Oahutravel Tips

Oahu Travel Tips

The island of Oahu is known as the “Gathering Isle” because it is the most populated, but also because there are so many visitors there each year. It’s always good to start your vacation armed with a few hints that will help you become acclimated to this new environment a little faster. If you are a first-time visitor to Oahu, there are a few things that you should know that will help make your trip comfortable and fun. Here is some general information about traveling to and around Oahu

What To Wear

You should come packed as if you were going to a destination in the middle of summer. Bring shorts, sandals, comfortable walking shoes, airy shirts, hats and sun-tan. A light jacket is recommended as a precautionary measure for night time. (And if you are planning to climb any tall mountains, you might want to bring warmer clothes and pants for that particular excursion).

Internet Access

One of the best news that has hit Honolulu in recent months is the creation of a free wireless network covering a large portion of Waikiki, including about 1,000 hotels, Kapiolani Park, the Honolulu Zoo, Queens Beach and Kuhio Beach. Even better news is that this is just the first phase of a project created by Hawaii’s biggest wireless internet provider, ShakaNet. Phase Two is just around the corner, we hear!

Smoking Laws

In 2006, Hawaii passed some of the strictest smoking laws in the country. The Smoke-Free Law implements a statewide prohibition on smoking in any enclosed or partially enclosed placed of employment, including restaurants, bars, and airports. Smoking is also illegal inside all state or public-owned vehicles and spaces. Hotels are allowed to provide only 20 percent of their rooms to smokers but a few hotels have done away with smoking altogether. Some people in states where smoking is prohibited in bars have become accustomed to stepping outside for a quick cigarette fix. The new law in Hawaii prohibits smoking within 20 feet of any door or window, so smokers in bars will have to walk a few steps from their exit to enjoy their cigarettes.

Emergencies

For the police, fire or an ambulance, dial 911 from any phone. For poison control, call the Poison Control Center at 808-941-4411. If you need 24-hour emergency help at a hospital, Honolulu has several great hospitals such as the Queens Medical Center on Punchbowl Street. For more information on hospitals, ask your front desk for information on the one nearest to you.

Medical Help

The best place for tourists to call to get medical help is Straub Doctors on Call, located on Kalakaua Ave in Honolulu. Their number is 808-971-6000. They will be able to send a van if you are not able to get to the main clinic yourself. They also have clinics at several important locations throughout Honolulu such as the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.

Post Offices

The main US Post Office is located downtown in the old US Post Office, Customs and Court House Building on Merchant Street. Other branches near downtown Honolulu include the Waikiki Post Office on Saratoga Ave. and one in the Ala Moana Shopping Center. For other locations throughout Oahu, call 800-275-8777.