• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Kunia, Hawaii

CaliStyle

New Member
Anybody on this site have any advice on where to rent on Oahu? I'm getting stationed in Kunia this spring and am thinking about Waikiki. Ideally, I'd like to be able to walk to a surfable beach and limit my daily commute to 45 min or less. I've heard Ewa Beach is good but too military. What are anybody's thoughts on renting in Waikiki. being within reasonable driving time to Honolulu is also a big factor too (where spouse will work).
 

joboy_2.0

professional undergraduate
Contributor
Anybody on this site have any advice on where to rent on Oahu? I'm getting stationed in Kunia this spring and am thinking about Waikiki. Ideally, I'd like to be able to walk to a surfable beach and limit my daily commute to 45 min or less. I've heard Ewa Beach is good but too military. What are anybody's thoughts on renting in Waikiki. being within reasonable driving time to Honolulu is also a big factor too (where spouse will work).


You suck
 

Fly Navy

...Great Job!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Waikiki is SLAMMED all the time, so take that into consideration. There are better surf beaches on the island. My step-bro lives in Waikiki, it's awesome if you want to be in walking/taxi distance to the bars, etc.
 

raptor10

Philosoraptor
Contributor
Waimea Bay Definitely Numba 1, Kailua Beach, Sunset Beach; went there for spring break with a native, AWESOME time...
 

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
Where are you based??? What station???

*edit* .... Sorry ... disregard .... I finally reread your post for "comprehension" ... Kunia ... go to the North Shore ... much crap, but some gems .... go to Mililani ... or rent my place in Ko'Olina when my Japanese tenants go back to the land of the rising sun ....

IF you decide to do Waikiki ... you will be going "against" the traffic commute each day ... mo' bettah ...

What is your price range??? That determines everything in the Territory.

 

The Stinkster

Now who do I blame?
pilot
Never heard of Kunia.....Kaneohe possibly? If so, I was there for almost 4 years and am married to a local so I could probably give you a good rundown if you can be more accurate as to your destination/base. A couple of initial pointers....DON'T truck on up to the North shore to surf by yourself. The locals will kick your ass and the waves in Hawaii are pretty heavy and powerful, with a lot of dangerous reef on the north shore. That area is not really great for longboarding anyway in my opinion. One of the best breaks on the island for longboards is on base at K-bay, Pyramid Rock, and the break just down the Beach (North Beach) is one of the best on the island a lot of the time. As far as living goes, lived in Wakkiki and lived on the Winward side and for the long term Kailua is the best. Would never live in Wak/Hon again if I went back. A lot of reasons for that and you are still plenty close to that area if you live on the other side. It is a pretty small island....how far away could anything actually be? Anyway, just a couple of opening pointers...not too specific since I am not sure exactly where you are going to be.
 

raptor10

Philosoraptor
Contributor
Regional SIGINT Operations Center Kunia
The Kunia Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC) is an element of the United States Cryptologic System staffed by personnel from each branch of the military along with Department of Defense civilians. The installation lies approximately 15 miles west of the city of Honolulu and ten miles south of the world famous North Shore of Oahu. Naval Security Group Activity provides cryptologic personnel, information and communications to support Pacific Theater and National warfare requirements; provide host support services to the Kunia Regional Signals Intelligence Operations Center; and provides Pacific Theater engineering installation services. Construction on the underground tunnel complex began in 1942, after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor forced the military to build facilities less vulnerable to the enemy. The fear of a repeat-attack prompted the Army and Navy to build these underground facilities for vital defense and storage installations. A bomb-proof underground aircraft assembly plant was planned by the military. Called "The Hole" in the 40's, construction on the 23 million dollar facility began in 1942 and was completed in late 1944. The facility is not a true tunnel, but a free-standing three-story structure that was later covered with earth.
kunia.jpg

p_kunia.jpg
 

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Anybody on this site have any advice on where to rent on Oahu? I'm getting stationed in Kunia this spring and am thinking about Waikiki. Ideally, I'd like to be able to walk to a surfable beach and limit my daily commute to 45 min or less. I've heard Ewa Beach is good but too military. What are anybody's thoughts on renting in Waikiki. being within reasonable driving time to Honolulu is also a big factor too (where spouse will work).

I lived in Honolulu, right downtown, for 3 years (minus 2 deployments). I was lucky, in that the traffic was always flowing opposite the direction I needed to go during the work week (Windward side-north commuters coming south on the Pali highway as I went north to K-Bay). If I got to work and realized I forgot my cell phone, laptop, notepad, or brain, I had to deal with it, because there was no way I could go home and get back in a reasonable amount of time.

