said I dont have any money (which i did) and my friend handed him the money, she didnt take my hint. If you do want to hold a bird I suggest better to go to a wildlife park or any donations pay directly to organisations.

Polynesian Cultural Center -- Not for me!

by AKtravelers

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a once in a lifetime experience (I hope!). If you're looking for an authentic taste of all the different nations of Polynesia, then visit all of the nations of Polynesia! But, if you're looking for an ersatz Epcot Center-like experience shared with busloads of tourists, but plunk down big bucks and spend a day at the PCC. Admittedly, we didn't spend the entire day there and skipped the IMAX theater and the tour of the Mormon Temple (the PCC is run by the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), but we saw enough of the center to believe that it wouldn't have made the experience worthwhile. The PCC has exhibits on Tahiti, New Zealand, Easter Island, Samoa, The Marqueses, Fiji and Hawaii, but aside from a few lame artifacts (hysterically, the tiki carvings in Hawaii had loincloths!) the focus was mostly on music and dance. This is okay, but...

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Dole Plantation

by Nathalie_B

Ok, I guess I should have read VTers’ tips better. What can I say; this place is a ROYAL waste of time, especially the idiotic train that takes you on a 20 minutes plantation tour. Can you imagine how many pineapples you’ll see in that time?!There are some good things to say about the place, like the world’s largest maze. This place is kinda fun, children usually enjoy it the most and adults get hooked too running through the place looking for the 9 hidden stations in which they have to stamp a card given to them at the entrance. 4 stamps were enough for me, but some people spend there hours!There’s a nice garden too, which I actually enjoyed, but all in all, I definitely could spend my precious time better than that.Oh yeah, and please don’t fool yourself about the prices, you don’t really believe that the pineapples here are cheaper than in supermarkets, right? You want a train?...

Dole Pineapple is NOT Worth Losing Beach Time

by AKtravelers

One of the most beautiful sites in Oahu used to be looking over vast pineapple fields as they reach towards the mountains. As late as 2002, the top of the broad central plain was devoted almost entirely to cultivating the fruit long associated with Hawaii. Often, passing rainstorms would leave rainbows to accentuate the rows of spiny leaves in the dark red clay. However, don't think this means that the Dole pineapple plantation is worth your time. The first time I went, I was tricked into visiting it by a friend who raved about the pineapple ice cream there. I love ice cream. I'll do almost anything for ice cream. But this wasn't good ice cream -- not nearly creamy enough!! And the rest of the plantation disappointed, too. There was more to buy than there was to see. You could take the Pineapple Express train for a short narrated tour that describes how to grow a pineapple and how...

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Kahuku Sugar Mill? Where?

by thecatsmeow

We were happily winding our way around the island and Valories sister was reading the upcoming destinations. Oh the Kahuku Sugar Mill is up here. So we decided to swing by and check it out. Well we got to the place and there was a sign welcoming us......but the Mill was gone! The only thing left are a few large pieces of machinery and some pictures of the old Mill. The remaining portion of the Mill is filled with timeshare and a post office. Hmmmm while it was rather neat to look at the hulking pieces of machinery and the old pictures. It certainly would not be something I would go out of my way to see. Since it is on the way to the PCC perhaps you may want to stop in and have a look at the old pictures on the wall and some of the leftovers from the machinery but that will only take about 15 minutes of your time.

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For Completists Only: Drive the Waianae Coast

by AKtravelers

The Waianae Coast is the far western side of Oahu, and it looks inviting on a map. Unfortunately, it is the most impoverished, poorly-cared-for, junkiest part of Oahu and is only worth visiting if you've seen everywhere else on the island (and some of those places many times over). Most of the beaches on this coast have been taken over by camps of homeless people and crystal meth users, and are decidely unsafe. That being said, if you dive far enough toward the end of Farmington Road, you will be treated to some nice, safe beaches and beautiful scenary -- though nice beaches and beautiful scenary can be found on almost every othe part of the island as well. If you are going to drive Farmington Road, make sure you go to the end -- otherwise the trip will have been a waste. It ends in a beautiful state park with a nice beach that is crowded enough that you probably don't have to worry...

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The International tourist trap

by RblWthACoz

Every place that has a huge tourist influx will have at least one place that is the ultimate tourist trap. The International Marketplace is the ultimate tourist trap on Oahu. There is no bigger one.Filled with numerous stores and stalls, not much here is worth purchasing. For the most part it is cheap junk. If you really want to do some shopping, just stick to Ala Moana, or even better Ward Warehouse.The only redeeming quality about the International marketplace is that there are Polynesian carvings all over, if you are interested in seeing something like that. Check out the carvings...and hurry through to the other side. shop at The Ala Moana Center, The Ward Center, or The Ward Warehouse

Animal Solicitation - it's illegal!!

by RblWthACoz

Do not let anyone put birds on you in Waikiki and take your picture. First off, this is completely illegal. It's called "Solicitation of Animals", and it is against the law for someone to charge you money and use an animal in doing it. Secondly, parrots are not even from Hawai'i! They are just pets being pimped out. Third, all of the guys with the birds are con artists and druggies. I met several of them when I stayed at a particular hostel. Any money you give them would be a waste.

Hilo Hattie's

by keida84

They ply you with coupons and free trolley rides to get you to come to their stores. I use to really enjoy going to Hilo Hatties in previous visits. Now they are so commerical and over-priced you are better off going elesewhere. If you have to go to Hilo Hattie's then I would recommend you skip the jewlery and the fashions and go straight away to thier coffees, jams and macadamia nut candies. Though slightly marked up some good bargins can still be had in this department. Try to visit the Aloha Marketplace which is ocean front shopping and very pleasant to walk around.

Dole Pineapple Plantation

by keida84

Unfortunately this was a part of the "circle island" tour that we booked. Even our driver admitted it was a tourist trap.We went inside the big yellow "house" to the gift store and eatery places. It was teeming with tourists purchasing pineapples for shipment home, others finding their way through the world's largest maze (not the one out doors but the one just to get to the cashier.)I signaled Kris to hightail it out and meet me. Upon doing so, the air cleared and the sun shone, we could breathe again. We happened to come to a small farmer's market. So if your tour stops here, skip the Dole Plantation stuff and head right for the farmer's market. Although the girls can be a little snippy they still offer the BEST tasting fruit known to man. The mangoes were delectable.