Aloha Stadium Swap Meet - Honolulu, Hawaii - Bargain Shopping Three Days a Week

Each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday since 1979, bargain hunters and private vendors have been gathering at Aloha Stadium for the largest open-air swap meet in the islands. Tents are set up in circular rows between the parking area and the stadium, creating an elaborate maze of goods from overseas and the mainland United States as well as competitively priced local products.

Those who have attended the thrice-weekly event describe it as a "cultural experience,'' not unlike visiting dozens of different countries in just one day. On offer here are items produced by the many cultures of Polynesia, from Tonga to Samoa and Fiji. Asia is well represented, too, with an abundance of goods from China, Thailand, Japan, and more. It is not unusual to hear many languages other than English spoken as transactions take place.

The list of all that is available at the swap meet would fill many pages; virtually everything from electronics and household goods to fruit and tropical plants is on offer. Travel guides often describe this as the best place on Oahu to shop for Aloha shirts, pre-packaged Hawaiian foods, flowers and souvenirs. The variety of local products is certainly equal to anything available at Honolulu's shopping centers or the retail outlets of Waikiki, and prices are much less expensive, too.

In fact, only malihini (newcomers) pay full price for purchases at the swap meet. The willingness of vendors to haggle helps make a sport out of shopping here.

Kama'aina (local residents) come to the stadium looking to make deals. They consider the amounts marked on price tags as "merely suggestions'' of the actual costs. Advertised discounts are simply the starting point for bartering between sellers and potential buyers.

One bit of good local advice is to bring plenty of cash to the swap meet. Although a few of the vendors accept major credit cards, and some will take personal checks, most of them balk at offering cost reductions for payments made with anything other than hard currency.

Visitors can benefits from additional tips offered by locals. For example, be sure to wear comfortable shoes. There is so much ground to cover, and with few places to sit and rest, comfortable footwear is essential. Also, bring bottled water, a broad-rimmed hat and sunscreen. The tropical sun can be unforgiving. And plan to arrive early. The most popular items often sell out quickly.

Those who sell items under the rings of tents pay fees for their locations. Individuals can book a space by the day or week. Monthly rentals are also available as part of the Aloha Flea Market, which forms the two outer circles of "permanent'' stalls surrounding the swap meet shelters. Indeed, many local merchants who could not otherwise afford the cost of a retail outlet in Honolulu's tourist areas make this venue their home.

The Aloha Stadium Swap Meet opens at 8am on Wednesdays and Saturdays - 6:30am on Sundays - and closes at 3pm. Admission is one dollar for each adult; children under the age of eleven are admitted free of charge. From Waikiki, take the H1 west to Moanalua Freeway and just follow the signs to the Aloha Stadium. Plenty of free parking is available just outside the circles of tents.