seanthepilot

I've always taken the city bus to Waikiki and then paid for day spa privileges. SO many nice hotels. Usually able to leave my luggage for a few hours too.

I love the Aft in HNL.

KonaHi

If you are really on a budget, all the beach parks have outdoor showers.

JohnnyP

I had a full-day layover in HNL from Japan a few months ago and ran into the same problem. After we got sweaty climbing Diamond Head, we bought some cheap towels, drove down to Ala Moana beach and showered at the public showers there.

It wasn't the Four Seasons by any stretch of the imagination, but it worked!

SteamEngine

If you walk 1.5 mile in HNL, by the time you come back you will need another shower

slippahs

Your Guide to Connecting in HNL

N227UA

Speaking of Ala Moana Beach, is it the one that is located along Ala Moana Blvd? Dang too bad that I didn't know there were public showers. When I visted there last time in April, I extremely wanted to swim, but I couldn't becuase of shower issue.

slippahs

Yes, it is the same beach park located right on Ala Moana Blvd and across the street from the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Nothing really exciting about the beach, except that its known to be more of a kiddy beach... just a head's up if all of a sudden the water were to feel warm when you're in there.

JohnnyP

And it's a heck of lot less crowded, IME, than Waikiki.

N227UA

Is this the right beach that you're referring to? http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/n227ua/album?.dir=/a3e2 If it is, how could you say that there is nothing really exciting about the beach for christ sake? It was the best beach that I've ever seen in my life.

slippahs

Yes, that's Ala Moana Beach Park you got there.

It's just a regular beach park that's filled with families on the weekend. It's a safe place and I'll stand by my comment, IMHO, that there's nothing special here.

Lanikai, Ka'anapali, etc etc etc there are just too many nice beaches out there in this state that Ala Moana pales in comparison.

Then again, it might also be what you're looking for.

N227UA

I think you're right. I should get myself to visit more beaches. But unfortunately it seems like I wouldn't have enough chances to take me there. Would care to tell me which is the best beach in Oahu for you? Also, it would be nice if that's located on Bus Route 19 or 20.

SAT Lawyer

Very clean facilities and inexpensive place to take a shower. My wife and I use it everytime we visit Oahu on our last day just before we head over the airport to catch our returing redeye flight to the mainland. That way we can maximize beach time on our trip. ^

There's a fairly easy way to avoid hiking from the terminal to the Shower Tree: take the free Alamo car rental shuttle bus. @:-) Then walk a block or two north from the Alamo lot adjacent to the Nimitz highway and you will find the Shower Tree. Walk back to the Alamo lot when done and catch their shuttle back to the airport. Problem solved!

SAT Lawyer

The Shower Tree is the answer to this problem. Enjoy a full day at the beach. Then shower and freshen up right before you get to the airport. Two birds killed with one stone: you don't lose valuable beach time and you will be very fresh and clean for your redeye (by the time you land, you will be less than 12 hours removed from your last shower, not 24).

IMHO (in order):
(1) Makapu'u (southeast Oahu; good bodysurfing; picturesque lighthouse and scenery);
(2) Lanikai (east/southeast Oahu; beautiful view, especially at sunrise; tranquil waters);
(3) Waimea (North Shore; plenty of sand; calm in the summer; treacherous in the winter, but great for watching big wave surfing); and
(4) Sandy (southeast Oahu; good bodysurfing, but watch the dangerous shorebreak; nice for sunbathing).

dawei

I will be arriving HNL at 9:21 PM and heading out (HNL-LIH) the next day at 6:40 am. Just looking for a place to sleep but the place is so cheap that I have to be a bit skeptical of how nice the place is (I’m not looking for fancy, just clean and safe).

V21

Yesterday while in HNL, halfway through a milerun, I spent 30 minutes walking around searching for the Shower Tree; called them 4 times; their directions were of no use. Turns out I randomly made all the wrong directional choices, which tends to happen to me after 8 hours in coach... So, here are painfully clear directions for anyone unfamiliar with HNL who needs to find this place while on a layover.

Take the Alamo shuttle bus. Once off the bus, look for the massive concrete beams supporting an elevated highway, about 5 lanes each way -- this is the H1. There are no other elevated highways anywhere nearby. Directly underneath and parallel to the H1, at street/Alamo level, is North Nimitz Highway (which, compared to the H1, isn't really much of a highway, but more like just a street.) So -- walk across the Alamo lot towards the H1, until you leave Alamo's property and are on a sidewalk just beneath the H1. Turn left on this sidewalk. You will be walking parallel to the H1, i.e. on N. Nimitz, on the side of the street that is facing traffic. Walk about 100 paces, you will see a large (about 3 stories) very green & leafy round-shaped tree (which I gather is why the Shower Tree is named what it is). The Shower Tree is a left off of the sidewalk next to this large tree. The entrance to the building is not marked with neon signs or anything, just a door. There's a business between the Alamo and the Shower Tree, if I recall correctly it's a motorcycle/motor repair shop of some kind, which had a yellow sign saying "hot dog" or something like that.

Do not walk on the side street which is parallel to the H1/Nimitz which is just off the Alamo office. That street seemed like it'd have more businesses so I started off on that street, which was mistake #1.

Other hints:
Alamo = 3055 N Nimitz.
Showertree = 3085 N Nimitz.

Showertree phone number = 808-833-1411 but don't expect sensible walking directions.

Mini-report of the place -- hm. Well. You will likely not find yourself thinking, "wow, it's just like a Heavenly Shower." Seen nearby the row of shower rooms, on the communal fridge for guests: "Use at your own risk, unlabeled contents will be thrown out Wednesdays and Saturdays" and "See front desk if you would like a lock on your room door." I didn't ask.

However -- I sure am glad to have learned about this place, can't beat the price, and it's very convenient, if you know where to go. Total expense: $8.18 for the shower plus a $5 tip to a hard-working Alamo driver, so I wouldn't feel guilty about hopping a ride.