I'm an Oahu resident. Google Maps does better than Apple Maps or Waze for mapping efficient/shortest routes, but they have a really hard time with pronunciation. Of course, navigating in Hawaii isn't as difficult as it is in the Mainland. It's only in the dense urban areas that you need navigation. For the most part, major road either circumnavigate the island or go radial between the ocean and the mountains (think wagon wheel). If you are nervous, map the route from your hotel room before your head out and take a few screen shots.
I always say I can't really get
that lost because eventually I'm going to come to the ocean, or a mountain. Then I'll figure it out.
When driving in Honolulu the thing to remember is that no road is going to go where you think it's going to go. Have no expectation that a road that is running parallel to another will continue to stay parallel, or that Street X should intersect Street Y. Downtown isn't set up like a grid. If you've ever driven in an older city like Boston, you'll be fine in Honolulu.
But again, you can't really get that lost. If you have a general idea of where you want to be and you know that you have to drive towards diamond head to get there, chances are you'll be able to see diamond head as you're driving. Or if you note the mountains on the map, you just make sure you're seeing the mountains where they should be.
Also, a lot of roads have different names depending on where you are, but they're the same road, and often the signs don't reflect properly what road you're on. When I first got here, I was continually frustrated to find the correct diamond head bound exit off H1 for 201. It wasn't there. That's because it was labeled 78. There isn't a single 201 sign until you get off the exit. and another thing, the street to your left might be one name, but directly opposite, it's called something different.
So...put away the gps and just drive.
