For writer enjoying Oahu, it's all relative

HAWAII | Island paradise offers bays, beauty, beaches, boats -- and TheBus

One of the luckiest things that ever happened to me was having relatives in Hawaii.

These tropical islands are beautiful, but their beauty comes at a price. It's expensive to get there, eat there and stay there.

My Honolulu relatives have helped me enjoy the famous aloha spirit without the high price tag.

Here are some tips I've picked up from years of visiting my ideally located family members. They'll save you money and help you see the real Oahu.

Get out of the hotels, mingle with the locals and see Oahu's sights by using public transportation. The transit system is called, appropriately enough, "TheBus." It serves the entire island of Oahu and it's a bargain at $2 for a one-way fare.

If I hadn't taken TheBus, I wouldn't have met a fun group of Canadians who came to Hawaii for a destination wedding. Their joy at escaping the cold weather was contagious. I also wouldn't have met the African-American bus driver who decided to settle on Oahu after being stationed there in the military. The Detroit native felt Hawaii was the first color-blind place he'd ever been.

TheBus can get crowded, so wear comfortable shoes in case you have to stand.

For a couple bucks, TheBus will take you to one of my favorite snorkeling destinations, Hanauma Bay, about 10 miles east of Waikiki.

You won't have the bay to yourself. It can get crowded, but it's popular for good reason. The setting is a magnificent volcanic crater filled with water and fish. You'll have a blast watching tourists going bananas about the eels and other marine life.

This is where I spotted actor Dominic Monaghan, one of the few "Lost" actors who wasn't picked up for DUI on Oahu. The "Lord of the Rings" hobbit was wandering around Hanauma Bay just like everyone else.

A few days earlier, I'd plunked down money for a whale-watching boat trip at another spot on the island. Unfortunately all we saw was water -- no whales. So I was thrilled as I stood on the hills surrounding Hanauma Bay, admiring the view, when a local pointed out several whales spouting and breaching as if the bay were a big bathtub. And it didn't cost me a thing.

Crowded Waikiki Beach doesn't do it for me. The luxury hotels and the silhouette of Diamond Head may be beautiful, but the topography of the beach is ... OK.

Instead, get yourself to Kailua Beach Park, a regular on lists of the world's best beaches. It's a sandy slice of paradise with reliably calm water. You'll see windsurfers and maybe other exotics''''''''''' . I met a woman who brought her African grey parrot to the beach for a walk.

For some more free thrills, head to Waimea Bay Beach Park and other spots along the North Shore to watch world-class surfers take on monstrous waves in the winter.

You also can take advantage of the beaches at some of the world's most exclusive hotels -- for free.

Marriott's Ihilani Resort & Spa sits on the largest of the four Ko Olina Lagoons, which are open to the public. The man-made lagoons boast fabulous sheltered beaches on turquoise water. The limited parking is free if you get there early, or pay $29 to park in the Marriott garage.

The famous Kahala Hotel & Resort oozes old-world Polynesian charm. It's a favorite of John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston, whose middle name is Kamalelehua. (Preston is one-eighth Hawaiian.) Anyone can use its 800 feet of secluded beach, though the pool and cabanas are for hotel guests only. The Kahala caters to well-heeled patrons who pay big bucks to swim with the dolphins that live in a natural-like pool at the resort. Peek in the pool to watch the dolphins frolic for free.

No trip to Oahu is complete without visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, the watery grave of nearly 1,200 men. The Arizona, sunk in Japan's Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, still sends up ghostly rings of oil to the water's surface. What you might not know is that living survivors of the attack volunteer at this National Park Service site and share their stories with visitors. These men are living treasures, but their ranks are dwindling fast.

During one of my visits, I listened to Marine bugler Richard Fiske of the USS West Virginia, who told me what he experienced on the "Date Which Will Live in Infamy." One of his most poignant memories, preserved in National Park Service records, was of listening helplessly -- for days -- to fellow crewmen tapping for help inside the hull. Despite multiple rescue attempts, divers couldn't find them. The tapping ended Dec. 24. The men were found when the ship went into dry dock six months later.

"They were in the last watertight compartment we opened," Fiske said. "We found a calendar and a clock with them."

