This short yet beautiful hiking trail is a popular one on Oahu. Walking at a leisurely pace, you could reach the top of the steep trail in about minutes. However, this one could be fun to do in a different way. Try to time yourself and see how quickly you can make it to the top. Either way, the view is definitely worth it. From there, you can follow the trail to another stellar lookout which will give you an amazing view of the Koolau Mountain Range.
This area is huge and has plenty to explore and is one of the many beautiful places to visit around the islands. I recommend taking a guided tour of the Botanical Garden, which will give you a more in-depth experience.
If you fall in love with the garden, you can actually camp there. Just make sure you make a reservation online ahead of time. One of the best ways to see the island is from up above. There are a few options for parasailing at Waikiki beach, but this one comes highly recommended.
Waikiki beach on Oahu is a great spot to take a surf lesson , as the waves tend to be more calm there. Ohana Surf Project is one of the top-rated places to go for a lesson. In case you need some surf inspo or just want to see the pros do their thing, head over to Waimea Bay Beach where the waves are ideal for high-level surfing, but only in the winter. Poke bowls have exploded in popularity on the mainland, but nothing really compares to the ones they have on the islands.
With the freshest fish available, these poke bowls are next-level. The traditional one comes with Ahi tuna and rice, but you can also choose squid or octopus. Sometimes the simplest ingredients really make for the best meal. Maguro Brothers is one of the most recommended places to get poke bowls and can be found in Waikiki. It started as a fish counter in Chinatown and was so popular that they had to expand! There you can find local produce and a large selection of asian groceries. This area is far less touristy than other places on the island, so prices are a bit more reasonable.
You can also find a ton of great Chinese, Vietnamese, Malaysian and other asian restaurants. Also known as Mokolii Island, this small islet is a paradise in itself. You can kayak over the serene Kaneohe waters to get there, but some adventure seekers like to try swimming over from Kualoa Regional Park. This is the busiest tourist spot in Hawaii. The white sand, clear blue water, and never ending small waves make this a perfect spot for beginners to become a grommet supposedly this means beginning surfer.
Great instructors make this possible for even the least athletically inclined. Check out some of the most popular surf lessons I could find here.
Click here or the image below to download it! Some people think the Dole Pineapple plantation Hawaii is dull, but I loved learning about the agricultural history of Hawaii, getting lost in the garden maze like a corn maze, but bigger , and the samples of fresh island fruit the fruit samples alone make it worth the stop.
An Oahu shark dive in infested waters while you are protected in an underwater cage sounds like something that only National Geographic researchers would get to do right? Shockingly, shark cage diving in Oahu really is something that you can book! The entire shark dive tour takes about two hours. Full disclosure, I was too scared to do shark cage diving Oahu when there, but I still regret it today. The guides train you on the essentials to ensure your safety. Book your tour here.
The Northern shore of the island is not nearly as developed as other parts of Oahu , but should also be on your list. It is easy and fun to spot professional surfers riding the waves all day. Even though Claire insisted I remain a spectator I tried to ride the waves myself; this was a big mistake as I got tossed like a rag doll.
If you are a beginner but still want to learn to surf on the North shore of Hawaii these beginner surf lessons come highly recommended. Though there are many places in Hawaii that you can zipline above and climb up platforms via rope bridges through the dense rainforest canopy.
Climb Works is one of the best. They feature ziplines, atv rides, rappelling, and suspension bridges. Another one of the best places to zipline in Oahu is in Kualoa Ranch. The area looks just like Jurassic Park. It is one of the most beautiful places in Oahu and has even been used as the backdrop for multiple movie sets. Click here to book your tour on the booking website. One of the best places anyway, there are so many! In the winter season, Sunset beach is also known for the big wave surfing, a world-acclaimed surfing spot.
With no stops, it would take you about 4 hours to drive around Oahu. Save this post for later on Pinterest! Hover over any of the images to save to Pinterest. My husband and I have been to Hawaii many times and have written up more blog posts to help you plan your trip. These are my most popular blog posts and Hawaii travel guides to help you plan your trip.
Thank you so much for reading about the best places to visit in Oahu Hawaii. Make sure to share it with your friends! Hover over any of the images to share them to Pinterest. I live at the beach in California and yet this seems sooo much better! It makes me want to head back to Hawaii asap! Thanks for linking up with Travel Tales! I have a list just like this ckanani. I just read your list Christie! Love it! I will have to check out some of the things you listed next time I am in Hawaii!!
Thanks for sharing. First off I want to say superb blog! I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts prior to writing. I have had difficulty clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out.
I do enjoy writing but it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips? Unfortunately your experience sounds almost exactly like what happens to me!
If you figure out the secret though, please let me know! Definitely looking forward to the waterfall mountain range. Did you all rent a car or use the bus system? Islands can be so expensive, I totally get it. However, if at all possible I definitely recommend renting a car in Hawaii. It is easy to get around and will save you a TON of time.
