Travel Guide In Hawaii – I visited Hawaii for the first time a few years ago while doing an internship in the state and spontaneously decided to visit some friends who were studying on Oahu during that time. Well, they say they really study ;P. After all, the time we had was unforgettable and sometimes it was even surreal to me. We went out on a boat at night to watch the weekly fireworks over Honolulu, camping
From Kauai (the most amazing place I’ve ever seen), snorkeling with turtles on Maui, cliff jumping on the North Shore and so much more! Thinking about this trip still gives me goosebumps and I’ve dreamed of going there ever since. Although luckily my job takes me to so many beautiful places, somehow I never made it back to Hawaii…
Travel Guide In Hawaii
When Alex and I went to the Hamptons in LA at the end of July, we thought of a place to celebrate my birthday and spontaneously decided to fly to Oahu, Hawaii. I usually want to plan a trip and fall in love with a place before I even get there. But at the end of the day, I have to say that it’s so awesome to be so spontaneous and plan everything while you’re there. Since Oahu has so much to offer (you’ll see what I mean when you look at all the photos ;)), we decided to stay on this island and the others (Main Island, Maui, Kauai, etc.) for the time being. ! I always like to have a reason to come back! 🙂
The Ultimate Big Island Hawaii Travel Guide
Hawaii is truly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Wild nature, beautiful beaches, animals… there is so much to see and discover. Below you will find all about my favorite beaches, hikes, places to eat and more! I hope you like the show and if you have any questions: I’ll answer them all in the comments! Mahalo, Leoni <3
. I think people either love or hate Honolulu because it’s probably not what you usually think of when you think of a Hawaii vacation. Horizon, all chain hotels and restaurants… Nevertheless, I personally love to stay in hotels on the famous Waikiki beach! You can start your day on the beach and if it gets too much or too hot, you can quickly change in your hotel and go out for a great lunch in the city (below you will find many great places to eat that I highly recommend!) . Also, Alex and I decided to stay in Honolulu because the location is ideal for most trips. In less than an hour you can be almost anywhere on the island! We also thought about staying in North Beach, but many of the places I wanted to go were too far.
. This hotel is very well known on Oahu and as you know how much I love a touch of pink, I fell in love with the place the second I saw it. My favorite part of the hotel is the beautiful tiled terrace, lovely interior and surrounded by palm trees. You can see more of the hotel: here. The Royal Hawaiian also serves a very good breakfast, I really like the pink velvet pan! If you walk along Waikiki beach, you will easily find The Royal Hawaiian because not only are the buildings pink, but so are the towels and umbrellas.
. This is the oldest hotel on Oahu and I love the colonial building in stark contrast to all the big hotel chains!
The Ultimate Hawai’i (big Island) Travel Guide
When I did so much research to find a good hotel on Oahu, I came across some alternatives that also look good:
All in all, I have to say that finding the perfect hotel for your Hawaii trip is probably the biggest challenge, especially if you’re looking for something a little romantic. 😉 I usually like to stay in boutique hotels because I am passionate about lovely interiors, charming details etc. But as much as I love Hawaii, there isn’t much diversity when it comes to hotels. Most hotels are huge and quite expensive (there are always so many extras on top: taxes, resort fees, parking, breakfast, sun umbrellas…).
I’m not sure if I’ve ever been to a place with a more beautiful and unique beach than Oahu! We went to over ten beaches during our time in Hawaii and they were all very different from each other and amazing in their own way. We went to the beach at all different beaches and I want to give you a quick overview of my favorite beaches.
Is a nature reserve. Before you go to the beach, you should watch a short video that explains how to interact with nature and how to treat animals, beautiful corals and animals with respect. The short time investment and additional cost of around $7 is worth it for this beautiful bay! It is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The bay is beautiful, the water is clear and turquoise and is perfect for snorkeling. Plus: only 15 minutes from Honolulu.
Essential Maui Travel Guide For The Ultimate Vacation Experience
. The beach is a little wilder and you have a natural pool built out of the rocks. When we visited, the waves were quite challenging. 😉
. Kailua beach is very popular but I like Lanikai more. The water is beautiful and with the mountains the views are breathtaking. One day we did too
Cliff jumping OR to watch someone else jump. I did Cliff Jump in Waimea Bay when I visited for the first time and even though I lost my bikini ;), it was an unforgettable experience!
It’s a little harder to get to the west coast because there isn’t much to do around there and also there are no roads connecting the west coast beaches to the north coast, BUT that’s the reason why the beaches are still wild. We visited Electric Beach and Makua Beach because of the great chance of seeing dolphins. We had no luck but we saw turtles AND Makua Beach was so beautiful, snorkeling there was one of my best experiences!
Visiting The Big Island Hawaii? Don’t Miss This Comprehensive Travel Guide
Last but not least! Waikiki Beach is probably the most famous beach in Hawaii because it is famous for surfing and is in the heart of Honolulu. When I visited Hawaii a few years ago, I learned to surf on this famous beach and I will never forget that experience! Waikiki is very touristy, yet it is unusual to have such a beautiful beach in the center of a big city and standing on the board and riding the waves, being close to the big city is so much fun!
. The Pillbox Trail is one of the easiest and most rewarding trails as the hike is only about 15 minutes and the views are stunning. On your hike, you’ll see different spots that offer different views of Lanikai Beach. We hiked early in the morning and took some food with us and took in the amazing views!
A bit more complicated. The official Crouching Lion is about 4 miles and since Alex and I are not super sporty we decided to do an unofficial mini version. The hike is a bit more complicated and since it is not an official hike, it is not always easy to find the right direction. You are basically climbing all the time, sometimes on your hands and feet, because it is quite steep and slippery. I have to say that I always like hiking and I’m quite an adrenaline junkie, but my friend is a little afraid of heights and for him hiking was quite a challenge. While at the top of the mountain, a small path leads to a rock called “The Crouching Lion”. For us, to be honest, it was a bit difficult to get there. At the top of the mountain it is very windy and the track is very small. Sometimes we knelt down when the wind was too strong. Still, Crouching Lion was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen and I was also a little proud when we finally did it. I tried to be really nice to Alex the rest of the day because I know how hard the climbing (especially the last meters) is for him!
One of the greatest experiences is seeing Oahu from above. Since this island is a bit wild, there are many places that are not easily accessible. So Alex and I booked a trip with Paradise Helicopters and had an unforgettable helicopter ride. My favorite thing to do is see the Kaneohe Bay sandbar (Maldives vibe!), Oahu’s skyline, Diamond Head and some of the hidden waterfalls from above.
The Ultimate Hawaii Travel Guide
If you are a fan of Jurassic Park or Lost, you might want to take a tour around the filming location, Kuona Ranch, where they made so many movies! Since Alex and I like to explore most things ourselves, we didn’t