Hawaii Travel Guide - 13 Tips for a FANTASTIC Trip to Oahu

[Music] Hawaii yes it's part of the United States but it feels worlds apart from anywhere else in the country an impossibly beautiful string of volcanic islands in the North Pacific every time I visit Hawaii I make a promise to myself that I will live here someday aptly named The Gathering Place the island of Oahu is Hawaii's most populous and developed island my mother grew up here and I spent every summer of my childhood here so I feel like I know this island like the back of my hand if my hand were one of the most beautiful places on earth which it isn't so come with me as I show you the best beaches best island grub local secrets advice on avoiding the crowds money-saving tips and more [Music] [Music] [Music] tip number one beaches if you're like most people this is why you come to Hawaii and well you may think Oahu is only about crowds Honolulu traffic and shopping it is home to some of Hawaii's most beautiful beaches first up my favorite beach on the island on the rugged majestic eastern coast of Oahu also known as the windward side lies Waimanalo Beach Park far from the madding crowd of Waikiki this Beach offers miles of white sand turquoise waters and calm enough waves year-round to relax and enjoy the refreshing North Pacific the best part about this Beach no crowds compared to Waikiki it's practically empty bit of a warning if you see signs warning against jellyfish take them seriously now the signs don't actually mean that there are jellyfish present in the water that day so the best way to check is just inspect the beach if you see lots of little bubble things with long blueish purple-ish tails stay the hell out of the water these are called Portuguese Man O'War and they want you up if you ignore this and do go in the water anyway make sure you have a jar of urine at the ready just in case this is Gatorade oh it's not all joking aside rubbing sand and seawater and the stings and then treating them to the vinegar is actually what works best next up Lanikai Beach arguably the most beautiful beach on the island powdery sand leads to aquamarine water won't just offshore a few small islands rise above the horizon it is truly picturesque they only drawback is that it gets kind of crowded and parking can be tricky continuing our tour of the windward side up the coast aways is the incredible Kahana Bay Beach Park this Crescent Beach just south of Honolulu is where dreams are born when my sister and I first arrived here as kids I turned to her and said Meg this is where I'm gonna get married and she knew I meant it didn't happen in the end as evident by my tinder profile but the beach is still just as alluring and poetic camping is also available and you can hike to the top of lion head for some spectacular views moving along to the north shore we arrive at Waimea Bay this is the spot where big wave surfing was invented and it's still the site of the annual surfing competition every winter but during the summer months the waves disappear almost completely making this one of the best swimming beaches on the island it's a perfect place to relax backflip off a rock and try to remember everything you did last night in your Waikiki bender again part knee here can be a pain in the ass you'll likely need to Park up the hill and walk down to the beach next just down the road from Waimea Bay lies Sunset Beach another surfer Haven try your hand at one of the great pipelines in the world or during the summer months just stare out at the beautiful beach and chill next up ma Caputo Beach an awesome little beach sandwich by cliffs on either side this is a fantastic spot for body surfing and boogie boarding be aware the waves here are almost always large so only go in if you're a competent swimmer moving along to the Honolulu area my first Beach recommendation is more of a local spot the Ala Moana Beach Park it's beautiful it's not crowded the water is calm clear wave free due to a reef that stretches across the entire protected Lagoon it's a great place to swim have a picnic and it's only about a 10 minute walk from Waikiki and finally of course we hit quite possibly the most famous beach in the world Waikiki though not my favorite Beach on Oahu on any trip to Honolulu you just have to include it and if you could look past the seas of tourists this is actually a spectacular beach with long stretches of white sand clear waters great for beginner surfers but the peak of Diamond Head rising grandly in the background tip number two getting around and where to stay unless you plan on spending your entire vacation in central Waikiki which is very walkable the only real way to get around the wahoo is by car there are public buses but car rentals are reasonably affordable I get a car on Priceline for around $40 day just be prepared to deal with the Honolulu traffic once you get outside the city the traffic does subside as for places to stay Hawaii is not cheap beautiful Oceanside resorts will cost you anywhere from three to seven hundred dollars but there are some great budget options to be found it may take some digging around and your typical hotel laps as an example I paid about a hundred and fifty a night for the