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Waikīkī seen from Diamond Head

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City guide · Honolulu

Honolulu

The old capital of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi: Waikīkī, Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor

Photo: Jokazoo · CC0

Honolulu is on the south shore of Oʻahu, with Waikīkī Beach backed by Diamond Head — the liveliest place in Hawaiʻi. The city has the only royal palace in the US, ʻIolani Palace, and to the west lies Pearl Harbor, where the Pacific War began for the United States.

History

How the city came to be

In November 1794 the British captain William Brown became the first foreigner to sail into what is now Honolulu Harbor. After conquering Oʻahu at the Battle of Nuʻuanu, Kamehameha I moved his court to Waikīkī in 1804 and unified the Hawaiian Islands peacefully in 1810. From 1845 Honolulu was capital of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi; the kingdom was overthrown in 1893, and when the US annexed Hawaiʻi in 1898 the city became the territorial capital. On 7 December 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the US entered the Second World War. In 1959 Hawaiʻi became the 50th US state, with Honolulu as its capital.

  1. 1794The first foreign ship entered Honolulu Harbor
  2. 1804Kamehameha I moved his court to Waikīkī
  3. 1845Became capital of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi
  4. 1893The Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was overthrown
  5. 1941Attack on Pearl Harbor
  6. 1959Hawaiʻi became a state, with Honolulu as its capital

Stories

Stories of the city

History · Waikīkī, Hawaiʻi

Kamehameha moved his royal court to Waikīkī

At the end of the 18th century the Hawaiian islands were still divided among different rulers. After conquering Oʻahu at the Battle of Nuʻuanu, Kamehameha I moved his court from the Big Island to Waikīkī in 1804; in 1810 he negotiated with Kaumualiʻi, ruler of Kauaʻi, and peacefully unified all the islands. When he died in 1819, his trusted followers hid his body according to the ancient custom of secret burial, and to this day no one knows where he lies.

History · USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor

'A date which will live in infamy'

Early on 7 December 1941, Japanese carrier aircraft launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans. The USS Arizona was hit by a modified 16-inch armour-piercing shell that detonated her forward magazine, and nearly half of the American dead came from this battleship. The next day President Roosevelt addressed Congress, calling it 'a date which will live in infamy', and the United States declared war on Japan.

People

People connected with Honolulu

Franklin D. Roosevelt

20th century · 1882–1945

Franklin D. Roosevelt

32nd President of the United States

1 related places

Kamehameha I

18th–19th century · c. 1758–1819

Kamehameha I

Founding monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi

1 related places

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

Waikīkī · photo 1

Classic landmarkHawaiʻi, USA

Waikīkī, Hawaiʻi

The smiling beaches of the Rainbow State, birthplace of surfing under blue skies

The USS Arizona Memorial from the air

Classic landmarkPearl Harbor, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi, USA

USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor

A white memorial over the wreck of a sunken battleship; the surprise attack of 7 December 1941 changed the course of the Second World War.

Local life

Food and local daily life

Tuna poke

FoodHonolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA

Hawaiian poke

'Poke' simply means 'to cut' in Hawaiian: fishermen's offcuts mixed with salt and candlenut as a snack.

Before you go

Rules to know in Honolulu

All etiquette & taboos →

Red lineDrivingUnited States

Driving in the US: what to do when police pull you over

  • Signal right and pull over safely to the right
  • Roll down your window after stopping, before the officer reaches you
  • At night, turn on the interior light
  • Keep both hands on the wheel and ask passengers to keep their hands visible too
  • Getting out and walking towards the police car
  • Suddenly reaching for the glovebox, a pocket or under the seat

Sudden movements may be read as a threat and become dangerous. The wording of the rules varies slightly between states.

Not yet verifiedSource: Texas Department of Public Safety driver handbook

TabooTippingUnited States

USA: tipping is almost always expected

  • Restaurants with table service: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill
  • Bartenders: US$1–2 a drink, or 15–20% of the bill
  • Taxis: 15–20% of the fare, at least US$1
  • Hotel housekeeping: US$2–5 a day
  • Not tipping at restaurants with table service

Not illegal, but seen as very rude.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Emily Post Institute: tipping guide

Sources