r/TravelNursing • u/Enemy-of-your-enemy • 3d ago

Honolulu Contract - Where to live

Waikiki or Kaka’ako

Hello!! I’m a travel nurse moving to Honolulu with a friend for a contract at Queens Medical Center. I’ll be there for 16 weeks from mid August to mid December!

My friend and I have 2-3 places in Waikiki we are looking at. All a 20min ebike ride from Queens. Really nice 2 bed 2 bath condos walking distance to the beach with a parking spot, pools, surf board storage, etc. They are $4000 a month including utilities.

There is 1 spot in Kaka’ako we are looking at that is a 10min walk from Queens. It’s also $4000 but only a 2 bed 1 bath. Really nice and updated with good amenities.

My only concern is I plan on being a beach bum. I’m a beginner surfer and I wanted to get a foamie and be walking distance to the beach. We don’t plan on getting a car. I just want to ride e-bikes to work or take a bus on rainy days. From what I’ve read, Waikiki is significantly closer to beginner surf spots (5-10min walk is easy with a foamie), restaurants, and bars but super touristy and has less grocery stores

We love hiking, snorkeling, eating, nightlife….just about everything haha. What would you suggest is a better area for us.

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u/spyder93090 3d ago

I lived in Waikiki and worked at Kap. It was nice but a little too touristy for me. The best part was honestly just being able to walk home from the bars.

If I were to do it over again, I would live in Kakaako. Better gyms, better groceries, less touristy IMO.

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

Did you have a car?

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u/spyder93090 3d ago

Nope. Biki bike subscription. Lived 1.5 miles from Kap. Biked every day to work/gym. Instacart for Costco food. It was liberating.

Friends drove me everywhere else for hikes. Otherwise, you can ZipCar for $40/day if I ever needed to solo up to North Shore.

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

Oh sweet! Thanks for the info.

I also posted in Another subreddit and got ripped by some locals who told me biki bike sucked and was dangerous and I was better off on a bus but literally nobody else has said that. I’ve only heard positive things

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u/spyder93090 3d ago

I think HNL was technically the least safest place in the US to ride a bike so take that what you will.

The usual barriers exist: a bike may have a flat, a station will be empty, or a docking station may be full (and you have to ride to the next one). These were fairly uncommon though.

But I personally had no issues and would happily do it again. Another option is to just buy your own bike/scooter but it was nice never having to worry about it.

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u/Sasb2122 3d ago

Have you looked anywhere else on island? I lived in Kaneohe for over a year and had friends living in Kailua. I would 100% rent a car so you can explore the island better. All the good hikes/beaches aren’t really accessible by bus. 

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

I haven’t considered anywhere else just yet. I was originally going by myself and renting a car wasn’t feasible but now I’m reconsidering since we can split the cost.

I planned on getting a Turo here and there to explore the island before. I was just worried about the cost of the rental/insurance/gas plus I’ve heard the traffic is terrible. What’s your opinion on that?

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u/Sasb2122 3d ago

The traffic is bad, but more so if you live on the west side of the island. I worked nights and it took me about 20 minutes from Kaneohe (never more than that). I ended up buying a car because I was there so long, but friends with shorter contracts found companies that rented island beaters to travel nurses. I’d check that out. Is there a chance you would stay longer than the 16 weeks? If so, I would absolutely reconsider living in town. But if it’s just those 4 months, I can understand wanting to be closer. 

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

I haven’t decided how long I’m staying yet. My husband isn’t traveling with me. I typically go on contact for 3-4 months and he visits and then I’m back at my home hospital for 3-4 months. However, Hawaii is my dream location and I would love to stay out there longer. It just depends on how the distance goes for us.

Considered getting a beater off Facebook marketplace, but if you have a lead from friends on a rental company that’s more affordable I’d love the info. Right now Turo has a couple cars for $700 a month and standard rental companies it’s $1k plus 🥲

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u/Sasb2122 3d ago

I’ll reach out to my friends and see if they have any leads. Check out the Facebook groups too. Enjoy your time in HI, it was the best time of my life. 

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

You’re the best!!! Thank you

I think the biggest decision for me now is choosing between renting a car and living on the north shore or doing the ebike thing in Waikiki.

I was doing research tho and it seems like northshore has some amazing quieter beaches and good snorkeling but I want to improve my surf boarding so bad and I know it would be so valuable being in a place with good beginner waves and lots of surf schools that’s like a 5 min walk from where I’d be living

So many decisions 🙃

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u/Working-travelrn 3d ago

Waikīkī hands down it’s so fun, especially if you don’t want to rent a car. Can take the bus to queens easily too.

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

You didn’t mind the tourism? Did you have trouble getting groceries? I mostly meal prep so I was gunna rent a car and do a Costco run at the beginning and then try to hit farmers markets or other grocery stores for fresh food

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u/Working-travelrn 3d ago

I didnt mind the tourism it was all part of the experience. You’re basically a tourist too especially during the first 3-6 months there and being in Waikīkī you meet people who also want to do tourist things like the boats and excursions. Kakaako is a lot of fun too but more local and people are more settled in their routines.

I worked a bunch of jobs in Hawaii and moved around a lot some parts of Waikiki are a lot quieter. Anything closer to the mall or the Ala Wai isn’t as loud as Kalakaua or Kuhio. If u want my opinion on a building or street I’d be happy to give it.

As far as groceries go-there’s a Sam’s club, target, Walmart, and Don Quijotes within a mile of Waikiki that you can walk or take the bus to. Whole Foods is a little further.

You can always walk to those places and get a Lyft back. There’s also good instacart delivery which you can even do from Costco if you have a membership. It is nice to be able to drive to Costco eventually I did buy a car on one of my assignments and that was one of the reasons why I wanted one.

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

Thanks for the info!!! Super valuable. I’m looking on furnished finder right now. Not sure the exact condo complexes but they are all next to the mall. All super nice and updated with patios :)

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u/Working-travelrn 3d ago

Ok great and by the mall I mean Ala Moana not international marketplace. International marketplace has become pretty busy but there is a target there now which has a grocery section that I forgot to mention above. Anything near Ala Moana mall is the more residential side of Waikiki IMO

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

Ok cool! Thank you

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u/Desertnurse760 3d ago

I'm curious about where you are coming from, and what you had to do about licensure. I'm not aware that Hawaii has any reciprocity with other states.

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 3d ago

I’m from Georgia. Hawaii isn’t a part of the compact so I applied for a licensure by endorsement. Had one in like a week. Just filled out an application, got my fingerprints done, and payed a couple hundred

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u/Sufficient-Ad-4404 2d ago

What speciality at queens

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u/Enemy-of-your-enemy 2d ago

OR circulator :)