charming coconut Waikiki there's also the condo rental option like the verb own or however the hell you say that before Airbnb I've seen rates on condo rentals for as cheap as about 80 bucks and if those are still too expensive there's always the hostel route my two favorites are the seaside Hawaiian hostel and the beach Waikiki boutique hostel tip number three where to eat and if you stick to the more local spots you will be rewarded with food you will be dreaming about long after your Hawaiian vacation ends first up the malasadas at Leonard's bakery I travel the world eating incredible things and this is the perfect example of making food a priority malasadas are basically Portuguese doughnuts but to merely call them a doughnut would be akin to calling a Rembrandt of finger painting perfect puffy pieces of dough are fried to order then sprinkled with a little sugar and that's it resplendent in their simplicity chewy light fluffy sweet but not too sweet and piping hot there are many options some stuffed with different flavors of cream but I always stick with the original why mess with perfection order them fresh and eat them right there in the parking lot they are best eaten right away if you have enough room after malasadas try the sweet Pao Dolce bread stuffed to a spicy Portuguese sausage they're just plain brilliant now what do you say have I overhyped this place enough great moving along Helen is Hawaiian food if there is one more do not miss this restaurant on my list this is it this little James Beard Award winning restaurant is probably the best example of traditional Hawaiian food you can find I recommend getting menu D for a little taste of everything the salmon is fresh and delicious the kalua pork is the stuff of legends and the short ribs are the best I've ever had maybe one of the best things I've ever add anywhere this place is just special another special place Giovani shrimp truck located in Kahuku on the North Shore of Oahu this is my sister's favorite place to eat in the world and I can't blame her a simple roadside seafood dive this food truck is so good it will change your friggin religion to shrimp eating ism they only have four things on the menu but I come for the shrimp scampi a dozen unpeeled prawns sauteed with mounds of freshly chopped garlic and lemon butter then piled high on white rice with even more garlic this plate of shrimp would be very high on my consideration for my last meal the North Shore is littered with shrimp trucks but Giovanni's is my favorite up next Kono's places like Kono's remind me of why Abajo is truly a foodie paradise there are three locations in Honolulu Kailua and holla Eva and they have some of the best kalua pork on the island my favorite thing on the menu is the old-school pig sandwich delicious kalua pork piled on perfect bread and smothered in an insane tangy guava barbecue sauce the breakfast burritos are also amazing and don't forget to try one of their delicious milkshakes my favorite thing about this restaurant if you're willing to get their logo tattooed on your body you get half off meals for life only in Hawaii the next restaurant is the pig and the lady located in the super charming Chinatown this is some of the best Vietnamese food I've had anywhere including Vietnam the thigh is incredible but I come for the bond me French Dip twelve-hour melts in your mouth roasted brisket on an equally crispy and soft roll with a basil chimichurri sauce and a little bowl of foie Anshu for dipping I dare you to find a better sandwich in the country up next the ubiquitous plate lunch one of Hawaii's most famous food offerings a plate of meat rice and mac salad there are probably hundreds of spots dotting the island but my absolute favorite place is Diamond Head market in there Mac potato salad is a work of art and their ginger wasabi salmon plate is what keeps me coming back year after year order from the window pull up a little piece of picnic table and chow down under the shadow of Diamond Head crater also the market next door makes utterly delicious desserts another Hawaiian staple poke a and I have a few favorite spots ahi assassins is a hole-in-the-wall joint on the second floor of what looks to be an apartment complex that serves up fish so fresh I literally watched them bring it in and carve it up next Ono seafood another simple little joint there is nothing simple about the delicious flavor packed into there poke a there will be a line for this place but it is worth it another amazing spot is called maguro brothers in the kick-out leak a market in Chinatown their pokey is simple beyond flavorful and perfect lastly and this may surprise you the pokey at the grocery store food land is shockingly fresh and delicious and finally no trip to Hawaii would be complete without indulging in some shave ice also remember it's shave ice not shaved ice don't be that tourist first Matsumoto's and Haleiwa this place is by far the most famous shave ice shop in hawaii is it delicious absolutely is it the best in the island no but if you're already on the north shore Matsumoto's is still an excellent place to get your shave ice fix just know you may be waiting in a Disneyland size line to get it next coconuts shave