Travelling to Oahu, Hawaii
by eden lazar on 05/04/09 at 10:00 am
Oahu, known as “The Gathering Place” is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, and it has the largest population (about 900,000 people) of the islands in the state of Hawaii.
The island is the result of 2 separate shield volcanoes: Waianae and Hoolau, with a large valley (Oahu Plain) between them. Legend has it that a Polynesian navigator named the island after one of his sons. Oahu was the first Hawaiian Island sighted by Capt. James Cook in 1778, during his third Pacific expedition.
Oahu is a tourism and shopping haven for over 5 million visitors every year. The city of Honolulu –the largest city, state capital, and marine port of the State of Hawaii- is located here. The main attractions are: Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, the Polynesian Cultural Center, Oahu Volcano Tour, Water Adventures, Sea Life Park, Hanauma Bay, Paradise Cove Luau, and the Hawaii Duck Tour.
Pearl Harbor is the home of the largest U.S. Navy fleet in the pacific. On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked the U.S. forces by surprise and killed almost 2,400 military and civilians, most of them trapped in the USS Arizona. Oahu Pearl Harbor Tour is one of the most popular landmarks in Hawaii, and it is a National Historical Landmark. Here you can learn about the history and events of the past, through the 4 museums that include an emotional memorial, a battleship (which saw the war and the beginnings of peace), a fully restored World War II submarine, an aviation museum (complete with fighters planes and flight simulators), or the powerful, historical film of Japan’s attack on the harbor (with actual footage of the attack), and a visit to the Arizona Memorial (with the Shrine Room where you can reflect on the names of the 1,177 men resting on the sunken battleship below).
Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone. It got his name from British sailors in the 19th century, who mistook its calcite crystals embedded in the rock for diamonds. It is estimated to be about 200,000 years old and extinct for 150,000 years. Geologists believe Diamond Head will not erupt again. It is a United States State Monument. A 0.75 mile (1.1 km.) hike leads to the edge of the crater’s rim. It winds over uneven rock and ascends 74 steps. It goes through a tunnel and up another 99 steep steps, followed by another tunnel to a narrow spiral staircase, to the observation platform (built in 1908). From here you can see in detail Waikiki and the Pacific Ocean.
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