The new guide to Oahu – The Gathering Place

The third largest Hawaiian island, Oahu is a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures rooted in the values of the Native Hawaiian people. It offers a fascinating contrast between the ancient and the modern with the bustling resort centre of Waikīkī in the south and the laidback coastal towns in the rest of the island.

Food on Oahu

The food scene on Oahu offers the clearest expression of the melting pot of cultures in the epicentre of Hawaii. Just as Hawaiians converted the guitars brought by Mexican cowboys into slide guitars and transformed Portuguese braguinha into the ukulele so, too, have they adapted the cuisines brought by Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Filipino sugar cane plantation workers until they became uniquely local even Honolulu cuisine.

Honolulu’s resorts offer lots of gourmet restaurants, but it’s well worth getting out into the community to taste the real Oahu.

Poke, Hawaiian Dish, Hawaii USA — It’s well worth getting out into the community to taste the real Oahu.

Hawaiian Restaurants on Oahu

Several trailblazing chefs are offering innovative upscale interpretations of Hawaii’s multicultural food traditions.

Chinatown: Anthony Rush at Senia and Andrew Le at The Pig and the Lady.
Nearby in a trendy converted warehouse SALT at Our Kakaako is a city block filled with the hottest eateries, craft beers, art galleries and design shops.
Honolulu: Chai Chaowasaree (Chef Chai)
Kaimuki: Ed Kenney (Mud Hen Water) and Chris Kajioka (Miro Kaimuki)
Laie: Graham Elliott (Pounders/Polynesian Cultural Center)

Canoe riding, Polynesian Cultural Center, Oahu, Hawaii — The Native Hawaiians arrived by canoe bringing plants that supplied all their essential needs (Image: Polynesian Cultural Center)

Know you Hawaiian produce

As master voyagers, the Native Hawaiians arrived by canoe bringing plants that supplied all their essential needs for food, medicine, fabric, containers, and cordage. These included kalo (taro) awa (kava), kukui (candlenut), maia (banana), niu (coconut), uala (sweet potato), and ulu (breadfruit).

Some Hawaiian fish:

Ahi – yellowfin tuna
Opah – moonfish
Moi – threadfin
Ono – wahoo
Onaga, ehu, opakapaka – snapper

Making oanu, in Oahu Hawaii — Know your Hawaiian produce. (Image: Polynesian Cultural Center)

Hawaiian culture on Oahu

Discover Hawaii’s history and living culture, learn about Polynesian wayfinding at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum. Founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop, in honour of his wife Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop (the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha dynasty), Bishop Museum houses the world’s largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific cultural artefacts and natural history specimens. Don’t miss the Kahili Rooms which house most of the special items of the collection.

Spend the day exploring the rich heritage of the Pacific Islands at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Wander through 16 hectares of tropical vegetation and take part in traditional hands-on activities in authentic recreated villages from six Polynesian nations (Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji, Aotearoa, and Samoa) where guides in native dress demonstrate their arts, crafts and traditions. Dine like royalty at an authentic Polynesian luau (feast) and top it off with the most spectacular evening show in the islands.

Polynesian Cultural Center, Oahu, Hawaii USA — Spend the day exploring the rich heritage of the Pacific Islands at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Called Puuloa, meaning long hill or Wai Momi, literally, water of pearl by early Hawaiians, Pearl Harbor, so named because of the abundance of pearls once found within its protected waters, is the largest natural harbour in the State of Hawaii. While it remains the Headquarters of the Pacific Fleet, the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites are a National Historic Landmark and home to four unique attractions: The USS Arizona Memorial, the Battleship Missouri where the Japanese surrender occurred, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, together tell the story of the War in the Pacific. The USS Arizona is a free experience.

Best experiences on Oahu

Surfing on Oahu

Surfing began as the sport of kings in Hawaii. In the early 20^th century, legendary surfer and Olympic swimmer Waikiki native Duke Kahanamoku popularised the sport around the world. In the 1950s, surfers started riding the huge winter waves on the North Shore. Waimea Bay is now regarded as the birthplace of big-wave surfing. Today, you can grab a bite to eat at the food trucks and watch the pros carve it up.

Beaches on Oahu

Oahu has a brilliant array of beaches. In the south are iconic Waikiki Beach and Ala Moana Beach perfect for keiki (children) as it’s protected by a fringing reef and large seawalls. Along the North Shore are Waimea Bay (which attracts surfers during winter with its 10-metre waves, while is great for swimming and snorkelling from May – September) and Sunset Beach, which hosts some of the world’s best surfing competitions including the Big Wave Invitational in memory of local surfing legend Eddie Aikau. Many beaches do not have lifeguards. Only swim when the waters are calm, generally during the warmer months and use reef-safe sunscreen.

Hawaiian Canoe, Oahu, Hawaii — Sail a Hawaiian sailing canoe with Hawaiaan Ocean Adventures.

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Other water-based activities on Oahu

Learn to sail a Hawaiian sailing canoe and learn the history of Polynesian voyaging on a tour with Hawaiian Ocean Adventures. Both sailing and paddling canoe adventures are offered on the east and west coast of Oahu.

Observe spinner and bottlenose dolphins, green sea turtles and pilot whales on a Wild Side specialty cruise on the West Coast.

dolphins in oahu, Hawaiian island — Observe spinner and bottlenose dolphins.

Rent snorkelling gear to see green sea turtles as well as an abundance of tropical fish at Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, an almost circular bay within a drowned volcanic cone that is thankfully a protected marine life conservation area. Advanced reservations are required.

Things to do on land on Oahu

Do the 2.5-kilometre hike to Leahi (Diamond Head) tuff crater (which means ‘brow of the tuna’ in Hawaiian) for magnificent views across Waikiki.

Aerial view of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head Crater, Oahu, Hawaii — Hike to Leahi tuff crater for magnificent views across Waikiki.

Visit Kualoa Private Nature Reserve, a historic working cattle ranch that is now geared to preserving a landscape that the ancient Hawaiians cherished as one of the most sacred places on Oahu. It is also the location for a slew of famous movies and TV shows including Jurassic Park, Godzilla and Lost. You can take horseback and ATV tours to see the movie sites and enjoy a mālama eco-adventure where you help plant, clean or harvest kalo (taro) and learn about its cultural significance to Hawaiians.

For all your Hawai‘i travel information visit Go Hawaii, or download the GoHawaii app.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.