Kaneohe

Kāneohe is a census-designated place (CDP) included in the City and County of Honolulu and located in Hawaii state District of Koolaupoko on the island of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, kāne ohe means "bamboo man". According to an ancient Hawaiian story a local woman compared her husband's cruelty to the sharp edge of cutting bamboo; thus the place was named Kāneohe or "Bamboo man". The population was 34,597 at the 2010 census. Kāneohe is the largest of several communities along Kāneohe Bay and one of the two largest residential communities on the windward side of Oahu (the other is Kailua). The commercial center of the town is spread mostly along Kamehameha Highway.From ancient times, Kāneohe was important as an agricultural area, owing to an abundance of rainfall. Today, Kāneohe is mostly a residential community, with very little agriculture in evidence. The only commercial crop of any consequence in the area is banana.Features of note are Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden and the new Hawaii National Veterans Cemetery. Access to Kāneohe Bay is mainly from the public pier and boat ramp located at nearby Heeia Kea. Access to Coconut Island (restricted) is from the state pier off Lilipuna Road. Marine Corps Base Hawaii lies across the south end of Kāneohe Bay from the central part of Kāneohe, although the town stretches along Kāneohe Bay Drive to the base perimeter.