Oahu, Hawaii
The most populated island in Hawaii, offers from fun city life with nice restaurants and shopping, to the most beautiful beaches in the world. It's truly a paradise!!!
Aloha!
One of my favorite places in the whole world. I have literally visited this place like 20 times, and I even spent here 4 months during the pandemic and lockdown. Best decision ever!
There’s a lot to see and enjoy there! I would recommend driving Southeast/east in the morning, because in the late afternoons the clouds are all over, and it usually rains in that area.
Waikiki Beach: The water is very clear and calm, great for diving. It’s also a good place for surf lessons. The beach is busy, tons of hotels & lots of people, but still fun. This is also a great place to stay, tons of hotels, shops and restaurants, where you don't need your car every day to enjoy a nice beach. I enjoy staying at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. Service is quite niice, rooms are clean and the views from the Ocean rooms are breathtaking. Other options would be the Outrigger Reef, Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton and Halekulani.
If you have a tight budget, look into Luana Hotel or Bamboo Waikiki Hotel.
Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki: This beach was named in honor of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, a gold-medal Olympic swimmer who is credited with introducing surfing to the outside world. Kahanamoku Beach is bordered by the Ala Wai small boat
harbor and the Hilton Hawaiian Village catamaran pier. A shallow offshore reef protects this beach from big waves, making it a great swimming area for families with children.
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is about 10 miles east of Waikiki just off the main coastal road (Kalaniana'ole Highway, Route 72). It’s gorgeous, but arrive there early (it opens at 6am), because parking is very restricted. Another option to get there is taking a bus on Kuhio Avenue to Hanauma
bay. Tuesdays the park is closed. I would also recommend going there in the morning, because in the afternoon are clouds everywhere, so the visibility
underwater is not as good. It’s THE place for snorkeling!
After Hanauma, don't miss stopping at the most beautiful scenic points of Oahu. These are actually my favorite pictures of the island. The first stop is Lanai Lookout, then Halona Blowout, with a stop at Eternity Beach, and then the Makapu'u Lookout. Don't miss the chance to drive until Makapu'u Beach and admire the amazing views. It's worth the stop. Watch out for the waves, this beach has very strong waves and currents.
Waimalalo Beach Park: off Aloiloi Street,Waimanalo - Southeast O'ahu. My favorite beach in Hawaii and one of my favorites in the whole world!!!! I loooooooooooovethis place! It’s SO beautiful & peaceful! Watch for Portuguese man-of-war, stinging jellyfish (depending on the season). If no signs are displayed, the water is great for swimming.
About 10 minutes away from Waimanalo you will find Bellows Beach. This place is almost a hidden gem and well known by locals.
Kailua Beach: 450 Kawailoa Road, East O'ahu. This one is a beautiful beach with excellent swimming and wind surfing
Lanikai beach: Kailua Road, Kailua - East O'ahu Going east after Kailua beach, the access is only available by a public access walkways. It’s a residential area. The water is very clear, blue and beautiful.
East & North Shores
From Kailua, you should visit the next beach called Lanikai. This is Hawaii's postcard and it has ben named number one beach in the nation for many years. This is a residential area with no local Beach park, so you will have to park in front of the local residences. This is a must, you shouldn't miss seeing Lanikai when in Oahu.
Continue on your way north, one of my favorite beaches is Ka'a'awa. Although parking can be difficult, right by the road, this beach is a beautiful surprise once you get off your car and go for a walk at the beach. Beautiful sand, trees and the magnificent mountain backdrop translates to the beauty of Hawaii's lavish scenery.
North Shore:
If you are coming from Waikiki to the North Shore, taking H2 is your shortest ride, about one hour. This are translates the Aloha, with beautiful beaches and relaxed vibes. There are many turtles in this area as well, and I have seen many at the following beaches: Crozier, Papa'iloa, and Laniakea beaches.
Haleiwa town is a lovely old Hawaiian town that I'd say it's a must to at least drive by. I love coming here and visiting many of their food trucks, especially the Brazilian one called Crispy Grindz.
