Oahu, called a tropical paradise for
a reason. Turquoise blue waters, dramatic volcanic mountains and too many palm
trees to count. The place of the aloha spirit endless snorkeling hiking and poke. We live
here and are experiencing Oahu every day. In this guide, we tell you what you need to know
before planning your trip to Oahu. We'll talk about where to stay how to get around the island
while avoiding this and more. Stick around till the end where we will talk about the Hawaiian
people and culture. This video is not about the best things to do. We already made a video
specifically about that but it is rather about what you need to know to make the most out of your
trip. Oahu is snuggled into an island chain in the middle of the Pacific. All islands have their own
nickname and Oahu is known as the gathering place probably because there's a million people here.
The only way to get there is by airplane and you'll land on Honolulu International airport.
So once you're here, how do you get around? Let's talk about car rentals you'll find the
bigger car rental companies on Oahu but it will most likely not be cheap but in our opinion
definitely worth the expense.
An alternative might be Turo where people rent out their personal
cars which could have cheaper daily rates. If you plan on only staying in the resort areas such
as Waikiki or Ko'olina, then you could get away with just walking from place to place. There are
taxis, lyfts and ubers on Oahu but in our personal experience nearly not as many as on the mainland.
there were times where we found ourselves on one side of the island with zero uber and lyft
drivers. If you want to maximize your stay and really see Oahu, we do recommend getting a
car but the public transportation is pretty good on Oahu compared to the other islands. the bus
fares are fairly cheap and they run to most parts. Check out their website for more information and
Oahu is also small so there are only three main highways and the remaining roads are mostly
one or two lane roads so you can expect some traffic around the island and the horrible
traffic you've heard about on Oahu usually goes towards Honolulu during morning rush hour and
away from Honolulu in the afternoon evening time. Make sure to drive the H-3 since that has the epic
view of the mountains.
One quick note drive with aloha. You will notice that the driving style is
not as aggressive and people will often throw you this shaka or wave at you. So now that we've
figured out transportation where do we stay? Most hotel options are in these three resort areas
with the most hotels being in Waikiki. Then you have the Ko'olina resorts which have fewer but
also luxurious options. Think Disney.
Lastly, the Turtle Bay resort in North Shore. Think about
paying the resort fees though and the parking fees then you also have airbnb and vrbo. These
options are not necessarily cheaper than hotels but you can stay in different parts
of the island and feel more secluded. There was a bill passed in 2019 that limits
short-term vacation rentals. This means that it might be difficult to find a short-term rental
because they typically have a minimum of 30 days and that can be expensive.
This does not apply
to resort districts which we mentioned earlier Waikiki, Ko'olina and Turtle Bay area. So if
you ask our opinion we would try to find an airbnb in a resort area or just go for a
hotel. So when is the best time to visit? It's good to know that the winter months are the
rainy months on Oahu. If you're all about surfing the winter months are the way to go. There's high
surf around many north and west shore beaches and whale season last from December until early May
but we like spring months and early fall months. There's less crowds it's not extremely hot yet
but still warm and there are no heavy rains. Looking at the map you can see that the windward
side of the island does get the most rain.
So now that we got that figured out, where do we go from
here? In our opinion to get the most out of your stay you need to know the island. So let's start
at the main hub for tourism and the birthplace of surfing. We all know it it's Waikiki The place on
the island with the most hotels and restaurants and no parking. You could say that Waikiki
is one of the busiest spots on Oahu where most people stay while on their trip. This is
also where you'll find the iconic Diamond Head, a crater where you can hike to the top. In Waikiki
you will find pretty beaches high-end clothing stores and plenty of beginner surfers. Waikiki is
crowded and caters to tourism. It's fun to be here for a little while but it is not Oahu.
We highly
recommend that you get out of Waikiki during the day to explore other parts of the island because
that's where you'll experience the adventure. We'll give you some tips on where to go throughout
this video. Let's look at Honolulu the city of the island where you'll find the high skyscrapers
and the business district.
Also it's packed with culture. Hawaii is a mix of many different groups.
You'll find Korean influences, Japanese, Filipino, Chinese and many more. Explore the different
neighborhoods such as Chinatown and Kaka'ako our favorite neighborhood here for an artsy and
creative vibe. Now let's look at the East side of Honolulu the main neighborhood to explore
here is Hawaii Kai where you'll find eateries golf courses and extraordinary gems of the island.
Follow the most scenic and beautiful shoreline on all of Oahu where you can stop along the way and
see true gems.
