Oahu offers many tour options to experience its natural beauty and history, including sightseeing tours around Honolulu focusing on WWII sites, royal palaces from Hawaii's past, and scenic landscapes. Air tours like helicopter rides provide stunning aerial views of landmarks such as Diamond Head volcano and Hanauma Bay, as well as beaches, valleys, and coral reefs visible below the clear ocean waters. In addition to structured tours, visitors can enjoy ocean activities like swimming, snorkeling at spots renowned for marine life like Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, and scuba diving at locations frequented by sharks and rays.

1. Oahu
Tours
Here
in
the
“Heart
of
Hawaii,”
as
it’s
called,
you
can
take
a
convenient
and
exhilarating
Oahu
tour.
The
island
offers
everything
from
sightseeing
tours
and
helicopter
tours,
to
an
array
of
ocean
activities,
all
of
which
will
put
you
in
touch
with
Mother
Nature.
The
only
question
is:
how
can
you
possibly
fit
it
all
in?
Many
Oahu
tours
center
around
the
state
capital
of
Honolulu.
Here
you
can
go
on
sightseeing
tours
out
to
several
prominent
World
War
II
landmarks,
including
the
floating
USS
Arizona
Memorial,
which
sits
atop
the
sunken
remains
of
the
ship
that
the
Japanese
struck
on
Dec.
7,
1941.
After
paying
homage
to
the
fallen
soldiers
there,
you
can
move
to
the
USS
Missouri
Memorial,
where
the
Japanese
later
surrendered
in
an
act
that
brought
the
war
to
a
close.
Other
sightseeing
tours
investigate
WWII
sites
such
as
the
USS
Bowfin
Submarine
Museum
and
Park,
the
Pacific
Aviation
Museum,
the
USS
Oklahoma
Memorial,
and
the
National
Memorial
Cemetery
of
the
Pacific,
which
locals
call
“Punchbowl.”
All
the
above
options
are
a
great
way
to
pay
your
respects,
and
to
learn
about
America’s
storied
20th
century
military
history.
Also
in
and
around
downtown
Honolulu
are
some
landmarks
from
Hawaii’s
pre-­‐statehood
days.
Many
an
Oahu
tour
can
show
you
around
here,
too.
For
example,
take
a
jaunt
out
to
Iolani
Palace,
the
only
royal
palace
located
on
American
soil,
or
to
Kamehameha
I
Statue,
which
is
a
tribute
to
the
conquering
king
who
unified
the
Hawaiian
Islands
in
1795.
Other
places
worth
going
on
an
Oahu
tour
around
Honolulu
are
skyscraping
Aloha
Tower,
as
well
as
Kawaiahao
Church
and
the
Mission
Houses
for
a
closer
look
at
the
island’s
Christian
past.
Meanwhile,
a
bit
further
away,
but
still
well
worth
sightseeing
on
a
tour
of
Oahu,
is
the
Valley
of
the
Temples.
Nestled
in
the
Koolau
Range,
you’ll
find
an
amazing
Japanese
replica
temple
named
Byodo-­‐In,
or
“Temple
of
Equality,”
not
to
mention
koi
ponds
and
tranquil
gardens.
That
doesn’t
mean
you
have
to
travel
by
land,
however.
Oahu
offers
a
number
of
air
tours
to
provide
unique
perspectives
on
its
natural
wonders.
On
a
helicopter
tour,
you’ll
hover
above
many
of
the
aforementioned
sites
while
seated
in
the
comfort
of
a
window-­‐facing
bucket
seat.
You’ll
get
to
take
in
several
of
nature’s
finest
landmarks,
including
Diamond
Head
and
Hanauma
Bay,
which
resembles
a
crescent
moon.
Additionally,
you’ll
be
able
to
view
Mokolii,
which
is
located
a
third
of
a
mile
off
of
Oahu’s
eastern
shore,
and
bears
a
striking
resemblance
to
the
straw
hats
worn
by
Chinese
immigrants.
Its
interesting
shape
has
earned
it
the
name
“Chinaman’s
Hat.”
Other
attractions
you
may
see
on
an
air
tour
or
helicopter
tour
include
the
Dole
Pineapple
Plantation,
the
Nuuanu
Valley
Rainforest,
and
several
notable
beaches
such
as
Waikiki
Beach
and
Kaneohe
Bay.
And
don’t
forget—with
flyovers
of
the
Pacific
Ocean,
you’re
promised
the
amazing
prospect
of
looking
through
its
crystal-­‐clear
waters
down
to
the
brilliant,
multi-­‐colored
coral
formations
situated
just
off
the
coast!
As
you
can
tell,
sightseeing
tours
on
Oahu
are
as
much
about
nature
as
they
are
about
anything
else.

2. Where
Oahu
tours
end,
ocean
activities
begin.
While
the
latter
may
not
be
as
structured
as
the
former,
they’re
just
as
fun—and
potentially
more
so
depending
on
your
personality
and
interests.
The
ocean
activities
here
include,
but
are
not
limited
to,
swimming,
snorkeling,
and
scuba
diving,
and
there
are
tons
of
beaches
on
which
to
do
any
of
them.
Mentioned
earlier,
one
of
the
best
snorkeling
spots
is
Hanauma
Bay
Nature
Preserve,
which
boasts
uncanny
visibility
and
a
tremendous
quality
and
quantity
of
sea
life,
both
big
and
small.
Kailua
is
another
popular
location
for
snorkelers
due
to
its
calm
waters.
Scuba
divers,
meanwhile,
will
love
Sharks
Cove
up
on
the
north
shore
in
Pupukea
Beach
Park,
as
well
as
Kahuna
Canyon
and
wrecks
like
the
Mahi
and
Sea
Tiger,
which
both
offer
tons
of
eagle
rays
and
other
aquatic
organisms.
One
final
ocean
activity
that
we
can’t
fail
to
mention
is
surfing.
Oahu
plays
host
to
famous
advanced
surf
spots
such
as
Waimea
Bay,
home
to
the
Banzai
Pipeline,
Haleiwa
Beach,
and
Sunset
Beach.
By
contrast,
for
those
newer
to
the
sport,
many
surfing
lessons
are
offered
on
the
other
end
of
the
island,
especially
in
and
around
Waikiki
Beach.
Waters
are
calmer
down
south
compared
to
up
north,
and
this
is
especially
true
during
the
winter.
So
whether
you’re
looking
to
tour
Oahu’s
historic
landmarks,
play
around
in
the
ocean,
appreciate
nature,
or
some
combination
of
all
three,
there’s
an
option
waiting
for
you
here.
Oahu
tours
are
so
numerous
and
diverse
that
you’d
be
hard
pressed
to
find
something
you
couldn’t
do!
For
more
information,
visit,
www.oahu-­‐tours.us