Oahu, Hawaii
Oahu, Hawaii: packing for beaches and town walks
ESTA approval, reef-conscious sunscreen and a rash guard, plus a light layer for air-conditioned shops and buses.
Oahu, Hawaii
Oahu, Hawaii: packing for beaches and town walks
ESTA approval, reef-conscious sunscreen and a rash guard, plus a light layer for air-conditioned shops and buses.
- Year-round
- Beach
Editor-picked essentials
- Passport and ESTA approval
Travelling under the Visa Waiver Program requires ESTA approval before departure; apply only through the official site.
Sources
- U.S. CBP: official ESTA application U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Sunscreen with checked ingredients
Hawaii bans the sale of sunscreens with oxybenzone or octinoxate; check the label of any you bring.
Sources
- Hawaii Act 104: sale ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate sunscreens Hawaii State Legislature
- Rash guard and swimwear
Cover your skin during long swims and strong midday sun; clothing does not replace sunscreen on exposed skin.
Recommended packing
Apps that can help at this destination
Google Maps
Editor's pickFind and save beaches, shops and places to eat in Oahu, Hawaii, and check locations and routes.
Before using: Save key places. While connected, download the required area through Offline maps → Select your own map.
Things to know: Offline walking, cycling and transit directions are unavailable. Offline driving has no live traffic information and requires the entire route to lie within the downloaded area.
Sources
About this guide
An editorial guide for a Waikiki-based stay that mixes beach time with walks around town. Since 2021 Hawaii has banned the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate, so check the ingredients of any sunscreen you bring from home. Cover up in the midday sun with a hat and rash guard as well as sunscreen, and pack a light layer for heavily air-conditioned malls and buses.
Trip photos
Local travel notes
How to read this guide
Editorial recommendationAn editorial packing guide for Waikiki beach days and town walks in Oahu, Hawaii, written from the cited sources rather than a first-hand trip. Dates, costs and party size are not set. Entry rules and venue rules change, so confirm official information before you travel.
Check sunscreen labels
Editorial recommendationUnder Hawaii’s Act 104, sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate cannot be sold in the state without a prescription from 1 January 2021. Check the label whether you buy locally or bring your own.
Sources
- Hawaii Act 104: sale ban on oxybenzone and octinoxate sunscreens Hawaii State Legislature
Photo credits and licence notes
Photo 1: credit and licence
Travel tipWaikiki Beach looking towards Diamond Head. Frank Schulenburg / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. Resized and converted to WebP. No endorsement by the original photographer is implied. This adaptation is available under the same licence.
Sources
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Creative Commons
- Photo 1: original and author Wikimedia Commons
Photo 2: credit and licence
Travel tipPalm trees at sunset near Waikiki. Diego Delso / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported. Resized and converted to WebP. No endorsement by the original photographer is implied. This adaptation is available under the same licence.
Sources
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons
- Photo 2: original and author Wikimedia Commons
Photo 3: credit and licence
Travel tipThe Royal Hawaiian seen from the beach. Frank Schulenburg / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. Resized and converted to WebP. No endorsement by the original photographer is implied. This adaptation is available under the same licence.
Sources
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Creative Commons
- Photo 3: original and author Wikimedia Commons
Photo 4: credit and licence
Travel tipA corner of Kalākaua Avenue in Honolulu. Frank Schulenburg / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. Resized and converted to WebP. No endorsement by the original photographer is implied. This adaptation is available under the same licence.
Sources
- Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Creative Commons
- Photo 4: original and author Wikimedia Commons