12 Dec My Travel Tips for Oahu, Hawaii
Aloha,
those that follow me on Instagram already know that Hawaii is my favorite place in the entire world. Thus, I’m super excited to be able to go back there in February. I revealed the reason for that in one of my last blog posts 🙂
Because I receive many emails asking me for Hawaii tips I’ve decided to tell you about my ten favorite places that you really need to visit in Hawaii. I am going to start with Oahu. Oahu is the island where Honolulu is situated. It’s also the island where most passengers arrive.
In another blog post of mine I will talk about Kauai. It’s a smaller Hawaiian island that is pure paradise and which you really need to see 🙂
My Top 10 Travel Tips for Oahu, Hawaii
1) Visit Lanikai Beach
My absolute favorite Hawaiian beach is Lanikai Beach. My profile picture on Instagram was taken there and many other of my pictures. I’ve never seen such stunning turqouise colors like on this beach. Kailua, which is where Lanikai is situated, is already beautiful! Just make sure to go there on a sunny and nice day. Only then the colors will be really bright and beautiful.
2) Spend at least one day on the North Shore
You shouldn’t leave Oahu without having visited the North Shore. Especially on a sunny day you will see dream beaches and watch the best surfers while surfing.
For lunch I can recommend you making a stop at one of the food trucks along the road. My personal favorite is “Garlic Shrimps” 😀 Besides that there are many amazing fruit stands on the North Shore where you can can exotic fruit for only little money. So only for culinary reasons you should really visit the North Shore 😀
3) Go Surfing
Surfing is one of the coolest and most likely the most traditional sport in Hawaii so you should definitely try it out. If you’ve never surfed I can recommend you booking a surf lesson in Waikiki Beach. The waves there are rather small. Besides that Waikiki Beach is great for beginners. I learned surfing there. If you are an advanced or pro surfer I can recommend you to go surfing in the North Shore. You can find beautiful beaches there with very high waves. Those that rather like to watch than try out surfing themselves should visit Sandy Beach or Pipeline. There you can watch the best surfers in the world riding the waves like a pro 😉
4) Visit Turtle Beach
If you’ve never seen turtles make a stop at Turtle Beach. There is a high possibility that you will actually get so them in the water and on land. At least that is where I saw my first turtle and I was totally excited back then. Ok, I’m still pretty excited when I get to experience them in the wild 😀
5) Go Snorkling in Haunauma Bay
One of the most stunning bays on Oahu is Haunauma Bay. It is amazing for snorkling and you often get to see colorful fish and cute turtles there. Haunauma Bay is a bit touristy so I cannot recommend you going there on the weekend or on a holiday. On other days this bay is simply a dream! You get the best view from the parking lot. That’s also where this pictures has been taken.
6) Go swimming in Makapu’u Beach
To me Makapu’u Beach is one of the most typical and therefore also most beautiful beaches in Hawaii. It’s that stunning because you not only get to swim in turqoise water there, you also have the beautiful black mountains in the background.
7) Enjoy the view at Makapu’u Lookout
One of the most breathtaking lookouts on Oahu is the Makapu’u Lookout which is on the way to Makapu’u Beach. Definitely make a short stop there. We’ve also filmed with the drone a bit at that location. Watch our video here 🙂
8) Do the Manoa Falls Trail
Those that love hiking and the jungle will love the Manoa Falls Trail. Only the trail is already beautiful! And swimming in the refreshing Manoa Falls after the hike feels also great. The trail is totally suitable for beginners. If you are seeking for adventures you can also climb up to the second Manoa Falls. However, it is a very steep climb and a bit scary. But the view up there is simply breathtaking!
9) Have a look at the Spitting Caves
If you love stones and the sea have a look at the Spitting Caves. You also get to see amazing villas there that make you dream 🙂
10) Stay in Waikiki or in the North Shore
I often get asked where it is best to stay on Oahu. That depends on what you are looking for on vacation. I’m that person who likes to have many restaurants and stores around me… hence, I always stay in Waikiki Beach. If you prefer qieter places I can recommend you staying in the North Shore. On Oahu there are so many hotels so you will definitely find something suitable for you 🙂
Also when it comes to food Hawaii has a lot to offer. You definitely need to try out local specialities such as açaà bowls, breakfast pizza (you can get that at Hiking Café, where they also have the best açaà bowls), pitaya bowls, or poke bowls.
And of course you can get delicious FroYo on Oahu. If you get it at Yogurtland in Waikiki Beach you can enjoy it directly by the beach 😀
I hope you enjoyed reading about my travel tips. Many more will follow in February 🙂
Have you ever been to Hawaii? And if so what are other things one definitely needs to see that I haven’t mentioned yet?
Xoxo
Maddi
Find more travel tips for Oahu here:
All of my videos have English subtitles! You just need to turn them on → lower right corner via [CC].
pilotmadeleine | Travel Review in 2015 - pilotmadeleine
Posted at 19:35h, 07 July[…] After a few months travel pause in May I flew to Hawaii for two weeks. I stayed at a friend’s place who has grown up on the islands. Hence, he was able to show me the best places in Hawaii. He lives in Waikiki Beach on Oahu and his parents in a beautiful house on Kauai. Thus, we’ve visited both islands. And I’ve fallen in love with my favorite destination once again. So I will visit Hawaii again in February ? This time with my boyfriend. Find my travel tips for Oahu here. […]
Tanner Paxton
Posted at 23:24h, 25 JanuaryMore for Maui, but trying pure sugar cane from the local market is a must, as well as shaved ice. Definitely on the less than healthy side, just run that extra 400 meters to burn it off.
Madeleine Schneider-Weiffenbach
Posted at 23:11h, 09 FebruaryYou are right 😀 Haha