A drive (or tour) along Highway 72 on the east side of Oahu is not to be missed on your Oahu vacation. The dramatic coastline and crater views are impressive sights. One stop to include on your scenic, east Oahu drive is at the Halona Blowhole Lookout. From here, you can observe the waves crashing to shore and as pressure ... Read More »
Mahalo to Jason Matias Photography for sharing this photo with us. Jason took this shot on the North Shore of Oahu at Ehukai Beach Park, which is more commonly known as the Banzai Pipeline. The waves on this day were reaching heights of approximately fifteen feet. Andy and I have “wave watched” at the Banzai Pipeline many times and it never ceases ... Read More »
I’ve been writing about Hawaii travel since 2006 and I’ve heard almost every misconception about Hawaii that’s out there. A common one that I often hear about Oahu is that it’s over developed, touristy and too citylike. If Oahu was only Waikiki and the city of Honolulu, I could see how people might get that impression if they’ve mostly seen ... Read More »
Mahalo to Miriam Becerril for sharing this photo from the Battleship Missouri Memorial with us. The Mighty Mo is steeped in proud history from World War II through Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Perhaps one of the ship’s most significant moments is that it served as the meeting point in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese Foreign Minister to sign the Instrument of ... Read More »
We thoroughly enjoyed reading your favorite places after we posed the question on the blog and on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. We found ourselves nodding in agreement with so many of your choices, but we also learned of some spots we didn’t know. Let’s take a look at your responses. How do your favorite islands stack up per ... Read More »
Mahalo to Patricia Mazurkiewich for sharing this nice shot of Oahu’s Hanauma Bay with us. Hanauma Bay is arguably one of Hawaii’s most famous snorkeling spots, but this bay has another claim to fame. Hanauma Bay has been the setting for Elvis Presley movies. When Patricia shared her photo with us, she said, “Elvis Presley’s paradise is our paradise.” It ... Read More »
Mahalo to Sharon Ferguson for sharing this gorgeous Oahu shot from Koko Head. Sharon took this photo while hiking to the top of Koko Head on October 31, 2013. We’ve never hiked Koko Head, though we’d like to do so someday. Per TripAdvisor, this hike is described as a very strenuous, but with scenes like this one that Sharon has ... Read More »
Mahalo to Rochelle Rebello for sending this beautiful panoramic shot of Hanauma Bay on Oahu — one of Hawaii’s most popular snorkeling spots. I love how Rochelle’s shot captures this expanse of warm golden sand, clear blue water and the reefs all naturally sheltered by the bay. Rochelle and her husband traveled all the way from Mumbai, India to visit ... Read More »
Professional surfers from around the world converge on Oahu’s North Shore each winter for the world’s top surfing competitions. Vans Triple Crown of Surfing opens this week signaling the start of the season. You can watch the Vans’ competitions live online when they are in action. I’ll be bookmarking that link to check in on the action that’s set to take place through ... Read More »
Mahalo to Mick Veljanovski of New South Wales, Australia for sharing his photo for Aloha Friday Photos. I believe Mick’s photo is the first we’ve received from beautiful Australia. Yay! Mick took this photo at sunset by the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon on the grounds of the Hilton Hawaiian Village. He snapped this shot just before the Waikiki Friday night fireworks ... Read More »