Blue water, palm trees and beaches, that’s probably the picture we all have of Hawaii. Of course there is plenty of that but also so much more to see and experience, which really made our trip to the island a dream vacation! Before going to Hawaii we spent time in California with Josh's Family. You can read all about that here.

Joshua has a cousin who lives on the North Shore of Oahu, which is considered the more remote part of the island. We got to spend two weeks at their guest house that’s located just a few meters away from the beach. I loved to be able to see all the different plants and animals. The tropical climate has such an impact on life that is so different from Switzerland.

General information:

Transportation

I would recommend renting a car since it might be pretty hard to get around the island. There are busses on the island and as long as you are just staying in the Honolulu area that will do fine but to get to the more remote areas it will just take a long time by bus.

Where to stay

The location of your stay depends on the activities you want to do. Are you planing a short city trip? Then you can stay in the capital, Honolulu. If you are more interested in nature, hiking, and beaches then I would recommend looking into staying at the north shore. We loved it over there even if it meant we had to do the 1h drive to Honolulu a couple times. We preferred to be near all the hiking and snorkelling spots as well as the some of the lesser populated beaches.

Our highlights

Beaches

Sunset Beach was right across the street so naturally we spent a lot of time there. It’s a wide beach and the water is clear. Further out there is even some coral where you can go snorkelling.

Sharks Cove is a well known spot for diving and snorkelling. You can see all kinds of fish and even turtles if you are lucky! You might want shoes (if you have them) to get into the water as the coral comes all the way to the beach and you have to walk on the sharp rocks.

We happened to be stuck in traffic right by Laniakea Beach and discovered there were sea turtles laying in the sun. Naturally we had to park and see them up close. Apparently it is a pretty good spot to see the gentle giants.

Turtle Kayaking Cove was one of my favorite experiences in Hawaii. We had no car that day and so we decided to ride our bikes and explore. On Google Maps I saw there was a street going down to the beach and just like that we discovered this entire bike path area! We drove through the forest and ended up by this almost empty beach with stunning blue water and turtles swimming around and the best part was that there were like 5 more people there!!! We also discovered the Banyan Tree which starred in a lot of movies and shows such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Lost.

Hiking:

Diamond Head

Since volcanos are not really a thing in Switzerland I was very excited to see one and even more excited to hike one! It costs 10 Dollars for parking and then 5 more for the entry fee if you are not a Hawaiian resident. You will have to reserve a spot ahead of time! Plan for about 3 hours for the entire hike, this will give you enough time to take pictures and enjoy the view. We loved the view we got on Waikiki, the beaches and the coast. We even saw a submarine!

The Ehukai Pillbox Hike starts by the parking lot of the local school. It first seems like a random little path but since there aren’t really any other options we just took it and ended up being in the right spot. By the pillbox you get a nice view on the North Shore. The hike is about 1 mile long and the first part is actually a bit steep. Remember to bring water and a hat!

To see the Waimea Falls you get to go through the botanical garden and see so many of the stunning local plants! The hike is mostly flat and on a asphalt street. The entrance fee for non-residents is 25 bucks, which is a bit pricey. In my eyes though it was totally worth it, since we got to see all these beautiful plants! Unfortunately the falls were a drizzle when we were there due to the dry summer, but you probably will be more lucky than we were!

They also offer a moon walk once a month for only 10 dollars, but Josh and I weren’t the biggest fans of it. They walk you through the entire way with bright light sticks and flashlights and you are kind of trapped with all the other people. Unless you run in front of everyone it really isn’t very nice.

Towns and cities

Haleiwa is a very cute, maybe a little touristy, town on the North Shore. We took the bus there and just walked along the main shopping street. We loved the local art shops, jewelry and clothes and of course the original shave ice place Matsumoto!!!

Honolulu

I am glad Josh and I got to spend a day in Honolulu, even though we weren’t huuge fans of the downtown area. We liked Waikiki more because it was a little busier than downtown Honolulu. We spent some time shopping at the Ala Moana Center and looked at the Iolani Palace, which is the only royal palace in the US. From Waikiki Beach you get a nice view on Diamond Head which is a great contrast to the tall buildings of the city.

Pearl Harbor

Although Pearl Harbor probably isn’t really a city, I still want to talk about it here. Plan enough time - meaning an entire day - for it, if you are interested in historical stuff. There is lots of stuff to see and they are quite spread out, so there is a shuttle driving you around. Josh and I looked at the Battleship Missouri and the Bowfin Submarine and we loved both of it. It was very interesting to see how the people spent months on a ship like that cramped into the tiny spaces and what life must have been like on there.

Food and Drinks

Obviously you will have to try any of the tropical fruit like pineapple, bananas, apple bananas, papaya, coconut and all the others. It’s always a different experience to try the fruit from it’s natural climate.

I also loved eating acai bowls which you can find almost everywhere.

Bar Leather Apron is a very nice, cozy cocktail bar located in Honolulu Downtown. We loved how the made the drinks right in front of us and some of it was even smoked in a glas!

Other Activities

Snorkelling is a common thing to do as you spend time at the beaches. You might want a rash guard (sun shirt) to swim with as you are exposing your back to a lot of sunlight under the water surface.

We spent a day at the Dole Plantation and even though it is very touristy I still liked to see and learn all about pineapples. We ate the famous Dole Whip and walked through the botanical garden. Luckily it started raining just before and a few minutes after the rain we had most of the garden to ourselves.

To learn more about the local rum we went to the Kohana Distillery and enjoyed a guided tour and rum tasting. We were impressed how they do the entire process on Hawaii and how they take care of the environment.

The fullness and length of this blog post probably show you how much we enjoyed our time on the island and how full our hearts were going home.

Discover Oahu’s North Shore