Oahu’s west side gets a bad rap: Parents tell their kids to leave their valuables at home if they’re heading in that direction, and its town names, such as Waianae and Nanakuli, strike fear into the hearts of some visitors and locals. However, much of that is unwarranted and the rugged beauty of the island’s […]
In our May/June issue of HAWAII Magazine, we asked members of our social media audience what their dream trip to Hawaii would be, and then helped plan it out. “I want to take my teenage daughter and myself to Oahu and stay at a resort, hike to a waterfall and have a spa day. Her
Day One Wake up with the sun at the summit of Leahi (aka Diamond Head). Its moderate, 1.6-mile jaunt up the famous summit will give you a bird’s-eye view of Waikiki, Honolulu and West Oahu. Skip the food vendors at the park, and drive to local favorite Waiola Shave Ice for your reward—a round of
Moku Nui and Moku Iki. Off in the distance, they sharply rise in a serene sea of aquamarine. Collectively known as Nā Mokulua (“two islands”), they’re Oʻahu’s most popular offshore islets and protected seabird sanctuaries and it’s the bird’s-eye view of them that entices most people to hike the Kaʻiwa Ridge Trail—a roughly 1-mile hike
All right. First off, stop chuckling at the seeming absurdity of a great road trip in Hawaiʻi. We’ve heard every reason our incomparably scenic island byways never make it onto any great American road-trip lists. Yes, we live on a collection of eight mostly smallish islands, each separated by miles of deep blue Pacific Ocean.
The sun is shining, the sky is blue and, most importantly, the tide is low. Just 15 minutes from the shores of Kaneohe Bay, surrounded by the Koolau Mountains and its reef-protected waters, a literal slice of paradise reveals itself: The largest saltwater sandbar in the world. Because of its sprawling nature, the sandbar is
“This is a beast of a hike,” my friend says, as he slathers his face with sunscreen, the tinted kind that leaves streaks on your skin like war paint. I’m not easy to sunburn, but he tosses me the bottle anyway, a suggestion to rub in a little more than I already have. After all,
Photographer and hiking enthusiast, Mike Karas, knows a thing or two about this scenic, out-and-back hike to Crouching Lion. Why do so many love it? The hike is “doable for novices, average hikers and people who have hiked a little bit before,” Karas says. “Most fitness levels could manage the effort and hike up.” Located
Sure, you’re on vacation, and have been dreaming of relaxing on a white-sand beach with a shave ice in hand. But, vacationing in Hawaii doesn’t mean you have to abandon your exercise routine. Local tried-and-true running routes can be found all around Waikiki, within walking (or warm up) distance of many hotels. Ala Wai
The Aiea Loop trail is a popular hike along Halawa Valley in south central Oahu. You’ll see everyone on this hike, from small children and bounding dogs to trail runner and elderly hikers with walking sticks. We also saw a group of mothers, carrying their young children in hiking carriers. The 4.8-mile loop, although long, is
Cocktail menus across the Islands are abundant with rum: lava flows, Blue Hawaiis and the iconic mai tai. If you want to try top notch, locally made rum and learn how it’s made in an intimate setting, visit Manulele Distillers. It’s situated in the central plains of Oahu in Kunia, which was once a thriving
To inhale a butter-and-garlic sautéed shrimp plate lunch or sip a Tropi-Kale smoothie? That is the question. Kahuku Farms’ roadside farm café—home of the aforementioned smoothie, made with kale, apple banana and vanilla grown on adjacent acreage—sits just outside its namesake town on Oahu’s Windward Coast. It looks friendly enough, its bright yellow façade presenting
