Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore. Just one of many gems. Photo: Kenji Croman
Yes, Hawaii is a surfer’s paradise with epic waves, especially on the North Shore. However, there are a lot of other great things to experience/see while you’re here. And while you’re here, there are lot of local customs you should be aware of as well as a lot of good local secrets we share with our friends visiting us here in Oahu.
Things to do:
Instead of spending a ridiculous amount of money, you can always go on a hiking tour. This will allow you to see the islands from a different vantage point – high above in the mountains. See how the Hawaiians crossed from one part of the island to the other in ancient times. Picture what it took for these brave men, no shoes, no shirts, no protection from the elements and how they transported information and goods. The views are spectacular! Some great hikes include:
Led Zeppelin may be up there. Stairway to Heaven. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Stairway to Heaven, a.k.a. Haiku Stairs – It’s illegal to do this hike now, but people still do it every day. If you do this hike, I strongly recommending that you leave VERY early, like three am. The guards show up at four am and will not allow you to enter the stairs. While I’m not condoning doing something illegal, hundreds of people do it every day. Just be very respectful of the noise in the neighborhoods where you park. You can imagine how annoyed the residents are who live there and deal with noisy hikers on a daily basis.
Kuliouou Ridge Trail – Another great hike that takes forty minutes to an hour to get to the top. There are beautiful views, and for the most part, you’re hiking in the shade.
Manoa Falls, Oahu. You want to do this. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Manoa Falls – This hike is very easy. It’s close to town and takes only thirty minutes or less to get to the falls. I highly recommend this hike.
There are so many hiking trails to do. A good list of them can be found here.
First Friday in downtown Honolulu – This is a monthly event on the first Friday of each month. It’s very popular among the locals and brings a lot of culture, art, music, entertainment and great foods. It’s not something you’ll find on the regular “Things to do in Hawaii” lists, since it’s more of a local thing. You can check out their monthly events on their site: firstfridayhawaii.com.
Visit hidden beaches. If you think swimming at Waikiki is Hawaii, then you need to rent a car and see the REAL Hawaii. These beaches are not very touristy, but I guarantee you’ll enjoy them.
Halona Beach. Quiet and secluded just a short hike from the Blow Hole. Photo: Shutterstock
Halona Beach – This is a beautiful, secluded beach surrounded by steep lava rocks. This beach is located at the Blow Hole, which, if you come to Oahu, you’ll most likely visit as it’s a popular tourist attraction. What most people don’t realize is that there’s a narrow path that goes from the Blow Hole’s parking lot, down the steep rocky cliff to Halona Beach. You’ll spot a lot of Honu (sea turtles) here too.
Waimanalo Beach with Manana Island (Rabbit Island) and Kaohikaipu Island (Turtle Island) in the distance. Photo: Shutterstock
Waimanalo Beach – This is one of my favorite beaches in Oahu. It’s usually very empty, the water is turquoise and the sand is extremely fine, so it’s pretty cool walking in the water with this kind of sand under your feet. I recommend going earlier in the morning, since the mountains will block the sun in the later part of the afternoon. Don’t leave any valuables in your car and as always be considerate when parking in this quiet neighborhood.
Yokohama Bay – This is an absolutely stunning beach and almost always sunny. Yokohama Bay is located on the west side of Oahu’s Waianae cost. There’s plenty of parking along the street, and the drive is breathtaking. You can get here by taking H-1 West until it connects to Farrington Hwy. Yokohama Bay is at the very end of the highway.
Local Customs:
Remove your shoes when visiting someone’s home. The tradition probably stems from our Asian culture here, but has been adopted statewide by most households. Keep in mind that it’s very rude to walk into anyone’s home while keeping your shoes on, so take them off at the door.
Don’t honk your horn unless it’s absolutely necessary. I lived in Jersey City for many years and people would start honking as soon as the light turned green. It was contagious so everyone would start doing it. In Hawaii, we’re different in that regard, so don’t honk your horn unless it’s absolutely necessary. Don’t believe me? Try it. You’ll notice when people driving by you start giving you dirty looks.
It’s said that you should not take any rocks from our beaches. Legend states that it’s extremely bad luck to take lava rocks home. According to rumors, there are thousands of people that return rocks to the Hawaii National Park by mail because of bad luck that happens to them once they return home.
Last but not least, show Aloha. If you’re driving and someone lets you merge in front of them, give them a wave or shaka. Even though we have some of the worst traffic (and drivers) in the nation, we always try to be courteous. This will go a long way with the locals here, most of which are very cool and laid back. We love our food, weather, culture, surf and our Ohana (family). We recognize that tourism is a huge part of our economy, and we typically go out of our way to extend the Aloha whenever we can. So if you come to our islands with an open mind and you are respectful, you will not have a problem with the locals. Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but to me, it’s the people that truly make this paradise. Mahalo, and enjoy your stay here.
A Hui Ho and Aloha.
If you do it right, you could be this person. Shaka! Photo: Shutterstock