Another beaches that are definitely worth to stop are:
Waimea Beach Park: 61-031 Kamehameha Highway, North O'ahu. During the summer months the water is calm and great for swimming with a large sandy beach area. I was there in the winter as well, and the waves were huge. I heard they can reach heights of thirty feet! This is the home of
the largest, most dangerous and spectacular surf in the world.
Three tables: Small and pretty & clear water beach. It was great for swimming.
Pupukea Beach Park: 59-727 Kamehameha Highway Haleiwa North Shore This is a very nice beach to go. There are many rocks forming small “pools”. Right accross from Pupukea Beach you will find the Foodland supermarket, that is a nice option if you need to buy a snorkel gear or something to eat. Talking about eating, beside Foodland and across from the Pupukea Beach you will find many food trucks, and North Shore Shrimp Food Truck is my favorite. Shrimp from here is absolutely delicious!!!
Pipeline: Just across a school, this location is the most world known between surfers. The waves are amazing in winter time.
Sunset Beach: 59-104 Kamehameha Highway One of the longest sand beaches in Oahu. In the summer it has crystal clear water and beautiful white sand. The area is great for swimming and snorkeling. When I was there in September it was one of my favorite beaches for swimming. But when
I was there in December, the waves were also pretty high like in Waimea.
West Shore Oahu
Although not much visited side of the island, there are some beautiful beaches to visit. The furthest Northwest possible is Keawaula Beach. From here you can also go to Kaena Point, where you can hike to the North of the island. This part of the island is only possible to do hiking, no cars are allowed.
Makua Beach: one of my favorites, very scenic and mostly locals here. Watch your belongings, especially inside your car, since parking in completely out of sight.
Ko Olina: I love going to Ko Olina for various reasons. They have 4 lagoons where ocean water is so clear and perfect for swimming. It has many luxury hotels, like Four Seasons, Marriott Vacations, and Aulani Disney Resort. There are many great restaurants like Longhi's, Roy's and Monkey Pod. Plus, they have one of the best golf courses in the island! It's a great place to stay with families.
Food & Shopping
There are tons of nice restaurants in Waikiki and others well-known like Roys, PFChangs, Cheesecake Factory, and fast food chains like the Buffalo Wild Wings, Dennys, etc.
For yummy fish dishes, don't miss Paia Fish Market. This place is popular and lines can be very long during dinner time, so I usually order online and pick up my order. Everything I tried here, I loved it!
Me’s BBQ: inexpensive Korean food. Very simple. Very yummy. 151 Uluniu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96805
A great option is Duke's Waikiki. They have a nice buffet (all you can eat), plus great selections of entrees.
Another great option:
Gyu-Kaku Kapiolani
1221 Kapiolani Blvd., #105
Honolulu, HI 96814
It’s delicious! It’s worth trying! They have happy hour EVERYDAY from 11:30am-6:30pm and from 9pm to close.
Haleiwa Joe’s (North Shore): Great food & service! It's probably my favorite restaurant in Oahu! My family and friends loved the food as well!
Steak Shack: do you want a super casual to-go dinner? Steaks are from US13 - US$25 depending on the size of steak wanted. I always order the smallest size and I'm happy with it. Love this place in Waikiki. It's perfect if you want to watch the sunset by the rocks... calculate at least 30 min for them to call your name for the food to be ready. This place is popular because of its price and quality. After grabbing your food, go to the rocks across and enjoy the most beautiful sunset.
Craving Poke? You can't miss eating a good poke and the top options are: Maguro Spot and Ono Seafood. Sooooo gooooood!!!
Also look at Oahu Best Coupons, one of the restaurants you want to visit might be giving a good discount!
Another lovely place for food right by the beach is the Barefoot Beach Cafe at the Queen's Surf Beach.
Shopping:
Ala Moana Shopping Mall
Waikele Premium Outlets (Coach, Saks 5th Off, Tory Burch, Lacoste, Michael Kors, Guess, etc.).
