Authentic Hawai’ian Spots You Don’t Want to Miss
The island of O’ahu is famous for its beaches but once there you will quickly discover a whole other world that you never knew existed! There are royal palaces, lush landscapes fresh food and fresh air all around you. If you are lucky enough to have remembered to bring your digital camera, you will be able to capture all these fantastic memories to cherish forever. If you forget and need to buy a new digital camera there you can, but be prepared to pay a premium over buying a digital camera online instead.
The native Hawai’ian language can be difficult for the average person to grasp, but that’s ok because people there also speak English, Japanese, Spanish and several other languages as well. All you have to do is ask about where you can discover authentic Hawai’i to get away from the tourist traps and you will quickly be off exploring.
There aren’t many roads on O’ahu being that it’s a fairly small island, so getting around in a rental car is easy. You are usually either heading “mauka”, towards the mountains or “makai”, towards the sea. Head east from Honolulu to the Kalaniana’ole; it’s a wonderful highway that heads around the island, and it makes for a very scenic trip.
You will want to stop at many scenic overlooks to take in the cliff-top panoramic view of the sea where you may see breaching whales and are sure to see scores of shore birds. Be sure not to miss the Makapu’u lookout on the southeastern tip of the island and hike up to Makapu’u Point Lighthouse; it’s breathtaking! They say the view from the lighthouse stretches as far as Kanaloa (god of the seas) allows… which is amazingly far!
Next head further down the northeastern coast to one of the real working cattle ranches and see how you fare as a Paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) by taking a horseback ride through the valleys and dense rain forest. You will not regret the experience, but you will regret not going!
One thing that many tourists miss completely is authentic Hawai’ian food even though it’s a huge part of the overall experience. Because of the nearby ocean and the islands different climates, food only found in Hawai’i grows abundantly year-round. Don’t miss out on the chance to sample dishes you will never see again.
The Kapi’olani Community College Farmers Market has booths that offer Kona avocados, dragon fruit, local pineapple, locally grown spices, chocolate made from Waialua-grown cacao and much more! Be sure to ask the vendors if you can take these foods home with you through customs (if applicable) and how to package them properly for the journey. Don’t just assume you will be allowed to import any fruits or vegetables into your country, so maybe only buy enough to eat while you are in Hawai’i. The market across from the entrance to the dormant Diamond Head volcano is one of Hawai’I’s landmarks. Hike up Diamond Head and then refuel at the market afterwards! Food trucks also spot the island and offer amazing chicken and shrimp dishes like nowhere else.
Last but not least is the North Shore which is rightly famous for its amazing beaches. Yes this area is a little tourist oriented, but you will not want to miss it anyway. Just swimming in the ocean with wild turtles and lying on the beach is a great way to spend an afternoon as my wife and I found during our trip to Hawai’i. If you are up to it, check out the sky-diving on the north side of the island as well! There is nothing quite like jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet plus and watching the island below you as a huge beautiful map. It’s an experience you will never forget.
If you do spend a lot of time at the beach, take care to protect your camera from sand, water and being dropped. You don’t want to try and look for a camera repair shop while on vacation, and not having your camera operational can put a big damper on your travels. Have fun, be adventurous, and don’t forget to ask a local for tips, pointers or help so that you fully enjoy your Hawai’ian vacation!
