Oahu
Epic Travel → North America → Hawaii → Oahu
A ton of people visit Oahu every year and spend most of their time in Waikiki, drinking Mai Tais and watching the sunset, with an outing to Hanauma Bay that they consider “an adventure”. And good for them if that’s all it takes for them to feel recharged and that their vacation was worthwhile! We’re a little more high maintenance, and surprisingly, Oahu has a lot to offer people like us. There are some fabulous hikes along classic knife-edge ridges and plenty of opportunities for exploring from the water (kayaking, snorkeling, and swimming). We’ve listed some of our favorites below – all of these have helped us change our view of Oahu from that of a necessary layover to a destination of its own. For more information on other things to do and see (and places to eat and stay), Oahu Revealed is an excellent guidebook.
Where to stay
We’ve tried out a range of accommodation types here and they all have their appeal and worked well for us (although I think the splendor of the Kahala was somewhat lost on us as we rolled in covered in mud…I kept feeling like we should have been using the staff entrance to avoid being seen).
North Shore: Santa’s By the Sea – listed as a B&B but essentially a hosted apartment including a fully furnished kitchen right on the beach. Highly recommended.
Honolulu/Waikiki Area: The Kahala – luxury hotel and resort with a great spa and beautiful facilities.
East Coast/Kaneohe Bay: Paradise Bay Resort – in a residential area, this place is sort of part B&B, part resort, and is very reasonably priced. We loved the fact that they have kayaks available (for free!) all day and you can drop in for a paddle at any time (including super easy access to The Sunken Island). All rooms have kitchens or kitchenettes.
Suggested Itineraries
Day 1: Arrive in Honolulu in the afternoon, drive to the north shore. Visit Turtle Beach and watch the sun set over the north shore from any number of scenic options; spend the night on the north shore.
Day 2: Snorkel at Shark’s Cove and visit other north shore spots in the morning, then drive down the east coast and stop to swim out to Chinaman’s Hat. Spend the night in the Kaneohe Bay area.
Day 3: Hike the Olomana Ridge in the morning, then kayak out to the Sunken Island in the afternoon. Stay in Kaneohe Bay for a second night.
Day 4: Check out in the morning, then hike the Moanaloa Valley to Haiku Stairs. Stay in a Honolulu/Waikiki area hotel on your last night.
Day 5: Head over to Hanauma Bay at sunrise and snorkel. Return to your hotel in time to shower and check-out before an early afternoon departure.
Epic Travel → North America → Hawaii → Oahu