Oahu may be number three in size among its fellow islands in the Hawaiian chain, but it is first in population. Nearly 900,000 people share Oahu’s 600 square miles of mountains and beaches – that’s three-quarters of the state’s population. Almost half inhabit the Honolulu real estate and nearby resort town of Waikiki.

Oahu, also known as “the gathering place,” is made up of two separate but overlapping volcanoes, known as a volcanic doublet. Its asymmetrical butterfly shape is formed by two mountain ranges: the Waianae Range in the west and the Ko’olau Range in the east. Slicing through the center is the flat Leilehua Plateau. Recent, geologically speaking, volcanic eruptions in the southeastern portion of the island which formed the Diamond Head, Koko Head and Punchbowl craters can be blamed for Oahu’s uneven shape.

Chances are if you are staying on Oahu you will book a room in Waikiki or Honolulu. Nearly all of the island’s resorts are crammed into this small area. About half of all the visitors to the state stay in the many hotels and vacation rentals on Oahu. Over five million people, predominantly from the mainland U.S. and Japan, make the trek to Oahu every year. Honolulu is the state’s capital and major financial center. It is also home to the main campus of the University of Hawaii. Honolulu wasn’t always the main seat. Until 1845 the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom was Kahului on the island of Maui. King Kamehameha III ordered the move and the Iolani Palace was built later. ...continued