Not much changes on Oahu. Pretty much all of the above applies. One thing though, the beaches on the Obama side of the island, around Kailua, are getting more and more crowded, not like Waikiki but still full of tourists. Also from what i hear, when the Obamas are on the island, there are all kinds of security checks around Kailua. There are good beaches south of Diamondhead, but I'll take the North Shore. Hit Waimea Bay before 11 and you will find parking. The beach is rarely full because the parking lot only holds so many cars and buses cant go down there. If the surf is high it is really high and you'd be crazy to swim but the upside is that the big wave surfers come out. Go up further and there is Sunset Beach, a small beach called Mothers, and Velzyland. Velzyland can be gnarly but if you look for the calm spot you can bob up and down while big waves break in front of you and at your sides. You also have a pretty sweet view of surfers. Go further north and there is a resort at the top of the island. Forget what it is called. There is a beach there as well. Usually it is crowded. Keep going and you start heading south, down the eastern side of the island. You'll find the shrimp trucks there. It is a nice drive, but the beaches are a bit rough and the wind is often pretty strong, but they are often empty. Last thing, if you want to escape tourist or even people, go to the Leeward Coast on the west side of the island. Take H1 north out of Honolulu, get on the Farrington Highway and drive til it ends. It is rural Hawaii and the coast is rough, but it is pretty spectacular. It is also the poorest part of the island.
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