Plus you will have freedom to stop and get out whenever you want. We use autoslash. If you make your reservation through them, they constantly look for discount codes and re-search the prices for your trip. If they find a lower price, they automatically book you at the new rate, and cancel the original reservation. Book your cruise: Sunset Cocktail Cruise from Waikiki.
Safety gear like helmets, gloves and harnesses are provided. This is another must-do activity in Oahu. I loved this adventure and have attached my GoPro video of my Zipline experience on Oahu below. This is sure fun and exciting as you will be ziplining seven times plus you will get to ride an ATV. For me, this tour is worth recommending as it will give you the opportunity to admire breathtaking views of lush mountains, famous beaches, and farms.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride! If you get thirsty, the tour provides drinking water and a lecture on some medicinal plants found in the area is a plus factor. It is also very safe and good for the family because the lines are not terribly high. After experiencing this Oahu tour, I felt more alive. Full blog post: Kualoa Ranch Zipline Adventure. Look for dolphins and whales on a snorkel excursion at 2 of the best snorkel sites in Oahu.
See spinner dolphins and look for whales breaching from the comfort of a state-of-the-art cruise vessel. An epic tour that shows you the most beautiful creatures of the ocean while cruising along the coast of Oahu. There is also an option to include snorkeling on this incredible tour. Book your tour: Dolphin and Whale Watching on Oahu. Only minutes from the busy streets of Waikiki, this jungle trail leads you to a large waterfall. Jurassic Park and Lost filmed scenes in this lush green area.
The best way to experience Manoa Falls is with an experienced tour guide who can explain all of the local flora and fauna, most of which is unique to Oahu. Full blog post: Manoa Falls Jungle Trail. The ship was confiscated in the s for carrying more than 90 illegal immigrants to Hawaii. It was purchased by Voyager Submarines, cleaned up, and sunk in Already certified to scuba dive and want to book a scuba tour to a wreck or a reef: Scuba diving full-day tour on Oahu. Octopi are aplenty in the.
If you are lucky enough to spot an Octopus they will cling to you or your camera, which can make for some great photos. I have never personally found one but many of my friends encountered them from time to time. The North Shore of Oahu is famous for surf, beaches, and the chill vibes.
There are plenty of food trucks lining the coast all claiming to be the best and the original. While you are up there check out one of the best beaches on the North Shore. Koko Crater Arch is an unbelievable rock formation on the edge of the crater.
You can walk underneath or on top of the crater while looking out over the east coast of Oahu. Sunrise is the best time to visit the arch to get some nice color in the sky for a perfect backdrop. The Pali Notches are one of the most dangerous hikes on Oahu due to the strong winds that often frequent the trail, which has an unforgiving drop on both sides.
You also need to complete a few basic rock climbs to complete the trail. This is an iconic photo spot on Oahu. Full blog post: The Dangerous Pali Notches. Combine all the best parts of Oahu in one awesome yoga session on the Ocean while watching a sunset come down one side of Ala Moana, while palm trees line the other side of the bay. A forest setting you would expect in the Pacific Northwest of the Mainland is a great spot to have an afternoon hike. The trail takes you through a steady incline surrounded by trees until eventually, you emerge to a beautiful view that stretches out.
The hike takes a few hours if you are quick and hours if you are a slower hiker. The catwalk referred to the cement slab that some claim was a possible war-era installation or was previously used as a launching strip for hang gliders. The cement platform might be gone but the epic view is still as amazing as ever. From Wiliwilinui Ridge you can make out Waikiki, a city of white buildings seemingly a world away from the ridges we are roaming.
When you turn the other way at the top. You will feel like you are in the middle of the island and you just about are! This is a hike none of the other tourists in the hotel will even know exists. Full blog post: Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail. Hanauma Bay is the most popular snorkeling beach on Oahu with hundreds of tourists visiting each day. If you follow the path all the way to towards the ocean and venture down the cliffs you will find a small rock bridge.
Be incredibly careful in this area as it has claimed the lives of strong swimmers in the past after they were swept off the rocks. One of the lesser known things to do on Oahu but definitely one to enjoy from a safe distance.
A cascading waterfall in the middle of the forest is a peaceful spot to enjoy the afternoon. The hike is right next to the Pali Highway and only takes about 30 minutes. You can swim in the pool below the waterfall. Visiting a waterfall is a must-do activity on Oahu and Lulumahu is one of the most unique things to do outside of Waikiki.
China Walls is a little cliff edge on the east side of Oahu. On a calm day, it is a perfect spot for some small to medium cliff jumps. On a day with some swell, stand back because China Walls gets crazy. I took this video there on a huge day. In the mountains on the west side of Oahu is the Pink Pillbox Hike.
Five pillboxes in total line the ridge, which takes less than an hour to hike. This is one of the less popular things to do on Oahu but it was by far one of my favorite hikes on the island. In the mountains overlooking the famous Pipeline beach and the North Shore of Oahu, the Peace Hike provides a great vantage point.
