Honolulu International Airport is the reference airport for those who would like to spend their holiday in the beautiful Hawaiian archipelago.
The airport is modern and futuristic and has four runways, two of which are exclusively dedicated to the seaplanes. The arrival is a very suggestive experience thanks to the runways that seem to come out of nowhere: the plane will land among the coral reefs and crystal-clear waters. In the past, when the direction of the airport designed the construction of a new runway, the work was firstly suspended and then stopped for some years because of the impact that the runway would have had on the nesting of an endangered aquatic species.
In order not to waste the money for the design and the start of the work (about 88 million dollars), they achieved, thanks to the offer by the U.S. Navy, to move the territory of the nesting to two other areas identified within the zone of Pearl Harbour; this situation became the example of the perfect collaboration between the different institution of the federal govern.
The airport is ranked 27th for passenger traffic in the United States of America, with almost 18 million travellers every year, according to the latest estimations drawn up by the national agency that deals with civil flights within the American territory.
The airport is a hub for some minor airlines, such as the Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Air Cargo. Its proximity to Honolulu city makes it perfect to reach the city, less than 10 km far.
The airport is linked to Honolulu by a good road network, you can quickly get to the city centre taking advantage of the car rental service from Honolulu Airport, guaranteed by the previous reservation made on RentalUp.
Honolulu: points of interest
The history of Honolulu is indissolubly linked to that of the Hawaii, being not only the biggest centre, but also the administrative capital of the popular American state.
The first traces of the city dates back to before the XIX century, period of discoveries and colonization; it was right a colonizer to land for the first time on its coasts: William Brown understood the potential of the territory and set up here a centre for collecting and sorting of whale meat. Later, the city became the point of arrival of the shipments from Europe and along its coasts sandal and other local products processing factories were born, you can still visit some of these.
During the last century, the city has become famous because of the attack to the military port of Pearl Harbour by the Japanese aviation; this attack led the USA to enter the Second World War. We must mention one of the most popular points of interest, the battleship Arizona, sunk during the Japanese attack and become integral part of the USS Arizona Memorial; you will have the possibility of taking a guided tour to admire closely the remains of the great American battleship nestled on the white sandy beach.
The magnificent building of the Aliʻiōlani Hale, headquarter of the state Supreme Court, deserves a visit, too; the building, built according to the typical local style, preserves within it an imposing statue in gold leaf dedicated to Kamehameha the Great.
The city can be easily visited thanks to the car rental service at Honolulu Airport.
Honolulu: art and culture
Taking advantage of the car rental service at Honolulu Airport, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the art and the culture of the Hawaiian Islands.
You cannot miss, for example, a visit to the Bernice Pauhai Bishop Museum, in Kalihi district, that will let you explore the Hawaiian tradition, admiring the hundreds of ancient relics. You should also visit the Amy BH Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, a wide park of more than 6 hectares where you can walk surrounded by the flora and the fauna of this corner of the world that is a true paradise in earth.
Lastly, you cannot miss a stroll through the streets of one of the most typical districts in the city, that of Waikiki; here, among very wide beaches and shops of local artisanal products, you will immerse yourself in a lifestyle that differs from the consumeristic one typical of the rest of the United States. You will find an atmosphere made of joyful music, overwhelming scents and breathtaking panoramas.
The day can end with a visit to the district of Lewers Street, where you can fully enjoy the presence of street artists that will gladden your sty with their joyful music in one of the many banquets of street food, where to taste some local dishes.