ice and the Hawaii Kai Marina strip balls it's my second favorite shave ice spot in the island the shave ice here is delicious plus it's frequented by Obama and if it's good enough for him it's good enough for me finally viola shave ice this is far and away the best shave ice of Oahu the texture of the snow is so light and fluffy melts in your mouth and the flavored syrups are sweet and delicious I know Matsumoto gets all the glory but this is pure sugary heaven [Music] tip number four hit the flea market and aloha stadium this is one of the coolest things you can do on Oahu every Wednesday Saturday and Sunday outside the Aloha Stadium the largest open-air market in Hawaii springs up with over 400 stalls this is the perfect place to do all your souvenir shopping get beautifully handcrafted art clothes crafts and even book tours at a significantly lower cost than what you'll pay at the shops of Waikiki tip number five go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay this one comes with a caveat large crowds have changed this place into a major tourist attraction however it's still one of the best places on the island to see the local marine life a good tip the park is closed on Tuesdays so if you want the clearest water show up first thing in the morning on Wednesday also parking can be almost impossible so either get there before the park opens at 6:00 a.m. or wait until the afternoon when it clears up a bit the busiest time is around 8 a.m. if you want the snorkel experience without the frills shark's Cove and the North Shore is another great spot and if you're into snorkeling tip number 6 take it a step further and go scuba diving [Music] a Wahoo has some excellent diving particularly its rec times like the fantastic world war two course airplane that was ditched in the ocean in 1946 also diving gives you a great chance to see these beauties up close and personal majestic and beautiful the Hawaiian sea turtles never cease to thrill me just look at that cute log I my favorite dive shop on the island is reef pirate divers they limit their dives to six divers they go out early in the morning before the other dive shop see of the sights to yourself and the staff is knowledgeable and awesome that was crash he has better abs than I do and if you're not certified to dive what are you waiting for nothing better in the world I could scuba-dive every day of my life and it would not be a wasted life just remember there are two kinds of divers those who pee in their wetsuits and those who lie about it tip number seven take a hike oh ah who has some wonderful hikes with stunning views here are my four favorites first the hike to the top of the iconic Diamond Head Peak is one of the easiest and certainly the most popular the views from the top are amazing but it can get congested with tourists so I recommend going after 4 p.m. note the last hike is at 4:30 next the hike to the Makapuu lighthouse we used to do this hike as kids when it was just a little dirt trail then Obama did it and they were like ooh maybe we should make this a thing so now it's actually like an official paved the path it's a very easy hike for all ages really more of an uphill walk and the view at the top is one of my favorites on the island third the Lanikai pillbox hike this hike offers breathtaking views of the famous lanikai beach the first part is a bit of a scramble but then it levels off to a moderately easy Ridgeline to the top this hike is best done at dawn or dusk of which I have no footage because that's not what I felt it hey it was I say not as I do lastly for the aerobic ly incline they hike to the top of Koko Head crater is probably my favorite on the island you climb up a set of derelict railroad tracks that used to carry supplies to the top of the mountain this hike is by far the most strenuous of the bunch ah this hike good for the lungs bad for the breathing I just got stopped by some people on the road that said I'm only a quarter boy there but the view from the top of Hanauma Bay and Honolulu are absolutely worth the 27,000 steps to the top it still feels like 27,000 there is one slightly scary spot if you're afraid of heights like I am where you have to traverse a stretch of train tracks that are open to a drop-off below but there is an easy way around but I challenge you to do it I did and I was totally fine tip number eight get blown away at the pali lookout if you want these epic views without the effort of the hike this is the spot for you just off the pali highway between Honolulu and Kailua the overlook grants spectacular views of the windward side of the water it said the King Kamehameha through his enemies off the top of this lookout to die over a thousand feet below and while I would advise against following in his footsteps mostly for moral and legal reasons the trade winds that the lookout can get so strong on some days you can actually lean into the wind and let it hold almost all of your weight it's a pretty awesome experience tip number nine visit historic Pearl Harbor the infamous site of the attack of Pearl Harbor in 1941 that led to the entry of the United States and a world war two this is a must-see when visiting a walk a fascinating piece of history