The third largest island of the archipelago, Oahu is actually the most important one in many respects. Representing only 10 per cent of Hawaii’s land, the island is home to some 900,000 people – nearly 75 per cent of the state’s population.

Oahu’s diverse geology and history have created an island of two faces. Honolulu and Waikiki, on one side, are extensively developed cosmopolitan tourist areas. The backcountry with its papaya and coconut trees, carved cliffs and pristine beaches, has a timeless charm. In winter, violent storms that form in the north Pacific unleash their wrath her, and in some places waves swell up as high as small buildings.