The H-1 (highway with the "fastest" way connecting Waikiki and Honolulu to Pearl) was a NIGHTMARE, especially in the morning and in the evening during rush hour(s). On a map, it looks pretty quick, but there are wayyyyy too many cars on the island. You need to decide if living "in the city" is worth having to wake up early and headaches on the ride home.

There were too many Friday evenings when we'd have an impromptu BBQ and someone would run to get charcoal, decide the extra 1.50 at the regular grocery store was too much, and try to go to Hickam commisary. 3 hours later....H-1 strikes again.

As far as rent, if you plan to live alone downtown (Waikiki or H-town), you will most likely use up ALL BAH and possibly more, especially if you want a reasonably new place with good AC and as few cockroaches as possible (the higher your pad, and the colder you keep it, the less bugs you get, or so they say - worked for me).

I'd PCS there, crash with a buddy or at a Q, and REALLY look hard for at least a month. Don't fall in love with one apartment, focus on the area and transit time.
 

HeyJoe

Fly Navy! ...or USMC
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
A couple of initial pointers....DON'T truck on up to the North shore to surf by yourself. The locals will kick your ass and the waves in Hawaii are pretty heavy and powerful, with a lot of dangerous reef on the north shore. That area is not really great for longboarding anyway in my opinion. One of the best breaks on the island for longboards is on base at K-bay, Pyramid Rock, and the break just down the Beach (North Beach) is one of the best on the island a lot of the time. As far as living goes, lived in Wakkiki and lived on the Winward side and for the long term Kailua is the best.

This is awesome advice...I am a Kailua HS grad and can verify that everything he says is true. Going to the North Shore to surf is not a good idea as a tourist or "nugget". You need to work up to tackling the North Shore and understanding the reefs up there. Kaneohe gets the same swell and you don't have to worry about locals being territorial or ripping off your car. I surfed EVERY day at Kaneohe and even the kailua Bay side gets consistent swells that beat anything I ever saw INCONUS. The shore break in Kailua Bay itself will support longboards and there's plenty of shoreline there. Kailua is worth checking out for a place to live, but I agree with A4s...your budget is biggest deciding factor...I'd be living there myself if not for the astronomical prices. I'm envious. Squeeze all you can out of it!


BTW, Waikiki is a tourist haven and taking your board out there is risky with all the tourists and canoes but there is a nice break near Ft DeRussy if you are up to paddling out. Note: most of decent breaks on Oahu are a good paddle out to reefs (Pipeline is notable exception, but that is a Varsity break...bears much watching before attempting).
 

The Chief

Retired
Contributor
Waimea Bay Definitely Numba 1, ..

Agree, if you Numba 1 Surfer, go hang ten on the 35 foot curlers in the bay. Watch out for that hellish undertow. Waikiki is great for Grandma on her boggie board, but know of no serious surfers in Waikiki. Think more towards EVA and North Shore. Bozai, Pipeline, Yokohama, Makaha (Internationals were held there in February) are great most of year. On around to Sunset Beach. I rented house in Waialua, right on the beach would wake up with the beach riff/raff sleeping all over my lawn. Moved, bought house in Pearl City. Second tour, rented in Manoa (best choice). Later bought a 32' sailboat, tied up in shadow of Illikai. Motor out to PH, rigged sails, then couple hours later in Maui. Girl friend and I lived aboard almost a year. Her dad would come down and help me work on boat. Good life. As A4 said, all depends on $$. If you got $12 million to spend, Diamond Head area is great place to be. Given Kunia location (Wheeler Field environs) would never consider anything beyond north Honolulu.

Worked in Kunia for 2 years (mostly Det'd out), then back for 2 years in CDAA in Wahiawa. Kunia was Super Secret, read recently somwhere in public domain that hundreds of millions to be put into the facility. Large number of underground facilities on Oahu. Red Hill prob most famous. We also had U/G fac in Lualualei (spell?). More of an ERLS.


:) :) :)
 

CaliStyle

New Member
So if the morning traffic is going TO waikiki, is there a commuting problem for me going FROM waikiki to Kunia. Is there evening traffic going from Kunia to Waikiki? It appears that my working hours commute would go against traffic. Is that true? I don't mind using all my BAH for rent if it's in an awesome place. I just look at it as an entertainment expense. thanks for the input so far everybody
 
Top