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Eastern and Western traditions meet on Oahu, where savvy shoppers find luxury goods at high-end malls and scout tiny boutiques and galleries filled with pottery, blown glass, woodwork, and Hawaiian-print clothing by local artists. This blend of cultures is pervasive in the wide selection of spas as well. Hawaiian lomilomi and hot-stone massages are as omnipresent as the orchid and plumeria flowers decorating every treatment room.
Exploring downtown Honolulu, Kailua on the windward side, and the North Shore often yields the most original merchandise. Some of the small stores carry imported clothes and gifts from around the world—a reminder that, on this island halfway between Asia and the United States, shopping is a multicultural experience.
If you're getting a massage at a spa, there's a spiritual element to the lomilomi that calms the soul while the muscles release tension. During a hot-stone massage, smooth rocks, taken from the earth with permission from Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, are heated and placed at focal points on the body. Others are covered in oil and rubbed over tired limbs, feeling like powerful fingers. For an alternative, refresh skin with mango scrubs so fragrant they seem edible. Savor the unusual sensation of bamboo tapped against the arches of the feet. Indulge in a scalp massage that makes the entire body tingle. Day spas provide additional options to the self-indulgent services offered in almost every major hotel on the island.
The most notable tenant here is the legendary Matsumoto's Shave Ice. (You'll know it by the long line of people.) The shiny, open-air complex is also home to the locally operated Whaler's General Store and the casual beach-chic boutique Guava Shop, as well as surf photographer Clark Little's art gallery.
While playing on the North Shore, check out this open-air plaza that includes a number of art galleries, as well as clothing, gelato, and jewelry stores, among its tenants. And don't miss the Silver Moon Emporium for eclectic Islands fashions. People drive out of their way for the Coffee Gallery or for happy hour at Cholo's Homestyle Mexican Restaurant or Maya's Tapas and Wine.
Heading west from Waikiki toward downtown Honolulu, you'll run into a section of town with distinct shopping-complex areas; there are more than 100 specialty shops and around 40 eateries here. The Ward Entertainment Center features 16 movie screens, including a state-of-the-art, 3D, big-screen auditorium, and all theaters have reclining chairs and access to an extended food menu and alcoholic beverages for those of age. The South Shore Market is a contemporary collection of local shops and restaurants, plus T. J. Maxx and Nordstrom Rack. For distinctive Hawaiian gifts, such as locally made muumuus, koa-wood products, and Niihau shell necklaces, visit Martin & MacArthur and Na Mea Hawaii. There's also free parking around the entire Ward Village, though sometimes you have to circle for a while to find a spot. Valet parking is also available.
