4 Days in O’ahu, Hawaii

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Oahu is a beautiful island and I would recommend it as your first stop flying into Hawaii, for 2 reasons:

1. 1. Honolulu is a major city and is the most visited, across the Hawaiian islands. 
   2. Oahu is very easy to drive across and there are lots of options for food, stays and it will help you get accustomed to how things work on an island in Hawaii before you explore the others.

Recommended area for staying: Waikiki in Honolulu, HI

If you’re staying in Waikiki throughout your trip, you can club some spots from days 2 and 3 and complete them on your drive on Day 2. If you have more time/days, you can spread it out and head back for sunset at Waikiki on Day 2.

Note: Most hotels in Waikiki (and across Hawaii) will have charges such as: resort fees and parking fees. You can avoid these by renting a car only on the days you will be using it throughout, or opting to stay at an Airbnb.

Day 1: Chill day at Waikiki

• • Land in Honolulu, check into a hotel (I recommend staying in Waikiki if it is your first time) & get lunch. Enjoy the day at Waikiki beach, head to the Mai Tai Bar at the  Royal Hawaiian Hotel – the best Mai-Tais, and get dinner in the area. Sleep early to beat the jet lag! 

We stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber (decently priced), Turtle Bay Resort (luxury) and The Halekulani Hotel (luxury).

Day 2: Exploring East O’ahu

• • Wake up early, get coffee & acai bowls and take a walk on the beach. 

• • Rent a car and drive to Manoa Falls trail – short hike to see the falls. Drive on further to Nu’anupali Lookout for some stunning views, and then drive on to Lanikai Beach. Parking here is limited – if so, drive to the neighboring Kailua beach and park there (ample spots). Enjoy a couple of hours at the beach and get lunch at The Sunrise Shack (smoothies and sandwiches). There is also ‘Ganesh Dosa’ nearby in case you’re looking for an Indian option.

• • Drive on to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden – extremely scenic drive (and it’s free). Enjoy the views and then drive to the Byodo-In Temple (entry ticket $10 – can be purchased online ahead of time). 

• • Optional Stop: Kualoa Ranch – some parts of Jurassic Park were shot here. You can only access the ranch via paid tours (tickets can be purchased online), and there are also experiences like mountain biking available.

• • You can drive on up to the North Shore and back on the same day (Day 3) or stay on the North Shore one night. 

Note: it is possible to cover a lot of the Day 3 stops on Day 2 itself.

Day 3: Exploring the North Shore

• • Drive up to Kahuku Farms for a farm to table dining experience – note that they close by 4 pm. Get their veggie panini, papaya bowls and grilled banana bread with coconut halupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding). 

• • Optional Stop: Drive on to Turtle Bay Resort (you can stay here, or explore the nearby Turtle Bay Beach). Will recommend staying especially if you want to experience diving with the sharks – exclusively available on the North Shore.

• • Next stop – Laniakea Beach – you will definitely see a few Hawaiian sea turtles resting here.

• • Drive on further to the town of Hale’iwa – definitely stop by Hale’iwa Store Lots – for more food trucks, Hawaiian shaved ice and fresh sugarcane juice.

• • For sunset, I recommend A’weoweo Beach Park if you want to enjoy a quiet one, or Sunset Beach Park.

• • Drive down to the Dole Plantation (optional stop) – I will recommend trying the pineapple dole whip. You can buy tickets to tour the plantation (only if interested).

• • Check back into a hotel in Waikiki and enjoy dinner. I recommend going to the Halekulani Hotel restaurant ‘House without a key’ for the most romantic ambience – great for sunset drinks or dinner. The coconut cake is phenomenal!

Day 4: Exploring South O’ahu

• • Have breakfast and:
    
    • • Option 1: drive to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling (tickets can be purchased 2 days in advance online – limited slots that go quick). Alternatively, you could drive up super early and they might allow walk-ins based on availability. This is supposed to be the best snorkeling spot in O’ahu.
    • • Option 2: drive to Diamond Head State Monument and hike the Diamond Crater. It is a relatively easy hike – 2 hours round trip and the views are spectacular. Also needs to be reserved online (2 hour parking slot).

• • Get lunch and enjoy a chill afternoon at the beach. If interested in sightseeing, here are some more spots in South O’ahu:
    
    • • Makapu’u Lighthouse Lookout
    • • Halona Blowhole Lookout

• • For sunset, I recommend China Walls – it is a rocky cliff diving site and the views are incredible.

• • Drive back up to Waikiki for dinner. The next morning, you can head back or island hop on to the next one. 

Island Hopping: Flights need to be booked in advance – the two major airlines that operate between the islands are Southwest Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines. Southwest Airlines has free checked bags but no reserved seating. Hawaiian Airlines has more of an island feel – they will also provide drinks and meals on longer flight times.