When visiting a loved one stationed at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, even Honolulu which is only 12 miles away from the city of Kaneohe oftentimes feels just too far away. You have been separated for months, maybe even a year or more and the only thing on your mind is spending as much time as possible with your loved one. That’s understandable and why so many people are looking for vacation rentals in Kaneohe.

Military Population

The actual Marine Corps Base Hawaii, located in Kaneohe Bay is home to an estimated 14,000 military personnel and their families from both the Marines and the U.S. Navy. However, the latest statistics show that more than 25,000 people actually live and work there if civilian employees are counted into the mix. Although many service men and women do have their families on the base, others have families back home who come to visit as time and money permits.

Vacation Rental Prices

For this reason, vacation rentals in Kaneohe are often booked up well in advance, but even so, prices are not unreasonably high. For example, it is possible to find a townhome in Kaneohe that rents for less than $1800 a week but sleeps 6 people comfortably, with all the amenities you could hope for. There are even some vacation rentals that sleep up to 20 people and others that are just small studios for single people or couples.

Conveniently Located

Many vacation rentals are right on the water with phenomenal views of water to the east and mountains to the west. While there are not a great deal of actual tourist attractions in Kaneohe itself, its location quite near the H-3 and Highway 830 makes it convenient to travel to literally any part of the island. However, there are a couple of amazingly serene places to visit for those who are looking to spend some time journeying inward.

Quiet Moments in an Authentic Buddhist Temple

One of the most popular off-the-beaten track attractions on the island of Oahu is the Byodo-In Temple which is located in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park at the base of the Ko’olau Mountains. Actually established in 1968, this Buddhist temple was constructed entirely without nails to commemorate the centennial of the first immigrants from Japan to Hawaii. The temple itself is an exact replica, built to scale, of the temple found in Uji, Japan which was built almost a millennium ago.

Exploring Honolulu by Day

Many tourists enjoy the relative quiet in Kaneohe but actually visit the island because they want to explore Honolulu by day. With many attractions located in downtown Honolulu and on world famous Waikiki beach, being less than 20 miles away on the ‘quiet side’ of the island makes for the perfect getaway. Kaneohe is just minutes away from family on base, yet just a short distance to all the most popular attractions.

Keep in mind that the actual city of Kaneohe has more than 95% of its housing units occupied which means that town houses, condos and single family residences set up as rentals are at a premium. While it is possible to find hotels and resorts with availability, many visitors prefer the solitude of cottages and bungalows on the water to drink in the beauty that surrounds them with uninterrupted abandon. If you are looking for excitement by day and quiet by night, Kaneohe just might have what you need.