Oahu is one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. After a recent trip to the island I was amazed to find treasures I’d never found before! It’s incredible that the island is so small (3 hrs round trip) yet so full of fun things to do! Each different part of the island is known for different things (surfing, snorkeling, hikes etc.) I wanted to share some of the lesser known things I’ve discovered on Oahu as well as some of the popular, classic touristy destinations!
West Side
Let’s start with the gems of the West Side!
- Makua Beach
When I went to school on Oahu, I’d heard that you need to go to electric beach to swim with dolphins but I wasn’t really sure if that was accurate…so I just never did it! But during my latest trip to the island I finally was able to check swimming with dolphins off my bucket-list. It was just as magical as it sounds, promise! Makua beach is known for dolphin sightings because the waters are deep and calm and there aren’t any dangerous predators (such as large sharks) that could harm the dolphins. If you get there early (around 7 or 7:30am) there may be dolphins swimming in the water. Make sure to go out deep, it may seem scary at first but both times we went there were other snorkelers and scuba divers. Stay close to the other snorkelers and don’t go too far out. Listen for the dolphins whistling under the water and look for their fins above water–you’ll be able to find them if they’re there.
- Pink Pillbox & Electric Beach
The pink pillbox has a great view of the West side coastline of Oahu. It’s steep (as most pillbox hikes are) but totally worth it! Electric Beach is close to the pink pillbox and there’s lots of fish to snorkel with. Some people have seen dolphins there early in the morning. It was really cool to see all the fish but be careful, there’s an electric plant that has water shooting out, don’t dive too close to the openings.
Hawaii Kai/Honolulu
- Lanikai Beach & Pillbox
When I lived in Hawaii, Lanikai beach and pillbox hike was one of my favorite findings. Lanikai is the beach that people think of when they think of hawaii. It’s crystal clear, aquamarine waters are breathtaking. The beauty of the beach is breathtaking from the view of the hike and from the white sandy beach.
- Makapu’u Tide pools & Lighthouse Trail
The Makapu’u lighthouse trail is a beautiful paved hike with some great views. The trail is nice and at the top you can look out and see whales spouting during certain months of the year (I believe you can start seeing them in May). There’s a small trail that branches off the main trail that goes to the Makapu’u tidepools. These are large tide pools that are big enough for people to swim in and they’re SOOO pretty!! It’s like little hot tubs made out of lava rock with fish to swim with. So fun!
- Wiaola Shave Ice
Matsumoto’s Shave Ice has always been my go-to on the northshore but then some friends told me that Matsumoto’s is nasty and Wiaola is the best shave ice. We had to give it a try, and right they were! Wialoa shave ice is super creamy even though it’s ice! The customer service isn’t great but it’s way tastier than Matsumoto’s!
- Mochi Donuts & Boba
Hawaii has a lot of cool foods and flavors such as lychee, taro, and lilikoi! Naturally we had to give taro boba and mochi donuts a try. They were both tasty. The boba was the best I’d ever had. We got the boba from a place called Mr. Tea Cafe. The mochi donuts were at a place called MoDo.
North Shore:
- Banzai Bowls
If you’re into smoothie bowls, give banzai bowls a try. It’s super famous in Hawaii and California and it’s so tasty and just amazing.
- Lanikea Beach
Turtles gather at this beach to eat food off the reef. It’s pretty touristy but there were always lots of turtles there (at least every time I went).
- Wailua Bakery
I LOVE this bakery! Their sandwiches are great, so if you’re in Haleiwa for the day make sure to stop by! They make a lot of foods from scratch which is awesome and they have good smoothies too!
- Keiki Beach
This beach is great for gathering shells! It’s to the right of Turtle Bay resort and close to Kahuku point. It also has a natural kiddy pool that rocks formed after a Tsunami a while ago. It’s pretty hidden and close to the turtle bay golf course, but it’s really fun especially if you’re staying near Turtle Bay.