Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bibbitybop]

davai! has good info on Honolulu. I visited there for 9 days in 2000. It was a great trip, but my favorite part was getting away from Honolulu. Hit the uncrowded beaches (almost an oxymoron on Oahu) and hit up the rainforests. No snakes, run free, but get a map or good info, we got lost and almost slept out there.

I toured all the Hawaiian islands (except Oahu and Ni'ihau) in 2002-3 and lived on Maui. I even got to spend on week onKahoolawe volunteering. I would recommend Maui, Kauai or the Big Island (called Hawaii) over Oahu to anyone. Kauai's natural environment is excellent, but lacks a big night scene. The Big Island is, well, big. It has about 7 distinct climates (you can ski there in the winter on Mauna Kea), flowing lava, and is truely a Hawaiian experience as many parts are not touristy yet. Just watch out for the meth-heads. They are on all islands, but especially in rural areas of the Big Island. Maui has the best of both worlds: touristy spots, different climates (no skiing, though), night life, and remote wilderness areas where you may not see anyone else. Maui also has more beaches than any other island. I miss that place so much sometimes, but when I think abou the cost of living compared to income, I quit missing it so much.

PM me if you want to hitting up Maui. I love talking about it. Anyone who has been to Maui and Oahu will pick Maui anyday, unless of course you are looking for a professional job outside of tourism or construction.

[Tiger Beer]

I spent about 5 weeks total in Hawaii.

4 weeks on Oahu.. and 1 week exploring Maui, Kauia and the Big Island.

Most of that time I just rented a car.. but also took a bus around for one week to get a different feel of Oahu and Honolulu. For the most part, I rented out a room out of an apartment of some German surfers/windsailers in a place just north of Downtown & Chinatown.

Honestly, I loved Honolulu, as I like cities quite a bit. Waikiki and Ala Moana and downtown in particular. The university area of UH-Manoa as well. There are some great waterfalls and valleys and mountains and beaches in the Honolulu vicinity - well, everwhere in Hawaii.

I'd also agree that Maui was the most beautiful island.. but also the most expensive for cost of living. Oahu has quite a few charms as well. I wasn't all that impressed with Kauia.. it just seemed like one big large traffic jam. Also, being it was basically a street that went around the peripheral part of the island and nothing else, definetely doesn't help much. But what alternative could it be? I know its not sightly, but sometimes I wish they just had some public rail system that took the tourists all around, instead of everyone renting cars and creating huge traffic jams when they are all going along the same roads anyways.

My favorite place was PUNA of the Big Island.. massive volcanoes.. black sand beaches.. lava flows.. and gorgeous scenery and hippy towns and an anything goes kind of feel - and yeah, i think the meth and pot history of the place has a lot to do with the strange energy there.

Back to Honolulu. Yeah, downtown isn't the place to live. Quite a few sheisters around.. lady-boys.. drug deals, etc. One night as I was walking through.. someone got shot and the police were scanning for forensic evidence all night long. Its seedy, for sure. But strangely by 5am, you have all these predominately older Chinese everywhere out for their morning walks.. probably going off to some park for Tai Chi and all the rest.. and suddenly changes a bit anyways.

Waikiki is incredible.. but after awhile you really feel the full impact of constant unrelenting tourism. But there are quite a few regular interesting mainstay characters the more you stick around and see that as well.

Ala Moana is a large outdoorish mall-like place. Quite a few places around there as well.. Ala Moana Beach.. lots of Vietnamese Bars and Korean Bars.. etc. I think if I were to live in Honolulu, I'd probably look around that area, or within vicinity - somewhere between downtown and Waikiki anyways or up in those cool hills that overlook the city.

Anyways.. it was great to spend those recent five weeks in Hawaii. Its too bad the lava is flowing right over in Puna of the Big Island.. I just missed the real active stuff when I was there. Would have been a highlight for sure.

[Tiger Beer]

Honolulu, Baby!

Thought I'd bump up this thread.. its an old thread with a lot of new posters on Daves these days.

Maybe someone else could contribute their info for this middle of the Pacific Ocean city.

[dncinartist]

wow-old thread but since I'm feeling nostalgic....

Just moved outta Honolulu after living there for a year and a half.IMHO miss it like mad crazy.

Lived in Kaimuki area literally walking distance from Kapiolani Community College and Diamond Head. Wouldn't wanna live in any other area there.

Best Sites

Diamond Head
Makapu'u-take the side route right against the shoreline-lotsa cool little caves and rock formations
Sandy's
Glow Beach-local name, dunno what the map would call it
Pali lookout-off the Pali Highway
H-3 when it's raining- u'll see a ton of waterfalls

Restaurant Recommendations

Diamond Head Grill- really good, pretty healthy
Rainbows Drive In-cheap, big portions, I liked the shoyu chicken
Jimbo's-they make their own Udon noodles
Boots and Kimo's-worth the drive(up in Kaneohe area), banana pancakes with macadamia nut syrup
BC Burritos- huge and you pick what goes in it
Big City Diner-their version of Denny's with Hawaiian taste
Sam Choy's -good fine dining

Nightlife Recommendations

First Fridays-In Dtwn area every first friday of the month from 5-9 all the restaurants and art galleries and the museum open up and offer free nightlife entertainment(live music, dance, theatre-I used to perform at the event so yeah...since I can't be on stage with them the least I can do is plug my fellow artists)

[Bibbitybop]

Maui no ka oi!

My ex from Maui just asked me when we are going to get back there together.

I wouldn't live there again until I was ready to settle down (with lots of money I'll never save up) and die, but I will be back to visit for sure.

[Tiger Beer]

[dncinartist]

I agree that Honolulu was a nice mix although, it was still crazy always running into someone you knew or someone who knows OF you wherever you went. I swear it's like 3 degrees of separation there.

[prettyinscarlet777]

i live in honolulu. what do you want to know? i am teaching in korea but have a boat in ala wai harbor.
cindy

[Tiger Beer]

[Bibbitybop]

[catman]

I plan on going to Hawaii in January for a couple of weeks.

How did you find Molokai? I was impressed by the pictures I've seen.

[kiwigirl :O)]

wow...im glad this thread got bumped....
i'm off to hawaii for chuseouk and need some more info from people that have visited/lived there....

keep all the info coming guys

cheers
kg

[Tiger Beer]

[kiwigirl :O)]

well tiger i have pretty much what you suggested planned and i want to do a day trip to kauai as well....

im gonna cram just a few things and most of the time relax on the beach

i think im gonna to pearl harbour, diamond head, haunama bay, alo moana mall, kauai then chill most of the time...

ill be staying near the honolulu zoo in a back packers...

[Tiger Beer]