We are talking about Koko crater Hanauma Bay and Makapu'u. You will be driving in between large
cliff walls with the deep blue ocean right next to you. I mean look at that view! You might as well
add the scenic road to your bucket list right now and at the end of this road you will find yourself
on the windward side of the island known for its turquoise blue waters and the majestic Ko'olau
mountains that will leave you speechless. No matter what road you take to the windward side you
will be guaranteed with jaw-dropping views. This side of the island gets the most rainfall in the
year which makes the mountain even more beautiful. Pockets of clouds hide in between the mountains
and all the rain makes this the perfect place to do all of your jungle and waterfall hikes. The
windward side also has several small adventures out in the ocean that you can explore by
kayak or boat like the Mokulua islands hiking up Chinaman's Hat or just visit the sandbar
in the bay.
We suggest to visit Waimanalo for the local vibes. Kailua if you want boutique and
Kaneohe for the bay and mountain views. Keep going north on Kamehameha highway to find the windward
countryside and soon you will find yourself in North Shore. The home of the big wave surfers and
shrimp trucks. If you find yourself here during the winter time, the waves will get pretty insane.
Things to do here are snorkeling at Sharks Cove, going to the many beaches and checking out
the seven mile miracle. A seven mile stretch of sand beaches with the most epic surf spots.
Don't forget to eat at the many shrimp trucks. A town to visit here is Haleiwa which looks like a
cute small beach town.
Moving down to Central Oahu where the farms and plantations are you will
notice a change in landscape the majestic green jurassic mountains are out of sight and replaced
with rolling hills. You can visit the Waialua chocolate farm, coffee farms, the Dole Plantation
and of course the infamous Pearl Harbor memorial. Then last but not least the West side aka the
leeward side. there's one way in and one way out. You could say that if you drive far enough
into the West side that you will reach the corner of the island. You'll be introduced to
the second mountain range in Oahu, the Waianae mountain range. You will find wide stretched sandy
beaches and deep dark blue oceans as opposed to the turquoise blue waters on the windward side.
If you want to escape the crowds check out these quiet beaches you might need to drive a bit longer
but you do get your privacy.
You will mostly visit the west side for its beaches and hikes and at
the end of the road is a worthy adventure on any day Ka'ena Point a gorgeous shoreline hike and
yes there are plenty of sunset views on the West side. This is Oahu in a nutshell. Now let's talk
about culture and most importantly food. There is so much to eat, so we're going to give you some
ideas on what specific foods to try. Kalua pork, pork that's traditionally cooked in an underground
oven you cannot go wrong with Konos a restaurant prioudly serving pork and try out a dish called
laulau which you will find at local restaurants such as Helena's Hawaiian food or the Waiahole Poi
Factory next dish to try is haupia a coconut dessert don't forget about poke it's delicious
fresh and raw fish you can get poke all over the island but you cannot go wrong
with Foodland.
You will also notice that shave ice cannot be missed it goes all the way back to
Hawaii's plantation past where Japanese immigrants used to shave flakes off of blocks of ice
and drizzled it with fruit juice then you have malasadas delicious Portuguese donuts and
check out the 7-elevens here and try out a spam musubi. This is just a small list of all the
foods that you can try. Check out our food tour in hawaii video to get some more ideas on what and
where to eat. Then there are some things to know. things that we have experienced here while living
on Oahu. People on the island dress casual think loose shirts shorts and slippers. It's not even
crazy if you just walk in your bikini all day. Then learn some Hawaiian words and start with
these: aloha, mahalo, wahine, kane, ohana, mauka makai and honu.
Then we would also recommend
to not leave any belongings inside in your car we've seen too many crushed windows and then
all the gorgeous animals you'll see on Oahu monk seals sea turtles dolphins birds keep a safe
distance. You do not want to disturb the animals. Then last you will see homeless people around the
island and soon notice that it is a problem here on Oahu. You will encounter homelessness all over
the island you could say that it's a symptom of many larger problems. Lets talk about the culture
of Hawaii and the Hawaiian people. A topic that's not talked about enough in most videos about
Hawaii but yet so important because when you are here you feel it and you see it. Over the past
years there has been a revival of Hawaiian culture the language the traditions they were almost
completely lost. there was a Hawaiian Renaissance in the 1970s that brought life back into the
Hawaiian culture.
You can see that today Hawaiians are very proud and happy to tell you about
their culture connection is key for Hawaiians some important things are malama aina to care for
the land and then there is an ancestral connection respecting their kupuna a way to respect ancestors
is to practice traditions. The Hawaiian people are descendants from navigators and explorers. A
sensitive topic in Hawaii is the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893 today you can still feel a hurt
when you talk to people here on Oahu. Keep an open mind and do more listening than talking. Live the
aloha which means to love show love to each other. If we sparked your interest, check out the
Bishop Museum for more history and culture. This is Oahu in a nutshell and what we think you
need to know to get the most out of your trip. mahalo.
