From the perspective of a Fox World Travel Specialist:
While many people think of Oahu as a stepping-stone to the other islands, I feel there is a multitude of things to see and do to make Oahu a destination in itself. I’d like to highlight some of my favorite things to see/do on Oahu.
Here, then, is my list of top ten things to take in on Oahu, listed in no particular order.
- Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve - One of my favorite places to visit is Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. It is a must for snorkeling or scuba enthusiasts, as well as those who just want to enjoy the natural beauty of Hawaii. Its popularity almost led to its downfall. The enormous number of visitors resulted in neglect and overuse. In 1990 the city of Honolulu worked to restore it to its original pristine state by reducing the number of annual visitors. It is now closed every Tuesday. The hours vary depending on the season. The fee is $5.00 per person. The fee does not apply for children under 13 or residents of Hawaii.
- Diamond Head Hike – This is something I do almost every time I go to Hawaii. The hike is less than a mile (.8 mile) one way from the floor of the crater to the summit. The US Army Coastal Artillery originally built the trail in 1908 as a defense system. The hike is composed of a dirt trail and two series of cement steps. One stairway has 74 steps followed by a dark tunnel 225 feet long. After that comes the second stairway comprised of 99 concrete steps. Most people are gasping for air by this point. There are several lookouts along the way, but the big payoff is the beautiful 360-degree view of Waikiki, downtown Honolulu, Koko Head and Koko Crater from the top. You can actually see some of the other islands of Hawaii from the top of Diamond Head. The name Diamond Head comes from explorers in the 1700’s. They mistook the glistening calcite crystals in the rocks for diamonds, and so it was thus named. The Hawaiian name is Mount Leahi. If you walk in, the fee is $1.00 per person. It is $5.00 per car load if you drive in.
- Waikiki – For me, I enjoy just walking through Waikiki along Kalakaua Avenue more than spending time on the beach. This is Hawaii’s version of the Miracle Mile. The city of Honolulu spent considerable time and money on major renovations to the area in the past 5 years. There are a wide variety of shops and restaurants to appeal to any traveler, from the high end stores to ABC stores on almost every corner. On weekends you can enjoy “Sunset on the Beach.” Movies are shown on a 30-foot screen on the beach across from the Honolulu Zoo. There is often musical entertainment prior to the start of the movie. This is all free. You can bring your beach chairs, blankets or beach towels and enjoy an outdoor movie. Whatever your pleasure, Waikiki is the place to satisfy your desires.
- Mt. Tantalus/Round Top Drive – I make sure I do this drive every trip. It is a winding drive into the hills of the Koolau Mountain range. A canopy of trees lines the road in spots. The drive takes you to a 2000 foot high ridge lookout – Pu’u Ualakaa, which offers a breath-taking view of Diamond Head, Waikiki, downtown Honolulu and Punchbowl Cemetery. This is a peaceful drive that provides exquisite scenery.
- Punchbowl Cemetery – This should be visited the same day as Tantalus as it is in the same area. This is known as the Arlington of the Pacific. The Memorial was built in 1964 to honor those who lost their lives in the Pacific during World War II. It is educational and very sobering to read about the sacrifices made by those who fought to defend our country. 776 casualties from the attack on Pearl Harbor were among the first to be buried at Punchbowl. It is now filled to capacity with over 33,000 gravesites.
- Pearl Harbor – This is a must. I don’t visit this every time, but have been to Pearl Harbor a number of times over the years. Much like Punchbowl, visiting Pearl Harbor provides a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made by those who came before us. Admission to the memorial is free, but you must watch a 23-minute video about the attack on Pearl Harbor before taking the boat to the Arizona Memorial. The tickets are issued on a first come, first serve basis. It is best to get there earlier in the day. The last program is at 3:00pm daily. A great website for information on Pearl Harbor and visiting the Arizona Memorial is http://www.nps.gov/usar/. You want to get your tour tickets at Pearl Harbor from the National Park Service to actually get on the Memorial - none of the commercial tours are allowed to access the memorial itself.
- Makapuu Lighthouse Trail – This is another hike that I take on almost every trip. It is a 2-mile hike on a paved path that offers gorgeous views of the windward side of Oahu. This isn’t a difficult hike, but it is uphill. You can take a more difficult hike to the top on the exterior of the hillside. I always opt for the interior paved path. Again, the prize is at the top - the outstanding view of the lighthouse and the coastline. During the winter months (Nov.-Apr.) you may see Humpback whales along the coast. Humpbacks migrate from Alaska to Hawaii during the winter months and I have seen them on several occasions, including a mother and her calf swimming along the coast on hike back down. It was amazing! Make sure to bring the camera as well as binoculars along for this one.
- Nuuanu Pali Lookout – This is another spot I visit just about every trip. This is the site where King Kamehameha and his warriors defeated the Oahu armies in 1795 and forced them over the cliffs. This defeat resulted in the unifying of the Hawaiian Islands under one ruler. The view of the Windward Side from the lookout is spectacular.
- North Shore - Take a drive around the island, making sure to stop at the North Shore. Whether you are a surfing enthusiast or not, taking in the North Shore allows you to see many small towns along the way, and some big surf if the waves are up. We had two very rainy days, which resulted in some very high storm surf. It’s fun to watch surfers maneuver the high waves. Along the drive, make sure to stop at Matsumoto’s Shave Ice. On a hot day there is nothing more refreshing than a shave ice. Matsumoto’s offers it over ice cream and/or azuki beans on the very bottom. Azuki beans are dark red beans boiled in sugar water, giving them a sweet taste – outstanding! You can also have a fresh shrimp/prawns lunch from shrimp wagons along the drive.
- Local Flavors – One of the best things about Hawaii is the diversity of food choices. You can find any kind of Asian cuisine imaginable. One of my favorite restaurants is Mekong II, a Thai restaurant. It’s small and inexpensive, but has great food. For authentic Hawaiian food, try Ono Hawaiian. Again, it’s a little hole in wall place, but is an authentic taste of Hawaii. Visit Chinatown for Dim Sum. You can either go to various take out places, or take in a restaurant where the waitresses come by with carts featuring freshly made dim sum. Then walk through Chinatown through the markets where you can buy fresh fish or produce. There are so many different places to eat in Waikiki, but one of my favorites is Duke’s. It is named after the Duke Kahanamoku, the legendary Hawaiian surfer. It is located on the sands of Waikiki Beach in the Outrigger Waikiki Hotel. There is something on the menu sure to please everyone, from huli huli chicken to a wide assortment of fresh fish to teriyaki. And you can’t miss the hula pie. One piece of this ice cream pie is large enough for four people. Another local favorite I enjoy at least once (usually more often than that) on each trip is malasadas. These are delicious yeast doughnuts with Portuguese origins. They are deep fried and then rolled in sugar or cinnamon/sugar mixture. They are golden on the outside, but soft and moist on the inside. It’s best to eat them while they are still warm. The best place for maladadas is Leonard’s Bakery on Kapahulu Avenue. They have been in business since 1952 and never disappoint.
There are so many more things to see and do while in Hawaii. The cost of living is definitely high, but you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a great time. Most of my favorite things don’t cost very much, but allow me to enjoy all of the beauty that is Hawaii. Vacation packages to Hawaii are very reasonable right now, and when you combine low-cost island adventures, a vacation to Hawaii really can be the adventure of a lifetime. It's hard to image your could discover so much for little!
