Travel Diary: Things to Do in Hawaii
Time for another travel diary! It's been a week and a half since getting home from that beautiful island and a week since classes started, so of course today I'm really missing the carefree vacation vibes.
***DISCLAIMER: All photos taken via my iPhone, unedited - because I am not a professional editor.***
Today Seattle experienced a cold day, forcing residents into sweaters (although I do love fall fashion) and boots, warm drinks in hand. I whisked myself away back to Oahu, remembering my adventures. What did I do besides Pearl Harbor, Waikiki, and Dole? Lots more - read below for a list of things I did on the rest of my trip!
1 - Hanauma Bay
By far, Hanauma Bay was one of my absolute favorite views of the island! Driving about 20 minutes out of the west side of Honolulu, you start to see fewer houses, single roads, and green mountains. Eventually, you get to a sign that says "Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve."
The drive down once you get into the preserve is a beautiful winding road. Parking is $1 and the entrance fee is $7.50 for individuals 13 years and older (free for those under 13, active military members, and Hawaiian residents!). After paying for your entrance fee, you are required to watch a video on the history of the bay, rules, and why it's important to protect the natural ecosystem.
From what I can recall, Hanauma Bay was found by native Hawaiians and became a popular area for royalty and fishing. Of course they were careful not to disturb the ecosystem too much - it's all about respecting the land. "As more foreigners came in" more damage was done to the ecosystem and so Hanauma Bay became a nature preserve.
I'll be completely honest, I laughed to myself because the video sounded like it threw some shade (but that's all from my perspective).
Once you finish the video, you walk down a steep hill (or shuttle for a small fee) and arrive down to the beach where you can snorkel or just play in the water. I rented snorkel equipment for $12 and let the water take me wherever (safely!). Even close to the shore you could still see different species of fish and lots of coral which was absolutely amazing! The view itself was worth it.
2 - Hawaii Scenic Highway & Kailua Beach
I noticed that the highway I had driven on towards Hanauma Bay went farther out and I was curious, so the next day, I took a drive to see where I would end up. Let me tell you, the scenic highway was so worth the long drive! I stopped at almost every single lookout just to see where the water went and appreciate how gorgeous the reflection of the sun was off the water. There were volcanic rock formations, mountains, trees, beaches, and blue skies with a breeze.
Even if you don't like sitting in a car, this won't feel like you've been sitting there for long of how unique the views are. And if you do want to get out, you can always stop at a beach! There's Sandy Beach Park where I'm told pro surfers tackle intense waves, Waimanalo which I chose not to go to alone, and my favorite was Kailua Beach.
Kailua Beach was definitely my favorite stop this day because it was empty and peaceful, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and just reminded of the beaches back home in the Philippines. I sat for a while and put my feet in the water. Two words to describe the place? Calm and relaxing. Stop here on a weekday if you want somewhere peaceful to collect your thoughts. I actually ended up coming back the day after because I loved it so much!
3 - Highway Inn & Kaka'ako
I love finding new food and my friend suggested Highway Inn at Kaka'ako where there were also lots of murals!
First of all, Highway Inn had some BOMB food. I got the kalua pig quesadilla in a taro tortilla and wow, I was in heaven. I loved that this place had a fusion of local food and "mainstream" food, but also options for just local food. The Pog (passion, orange, guava) juice was great too!
After lunch, my friend and I grabbed coffee from a local shop. Hawaii is well-known for their coffee beans in case you didn't know. That was delicious, too.
We walked around the area and she showed me where all the murals were! The murals change every so often with different artists coming in to create new pieces. It's pretty cool to see all the different pieces and what artists come up with.
4 - Makapu'u Lighthouse
The last stop on my trip before heading home was a sunrise hike at Makapu'u. I wish I had gone to the tide pools but we had run out of time, so this was a fun second option.
I got up at 4 AM, leaving at 4:30 AM to get to the entrance of the 30-minute hike. It was a fairly easy hike (at least compared to those in Washington) since it was paved. If you wanted to bring kids, your dog, or a stroller, it's definitely a hike to go on.
As we made our way to the lighthouse, the sun started to rise and you could see flecks of pink start to kiss the sky. The waves were lapping against the cliffside and the breeze kept us cool on our walk. At the top of the hike, there was a railed and concrete area to look out to the sea, but I chose to climb down and sit on the volcanic rocks. My friends definitely freaked out about me falling down towards sharp rocks and the ocean, but it's really not that bad (love you guys lol). With 15 minutes till sunrise, we sat down to take some pictures before the sun was completely up. It was exciting to start the morning off in a healthy way, even though we followed it up by eating at Koa Pancake House (also delicious!).
I absolutely can't wait to go back and visit! There are so many more places I missed visiting - tide pools, 'Iolani Palace, the different botanical gardens, Manoa Falls, etc. Hawaii was super memorable and I'm so glad I got to visit my best friend.
