ost of the images of Hawai‘i that have been seared   into our minds over the years come from O‘ahu. From   Pearl Harbor, to Hawaii Five-O, to Waikiki and Diamond Head; from Magnum P.I. and the Banzai Pipeline to Don Ho and the Baywatch Hawaii babes; all come from the isle whose name means “the gathering place.”

Whoever named this island must have been psychic. Seventy-five percent of the state’s 1,190,000 people live here, most in the greater Honolulu (pronounced ho´-no-loo-loo) area. The city, Hawai‘i’s capital, is the crossroads of the Pacific. People and businesses representing the entire Pacific Rim reside here. This makes for a very interesting mix of cultures, evident in everything from ethnic/racial variety and architectural styles to restaurant cuisines and the extraordinary number of karaoke clubs (very popular with Asians). Honolulu is also a metropolis of high-rise buildings, Hawai‘i’s only freeways, and pretty, well-tended houses - all in one of the most spectacular natural settings in the world. Behind the city rises the Ko‘olau Range - towering, sculpted peaks of green crowned with clouds. The calm, protected waters of Pearl and Honolulu harbors shimmer below. Diamond Head, the very photogenic extinct volcano that is Honolulu’s landmark, sits just to the east of Waikiki. These natural splendors, in combination with the incredible mix of people, make Honolulu and O‘ahu a magical destination.