I will be perfectly honest with all of you. While Oahu is typically the most popular of the islands, it was my least favorite. Oahu has the biggest population and is popular for Pearl Harbor and Waikiki Beach. You can also visit the North Shore for the most amazing surf you will ever see - at least during the winter months. In addition, there's the Dole Plantation, and historical places like Queen Emma's Palace and the Bishop Museum. Kona Brewing Company is also a fun stop. For hikers their is Koko Head and the Diamond Trail.
The reason why I didn't like this island as much, is because it felt like a tropical New York City. Waikiki and downtown Honolulu is swamped with resorts, malls, and over the top tourist traps. Of course, if I didn't have my handsome tour guide to show me around to the different islands, I probably would have stayed here on Oahu for the entire trip and still would have enjoyed myself, but I don't think it would have been worth the cost of the trip.
Oahu has nothing in comparison to the beauty of Maui's Mount Haleakala and the challenging Road to Hana, or the lava fields of the Big Island, or the grace and majesty of Kauai's Waimea Canyon.If you want to come to Hawaii just to sit on the beach - save your money and go to Florida instead.
With that said and out of the way, here are a few things about Oahu that I really did enjoy.
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay is the BEST spot for snorkeling and for those who are just starting out. The reason for this is that the tides are gentle and it is a protected preserve. Meaning the fish are friendly with humans and aren't afraid of us.
There are many parrot fish in this bay and native Hawaiian fish. You'll see beautiful reefs and coral, and may even come across an eel. This place is a must if you are spending time on Oahu and enjoy snorkeling or would like to try it out.
Scenic Overlooks
Whether you are on a tour or driving around the island by yourself, there are many gorgeous scenic overlooks you can stop at it. This one was going around the eastern side of the island.
Dole Plantation
You probably have seen Dole on your fruit before, specifically on cups of packaged pineapples. Jim Dole came to Hawaii and saw that the land would be great to grow pineapples on. That's right, pineapples are not native to Hawaii - they actually come from South America.
This is a major tourist site. You can get on the Pineapple Express and it will take you on a tour of the plantation. In addition, there is a pineapple maze, a garden, and a store. You can get food here, the most popular item is the Dole Whip.
Dole Whip is soft serve ice cream made with fresh pineapples and pineapple juice. It so so good!
This is a good place for either older people who cannot get around very well, or for young children. For adults, if you want to come here, just check out the garden and get your Dole Whip, and you'll be content enough to not spend the entire day or afternoon here.
North Shore
There's not a whole lot to say about the North Shore except that the waves are epic. It is difficult to capture the height and power of them in photos, but during the winter months, the waves are massive and regular people are not allowed in the water. However, there are surfing competitions and you can see surfers far out in the water waiting to catch a wave. This is a lovely spot to catch the sunset and take a walk on the beach without getting too close to the water.
Pearl Harbor
I have always loved the 1940s, and Pearl Harbor does an amazing job of explaining what happened on that dreadful day of December 7, 1941. There are several tours that you can go on, but the most popular is the USS Arizona. This ship faced the most casualties and become the final resting place for those that died on the ship and survivors who later asked to have their remains placed with their fellow crew.
You start the tour in a movie theater where you learn all about the events that lead to the attack on Pearl Harbor. You are then taken on a boat to the memorial. Underneath the memorial, the USS Arizona lies perpendicular to it. As soon as you reach the dock, you will smell oil. The ship is still leaking oil and probably will for another hundred years. You can see the remains of the ship. Coral and fish have spread all over it creating life where there was once death.
Pearl Harbor gets busy and overcrowded quickly, so go early in the morning to reserve your tickets. You cannot bring a purse or any kind of 'bag' into Pearl Harbor. There are lockers you can check it into, but that's not worth your time. Keep it in the car, and if you do need a bag, go purchase something from the gift store.
The reason why I didn't like this island as much, is because it felt like a tropical New York City. Waikiki and downtown Honolulu is swamped with resorts, malls, and over the top tourist traps. Of course, if I didn't have my handsome tour guide to show me around to the different islands, I probably would have stayed here on Oahu for the entire trip and still would have enjoyed myself, but I don't think it would have been worth the cost of the trip.
Oahu has nothing in comparison to the beauty of Maui's Mount Haleakala and the challenging Road to Hana, or the lava fields of the Big Island, or the grace and majesty of Kauai's Waimea Canyon.If you want to come to Hawaii just to sit on the beach - save your money and go to Florida instead.
With that said and out of the way, here are a few things about Oahu that I really did enjoy.
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay is the BEST spot for snorkeling and for those who are just starting out. The reason for this is that the tides are gentle and it is a protected preserve. Meaning the fish are friendly with humans and aren't afraid of us.There are many parrot fish in this bay and native Hawaiian fish. You'll see beautiful reefs and coral, and may even come across an eel. This place is a must if you are spending time on Oahu and enjoy snorkeling or would like to try it out.
Scenic Overlooks
Whether you are on a tour or driving around the island by yourself, there are many gorgeous scenic overlooks you can stop at it. This one was going around the eastern side of the island.
Dole Plantation
You probably have seen Dole on your fruit before, specifically on cups of packaged pineapples. Jim Dole came to Hawaii and saw that the land would be great to grow pineapples on. That's right, pineapples are not native to Hawaii - they actually come from South America.This is a major tourist site. You can get on the Pineapple Express and it will take you on a tour of the plantation. In addition, there is a pineapple maze, a garden, and a store. You can get food here, the most popular item is the Dole Whip.
Dole Whip is soft serve ice cream made with fresh pineapples and pineapple juice. It so so good!
This is a good place for either older people who cannot get around very well, or for young children. For adults, if you want to come here, just check out the garden and get your Dole Whip, and you'll be content enough to not spend the entire day or afternoon here.
North Shore
There's not a whole lot to say about the North Shore except that the waves are epic. It is difficult to capture the height and power of them in photos, but during the winter months, the waves are massive and regular people are not allowed in the water. However, there are surfing competitions and you can see surfers far out in the water waiting to catch a wave. This is a lovely spot to catch the sunset and take a walk on the beach without getting too close to the water.
Pearl Harbor
I have always loved the 1940s, and Pearl Harbor does an amazing job of explaining what happened on that dreadful day of December 7, 1941. There are several tours that you can go on, but the most popular is the USS Arizona. This ship faced the most casualties and become the final resting place for those that died on the ship and survivors who later asked to have their remains placed with their fellow crew.You start the tour in a movie theater where you learn all about the events that lead to the attack on Pearl Harbor. You are then taken on a boat to the memorial. Underneath the memorial, the USS Arizona lies perpendicular to it. As soon as you reach the dock, you will smell oil. The ship is still leaking oil and probably will for another hundred years. You can see the remains of the ship. Coral and fish have spread all over it creating life where there was once death.
Pearl Harbor gets busy and overcrowded quickly, so go early in the morning to reserve your tickets. You cannot bring a purse or any kind of 'bag' into Pearl Harbor. There are lockers you can check it into, but that's not worth your time. Keep it in the car, and if you do need a bag, go purchase something from the gift store.
No comments:
Post a Comment