Manoa, like many Honolulu neighborhoods, is made up of an entire valley that stretches from Manoa Falls at the inland end to King Street. Even during the dry season, the valley receives practically daily rain, making it lushly vegetated — but the valley walls are frequently dry. Rainbows in the valley are prevalent.

The area is made up of low-rise condominiums and individual residences established before the 1960s. The University of Hawai’i at Manoa, the University of Hawai’i System’s flagship campus, is located in Manoa. In Manoa, the University includes a number of academic and student living areas.

Manoa Elementary School, Noelani Elementary School, Punahou School, Mid-Pacific Institute, Saint Francis School, and a few tiny, private pre-schools are among the other educational institutions in Manoa.

The Manoa Marketplace, which has a farmer’s market several days a week, is the city’s main retail district. Housing has been built on the steeper areas of the Diamond Head side valley wall in recent years.

Manoa’s attractiveness stems in part from its stately, ancient mansions. Malama O Manoa organizes a yearly walking tour of the area’s historic residences if you want to see some of the area’s most beautiful mansions.

Of course, higher property values are associated with better location, amenities, and architectural treasures. Last month, the median sales price for a single-family house in Manoa was $986,000. This is according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors. According to a fast MLS search, the most inexpensive home in the neighborhood is now a $440,000 teardown, while the most expensive listing is $2,875,000.