Oahu is the name of the most visited island of Hawaii, although it is better known for Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii and the largest city. Here is the largest airport of the archipelago and, therefore, the place of departure, as it will be where you will find most of the connections and at a cheaper price than from the rest of the islands.
In general, the weather in Hawaii is quite changeable and can vary depending on the area of the island, so we recommend adapting to the weather and not plan too much because while in a beach may be cloudy, in another more to the north may be clear skies.
Best Time To Go To O'ahu
The weather on Oahu is a stable weather more or less during all seasons (although there is a hurricane season starting in June to November). The best thing would be to avoid the high seasons to be able to adjust the price more.
How to get around O'ahu
Although public transportation on Oahu works better than on the rest of the islands, the best way to get around is by car. So the best option is to rent a car. On this occasion we rented a small car since SUV or 4×4 is not necessary on Oahu and also we saved a little money.
Where To Stay In O'ahu
The accommodation in Hawaii is not cheap and you have to look around a lot for different options. We did all our bookings through booking.com. The main areas of the island can be divided into Honolulu and the North Shore. Prices vary a lot on this island and as you can imagine; accommodation in Waikiki, the most popular area of Honolulu, is very expensive. However, we stayed in Waikiki and it was very expensive for the quality-price ratio. Next time we would definitely chose North Shore.
Day 1 in O'ahu, Hawaii
HOOMALUHIA BOTANICAL GARDEN
It is probably one of the most well-known places in Oahu and probably Hawaii. This was our first stop in Oahu. It is an impressive botanical garden surrounded by the impressive mountains of green peaks so characteristic of the area.
⏰ Everyday from 9am to 5pm
📍Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden
💸 Free
To be able to enjoy it better and be completely alone, we went before they opened. There is a guard at the entrance and he will let you in. The only thing you need to be careful is that it is no longer allowed to take pictures of the famous entrance, but inside is much more beautiful and there you will be allowed.
BYODO-IN TEMPLE
It is one of the must-see places in Oahu. This Japanese temple is a replica of the temple of the same name in Uji (Japan) and it is really like being there (perhaps a bit more exotic). Inside the temple there is a Buddha, gardens, a lake with fishes, etc. A really quiet place where you can breathe a lot of peace.
⏰ Everyday from 8:30am to 16:45pm
📍Inside the Valley of The Temples: 47-200 Kahekili Hwy, Kaneohe
💸 $5 per person
But the best thing about getting to this temple is its access road (it is in a place known as Valley of the Temples).
LANIKAI BEACH AND PILL BOX HIKE
Another of the essential things to see and do in Oahu. Lanikai Pillbox hike is one of the most popular trails in Oahu for its views of the Mokulua Islands, Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach and its surrounding residential neighborhoods are breathtaking.
The hike is quite easy and not dangerous, and the views from the top to the whole coast are spectacular! At the top you will find two bunkers. The views and the scenery from the top are really worth it. We recommend it 100%.
⏰ Everyday
⌚0.9 mile hike where you can reach the first pillbox in 20-30 minutes and the second one is just 5 minutes away.
📍265 Kaelepulu Dr, Kailua, HI 96734, United States
💸 Free
*Some tips before you go:
🥾Wear proper shoes. There is no shade so bring hat, sunscreen and lots of water.
🚗 There is no parking lot, limited street parking spots.
⏰ Better go in the morning, however if you want to see the beautiful blue colors then you must go after lunch time.
We then went directly to Lanikai Beach and it turned out to be one of my favorite beach in Hawaii. It's a long beach so you won't have space problem and the water is amazing. It is one of the best spots to do snorkel.
WAIKIKI BEACH
Waikiki is probably the most popular area in Hawaii. A touristic area with long streets surrounded with skyscrapers, restaurants and expensive stores. Our hotel was here, but for next time I would like to go somewhere more local.
Here you will see the famous bronze statue of Duke Kahanamoku, who was a true Hawaiian hero and one of the best sailors in the world, as well as a master of swimming, surfing and Polynesian canoe paddling.
What is true is that Hawaii (as many of you know) is very expensive and sitting in a restaurant for dinner/dinner can be very expensive (plus you have to tip). We found a place called Marukame Udon. During several days we would see long queues to enter the restaurant, so we decided to give it a shot. You cannot make reservations, so you will need to wait the line for some time. Be patience. I would probably recommend going a bit later to avoid some queue (they close at 22pm).
At Waikiki Beach you will also be able to see the Hula shows. There are free Hula shows directly next to the beach. The Hula show is every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday between 6:00 - 6: 30 p.m. depending on the time of the year (during the Aloha Festival this show is not performed). It is on a large grassy esplanade near the statue of Duke Kahanomoku and the large Banyan trees.
DAY 2
PEARL HARBOR
Certainly, we think a visit to Pearl Harbor is another must-see and do in Oahu.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese forces made a surprise attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base, causing more than 2,400 deaths and destroying dozens of American planes, ships, submarines and shipyards.
