Shopping · Honolulu · United States
Shopping in Honolulu
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DoD photo by: PH3(AW/SW) JAYME PASTORIC, USN, Public domain
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Quick answer
Honolulu has major shopping at Ala Moana Center and along Waikīkī's Kalākaua Avenue, plus local makers in Kakaʻako, Kaimukī and Chinatown. Best souvenirs: Aloha shirts, Kona coffee and Macadamia nuts and chocolate.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Aloha shirts
Where to shop
Ala Moana Center
One of the largest open-air shopping centres in the world, with department stores, local brands and a big food court.
Kalākaua Avenue
Waikīkī's main street of luxury brands, surf shops and the International Market Place.
Kakaʻako and Ward Village
Local designers, surf brands and food halls in a redeveloped warehouse district.
Chinatown
Lei stands, herbalists, antique and vintage shops and Chinese bakeries.
Markets
KCC Farmers Market
Saturday-morning farmers' market at Kapiʻolani Community College near Diamond Head.
Oʻahu Market
Chinatown's open-air fish and produce market, trading since 1904.
What to buy
Aloha shirts
From modern local labels to vintage rayon shirts in Kapahulu and Chinatown shops.
Kona coffee
Look for '100% Kona' beans rather than blends.
Macadamia nuts and chocolate
Hawaiian-grown nuts, plain or chocolate-coated, sold everywhere from ABC Stores to specialist shops.
Ukulele
Locally made instruments from Honolulu music shops, from student models to handcrafted koa wood.
Hawaiian quilts and prints
Appliqué quilt pieces, pillow covers and prints by local artists.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Neighbourhood · Chinatown
Chinatown
One of the oldest Chinatowns in the US, Honolulu's has lei-makers stringing flowers on Maunakea Street, the 1904 Oʻahu Market selling fish and produce, dim sum halls, herbalists and the restored 1922 Hawaii Theatre.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- History
- Shopping
- After dark
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Spam musubi, Shave ice, Malasadas and Haupia. Convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and ABC Stores in Waikīkī, and local delis and musubi shops. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Ala Moana and Kakaʻako | $$$ | A giant open-air mall, a locals' beach park and street-art warehouses |
| Downtown and Chinatown | $$ | ʻIolani Palace, lei stands and Honolulu's best cocktail bars |
| Kahala | $$$$ | Quiet beachfront homes and a resort hotel east of Diamond Head |
| Ko Olina | $$$$ | Resort lagoons and family hotels on the sunny west coast |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in USD. Tip 18–20% at sit-down restaurants, $1–$2 per drink at bars, 15–20% for taxis and ride-hailing, and a few dollars a day for hotel housekeeping; surf instructors and tour guides also appreciate tips.
- Don't take lava rocks, sand or coral as souvenirs, and respect any signs closing sacred sites (heiau).
- Cover up with a shirt and shoes when leaving the beach for shops and restaurants.
- A HOLO card caps daily bus fares, and TheBus reaches Pearl Harbor and Hanauma Bay without a hire car.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in May and September–October; the busiest months are July and December.
- February: POW! WOW! Hawaii mural festival in Kakaʻako (usually February)
- March: Honolulu Festival — Pacific cultural performances and a parade on Kalākaua Avenue (usually March)
- April: Waikīkī Spam Jam street festival (usually late April)
- June: Pan-Pacific Festival in Waikīkī (usually June)
- July: Prince Lot Hula Festival (usually July)
- August: Duke's OceanFest ocean-sports festival in Waikīkī (usually late August)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for shopping, food lovers and families
Ala Moana and Kakaʻako
A giant open-air mall, a locals' beach park and street-art warehouses
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Honolulu?
Aloha shirts, Kona coffee, Macadamia nuts and chocolate and Ukulele.
+Where is the best shopping in Honolulu?
Ala Moana Center: One of the largest open-air shopping centres in the world, with department stores, local brands and a big food court.
+What are the best markets in Honolulu?
KCC Farmers Market and Oʻahu Market.