When I learned that Fiske died after my visit, I felt like I'd lost a family member.

Makapuu Lighthouse Trail on Oahu's South Shore is a two-mile path with stunning ocean vistas and good whale-watching opportunities when humpbacks are on the move from December to April. Along the trail you can still see machine-gun "pillboxes," mini-bunkers used to guard against the Japanese in World War II.

Drive north of Hanauma Bay to get to Halona Beach Cove, scene of the famous wave-soaked, Burt Lancaster/Deborah Kerr kiss in the movie "From Here to Eternity."

Nearby is Halona Blowhole, which shoots up dramatic geysers of spray.

Take TheBus or a cab to the state's largest open-air shopping center, Ala Moana. Head to the Japanese department store Shirokiya for posters of sumo wrestlers, mini-Zen gardens, Japanese slippers, dolls, jewelry and cosmetics. One of my favorite things to do is wander the toiletries aisle and buy gifts with unintentionally funny English-language translations. Shirokiya also sells amazing guava cake, which you can buy frozen and carry back to the mainland.

For a different Asian flavor, wander through Chinatown. Even though it's very close to the fancy Honolulu hotels, Chinatown feels like a slice of real life. It's a little seedy here at night. But during the day, it's a great place to watch leis being strung and to shop for porcelain, Chinese slippers and Buddha statues.

For budget souvenirs, skip the overpriced hotel gift shop and go to one of the island's many Longs Drugs. The shops carry a lot of Hawaiian food products. You can't beat the prices on chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and Kona Coffee. (Beware: Read the coffee label closely. A lot of coffees say "Kona Coffee" but are blends. Look for 100 percent Kona.)

Hawaii's largest swap meet takes place every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at Aloha Stadium. Check out orange-tinged shirts made with the red dirt of Hawaii and other clothing promoting Polynesian pride. I spotted one with fierce Hawaiian warriors that said: "The Original Homeland Security." You'll also find signs that read "Parking for Tongans Only" and "Will Work for Rice, Spam and Poi." The swap meet's a good place to pick up homemade lilikoi (passionfruit) jams and jellies.

If there is a restaurant in heaven, it probably looks like Keo's Thai Cuisine in downtown Honolulu. It's bursting with flowers and has some of the best mee krob, or fried noodles, outside of Bangkok. It isn't bargain-priced, but it won't set you back any more than a good meal in Chicago.

Fish fans won't want to miss Todai. This all-you-can-eat seafood buffet in downtown Honolulu is packed with locals and tourists bellying up to the buffet for sushi, shrimp and crab. (It has an outpost in Schaumburg, too.)

Consistently ranked as one of Honolulu's best restaurants, Hale Vietnam serves the most delicious Vietnamese food I've ever had. Watch Honoluluans pull the leaves off big sprigs of basil and stir them into their dishes as if they were salt and pepper.

For Hawaiian fast food, check out one of the many outposts of L&L Barbecue and Zippy's. They're local favorites for "plate lunches," which consist of a main meat dish, macaroni salad and "two scoop rice." For some quick island comfort food, try Ala Moana shopping center's Poi Bowl. Order the Loco Moco, a dish of hamburger, egg, rice and gravy, as well as lau lau, which is pork in taro leaves.

Hot weather is a great excuse to try one of Hawaii's culinary specialties: shave ice (not shaved ice). This sweet treat is like a refined snow cone with ice so delicate and fluffy, it feels like powder melting in your mouth.

•   Do take your shoes off and leave them in the rack at the door if you're invited into someone's home, and bring a gift for your host.

•   Do get the conversation going with locals by asking about the prospects of their favorite football team, the University of Hawaii Warriors.

•   Don't beep your car's horn unless absolutely necessary. It's considered rude and you'll be rewarded with icy stares, a k a "stink eye."

•   Don't be an ugly American. It's perfectly fine to use Hawaiian words like "aloha" and "mahalo" (thank you), but don't try speaking pidgin. And trust me, Hawaiians get tired of being asked things like "Is this dog?" from tourists who joke about what they are eating.

•   Don't worry about wearing a sweater outside. It's usually 82 degrees every day.

Maureen O'Donnell and www.bestplaceshawaii.com