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.