Landmark· Oahu· Hawaii
Honolulu Harbor and Aloha Tower
21° 18.4′ N · 157° 52.0′ W
Hawaii's principal deep-water port, fully protected from wind, with the 1926 Aloha Tower still standing guard over the cruise piers. Small craft pass the entrance on their way along the waterfront, but this is a ship harbor with tight traffic control, not a yacht anchorage.
Practical
Aloha Tower opened September 11, 1926 at Pier 9 (Wikipedia; Coast Pilot says Pier 10 and describes a 193 ft cream-colored clock tower, Wikipedia gives 184 ft plus a 40 ft mast). Harbor rules (Coast Pilot 10, Oct 2026): before entry all vessels must call Aloha Tower traffic control on VHF 12 or 16 (call sign WHX-528, phone 808-587-2076); monitor VHF 12 at all times in Mamala Bay. Speed limit 5 knots for vessels and tows, 10 knots for motorboats and small craft. Entrance channel 45 ft project depth with a 027.9 degree lighted range; Honolulu Harbor Entrance Light 95 ft, flashing green. Security and safety zones in the harbor and entrance channel (33 CFR 165.1407 and 165.14-1414). Anchoring in the basins is not practical. Sand Island Bridge over the harbor end of Kalihi Channel has only 14 ft clearance. Honolulu Harbor is a customs port of entry. The Hawaii Maritime Center (former home of the Falls of Clyde) closed in 2009.
Best for
Seeing the historic waterfront and understanding Honolulu ship traffic
Nearby
- Kona Storm Season (Oahu)Right here
- Hawaii Department of Agriculture Vessel Arrival Inspection0.3 NM away
- Honolulu Port of Entry (CBP)0.3 NM away
- Iolani Palace0.4 NM away
- West Marine Honolulu0.4 NM away
- City Mill Honolulu (Iwilei hardware)0.5 NM away
- Moku Kitchen (SALT at Kakaako)0.6 NM away
- The Queen's Medical Center (Honolulu)0.7 NM away