Hawaii - Paul S

Jul 4

December 2023, with a friend

General tips:

The traffic can be ridiculous on the islands (especially O‘ahu), be prepared to be sitting in traffic sometimes.
There’s a heavy Japanese influence on the food here. So you can find some really excellent Japanese (or Japanese adjacent) food. Especially on O‘ahu.
Bring water shoes if you can, some of the beaches have a lot of rocks and having water shows so you can wade in the water is a necessity.

Gas is super expensive, so fill up at Costco if you can.
Hawaii in general is super expensive. Be ready to open up that wallet for everything.
Be respectful of the Hawaiians and their culture. You’re a guest on the islands and you definitely feel that way. If there’s some local only spots, don’t try to force yourself there. And if you do somehow get to those local only spots, don’t share about it online.
There’s a sizable homeless population in Hawaii, and unfortunately some of them are Native Hawaiians who are priced out of their own islands.

Kihei is a nice spot to get an AirBnB or hotel since it’s pretty centrally located. If you’re on the west of the Island it takes an hour(+) to just get to the middle of the island.

Maui brewing co is right next to Kihei and has a nice vibe with good beer and food.
Kihei food truck park is good for food and has a casual vibe.
Be careful swimming in the beaches, there’s no lifeguards and there can be strong rip currents.

The Sliding Sands trail is one of the most alien environments I’ve ever been in. There’s 0 cover so pack a lot of water and sunscreen because the Hawaii sun doesn’t mess around.
The sunrise view is cool, if you don’t want to wake up super early then doing the sunset view is supposed to be a good alternative. In the morning bring a warmer jacket since it’s 8,000ft+ up and not as warm as seal level.
You also need to get parking passes and an entrance pass ahead of time

Road to Hana is very cool, with great views along the way and some cool waterfall pools you can go swimming in.

Twin falls and some other waterfalls close on certain days of the month for locals only, so check ahead of time.

Kahekili highway really isn’t that scary to drive in my opinion. The environment is totally different from the rest of the islands, it feels like you’re on the Irish coast, I would recommend.

Molokini Crater snorkeling is very cool. The boat ride out is nice since you get a great view of the island and the snorkeling itself is cool.
West side of the island has the best beaches but they’re very touristy, so parking can be a bit tough to find.

Ka'anapali Beach is excellent and cliff jumping on Black Rock Beach was awesome.

The Maui Pineapple tour is pretty cool. The pineapples are definitely a lot better than anything you get on the mainland.
The Waihee Ridge trail Is very cool. Great views into the valley and great views of the Island. Just be prepared for mud though, the trail gets quite muddy after some rain.
Waikulu Distillery is excellent. Even if you’re not super into tequila, the tour and tasting is very cool to see because it’s such a small operation. The owner is very nice if you get to meet him, the tequila tastes very good, and makes a great gift for an alcoholic relative. Although the bottles are quite expensive.
Jaws (Peahi) is awesome to see if there’s a swell. However, absolutely do not try driving to the spot. Park your car outside the entrance or the road and walk because unless you have a lifted jeep with huge tires there’s a 100% chance you’re going to get stuck and damage your car. Even if it’s blown out with wind, seeing the windsurfers ride huge waves is very cool.
Eat a lot of seafood and local pork if you’re here, it’s all good.

Traffic around Honolulu is nuts, try to drive in/out not during rush hour.
Waikiki is quite nice, the beach/water is very nice. Would definitely recommend swimming there.

Be watchful of your stuff while you’re swimming, someone could very easily swipe your stuff and then you’re stuck.

Board rental prices are ridiculous, but surfing Waikiki is awesome. The water is super clear and the waves go for a long time. But it’s super crowded so be prepared for some party waves.

The clubbing scene in Honolulu is pretty good. You just need to find the clubs that are popping
The Magical Mystery Show is fun if you’ve got nothing planned for an evening.
Kualoa Ranch is sensational. We did the ebike tour and can’t recommend it enough. There’s a novice and an advanced level tour, definitely do the advanced if you can, it was one of our favorite things we did.
Kualoa Regional Park is right by Kualoa Ranch and a stunning location, great spot to eat some food. However swimming there isn’t great due to all of the rocks and the reef.
Skydiving was tremendous. It’s probably one of the most picturesque drop zones in the entire world. Would highly recommend it if you're the adventurous type.
Kaʻena Point Trail is right next to skydiving and a pretty nice trail.
Haleiwa and the North Shore are must do’s when you’re on O‘ahu.
Sunrise shack is a nice spot to get food/caffeine. Plus if you’re into surfing you might see some local surfers that you’ve seen online.
Sharks cove is so much fun to snorkel and swim in. Bring some snorkels if you can or else you’ll regret it.

Water shows are highly recommended for this. Partly for just getting down into the cove, and partly so you don’t slam your feet on rocks.

If Pipeline is firing I would highly recommend checking it out. The wave is massive and seeing guys charge a giant wave over a shallow reef is crazy.
If Pipe Masters is going on then you 100% have to go to pipe. The vibe is so cool, and the merch is tremendous. You are 100% going to drop money on some merch once you see it.
Shark cage diving on the North Shore is also cool. It’s super safe and seeing that many sharks close up is a great experience. Try to go in the morning when there’s less wind in the water since the cage moves around less.
Ry's Poke Shack was probably the best poke we had while in Hawaii. If you’re nearby you have to check if out. He also sells a super traditional Hawaiian poke that you have to ask him about. I forgot the name of it but if you’re a tourist and you try it out then you’ll get some respect since most people don’t try it out. It’s totally different from your modern poke.
Pearl Harbor is very cool too and something you should check out. I’d recommend the submarine, the USS Arizona memorial, and the aircraft museum.