Drawing more visitors than any other Hawaiian island, Oahu is a place of colorful contrasts: It is home to the nation's llth largest metropolitan area, Honolulu, while still being ringed by more than 100 world-renowned beaches. The island is usually divided into four areas, each reflecting its own unique history, geography and identity: Honolulu, the Leeward Side, the Windward Side and the North Shore.

Fast-paced by Island standards, Honolulu still generates a small-town feeling with its ethnic communities, pleasant parks and beaches. Protected from heavy winds by the Ko'olau mountain range, the city's temperate climate is the perfect backdrop for a seemingly endless list of activities. Here, any diversion under the sun - wet or dry - is possible. In addition to water sports, the many restaurants, galleries, clubs, museums, arboretums and the 'Iolani Palace - the only royal palace in the United States - comprise more than enough activities for any itinerary. And with hundreds of retail stores offering everything from designer goods to "Made in Hawaii" products, Hawaii is also known as the shopping Mecca of the Pacific.

Once the royal playground of Kamehameha, Honolulu and environs are now places to be enjoyed by everyone. And of course, just a few minutes from downtown Honolulu is the world-famous resort, Waikiki. With its attractions such as the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium, activities from golf and outrigger canoe rides to historical walking fours, and people who share the Aloha spirit, Waikiki is truly life's greatest beach.

The Leeward Coast roughly takes in the area west of Honolulu, from Pearl Harbor to Ka'ena Point. Island trade winds drop their moisture on Oahu's interior, leaving this part of the island somewhat drier. Visitors can make a trip to historic Pearl Harbor and see the Arizona Memorial, which was erected after the attack on the U.S. fleet in 1941. Makaha Beach, with its international surfing competitions, is also a popular attraction further up the Sunset Coast.

One-third of the State's best surfing beaches are on Oahu, and no place in Hawaii can lay claim to more pulse-quickening rides than the North Shore. Here, visitors can watch the world's top surfers take on nature's most powerful waterworks at spots such as Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline. Other noteworthy places to visit include idyllic Waimea Valley and the Polynesian Cultural Center, where the traditions of the Pacific Island peoples are brought to life.