This provoked the direct entry of the United States into World War II.
Our intention was to visit the memorial, where you see the shipwreck, but we were unable to get tickets (they sell out in minutes). So in the end we bought tickets for the battleship Missouri and for the aviation museum. You have to take a bus that takes you through the different stops, since it is inside a military base and you can't get there with your car.
We liked the battleship very much, besides we were one of the first ones to arrive (around 8:30am) and we had the ship to ourselves. It is very well organized because in each part of the ship there is a person explaining the history to you. Highly recommended.
Afterwards, we took the bus again and went to the aviation museum. I found it very interesting and in one of the hangars they still have on the windows the shots fired by the Japanese that morning of December. Inside the museum you have the possibility to do a flight simulation (for $10 more) and we did it and we liked it very much. Time flies by, it only takes 5 minutes!
💻To have more information check their website.
❗❗No bags allowed in any of the sites. Bags may be checked into baggage storage at the Visitor Center.❗❗
During our bus tour we had a very cool bus driver and he told us that during the weekends they have a flea market close to Pearl Harbor, in the Aloha Stadium, where you can find cheaper souvenirs than in other stores. We love souvenirs so we had to take a look.
The flea market is outside the stadium and it's opened Wednesday's and Saturday's from 8am to 15pm, and Sunday's from 6am to 15pm. The admission fee is $2 per person.
If you are looking for cheap souvenirs then you definitely need to check this flea market.
NORTH SHORE
Oahu's North Shore is without a doubt one of the the best places of Oahu.
We really liked this area because it's far away from the crowded and touristic Waikiki. Here you will find local people and surf all over the place. We decided to visit two beautiful beaches: Papailoa and Laineakea Beach. Here we had the opportunity to see sea turtles. This whole coast is famous for surf and turtles, so if you are lucky you can see them in the water or in the sand as it happened to us. Be careful not to get too close or feed them.
Other cool place on the North Shore is the small town of Haleiwa full of charming little shops and bars with a relaxed and perfect Hawaiian atmosphere.
We also made a stop at Banzai Pipeline where it is known for having one of the biggest waves in Hawaii. When we went there they were not at their peak but we were impressed anyway. Also, we were lucky and we saw people surfing and it was incredible. I had never seen waves like that.
Throughout the way you'll be able to find several food trucks. We recommend the famous food truck Giovanni's and try their delicious prawns. They were delicious!
SUNSET BEACH
It was getting late and we wanted to see the sunset and actually the North Shore is one of the best places to see it. We were far away from other beaches and I looked up this one and I thought that with that name, we had to go and see the sunset there. What better beach to see the sunset, huh?
DAY 3
DIAMOND HEAD
This crater is one of the essential visits in Honolulu. To access it we recommend that you park in the parking lot ($10 per vehicle). If you do not want to pay the parking you will have to leave the car about 20-30 minutes away and walk to the entrance.
Diamond Head is Hawaii's most recognized landmark located near the eastern edge of Waikiki's coastline. The crater was formed about 300,000 years ago during a single explosive eruption.
The 0.8 mile hike from trailhead to the summit is and easy but steep trail.
⏰ Open daily from 6am to 4pm
⌚0.8 mile
📍Honolulu, Hawaii 96816
💸 Non-Hawaii Resident: $5, Children 3 and under FREE, vehicle $10.
*Some tips before you go:
🥾Wear proper shoes. There is no shade so bring hat, sunscreen and lots of water.
⏰ Sunrise is beautiful and will avoid tourist.
⌚Allow 1hr to 1.5hr for your hike.
SURFING IN WAIKIKI
Of course, we couldn't leave Hawaii without doing surf in the famous beach of Waikiki. This is the most popular place to practice surf. We rented our boards in MOKU and it was great. We payed $15 each for 4 hours. If you come to Hawaii you need to try surf! You'll have lots of fun.
DAY 4
KUALOA RANCH
The Kualoa Ranch is a place that appears in many movies as it is a spectacular mountain range. Movies like Jurassic Park and series like Lost have been filmed here.
To see this landscape you can hire several excursions. We did the Hollywood tour in which they explain the landscape and where the different movies were filmed. The truth is that I was surprised and I liked it a lot. It is very interesting to see where many of the most famous movies have been filmed.
I recommend that you make reservations as soon as possible because we wanted to do another tour and everything was full. So book as soon as possible.
💻 Look in the website for the different tours https://www.kualoa.com/
⏰ Opens daily from 7:30am to 18.30 pm
📍45 minutes from Waikiki - 49-560 Kamehameha Highway, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
MOKULEIA BEACH
It was our last day and we had to head down to the airport but we had some extra time and I still had on my mind this beach that I wanted to see. I've watched many years ago the series LOST and I found out that this beach was the one they used to film he first part of the series. It's actually the beach where they land and camp for some time. So if you are a fan of LOST then you definitely must go and see it. However, the beach is very long and there's a part that belongs to the military base.
