How to spend a day in Honolulu’s Chinatown?

Chinatown, one of Honolulu’s oldest neighborhoods, is a must-see. It is endlessly walkable and there are countless discoveries to be made in the narrow streets with 19th century buildings and the markets are bustling with activity during the day. Don’t miss the top restaurants, hole-in-the-wall kitchens, dim sum palaces and family-run stalls, and save time for the art galleries and trendy shops. Buy a lei while you’re here.

The location of Chinatown is no coincidence. Businesses selling goods to townspeople and visiting sailors sprang up near Honolulu’s busy trading port in the 1820s. Many of the shops were established by Chinese workers who had completed their sugar cane plantation contracts. Some opened raucous bars that catered to sailors. Although the most successful families moved away long ago, new immigrants, especially from Southeast Asia, keep Chinatown alive. The neighborhood’s heritage is on explosive display every Chinese New Year (late January to mid-February), when the staccato pops of fireworks bounce off the old brick facades. Festivities include a lion dancing parade, with red-colored decorations everywhere.

Before you go…

To make the most of your time in Honolulu’s Chinatown, we recommend doing some planning in advance. If you want to take a tour or are looking forward to dinner or cocktails at one of the fancier establishments, make sure you book in advance.

In the morning…

Receive dim sum and then stroll through the gardens

Head to Mei Sum, a no-frills corner stop serving dim sum, top-notch small plates and Chinese mains, when it opens at 8am. Then head to Foster Botanical Garden, where the tropical plants you’ve only read about can be spotted in all their glory. Among the rarest specimens are the Hawaiian loulu palm and the East African Gigasiphon macrosiphon, both of which are thought to be extinct in the wild. Several of the towering trees are the tallest of their kind in the US.

The self-guided tour is excellent and celebrates plants and trees found throughout Hawaii. Oddities include the cannonball tree, the sausage tree and the double coconut palm that can produce a 50-pound nut. Follow your nose past fragrant vanilla vines and cinnamon trees in the spice and herb gardens and find your way among the poisonous and dye plants. Don’t miss the blooming orchids or the elegant – and aptly named – royal palms.

Take a tour

Local volunteers with family ties to the community run the Hawai’i Heritage Center, a busy gallery with rotating exhibits about O’ahu’s Chinese, Japanese and other ethnic communities. It runs excellent Chinatown tours on Wednesday and Friday mornings. Book ahead.

Professional architects lead walking tours of Chinatown on some Saturday mornings, sponsored by AIA (American Institute of Architects). The tours deconstruct Honolulu’s most historic district and its buildings. AIA also sells excellent walking guides at its downtown office.

Go to the market for lunch

After your botanical garden tour, head to Kekaulike Market and the adjacent Maunakea Marketplace for a stroll and lunch. It’s about a 13 minute walk along Maunakea St from the botanical garden.

Chinatown is all about the markets and food stores. Noodle factories, pastry shops and stalls line the narrow sidewalks, packed with cart-pulling elderly people and families shopping for groceries. In these busy areas you’ll see the range of O’ahu’s bounties from sea and land.

Stalls at Kekaulike Market sell whole fish, dry goods, prepared foods, and Hawaii’s bounty of produce. Vendors sell fruit and vegetables on displays in the pedestrian street. The Maunakea Marketplace is home to popular food stalls, including the eye-catching Maguro Brothers. Make your way to this little stall in the back where everything sparkles, especially the fish. For lunch, sashimi comes in many forms atop rice bowls, or opt for the perfectly grilled garlic ahi or teriyaki salmon.

In the afternoon…

Shop for lei

The wearing of lei dates back to the times of the Polynesians, who wore garlands of everyday objects such as flowers and feathers for status, honor and beauty. The tradition of giving lei to visitors to Hawaii dates back to the 19th century ships that first brought tourists.

A few traditional lei makers in Chinatown are still going strong. At the landmark Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, watch artisans create floral lei from orchids, plumeria, winding maile, lanternʻilima (flowering ground covers) and ginger for all occasions (from $10). Several other lei shops nearby will also pack lei for you to take home. Tina’s Lei Shop is another good choice. Why not succumb to the gentle caress of the petals on your skin while the fragrant floral scent envelops you?

Make a stop at the bookstore

Skull-Face Books & Vinyl, Honolulu’s best bookstore, has bizarre decor and walls covered in posters for punk shows and surfing competitions. The offering delves deep into noir, grunge lifestyle, sci-fi, pop culture and history.

Enjoy a cocktail or afternoon tea

The retro gem Tea at 1024 has a huge selection of teas and serves delicious sandwiches, scones and cakes in the afternoon. If a cocktail is more your late afternoon vibe, try Manifest. The lofty space is filled with provocative decor and functions as a serene coffee bar in the afternoon and a cocktail bar in the evening. Finally, for a bit more class, you can make a reservation for EP Bar. The mixologists know their way around Japanese whiskey, which they mix into incredible cocktails while spinning great tunes from the huge vinyl collection.

Enjoy a delicious dinner

Book ahead for Duc’s Bistro, a chic French-Vietnamese culinary oasis serving refined cuisine. If Korean is more your taste, order a bibimbap from O’Kims and sit in the garden. Finally, the busy (think elbow to elbow) Lucky Belly makes hot and spicy Asian fusion appetizers and entrees with craft cocktails to wash it down.

For a cheaper alternative, go to Pho To-Chau. This Vietnamese restaurant serves pho and is always packed, so you’ll have to queue under the battered sign hanging outside.

Head to N Hotel St for bars, clubs and nightlife

Long the center of Honolulu’s liveliest nightlife, Chinatown’s hip bar and club scene revolves around N Hotel St. The elegant cocktail lounge NextDoor is a brick-walled performance space that attracts artists like Shwayze and DJs of Diplo’s caliber. It books top local talent such as the jam band Backset. DJs spin tunes until 2am many nights; other nights there is burlesque, performance art and more.

Directly above the quiet Hank’s Cafe, Dragon Upstairs is a sanctuary with a tranquil atmosphere and stylized masks on the walls. It hosts a changing line-up of jazz, blues and folk. Try the specialty drink: the pineapple upside down cake. Just to the east is Scarlet Honolulu, a great LGBTIQ+ club.