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Destination: Oahu/Waikiki Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.
Hermès, Cartier, Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs are among the shops on the Waikiki Luxury Walk in this enclosed mall, as well as Hawaii's largest beauty and cosmetic store. The third floor caters to duty-free shoppers only and features an exclusive Watch Shop. The Kalia Grill and Starbucks offer a respite for weary shoppers. www.dfsgalleria.com/en/hawaii/.
This triathlon shop near the Bike Factory offers training gear, racing- and mountain-bike rentals ($40 per day with a two-day minimum, $175 per week), yoga and Spinning classes, and nutritional products. Inquire directly about the latest schedule of fitness and strength sessions at the store, which is owned and operated by top athletes. www.bocahawaii.com.
The perfect place to shop for gifts, or just take a break with the family, this bookstore feels more like a small-town library, welcoming browsers to linger for hours. The large children's section is filled with toys and books to read.
Look inside this little shop across from The Yardhouse for beach-casual clothing and accessories, soft cotton prints, and alohawear. www.blueginger.com.
The Ala Moana store carries a large selection of locally made products, including soaps, honey, tea, salt, chocolates, art, and CDs. Every item, in fact, is carefully selected from various Hawaii companies, artisans, and farms, from the salt fields of Molokai to the lavender farms on Maui to the single-estate chocolate on Oahu's North Shore. www.bluehawaiilifestyle.com.
Antique jade and 18-karat gold are the specialties at this fine jeweler. www.4bernardhurtig.com.
Vintage aloha shirts are the specialty at this kitschy store. Prices can start at $3.99 for 15,000 shirts in stock; thousands of them are used while others come from top designers. The tight space and musty smell are part of the thrift-shop atmosphere. Antiques hunters can also buy old-fashioned postcards, authentic military clothing, funky hats, and denim jeans from the 1950s. alohashirts.com.
This designer combines the beauty of classic kimonos with contemporary styles to make unique pieces for work and evening. In addition to women's apparel, she's also designed a men's line and a wedding couture line. www.annenamba.com.
This thrice-weekly outdoor bazaar attracts hundreds of vendors and even more bargain hunters. Every Hawaiian souvenir imaginable can be found here, from coral shell necklaces to bikinis, as well as a variety of ethnic wares, from Chinese brocade dresses to Japanese pottery. There are also ethnic foods, silk flowers, and luggage in aloha floral prints. Shoppers must wade through the typical sprinkling of used and stolen goods to find value. Wear comfortable shoes, use sunscreen, and bring bottled water. The flea market takes place in the Aloha Stadium parking lot Wednesday and Saturday from 8 to 3; Sunday from 6:30 to 3. Admission is $1 per person ages 12 and up.
Billing itself as a festival marketplace, Aloha Tower cozies up to Honolulu Harbor. Along with restaurants and entertainment venues, it has about two-dozen shops and kiosks selling mostly visitor-oriented merchandise, from sunglasses to apparel to souvenir refrigerator magnets. You can also find a nice selection of locally crafted ukuleles at The Hawaiian Ukulele Company, or music CDs if you prefer to just listen. To get there from Waikiki take the E-Transit Bus, which goes along TheBus routes every 15 minutes. www.alohatower.com.