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To discover Hawaii's hidden gems, take a tour with a local, writes Sarah Nicholson
THEY don't call Oahu "The Gathering Place" for nothing.
Every year, 90 per cent of the fivemillion visitors who flock to the Hawaiian Islands gather on Oahu, with many of them not venturing much past the strip of sand that is Waikiki Beach and the shops that line Kalakaua Avenue.
Waikiki is certainly worth a visit and there's nothing like wandering the main drag after dark and enjoying the heavy heat of a Hawaiian night while doing some window shopping, stopping for an ice cream or browsing the overflowing stalls at the International Market Place.
During the day, you can stake a claim on a patch of beach, to soak up some sun between dips in the Pacific, but you'll have to get up early to find a nice spot because you won't be the only one in town with the same plan.
If you want to see the real beauty of this popular island, and sit on a beach not crowded by tourists cooking like rotisserie chickens, you don't have to venture far from your Waikiki base.
Instead of joining a bus tour, where you'll inevitably spend your day waiting for other passengers who just can't seem to remember meeting times, hire a local guide to drive you around the island.
It may sound expensive but, if there are a couple of you, it could work out to be cheaper than a bus tour.
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