Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown are among Hawai’i’s most storied neighborhoods, with rich histories that date back hundreds of years. Chinatown, just ‘Ewa of downtown Honolulu, was home to thousands of Chinese immigrants who worked on Hawai’i’s sugar plantations in the 1800s; it nearly burned down in 1900 during attempts to combat the bubonic plague. 

Years later, it became a red-light district for soldiers during World War II. But the neighborhood today isn’t just a relic of the past; it’s a thriving community with an eclectic mix of shops, bars, museums, eateries, and theaters.