it is a sobering and powerful experience they have a monument built over the water directly above the USS Arizona which still lies on the ocean floor like a ghost ship look down at the sunken battleship remember the sailors and soldiers who lost their lives that day and let yourself feel whatever it is you feel also make sure to visit the USS Missouri or mighty moe famous for the surrender of the Japanese that effectively ended World War two this is a captivating piece of history that is not to be missed tip number 10 have fun at the halona blowhole located on the southeastern shore of oahu the blowhole is a natural lava tube carved in the lava rocks of the shore when the waves hit the shore water is forced up through the lava tube to an opening rocks on the surface and the viewers are greeted with a spray of water that can reach heights of over thirty feet in the air think of it as a tiny Old Faithful but with a better backdrop also right next to the blowhole is one of my favorites slightly secret beaches on the island just head down the steps to the right of the parking lot as you're facing it to be greeted by a gorgeous Cove famous as the beach scene in From Here to Eternity tip number 11 check out the beautiful Waimea Valley and Falls anyone who's seen the TV show Lost will recognize this waterfall tucked away in a beautiful park just inland from the famous Waimea Bay this park is quite touristy and sixteen dollars to boot but an undeniably beautiful spot to see some of Hawaii's colorful foliage plus you can actually swim in the Falls albeit with the requirement of wearing a life jacket so touristy yes but still a blast definitely tip number 12 rent a car get out of Honolulu drive around the island and experience the many wonderful neighborhoods that make up a wahoo make sure to hit Kailua a charming town with shops and restaurants don't miss the farmers market every Thursday evening it's super local neighborhoodie family-friendly and just an all-around great way to spend an evening another great neighborhood is con ele morre whirl and framed by lush jagged mountains a must-see is the gorgeous peaceful and totally free botanical gardens and the incredible valley of the temples as you mind your way northward you can stop by the Kualoa ranch famous as the backdrop for many shows and movies including Jurassic Park and you can kayak out to Macaulay Island locally known as Chinaman's hat finally explore a wahoos North Shore make sure to stop in Kahuku for the best fresh fruit on the island the Kahuku papayas are my particular favorite and end your drive in the historic town of Haleiwa a surfers haven during winter but a charming town year-round to me these towns truly represent what Oahu is this is where you feel the local vibe and as much as Honolulu has changed over the years the windward side and the North Shore have still largely retained their relaxed and a local feel and finally of course we come back to Waikiki packed with tourists and luxury brand stores this is admittedly not my favorite part of the island that being said Waikiki he is certainly not without its charms there's the wonderful local art display along the fence outside the zoo on Saturdays and Sundays the daily Street Market on Dukes Lane the lagoon in front of the Hilton the Ala Wai canal is one of the more beautiful fixtures of any city in the country and Waikiki Beach itself while incredibly busy is undeniably picturesque it's also a fun place to experience some vibrant nightlife taking some excellent street performing have a mai tai or seven and shop til you drop just please don't make this the only part of a walker you see the island of Oahu certainly has changed a lot since the early 1980s but even with all its changes every time I visit a Wahoo it feels like coming home the island has truly spectacular scenery pristine beaches lush jungles and hands-down the best food in the Hawaiian Islands come here relax eat play and experience the friendly Aloha spirit of a walk thank you so much for watching if you liked the video make sure to spank that subscribe button just I'm gonna stop doing that also ring the notification bell so you don't miss any upcoming videos also like with all of these videos I realize these are just my personal favorite spots in Oahu so if you have any suggestions please throw them in the comment section I always love to hear from you one final shout out to Rhino Cameron gear for helping me out with some awesome new equipment thanks so much I'll see you soon from somewhere else in the world

Channel: Matt's Travel Tips

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Rating: 4.9346128 out of 5

Keywords: Best things to do in Honolulu, Best things to do on Oahu, Best things to do in Hawaii, Hawaii Travel Tips, Oahu Travel Tips, Honolulu Travel Tips, Hawaii Guide, Oahu Guide, Honolulu Guide, Best things to eat on Oahu, Best things to eat in Honolulu, Best things to eat in Hawaii, Best restaurants in Hawaii, Best restaurants on Oahu, Best restaurants in Honolulu, Hawaii Food Guide, Honolulu Food Guide, Oahu Food Guide, Waikiki Tips, Food Porn, Funny, Travel

Id: kNyEI-2udxs

Length: 20min 30sec (1230 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 14 2018