Downtown, Honolulu: neighborhood guide

Downtown Honolulu is the commercial and government core of the Hawaiian Islands: office towers on Bishop Street, the state capitol and Iolani Palace in the Capitol District, and Chinatown's markets and restaurants to the west. It is a working district, not a resort one, so the streets empty in the evening and the beach is somewhere else.

The whole area is roughly one mile (1.6 km) across, and the main sights sit within walking distance of each other. Ala Moana, just east, is far enough that most people drive or take a bus rather than walk. Aloha Tower and the waterfront mark the southern edge, where cruise ships dock.

Honolulu's hotels are concentrated in Waikiki, and Downtown has few. That single fact decides most trips: if you want the beach, nightlife and tour pickups on your doorstep, base in Waikiki and treat Downtown as a half-day of sightseeing.

Downtown makes sense if you are in Honolulu for work, if you are boarding or leaving a cruise at Aloha Tower, or if you want a quieter base with Chinatown restaurants a short walk away. It also suits travellers who have already done Waikiki and want a different side of the city. What would change the decision: a trip built around swimming, surfing or resort time — then Downtown costs you a daily commute.

Chinatown, on Downtown's western edge, is where most visitors eat: dim sum, noodle shops, Vietnamese and Thai places, bakeries and a growing set of small bars and cafés. Lunch is the busy meal because of the office crowd; some kitchens close early in the evening.

In the Capitol District and along Bishop Street you will find coffee shops, plate-lunch counters and hotel restaurants serving the business day. Expect local plate lunches, poke and Asian-Hawaiian cooking rather than fine dining. For a wider choice, Waikiki and Ala Moana have far more restaurants open late.

From Waikiki, Ala Moana Boulevard runs west to the waterfront, Aloha Tower and Chinatown. To reach the Capitol District, follow Kalakaua Avenue until it ends at Beretania Street, then continue into Downtown. From the airport and points west, take the H1 freeway to Nimitz Highway (Route 92), or exit at Vineyard Boulevard (Route 98) or the Pali Highway (Route 61) and head south.

TheBus serves Downtown well. Routes 19 and 20 run from the airport through Downtown and on to Waikiki; routes 2 and 13 link Downtown and Waikiki along King and Beretania Streets. Check current routes and fares before you travel.

If you drive, bring quarters: meters are common and many garages, including those under the state capitol and Iolani Palace, are metered too. Without coins, parking is difficult. Once parked, everything in the district is walkable; use a bus or car for Ala Moana and Waikiki.