Where in Hawaii should I go next?
***DISCLAIMER: All photos taken via my iPhone, unedited - because I am not a professional editor.***
Today Seattle experienced a cold day, forcing residents into sweaters (although I do love fall fashion) and boots, warm drinks in hand. I whisked myself away back to Oahu, remembering my adventures. What did I do besides Pearl Harbor, Waikiki, and Dole? Lots more - read below for a list of things I did on the rest of my trip!
1 - Hanauma Bay
By far, Hanauma Bay was one of my absolute favorite views of the island! Driving about 20 minutes out of the west side of Honolulu, you start to see fewer houses, single roads, and green mountains. Eventually, you get to a sign that says "Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve."
The drive down once you get into the preserve is a beautiful winding road. Parking is $1 and the entrance fee is $7.50 for individuals 13 years and older (free for those under 13, active military members, and Hawaiian residents!). After paying for your entrance fee, you are required to watch a video on the history of the bay, rules, and why it's important to protect the natural ecosystem.
From what I can recall, Hanauma Bay was found by native Hawaiians and became a popular area for royalty and fishing. Of course they were careful not to disturb the ecosystem too much - it's all about respecting the land. "As more foreigners came in" more damage was done to the ecosystem and so Hanauma Bay became a nature preserve.
I'll be completely honest, I laughed to myself because the video sounded like it threw some shade (but that's all from my perspective).
Once you finish the video, you walk down a steep hill (or shuttle for a small fee) and arrive down to the beach where you can snorkel or just play in the water. I rented snorkel equipment for $12 and let the water take me wherever (safely!). Even close to the shore you could still see different species of fish and lots of coral which was absolutely amazing! The view itself was worth it.
2 - Hawaii Scenic Highway & Kailua Beach
I noticed that the highway I had driven on towards Hanauma Bay went farther out and I was curious, so the next day, I took a drive to see where I would end up. Let me tell you, the scenic highway was so worth the long drive! I stopped at almost every single lookout just to see where the water went and appreciate how gorgeous the reflection of the sun was off the water. There were volcanic rock formations, mountains, trees, beaches, and blue skies with a breeze.
Even if you don't like sitting in a car, this won't feel like you've been sitting there for long of how unique the views are. And if you do want to get out, you can always stop at a beach! There's Sandy Beach Park where I'm told pro surfers tackle intense waves, Waimanalo which I chose not to go to alone, and my favorite was Kailua Beach.
Kailua Beach was definitely my favorite stop this day because it was empty and peaceful, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and just reminded of the beaches back home in the Philippines. I sat for a while and put my feet in the water. Two words to describe the place? Calm and relaxing. Stop here on a weekday if you want somewhere peaceful to collect your thoughts. I actually ended up coming back the day after because I loved it so much!
3 - Highway Inn & Kaka'ako
I love finding new food and my friend suggested Highway Inn at Kaka'ako where there were also lots of murals!
First of all, Highway Inn had some BOMB food. I got the kalua pig quesadilla in a taro tortilla and wow, I was in heaven. I loved that this place had a fusion of local food and "mainstream" food, but also options for just local food. The Pog (passion, orange, guava) juice was great too!
After lunch, my friend and I grabbed coffee from a local shop. Hawaii is well-known for their coffee beans in case you didn't know. That was delicious, too.
We walked around the area and she showed me where all the murals were! The murals change every so often with different artists coming in to create new pieces. It's pretty cool to see all the different pieces and what artists come up with.
4 - Makapu'u Lighthouse
The last stop on my trip before heading home was a sunrise hike at Makapu'u. I wish I had gone to the tide pools but we had run out of time, so this was a fun second option.
I got up at 4 AM, leaving at 4:30 AM to get to the entrance of the 30-minute hike. It was a fairly easy hike (at least compared to those in Washington) since it was paved. If you wanted to bring kids, your dog, or a stroller, it's definitely a hike to go on.
As we made our way to the lighthouse, the sun started to rise and you could see flecks of pink start to kiss the sky. The waves were lapping against the cliffside and the breeze kept us cool on our walk. At the top of the hike, there was a railed and concrete area to look out to the sea, but I chose to climb down and sit on the volcanic rocks. My friends definitely freaked out about me falling down towards sharp rocks and the ocean, but it's really not that bad (love you guys lol). With 15 minutes till sunrise, we sat down to take some pictures before the sun was completely up. It was exciting to start the morning off in a healthy way, even though we followed it up by eating at Koa Pancake House (also delicious!).
 |
| Until my next adventure! |
I absolutely can't wait to go back and visit! There are so many more places I missed visiting - tide pools, 'Iolani Palace, the different botanical gardens, Manoa Falls, etc. Hawaii was super memorable and I'm so glad I got to visit my best friend.
Where in Hawaii should I go next?
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