Heeeeey peeps! Aloha! How's everyone going ?
I've been busy after my trip to Hawaii but finally my first post is ready! I made it! And I'm gonna post more about this amazing place because doesn't fit in one single post 🙌😊🙃🏖🌻☀️🌺🌴
Have you watched my video? Oh, please take me back!
Well, how many amazing spots I have to share with you. Hawaii was a old dream, since my twenty years old (I'm getting old but how many great moments, yeah?).
Let's start this post from the beginning. First, I only visited Oahu, the busiest and main island. If I had the chance I would love to visit Kauai as well, but maybe next time. For now we gonna have a lot to do in Oahu. It was 15 days travelling through all island.
As I said, I travelled 15 days, so we decided to spend half time on Waikiki and the other half on North Shore. If you love surfing it will be nice for you, but if it is not your type maybe you can plan less days on North Shore, but worthy of course. In our case, it was perfect!
It's impressive how the surf culture is enjoyed, maintained and celebrated in everywhere! You can feel the surf vibes everywhere you go! ALOHA! 🌺
We flew from Sydney to Honolulu through Jetstar. I bought a ticket months before travel in a really good price! It was 9 hours direct flight, really and it was a nice trip!
Our first days were in Waikiki. We stayed in the Hotel Renew, a well located and comfortable place with the basic things you need. There's plenty of room space, coffee machine with a delightful Hawaiian macadamia coffee (there're macadamia everywhere and I've been addicted all my days). The bathroom is also great with a bathtub and Hawaiian shampoo, soap and body lotion. The wi-fi is also fast. You're maybe wondering why I'm talking about this, but believe me, the velocity difference between US and Australia is huge. The breakfast is nice and included. There's a vallet service and it's about $32 per day. The TOP Tip: choose a higher room, there's no view but you can sleep without the noises. You can add a message when you is going to book or when you arrive at the reception. The staff is friendly and nice!
The other 7 days in North Shore I spend in a great studio Airbnb. Hotels are a bit hard to book in last minute and in this island side there's no many options but I really recommend to stay in a Airbnb in North Shore!
And if you're going to Hawaii it's a MUST rent a car. Seriously it's impossible to go to the places by bus or cab. We just rented through Booking.com before travelling. So, we arrived and the car was there ready for us.
20 Things to do in Oahu in 15 days
Many many many thing to do! Here some of them but you can leave a comment and I'll reply in my next posts or maybe a video explaining my experience?
1. Waikiki
A lot of hotels, stores, souvenirs, restaurants and a really busy place. It's awesome! You can see boards everywhere on the beach coast and see the iconic Duke Kahanamoku Statuen (The Father of the Modern Surfing). Must to do: enjoy a SURF class, watch a stunning sunset, see the fireworks. You can also swim and maybe find some turtles. 🐢 The wildlife is just amazing in Hawaii! You can swimming with turtles and dolphins, also see Sharks from the cage. Check out GO Hawaii for more info.
2. Hike Diamond Head
This is a hike in the Diamond Head, a volcanic cone. There're incredible views and worthy of visit but you should arrive early. They open at 6am and there're two parking places that can be fuller with the time. On the walk, you gonna see hundreds and hundreds of people. Bring your water, go with tennis shoes and use sunscreen! If is possible go with cap. Water breaks are essential. There are lots of benches along the way to sit and take a rest.
3. Hanauma Bay
Busiest beach (crowds everywhere) because is the most popular tourist destination in Oahu. But is GORGEOUS. Great snorkeling, crystal clear water. You gonna have to watch a preservation movie before enter. Top tip: the park open at 7:00 so if you wanna be the only one at the beach go before this time.
4. Lanikai Beach and Pill Box Trail
One of my favourite beaches in Hawaii! This place is stunning - white sands and a turquoise ocean. You can kayaking to the small islands in front, snorkelling, swimming and a MUST to do: hike the Pill Box Trail to check out these views! Just amazing!
5. Makapu Point
6. Waimanalo and Shriners Beach
Not a crowded beach like Lanikai and you can enjoy a bit a place with less people and a lot of gorgeous views. The water is so blue and you gonna feel you are in a paradise. Don't miss out!
7. Electric beach
This is not the most beautiful beach but they have a great snorkelling and diving. Because there's a factory that send a clear warm water back to the ocean, this place has an amazing marine wildlife.
8. Makaha beach
Beautiful place where the locals surf. Of course here is a great spot to surf in this area.
9. Kualoa Ranch
We had some cloudy days in the island, so one day we decided to go to this private Ranch and I was surprised with its beauty! It was amazing tour and I really recommend. Nice photos and you can check the place where many movies where produced as well as Jurassic Park, Pearl Harbour, Lost etc. Just loved!
10. Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden
While I'm writing this post I'm still impressed with this Botanical Garden. The vegetation is so incredible stunningly and for sure the most beautiful spot to see the big mountains. And of course the most instagrammable spot in Hawaii is there. In the main entrance you can check this view. Tip to take this photo: arrive before 9am, because it's not allowed to take photos in the middle of the street. There's a bit traffic during all day.
11. Judd Trail - great hike with waterfalls and views! This is a huge trail and to be honest I've been lost in this trail, but there're beautiful spots to see.
12. Manoa Falls - nice hike and a must to see. Busy as everywhere is but worthy to go.
13. North Shore
Maybe I will create a specific post about North Shore. Looks you're visiting another Hawaii. It's a beautiful relaxing place with lots of great spots to surf. It's really amazing and great to enjoy the surf culture there. You gonna watch the big famous surfers in their playground easily (We met Jamie O'brien two days) . I loved the following beaches below, also enjoyed amazing Food Trucks (I'm gonna list my favs soon!) and their garlic shrimp bowls, lots of pokes, açai bowls, smoothies, fresh fruits and many other Hawaiian stuff. Ahhhhhh Hawaii, already missing everything from you.
14. Banzai Pipeline - internationally well known as Pipe, it has perfect waves and is amazing place to watch the best surfers and why not try it as well?
15. Sunset Beach - the name says everything.
16. Haleiwa - beautiful beaches with a small village with stores, restaurants, souvenirs but this is a still relaxed place.
17. Waimea bay- beatiful!!! Great swimming and a place to relax.
18. Turtle Bay - there is a big resort over there and you can snorkelling and swimming with turtles.
19. Pearl Harbour - a bit of history. Nice place to learn, remember, respect and pray.
20. Polynesian Culture Center - there're some shows, luaus, stores, food trucks. Really beautiful place to add to your list. Culture is always important when travel!
Well, I loved so many things and places in Oahu, it is great to share with you. I'm going to write few more tips in another posts, about some restaurants, my favourite food trucks, what to eat, a bit more about prices and other tips. If you liked this post, don't forget to subscribe in my Youtube channel, Instagram and leave a comment please! Whatever you want to know!!! :)
Mahalo! 🌺
"Mahalo" is a Hawaiian word meaning thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects.