Hawaii's Legendary Pearl Harbor
Places to visit > Pearl Harbor - More in this category > Honolulu > Haleiwa > Hanauma Bay > Kailua > Kaneohe > North Shore > Pearl City > Sunset Beach > Wahiawa > Waikiki > Sea Park > Honolulu Zoo > WaterfallsHawaii's Pearl Harbor is the world's reminder that, even in paradise, terrible things can happen. Located just south of the Aloha Stadium, it is an easy drive by car or bus from Honolulu. The last thing you can imagine, as you drive through this beautiful island, is hundreds of war plans suddenly screaming down upon you with the sole intent to destroy.
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Yet, this was the fate of over two thousand sailors when some 350 Japanese dive bombers attacked on a sunny December 7, 1941. An act that, as most people know, "awoke the sleeping giant" and propelled the US into WW II.
The USS Arizona still lies in a watery grave just off the southern coast of Oahu, in Pearl Harbor. And so do the bodies of over 1,000 American sailors - still entombed in her hull. It is this horrible paradox that will forever haunt Pearl Harbor Hawaii and leave its mark upon your Hawaiian holiday.
For your convenience, it is very important to mention the tight security surrounding the USS Arizona site. After September 11 the US adopted very strict security measures to guard the harbor's war memorials. Visitors now face restrictions on what they can bring into these sites.
You are not allowed to take on board any item that allows concealment including any type of bag or purse. Also camera sizes have been restricted to 12 inches. Anything larger will not be allowed in. There are no lockers or storage facilities for these items and because of theft people have been warned not to leave them in the car. The best solution is to not bring baggage at all. Leave them at the hotel; it will save a lot of headaches.
Although there are three Memorial sites to visit, the USS Arizona should be your first port of call. The memorial sits directly over the Arizona which is visible below the water's surface. Survivors of the attack act as volunteer historians and sometimes talk with visitors about their experiences on that fateful day. Entrance is free.
Over 1.5 million people a year visit this memorial. They throw leis into the water in remembrance of those who lost their lives. They watch the gleaming slick of oil that still leaks from the wreck after more than 50 years at the bottom of the sea, and they read the names of those who passed away engraved in marble on the Memorial's walls.
The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and the Battleship Missouri Memorial are two other intriguing sites to visit. It was on the deck of the Missouri that the Japanese formally surrendered and marked the ending of WWII. Entry fees apply to both these sites.
For quieter, low-key tourist attractions in Pearl Harbor check out Keaiwa Heiau State Park for some good hiking, and Hawaii's Plantation Village to see the lifestyle of those who once worked the sugar plantations.
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