Hula dancers swaying to soothing Ukulele music, the cool sea breeze on the beach, sipping on coconut water and eating local foods like a King, Honolulu makes everyone fall in love with its laid-back attitude, warm gestures and its close-to-nature tourist attractions!
The city does offer luxurious treats with new resorts, which have elite amenities and royal services. But every city has a low-budget version and Honolulu is no different. The best place to see Honolulu is like a local and you will not regret a bit of what you will see!
If you think, Honolulu is for the privileged, then read on to know how you can get the best of the city in a bare minimal.
Stay Cheap
Delete those web pages of hotels, which claim to give you more for less. Embrace hostels like YMCA and you will have enough to go sleep in the night. The place offers simple accommodation, clean rooms and attached bathrooms. If you are planning on staying out of your room for the whole day, do we need more?
The YMCA has a special accommodation for women travelers and comes with amenities like pool, gymnastics and a fitness center. Icing on the cake! Do book the rooms well in advance before the peak season and your wallet will thank you for the rest of the year.
Eat at local budget joints
Ditch the places which have cover charges and go explore the local small joints which offer a bang for the buck you pay! Seafood is easily available all over Honolulu and mobile food trucks are one of the highlights here. What’s more? They don’t just offer junk food, they offer local, healthy varieties which will leave your tummy wanting for more. The food is good and the flavors are quite unique. Does try the signature traditional island breakfast with sausage, eggs and rice or indulge in dishes like KakeUdonand BBQ ribs.
Prefer low cost Public Transport/ Walk
Public Busses are good to cover long distances, but most of Honolulu can be covered on foot! The beautiful weather, the beaches and the palm trees all make for the perfect companion while you walk through the city. If you are travelling from the Airport prefer the Shuttle services which cost a fraction of rented cars and local cabs.
Go big on free things to do in Honolulu
There are so many things to see in Honolulu which are free, that once you are here, you would want to move in! The Diamond Head, the many beaches with its sandy goodness (surfing the waves, beats any other experience),the Hanauma Bay, the Manoa Waterfalls, Nu’uanuPali and the famous Hanola Blow-hole are some of the natural highlights and on a bare minimum budget, you cannot ask for more!
Local markets give a good headroom to tourists who want to shop but don’t want to shell out more than their wallets could hold! The local goods and crafts all make for a perfect place to buy the classic Hawaiian Shirts or load up on those shorts. If you love window shopping, visit the International market in Honolulu.
Other than these 4 main big money-savers, light pack on your trip to Honolulu since it’s been pretty warm here and you will save on the Baggage fees.
For many tourists, Honolulu paints a pretty but expensive picture. But every smart traveler knows just how to see the city with only a handful of dollars and a curious eye to absorb all of the city’s gorgeous nature!