First day
Route : Manoa Falls – Diamond Head – Ko’Olina Lagoons – Makaha Beach
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Manoa Falls
To enjoy every second, the day started early with a hike in Manoa Falls, a Hawaiian rainforest full of bamboo, plants and tree roots. A great opportunity to contemplate several birds and feel like in the Lost series and the Jurassic Park movie that had some scenes recorded on site.
The trail is moderately easy and the walk takes around 45 minutes. In the end, after passing through many trees and stretches of bamboo, you will reach a waterfall, which at the time I went there was quite empty.
Attention: be prepared to get muddy if you are going in November, as this time of year it rains a lot on the island and some sections of the trail can be very wet.
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Diamond Head trail
This is one of the places where the crater of a volcano is located . Diamond Head is very close to Waikiki, around 15 minutes. To get to the top of the crater, from where you can have a panoramic view of the sea, you need to take a short walk that takes around 30 minutes on a paved trail.
Where to Rent Snorkeling Equipment in Waikiki
As Hawaii is full of paradisiacal beaches with excellent water visibility, this is a perfect destination for diving and snorkeling. And for that, if you don’t have the appropriate equipment like fins and masks, there are several places where you can rent these items. I rented mine from a shop in Waikiki at Snorkel Bob’s . At the time, rent for a week was $25.
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Ko’Olina lagoons
The afternoon of the first day in paradise was reserved for visiting a super calm beach, Ko’Olina lagoons , which is a shell-shaped lagoon with several luxury resorts nearby. In fact, there are four lagoons, a region that even has a Disney resort.
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Makaha
To end your day, be sure to visit Makaha, a beautiful beach located on the west side of the island, around 25 minutes from Ko’Olina lagoons. What I liked most about this beach was that it is surrounded by a very green mountain, in addition to being the place where I could enjoy a beautiful sunset.
Hawaii is not a very cheap place for tourists, food there is much more expensive. For this reason, eating out every day in restaurants is a luxury, and even shopping at the market is expensive for the tourist’s pocket (Hawaiians have discounts at the market by presenting their identity card). The cheapest place to shop, and which I loved, is at Walmart . There you will find several things to take home as souvenirs from the island, such as clothes and slippers decorated with flowers, in the Hawaiian style.
Second day
Itinerary : Hanauma Bay – Halona Blowhole lookout – Makapu’u lookout – Lanikai -Luau at Paradise Cove
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hanauma bay
The morning was devoted to getting to know one of the most beautiful beaches on Oahu, Hanauma Bay , located in the southern part of the island. This beach is one of the best for diving , and a tip is to arrive very early, as the parking lot there is easily crowded, and you may run the risk of not getting your spot depending on the time of day. To park the car, it costs 1 dollar.
The beach is a wonderful environmental reserve and to access it, you need to pay a fee of $7.50 per person.
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Halona Blowhole Lookout
After Hanauma Bay, the attraction was driving on a highway from which you will want to stop at various points to photograph the beautiful scenery. The first viewpoint I stopped at was Halona Blowhole lookout , a beach formed by volcanic rocks, where the water hits them making squirts. In addition to the beautiful panoramic view, if you have some time, you can go down to the little beach through the rocks.
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makapu’u lookout
Following the highway, I stopped at another photo-perfect lookout, Makapu’u lookout . The place is beautiful with beautiful views to the sea. And if you have time, something I didn’t have, I recommend the trail that will take you to Makapu’u Lighthouse , which is a beautiful lighthouse.
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Lanikai
Lanikai , the beach that for many people is considered the most beautiful on Oahu, and I say it out loud, the place with unparalleled beauty. With crystal-clear water and two islets that give the beach its charm, this paradise is where former President Obama usually spends his vacations (remembering that he was born in Hawaii).
It is possible to spend a good day on this beach. If the sea is calm, for the more lively ones, you can rent SUP boards and enjoy the view. Want more adventure, something I didn’t know at the time I went, was the existence of one of the trails with one of the most beautiful viewpoints on Oahu, the Pillbox Trail . From the top you will see Kailua and Lanikai.
