traveldk.com

The Hawai’i Visitors and Conventions Bureau (HVCB) is the “mother” of all the individual island bureaus. It serves as the official source of information for individual travelers, groups and conventioneers. The O’ahu Visitors Bureau is the island’s chapter of HVCB.

Hana Hou!, Hawaiian Airlines in-flight magazine, and Spirit of Aloha , Aloha Airlines in-flight, are each published 6 times a year. HONOLULU is Hawai’i’s only major regional magazine and a great source of insider information. All can be accessed online.

Hawai’i has two big dailies. The Honolulu Advertiser is the morning paper; the Honolulu Star-Bulletin comes out in the afternoon. Both are available statewide. There are also several more locally-oriented papers, most notably the “alternative” Honolulu Weekly , MidWeek , and the Downtown Planet .

Virtually all hotel chains, activities sellers, and even most restaurants now have their own websites. They are easily accessed via any search engine. The O’ahu Visitors Bureau site also offers links to many visitor attractions.

James Michener’s Hawai’i is considered by many a “must-read” for visitors. It is certainly epic in scope and an entertaining, if not precisely accurate, historical novel. Shoal of Time by Gavan Daws, Hawai’i’s History by Hawai’i’s Queen by Queen Liliu’okalani, and Hawaiian Mythology by Martha Beckwith are all excellent choices.

You will be deluged by dozens of free visitor publications as soon as you arrive at any airport in Hawai’i. Many are chock full of discount coupons and free offers. Bear in mind that most publications cover only the places that advertise with them.

Your hotel concierge is potentially one of the very best sources of insider information. They are, of course, island residents, and many know every nook and cranny of O’ahu – where to get the best noodles and find that vintage piece of Hawaiiana you’re after. Remember to tip them well if the advice is good.

Hawai’i is known for having some of the world’s friendliest locals, and most love to share their knowledge of their home-town. Talk to waiters and waitresses, the bartender, the supermarket cashier, and the person who sells you your very first aloha shirt. You’re sure to learn secrets not available in any guidebook!

Oceanic Cable TV Channel 16 is a treasure trove of entertaining local information. Check it out, even if the pidgin (the local slang) proves a little difficult to decipher.

There’s a Yellow Pages phone book in every hotel room. Besides helping to identify the closest Japanese restaurant or the nearest surf shop, flipping through the book will give you an idea of the local way of life. Keep in mind that the large display listings are paid advertising.