OAHU, HI
Bathed in sun and saltwater, filled with ramen.
The winters in Eugene are drawn out and wet, soaking really. We break up the melancholy weather with our annual trip to Oahu, to visit friends and take in the culture. There is so much more to Hawaii than the touristy resorts and malls, leave the beaten path and enjoy the local splendors. Evenly dividing our time and resources between snorkeling and eating, this is the perfect way to recharge your batteries and settle your spirit.
Wildife.
The Wildlife in Oahu is spectacular, I was torn between adding precise locations or given vague directions on where to view the wildlife. I settled on vague simply because I feel these places should be kept special, too many tourist harass the turtles and leave a mess. The best way to encounter any wildlife is to ask locals and head out early (before the crowds).
Snorkeling with Galapagos Sharks on North Shore.
Day Gecko (Introduced Species) - Ive spotted them all over North Shore and Honolulu. A vibrant and skittish little lizard.
Green Sea Turtle basking.
Food & Drinks.
I anticipate gaining 7-10 lbs regardless of the time spent on Oahu, i’ve come to accept this. All of my favorite foods can be found on the island: musubi, ramen, pork char siu, fresh fruit and banana lumpia. As i slip into a food induced coma on the beach (probably from sodium shock) I smile blissfully and sleep it off until the next swim or meal. Avoiding tourist traps at all cost we employe the never ending knowledge of Cousin Christine to be our guide through the local restaurants and markets. Yelp is great but does not rival the info given by locals. Listen, Always. The greatest experiences have always come from local tips throughout our travels.
Some of our favorite spots:
Bon Mi - Pig & The Lady Everything they make is spectacular both at the restaurant and the at the farmers market.
Ramen - Lucky Belly Ramen is consistently delicious and they have a great whiskey selection.
Pork Char Siu - Chinatown Market Get there early and inspect each spot for yourself. I personally like a extra crispy skin.
Poke - Foodland Farms Ala Moana Fresh Poke and fruit. A great spot to pick up snacks for the day or a meal if you’re looking to grab & go.
Musubi - Foodland Farms, ABC markets, 7 -11 ( No Joke). Musubi is a Meat Twinkie from the gods. If you don’t know what this fine Hawaiian delicacy is, expanded your culinary pallet ASAP.
Manapua & Bao- Char Hung Sut Steamed buns stuffed with pork, another Hawaiian food I strongly recommend checking out.
Banana Lumpia - Mile Marker 11 north past sharks cove heading to Haleiwa. Bring Cash and get there early, they sell out. So damn good, there are thee ladies selling the the lumpia, all make good lumpia but the booth on the far right is best (if you’re facing the fruit stand).
Street food - KCC Farmers Saturday Market Diamond Head. Eat it all. go to the beach and lay in the sun take a swim and then head back for more.
Speakeasy - Harry’s Hardware Emporium. Ask about it next time you’re at Pint & Jigger
TIki Bar - Skull & Crow Trading Co Get here early, wear your finest aloha shirt and grab an Uber. Worth the wait and the hangover! I may be slightly biased due to my fondness for all things Tiki.
Ice cream / Juice - Banan Fresh and delish’ a great way to cool down.
Hot Dogs - Hanks Haute Dogs Nostalgia meets culinary excellence in a bun and damn tasty.
Activities
Snorkeling:
Hanauma Bay - Get to Hanauma Bay early ( as soon as they open) the bay is a major tourist attraction but a cool spot. it's worth checking out.
Sharks Cove - My favorite spot to snorkel, an abundance of eels, turtles and brilliant fish. Be careful of the urchins here, I was stung by one and it was a less than pleasant experience. This is a spot I would try to hit early in the morning or the evening, place gets packed out and parking is hard to come by.
Dead Mans Cove - Its a bit of a riskier place to snorkel ( take this from a non aquatic individual). lots of sharp rocks and murky waters at times but in the evening the Turtles come in to feed on the algae and you can catch some basking seals.
