Honolulu is by far the largest and busiest city in Hawaii, and its Waikiki Beach is a lovely and famous stretch of sand, but most people go elsewhere on the islands in search of their own paradise.
There’s also plenty of free and cheap things to do in Honolulu, including just chilling on the beach, so those on a tight budget can still have a good time without spending every cent they have. If you plan on seeing more than a couple of the paid sights, our review of the Go Oahu Card should be of interest because the card can often save you money.
| Population | 380,000 |
| Area | 900,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-10 |
| Currency | US dollar |
| Airports | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) |
Finding cheap food in Honolulu isn’t as difficult as you might think, and the trick is usually to go at least a block or two inland from the beach and look for local non-chain places. Hawaiian food is very filling, with plate meals typically including big portions of rice and macaroni salad in addition to protein and sometimes a little salad.
| Budget breakfast | You'll find local coffee shops plus some interesting fast food chains offering good value breakfasts in Honolulu. | $6.00 - $10.00 |
| Budget lunch | Unlike most of the resort areas in Hawaii, Honolulu offers cheap food options for those who need them. | $8.00 - $12.00 |
| Budget dinner | If you are staying within a resort you will likely pay more than these prices, but go where locals go for better deals. | $12.00 - $19.00 |
| Beer (pint) | There are dive bars even in Waikiki with cheap pints and happy hour specials. | $5.00 - $9.00 |
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 80 | 66 | 2.7 |
| February | 81 | 65 | 2.4 |
| March | 82 | 67 | 1.9 |
| April | 83 | 68 | 1.1 |
| May | 85 | 70 | 0.8 |
| June | 87 | 72 | 0.4 |
| July | 88 | 74 | 0.5 |
| August | 89 | 75 | 0.5 |
| September | 89 | 74 | 0.7 |
| October | 87 | 73 | 2.2 |
| November | 84 | 71 | 2.3 |
| December | 82 | 68 | 2.9 |
Honolulu is known for its great year-round climate, with every day being warm and humid or hot and humid. Winters are generally more pleasant as temperatures are pleasantly lower, and even though it’s the rainy season, the rain rarely amounts to much or lasts more than an hour or two. Some parts of Hawaii receive much, much more rain, however.
| 21 Mar | 6:34am | 6:43pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:50am | 7:16pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:20am | 6:28pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:04am | 5:55pm |
Still, many do base themselves in Honolulu, which might be the best place for budget-minded travelers, since the big city means there are affordable options for those who look. It’s still not cheap, but you can actually find reasonably priced meals and drinks and such if you stay away from the big hotels and the tourist places surrounding them.
Hotels in Honolulu tend to be fairly busy all year round, but the peak season for prices and crowds is the weeks around Christmas and New Years, and general high season runs from November through April at many places. There is also a high season from June through August at some hotels, so the best deals are generally September through November.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 50.00 - 82.00 |
| 105.00 - 178.00 |
| 145.00 - 277.00 |
| 250.00 - 500.00 |
| 423.00 - 572.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 18.00 - 36.00 |