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Luau at Paradise Cove
The Luau is a famous Hawaiian party that takes place on the beach, with Hula dance shows and lots of typical Hawaiian food. And one of the best places on the island to see this spectacle is at the Polynesian Cultural Center , where in addition to the luau, there are other things to do during the day, like canoeing, etc. As this place is located in the northern part of the island, the ideal is to reserve the whole day just for this.
Third day
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Pearl Harbor
Day to visit one of the places that marked the history of this island, Pearl Harbor . As a reminder, for those who like history, it was in this military base where the Japanese attacked the United States in World War II. They bombed the place, where the ship USS Arizona was hit , causing the death of thousands of American soldiers. A very sad story, and of course visiting Pearl Harbor will also be a very sad time.
Where to eat in Waikiki
Back in Waikiki, at night I took the opportunity to walk around, and a place that I highly recommend is Duke’s Waikiki , a bar and restaurant on the beachfront that has a wonderful view . And if you go there, be sure to try the famous Mai Tai, which is a very typical drink in Hawaii.
Fourth day
Route : North Shore (Turble Beach, Waimea Falls, Shark’s Cove, Bunzai Pipeline and Sunset Beach).
Day to visit the surfers’ favorite place, the North Shore , which is located in the northern part of the island and has the beaches with the most famous giant waves in the world.
North Shore is around 1 hour from Waikiki, and the tip is, choose to go early, because as it is a part of the island that is very popular with tourists, traffic is very annoying on the highway, which has only one lane. If you go by car, put the city of Haleiwa on the GPS to head to this beautiful place.
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turtle beach
The first beach to stop on the North Shore will be Turtle Beach or Laniakea beach as it is also known. The beach is famous for its turtles that often rest on the sand. Unfortunately, as the day wasn’t very sunny, they weren’t on the sand, but I could see them from afar in the water.
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Waimea Falls
Second stop of the day, Waimea Falls , which is a very beautiful waterfall that has served as the backdrop for the Lost series. To get to it, you have to walk on a paved trail, something quick and super easy. But for that, it has a value of approximately 14 dollars for admission.
When you arrive at the waterfall, it is possible to enter the water for a swim, and if you don’t know how to swim (my case), lifeguards are available for visitors.
I loved the bath, but I’ll say that the water is very cold.
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Shark’s Cove
The second beach I visited on the North Shore was Shark’s Cove , a perfect place for you to see small fish of various species and go snorkeling . I loved diving on this beach, but as the sea was rough. I ended up hurting myself because of the strong waves, which made me hit a rock.
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Banzai Pipeline
Third beach, the famous and beloved by surfers, Banzai Pipeline or just known as Pipeline . It is one of the beaches with the highest waves in the world, where the surfing championship takes place every year .
As the sea is rough in winter, it is not advisable to go in the water. Unless you are a professional surfer. And what I liked most about this part of the island was seeing the variety of surfers from all over the world there.
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sunset beach
Right next to the Pipeline is Sunset Beach , one of the most famous beaches on the island for watching the sunset, which, by the way, is wonderful.
Fifth day
Route : Kuoloa Ranch – Koko Head Trail
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Kuoloa Ranch
For fans of movies and series, don’t miss Kuoloa Ranch , located in the east of the island. Several famous films have already been filmed in this place, such as : Como Se Fosse A Primeira Vez , Jurassic Park. The series Lost and Pearl Harbor . And if you want to know this place. They offer several tours such as: a tour that takes you to the places where the movies were set, boat rides, horse rides and even quad bikes.
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koko head trail
I ended my penultimate day in paradise by hiking the Koko Head Trail . It is a very challenging trail that is done through a huge staircase with more than 1000 steps. The cool thing about it is that it leads to a wonderful viewpoint, where an inactive volcano is located.