Electric Beach - Beautiful spot with some amazing fish, sometimes the waters can be a bit choppy. I recommend snorkeling here if you get the chance. This spot doesn’t get as busy as Hanauma Bay or Sharks cove.
North Shore Shark Dive - Hawaiian Adventure Diving company is who we we used and it was an overall cool experience. The staff was friendly and we saw several large Galapagos Sharks, the crew had a whale shark come through the day prior (the photos were amazing) so you never know what you’ll see out there.
Hiking:
Diamond Head - Spectacular views and busy trails, this is really applicable for all the the hikes I’ve listed. Honestly we spend more time in the water compared to time on the trails, though I’m never disappointed by the hikes.
Koko Head - Trail is a little rough especially after the rains but the peak lends to an amazing view of the bay. Going to be packed with GoPro wielding tourists ( jab at myself here).
Pink Pill Box - This is the Waianae pillbox hike, its an easy 20-30 minute hike with a great 360 view at the peak. I like the contrast of the Bright Pink bunker against the blue sky and ocean, this is why i prefer it to the Kailua pillbox hike.
Manoa Falls - Manoa Falls is a great hike through the forrest finished with a waterfall at the top, this hike is busy with tourists and armed forces personnel training. When we reached the top I decided to feast on some Musubi that i had hoarded away in my pack when a team of shirtless navy seals ran by, It was like Shrek watching spartans train. Wife had a good laugh as I am sure they did as well.
Waimea Falls - Waimea Falls is a spectacular waterfall with a great cultural program on site. Again very touristy but worth checking out.
Attractions:
Pearl Harbor - I didn’t go but my wife went and said this visit / tour was incredible and slightly overwhelming. I put it on the list because i plan on stopping by on our next trip and felt it was worth mentioning.
Turtle Bay - You can see turtles just about anywhere but i always see turtles here ( 5 out of 5 times) either basking or feeding. Like most places, it gets packed out but there’s no cost and there is usually an on site turtle conservationists to answer questions and keep idiots at safe distance not to disturb the turtles.
Spitting Caves - Google maps brings you to a neighborhood (its correct) there is a small alley that leads down to the cliffs. A spectacular way to watch the sunset, just don’t bring your drone, crash it and cut your hand open. Avoid that fiasco and you’ll have a top 5 sunset on your hands rather than blood.
Byodo-In Temple - Byodo-In is a beautiful Temple with stunning koi ponds and gardens. Be respectful and enjoy the meticulous work constructed here. Also a shit ton of cats inhabit the surrounding cemetery, so that’s interesting.
Gear I use most on this trip:
Camera: Canon T5i, GoPro Hero 7 Black & iPhone 11 pro
Lenses: EF 100mm 2.8 Macro, EF 400mm 5.6, EF 17-40mm 4.
Lighting: Litra cube with filter set
Accessories: Knekt pole, GoPro Dive filters and Litra underwater lights.
Pack: Patagonia Sling & Dakine 20L daypack
Snorkel Gear: Dafin Zak Noyle & A snorkel tube and mask off Amazon (get a mask with uv filter)
Wearables: It’s hot and humid. Howler Bros Howlerbros.com shirts (biased favorite), RVCA shorts rvca.com ( I like short shorts with pockets in the heat ) and short sleeve button ups from RVCA & Howler Bros.
Shoes: Keen Kona Flip & Keen Venture Vent Shoe. Both pairs are extremely durable and easy to clean for the flight home. Keen is an amazing company that supports community and their employees more than most, I’m a fan. keenfootwear.com
Closing Thoughts
Hawaii is a beautiful paradise that has turned into a world renowned tourist destination, be respectful of the locals and their cultural beliefs. Treat every trail and beach with respect and leave it better than you found it. Take the time to explore the island and ask the locals for advice, we’ve always been treated well on our visits and had an amazing time. Aloha!