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Oahu's North Shore,
surfing and more
By William Marshall
On-line Forty-Niner
The North Shore
of Oahu, Hawaii has long been one of the world's great travel
destinations. Endless white beaches, lush tropical rainforests
and breathtaking mountain views are just a few of the tropical
scenes that Oahu's North Shore has to offer.
Hawaii has been a frequent travel destination among the young
college crowd, the main attractions being located in the capital
city of Honolulu. This is because Honolulu, particularly Waikiki
Beach, is home to the majority of the large resorts and hotels
on the islands. It boasts more than 30,000 hotel rooms, close
to 1,000 restaurants, bars and clubs, and more shops and specialty
stores than you can imagine.
With all those resorts and shops come the crowds. Honolulu's
Waikiki Beach attracts an average of 65,000 tourists per day,
mostly from Japan and North America. There are many attractions
among the hustle and bustle of the crowded south shore, but
if you are looking for a place to relax and enjoy the nature
of the island, Oahu's North Shore is where you want to be.
The North Shore is synonymous with surfing. Every year, winter
waves up to 30 feet tall lure the best and bravest surfers
from all corners of the world to charge the giant swells.
The most famous breaks - Sunset Beach, the Banzai Pipeline
and Waimea Bay - are packed with crowds of people, both in
the water and on the beach from the start of the season, usually
late October, until the swells die back, around late March.
December is the peak of the season, when three major surf
competitions, collectively known as the Triple Crown, offer
prize purses reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. Each
winter weekend, the highways are jam-packed with cars making
their slow drive from Honolulu to watch the action at the
beach.
But surfing isn't the only action in the water on the North
Shore. When the swell dies down, scuba diving and snorkeling
are a great way to check out the underwater life.
You can rent snorkeling equipment and take a one-day scuba
lesson from Haleiwa Dive n' Surf, located at Haleiwa Harbor.
You can expect to see hundreds of different species of fish
and live coral on the North Shore, and it is not uncommon
to witness some of Hawaii's green turtles, which have made
a comeback from near extinction in recent years.
If you prefer to stay dry while in the islands, a few activities
you can enjoy are to horseback rides through the mountains
of the North Shore, or simply stroll the beaches searching
for beautiful shells.
There are also daily performances at the Polynesian Cultural
Center, the island's second-most popular tourist attraction
behind the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Here, Brigham
Young University's Pacific Islander students in native Polynesian
wear demonstrate Polynesian crafts, dances and games for tourists.
The ceremony is accompanied by a traditional Polynesian luau,
complete with puu-puu's and a slow-roasted pig.
There is only one major hotel on the North Shore, the Turtle
Bay Hilton and Country Club, located on the most eastern tip
of the beach. Here you can enjoy a world-renowned golf course,
along with tennis, volleyball and of course a beautiful private
beach.
Most of the accommodations on the North Shore are privately
owned vacation rentals, which can range anywhere from $100
a night to $10,000 per month. Advance reservations are recommended,
and are available through most real estate agencies on the
island.
Getting to Oahu couldn't be easier, with dozens of non-stop
flights departing from Los Angeles and John Wayne Airport
in Orange County.
Tickets are affordable throughout most of the year, though
during winter months around the holidays, it can get expensive.
The North Shore of Oahu is filled with many diverse activities
as well as a feeling of being off the beaten path. This laid
back and relaxing atmosphere has helped Oahu become one of
the choicest spots for a getaway you can find.
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William
Marshall/On-line Forty-Niner
A picturesque sky sets the scene off the shores
of Oahu for a postcard-perfect vacation getaway.
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