Visitor Information

For advance information, contact the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), Ste. 801, Waikiki Business Plaza, 2270 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815 (tel. 800/GO-HAWAII [464-29244] or 808/923-1811; www.gohawaii.com). Among other things, the bureau publishes the helpful Accommodations and Car Rental Guide and supplies free brochures, maps, and Islands of Aloha, the official HVCB magazine.

The Oahu Visitors Bureau, (tel. 877/525-OAHU or 808/524-0722; www.visit-oahu.com), distributes a free 68-page visitors booklet.

A number of free publications, including This Week and Guide to Oahu, are packed with money-saving coupons offering discounts on dining, shops, and activities around the island; look for them at the airport and around town.

If you want information about working and living in Hawaii, contact The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, 1132 Bishop St., Ste. 200, Honolulu, HI 96815 (tel. 808/545-4300).

Maps: Roads, Trails & Activities

One of the best general maps of the island is the Map of Oahu, cartography by James A. Bier, published by the University of Hawaii Press, available at bookstores or online at www.uhpress.hawaii.edu.

The best street map we have found is TMK Maps: Oahu Streets and Condos, published by Hawaii TMK Service, Inc. (tel. 808/536-0867).

The best and most detailed maps for activities are published by Franko's Maps (www.frankosmaps.com); they feature a host of island maps, plus a terrific "Hawaiian Reef Creatures Guide," for snorkelers curious about what fish they spotted underwater. Free road maps are published by This Week Magazine, a free visitor publication available on Oahu, the Big Island, Maui, and Kauai.

For topographic and other maps of the islands, go to the Hawaii Geographic Society, 49 S. Hotel St., Honolulu; or contact P.O. Box 1698, Honolulu, HI 96806 (tel. 800/538-3950 or 808/538-3952).

Daylight Saving Time

Since 1966, most of the United States has observed daylight saving time from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October. In 2007, these dates changed, and now daylight saving time lasts from 2am on the second Sunday in March to 2am on the first Sunday in November. Note that Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time. So when daylight saving time is in effect in most of the U.S., Hawaii is 3 hours behind the West Coast and 6 hours behind the East Coast. When the U.S. reverts to standard time in November, Hawaii is 2 hours behind the West Coast and 5 hours behind the East Coast.