Be sure to do the hike on a day with big swell so you can watch the huge waves roll in one after another from up in the mountains. Full blog post: Shooting Pipeline from the Mountains. The Judd Trail is just off the Pali Highway and will transport you from island paradise to a woodland forest typical of many states on the mainland. A path winds beneath towering trees for a couple of miles, leading you to the Jackass Ginger Pool.
The pool has a small cascading fall and a rope swing and is a great spot to hang out for the afternoon. Poke Bowls became my favorite food on Oahu. Essentially a poke bowl is raw fish, most commonly Ahi and rice. However, you can get a bowl with octopus, squid or other types of seafood. A spicy sauce or seasoning covers the fish. Cockroach Cove is right next to Halona Blowhole. Although tourists will come and go en masse in the carpark above the cove it is actually a great spot to chill out.
Turtles often feed in the area and the rock formations and little caves make a great backdrop for an afternoon chill session. You might also be interested in reading about the best turtle beach in Hawaii! The Halona Blowhole is on the east side of Oahu and is one of the most popular things to do on Oahu.
As the waves crash into the cliffs under the rocks the water surges out of a blowhole shooting into the air. The rougher the day the bigger the spray from the blowhole usually. In the winter anywhere on the east side of Oahu, you are a chance to see a whale out in the ocean. One of the best ways to see breaching whales is on a dedicated whale-watching tour. The tour picks you up from your hotel and takes you out for a day cruising on a boat looking for whales who are migrating.
The captains are usually experts in locating the whales so this is your best bet for an up-close look at these majestic creatures. Book your tour: Whale Watching Tour on Oahu. The Dole Plantation is a great spot to stop at on the way to the north shore for a tasty pineapple treat.
The Plantation offers tours and has a huge hedge maze. Be prepared for masses of tourists. There is an epic tour that takes you all around the island to all of the iconic spots including to the dole plantation. Book your tour: Circle Island Tour of Oahu. An activity that is frowned upon but if you are successful you will have free buffet snacks and the best view in the house of the Friday fireworks from the Hilton Pool.
Three Peaks or Olomana Trail is a treacherous looking hike with three steep peaks that can be seen all the way from Lanikai. This is not a hike for the faint-hearted with a number of narrow parts of the trail with steep drop-offs. Full blog post: 10 Best Hikes on Oahu.
Once down on the rocky coastline, a number of tide pools are deep enough to jump into and a few blowholes might give you a surprise too. If you walk back towards Waikiki along the coast away from the lighthouse there are a collection of wooden planks hanging out over the crystal clear water.
Only a few yards high they make the area a perfect spot to hang out for the day. This is one of the lesser known Oahu attractions. Check out the Oahu attractions. Full Blog post: Alan Davis Beach. You have many to choose from as the winter season comes.
The atmosphere at surf events is like no other sporting events. A friendly low-key environment on the beach while surfers ride some mental waves out in the water. Watching a surf comp is one of the best things to do in Hawaii no matter what island you are on.
Full blog post: To find out when all the surf comps happen on Oahu you can check out the full guide I wrote that includes a schedule: Oahu Surf Competition Guide. This is the must-see event of the year on Oahu. As the winter swell rolls through, the best surfers in the world gather for the final round of the World Surf League. Often this competition decides the world champion.
I camped out on the beach with many others during two of the days and loved the vibe on the north shore during the comp. It is accessible by kayak or a short swim. Once you arrive at the island a mini hike to the top will give you amazing views of the shore and the Kualoa Mountains.
There is a great kayak rental at Kaneohe that sets up the kayaks on the beach for you so you can paddle out Chinamans Hat. Keiki Beach is like the Sandy Beach of the north shore. Ridiculous waves crash into the shoe while crazy bodyboarders find shade in barrels.
Definitely be very careful at this beach. Explore around the corner and try and spot the semi-enclosed salt water rock pool created by someone with much, much more money than myself. Full blog post: 4 beaches within walking distance of Waikiki Beach. Waimea Bay is my favorite beach on Oahu.
It has rock climbing, turtles, underwater tunnels and huge waves in the winter. It is easy to climb onto the rock and from there you can join the crowd of nervous jumpers who wait their turn to leap off the rock. Jumping off the rock is one of the most iconic things to do on Oahu. For a few dollars, you can rent yourself a surfboard and join the masses trying their hand at surfing at the famous Waikiki Beach. Or if you are like me you will need a lesson.
They guarantee to have you standing up and riding a wave! There are tons of things to do in Waikiki but surfing has to be at the top of your list. Oh also if you want to see how terrible I am at surfing watch the video below. Book your lesson: One hour Waikiki surf lesson for two people. Often several years go by with no event due to the conditions. Therefore, when the event is on every man and their dog heads to the north shore to enjoy the spectacle.
0コメント