Aqua waters lap sandy shores sprinkled with pumice stones and polished coral.
Frangipani trees line perfectly manicured grassy patches, running alongside paved beach pathways.

Doves replace seagulls and bronze statues of past surfing legends mark infamous breaks.
The locals stroll the stretch with eight foot malabu surfboards balanced on their heads, barefoot, boardshort and bikini-clad. Others cruise by in their immaculate stretch hummers.
Palms shadow beach volleyball courts, while rows of surfboards take centre stage, luring even the most timid beach-goer.

Louis Vuitton stores mark street corners, next to Tiffany’s and Gucci. It’s all postcard-perfect and then you snap back to reality and realize this Oahu is so far beyond your budget, that it’s torture to even dream about it. But don’t despair, with a little bit of research Hawaii can be done by those lacking Prada heels and Rolex watches.

 

Where to stay

While the popular Sheraton Moana Surfrider and the Hyatt resorts are out of the question, setting you back a painful starting price of $250 a night, the Waikiki Beachside Hostel is an affordable option. Yes it’s a hostel but there are no dirty bathrooms or bed bugs here.
Prices for a six to eight person dorm start at $25 a night.

If you want a little more privacy book a small dorm or semi-private. A four-person dorm starts at $31, while a semi-private costs $67, until November 30, 2008. The hostel is in a great spot, just one street back from Waikiki Beach and busy Kalakaua Ave, and only five minutes from the International Market Place, next to the town centre.

Facilities include electronic safes, coin operated laundry, an internet room and an outdoor entertainment area. You can also hire surfboards, boogie boards and snorkel gear and organise transfers to and from Honolulu Airport.

 

Where to eat
McDonald’s is even pricey in Hawaii so the best way to eat is like the locals by hitting up the grocery store. This is just a short walk back from Kalakaua Ave and stocks all of the norms so you can cook up a feast at Waikiki Beachside, with private or shared kitchen facilities.
You can also buy local treats such as chocolate-covered macadamia nuts at the ABC stores on virtually every corner, which also sell beach essentials like sunscreen and inflatable lilos.

Another tip is to make the most of the free continental breakfast at the hostel. It’s a not-too-exciting mix of peanut butter and jelly on toast with tea or coffee, but it fills the belly and saves a few extra bills. Unfortunately breakfast doesn’t get started until a lazy nine o’clock, catering for those stay-in-town days.

 

Getting around
When it comes to sightseeing, you don’t need to rent a car. The public bus system on Oahu —the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous — is very reliable and services are frequent.

For those short trips however, jump on the free Hilo Hattie shuttle (small donation appreciated) which takes you to tourist clothing store Hilo Hattie but also to Ala Moana Shopping Centre, a few minutes from Waikiki at Honolulu. There is also an Ala Moana shuttle that picks up passengers from various spots in Waikiki for just two bucks.

If you need to go a little further, buy a bus ticket, also for $2, where you can hop on and off again on the same ticket within a few hours. This is a great advantage when you want to visit the North Shore’s infamous Sunset Beach, Pipeline and Waimea Bay. It’s also handy when you take a day trip to Hanauma Bay, scene of Elvis’ romantic film Blue Hawaii.

To gain entry to this beautiful protected marine park it costs only $5 per person. And if you don’t feel like walking the long path to the shore, you can ride the shuttle for just $1.
Diamond Head State Monument is another tourist attraction worth seeing that won’t bust your wallet and the public bus will take you to the gates.

It is a volcanic crater located on the south east coast of Oahu at the end of Waikiki. It has a 232-metre summit and became home to Fort Ruger, one of the U.S. military’s major defence forts in 1898.

It’s a bit of a haul for an hour to get to the top on a hot day, with many tourists cramming the walking path, but once you scale the tunnel and 175 steps to the lookout on the crater’s rim, you are rewarded with a magnificent view of the west side of the island, from Waikiki to Koki Head.

If you can spare some change you can buy a certificate proving you have conquered the small feat. Other beer budget fun in Waikiki includes the free Polynesian dance performances and free open-air cinemas on the beach.

To find out more about times and location stop by one of the many tourist information booths and pick up a pamphlet or ask one of the friendly locals. So next time you dream about surfing with the the pros, snorkelling and sun bathing Hawaii-style, you can smile to yourself knowing you’ve done it all for a lot less than the cool cat in the swanky bar at the Hilton.