Hawaii Travel Guide: The Best Way to Spend Your Day on O'ahu Island

When traveling to Hawaii, there are many things that come to mind: beaches,the ocean, palm trees, hiking, snorkeling, food and more. Here are some places that are absolute can't miss destinations for families, couples, and people just taking a much needed break.I recently traveled to Hawaii, and on the plane ride there i sat next to a woman who was born and raised on the island (Oahu). I asked her if she would mind recommending some places. The very first place that she mentioned is: Hanauma Bay.

THE BEACH: Hanauma Bay
By taking the main highway(H1) thru the island east (really southeast), the H1 will take you most of the places you want to go, including Hanauma. Take the H1 until it ends and continue straight. You'll be driving along the coast for a while, passing such things as the Kona Island Brewing Co (which I'll mention more about later). You'll see signs for Hanauma bay eventually. I would recommend getting there as early as possible, because parking fills up pretty fast, and since it is located away from populated areas, finding parking is priority #1.

Once parked its a quick walk to the entrance. If you have never been there before, you have to watch a quick and painless 10 minuted video about not damaging the reefs when swimming and snorkeling with the fish. Afterwords you are on your own.

Its quite a hill down to the actual bay (the bay is surrounded by mountains before you get the the wonderful sandy beaches). You can take a little trolley for 50 cents on the way down, and $1 on the way up. The walk down really isn't all that difficult, but back up, after a day at the beach, its pretty nice to just drive up it on the trolley.

If you are into snorkeling, this is the place for you. There is a place right on the beach that you can rent snorkeling equipment for for a reasonable price. $6 for a set( goggles with tube and fins for you feet), or $9 (which is what i paid) which is basically the same set, but it has a box on the top of the tube that helps keep water out better.

When snorkeling in the reefs in the Bay, there are fish pretty much anywhere you turn to . The first day we went we stayed to the right, and someone out a little farther than us saw a sea turtle, and we saw fish-a-plenty. The second day we went we stayed to the left, and i happened to swim (unknowingly at first) with a big school of fish. I was completely surround by them (they were very friendly, as far as fish go). It was absolutely amazing.
I would recommend snarling for 20 minutes then relaxing on the beach, and repeat as desired. Swimming can be a little tiring, and recharging while laying on the beach is the perfect way to get your energy back. Altogether Hanauma beach might be the most beautiful place i have ever been to.

Food/Beverage: Kona Brewing Co.
On the way back from Hanauma bay, i would definitely recommend stopping by at Kona Brewing. They have great home brewed beer, i had the Belgium light with a citrus taste, and it was delicious. They have a pretty wide ranging food menu with everything from seafood to sandwiches, all excellent looking.(i had a turkey bacon club with avocados and kettle chips). Plus there are a couple different places where you can choose to sit.
The bar offers a nice view from most angles, and of course there is always the added convenience of alcohol right in front of you. You can also sit in the regular dining area, with nice tables and a pretty decent view of the marina, or you can sit (as we did) right on the deck overlooking the marina, with the mountains in the background. It was a great view, and the only problem we had was at one point a man was washing his boat, and the wind blew, so a light myst blew onto us. Not really a big deal. Still highly recommended.

Hiking/walking: Diamond Head Crater
Half walking, half hiking, the Diamond Head Crater has it all. Over 700 feet tall, with beautiful trails and lots of stairs too. The walk takes around 25 minutes, straight up, but the view from the top is absolutely gorgeous. Overlooking the ocean, Waikiki and Honolulu, this spot used to be a prime defense position on the island of O'ahu. Beautiful pictures can be taken from the entire trail, especially at the top, where you can impress you friends with amazing photography skills, because every picture turns out beautiful. A lighthouse down at the bottom on the ocean adds to the scenic nature of the hike. We happened to spot two rainbows next to each other (a sign for good fortunes), and on the way down, it happened to sprinkle a slight bit, which was perfect after the long hike.

Altogether, there couldn't be a better way to spend a day in O'ahu.