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Oahu known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populated of the islands in the State of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast. Oahu's total land area of 596.7 square miles. The island is the result of two separate volcanoes: Waianae and Koolau, with a broad "valley" or saddle (the central Oahu Plain) between them. The highest point is Mt. Ka'ala in the Waianae Range, rising to 4,003 feet (1,220 m) above sea level.
Oahu has been featured in many movies and television shows, including: Blue Crush, LOST, Dante's Cove, 50 First Dates, Flight 29 Down, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, From Here to Eternity (movie), From Here to Eternity (TV series), Hawaii Five-O, Jake and the Fatman, the Jurassic Park movies, The Karate Kid, Part II, Magnum P.I., Mighty Joe Young, North Shore, Pearl Harbor, Tora! Tora! Tora!, and Windtalkers. The Disney Channel movie Johnny Tsunami as well as its sequel, Johnny Kapahala, use Oahu as the hometown of the family. The Even Stevens Movie, also by Disney, was filmed in various locations on O'ahu. The reality TV show Dog the Bounty Hunter is filmed in the regions of Honolulu, Oahu (as well as other regions in Oahu), and the city of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The children's series Flight 29 Down was filmed on the island. The hit television series Lost is also filmed on Oahu, and many of the show's stars call the island home.
The temperature in Oahu stays approximately the same throughout the year, averaging seventy to eighty five degrees at any given time. However, wind and rain vary with the seasons, so visitors should be aware of standard weather patterns when planning their trips. It should be noted that the geographic design of Oahu makes it such that weather varies greatly in different parts of the city. As a result, visitors experiencing poor weather conditions in one area of Oahu should spend the day in a different area to avoid the problems. Southwest Oahu is usually warmer and drier than Northeast Oahu.
In general, the summer months in Oahu are considered to be the least rainy and the winter months are considered to be the rainiest. Hurricanes are rare and not a factor in deciding when to go (as is the case with the Caribbean). Tsunamis are relatively rare and can’t be predicted so visitors can’t plan around them. Warning sirens are located throughout the islands.
In terms of having to deal with other tourists, the busy season is from December through March, with the last two weeks of December being the prime time during which many people travel to Oahu. Rates tend to be higher during this busy season. In contrast, late spring and early fall are the times of the year during which fewer tourists tend to be in the area, decreasing rates in the area. With the economic slow down tourism has dropped dramatically and "busy" times are no longer a real factor except for late December. Attractions remain open and fall visitors can experience the Aloha Festivals popular in the area. |
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