OAHU IS STILL THE BEST ISLAND FOR THE VISITOR TO HAWAII

KAILUA, OAHU, HAWAII. JUNE 13, 2006. Recently, there has been some negative press about Oahu. First there was the sewer spill in late March that fouled Waikiki Beach for a number of weeks. Time and nature have overcome this mini-disaster and once again the famed beach at the foot of Diamond Head is clear and pristine. Then, in May, came the news of vacation rental homes being under scrutiny by local residents and the State government. They were being blamed for everything from traffic congestion to the soaring prices of real estate in Hawaii. Nothing could be further from the truth. Rush hour traffic has been congested for years, after all, there are only some many places you can build roads on an island. The same logic also applies to why Hawaii real estate prices have risen so dramatically. If you run out of room to build new houses, basic supply and demand rules dictate that existing houses will rise in value. These same supply and demand principles are now working in favor of the visitor to Oahu. May saw a decline in visitors to Oahu, with a corresponding increase in visitors to Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. This means that vacation rentals that are traditionally booked solid for the summer at least six months in advance now have pukas (Hawaiian for holes—remember the puka shell craze of the 70's) in their summer calendars.

There have always been many reasons that have made Oahu the island destination of choice (until very recently) and they all remain in effect. Oahu has a plethora of challenging, championship golf courses. Oahu has the best dining in the State, with several world renowned chefs in residence. Oahu has the best night life by far of any of the islands. Oahu also has more white sand beaches than the other islands combined—including Kailua Beach, consistently ranked as one of the finest in the world. It has a deep infrastructure to accommodate the visitors needs: island wide bus routes, plenty of cabs, 24 hours shopping, the cheapest prices and all the major attractions one associates with Hawaii—the Kodak Hula Show, Don Ho, Waikiki, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Punchbowl National Cemetery, the Polynesian Cultural Center to name a few.

Traditionally, summer bookings of vacation rentals have been closed by January due to the heavy demand. This year, there are still wonderful, beach front vacation home rentals available for the summer. With the recent increases in Oahu hotel rates, a vacation home rental on Kailua Beach, right on the ocean, will usually now cost less per person than an inland hotel in the Waikiki jungle. Additional savings can be realized by utilizing the kitchen that comes with the vacation rental home. By cooking their own breakfast and lunch, visitors can splurge at one of Oahu's many fabulous restaurants for dinner and still come out ahead.

The key to a perfect vacation on Oahu is to choose your accommodation correctly. If the visitors has an idea of what they want to do during their vacation, a reservation service such as Pacific Islands Reservations can be a godsend. Ingrid Carvalho, owner and operator of Pacific Islands Reservations has been providing accommodations for island visitors for over ten years. Carvalho is locally born and raised and can usually anticipate a visitors needs before they are voiced. Carvalho prides herself on matching visitor to accommodation helping ensure that they get the vacation of their dreams. With hundreds of accommodations to choose from ranging from studios to nine bedroom dream homes, Pacific Islands Reservations is sure to have something for you.