The windward side, which is the other Oahu
Oahu, Hawaii · 3 nights · Apr · May · Jun · Sep · Oct · up to 6
Almost everyone stays in Waikiki and almost nobody crosses the Koʻolau range, which takes twenty minutes. The windward side is greener, wetter, quieter, and where Kailua is. Do the south shore first — Hanauma Bay caps entry and the queue forms before the gate opens — then spend the middle of the trip on the other side of the mountains. Leave the last day loose: the North Shore is an hour away and the surf decides whether it is worth the drive.
The ending
A temple at the foot of a thousand-foot green wall, a koi pond laid across the front of it, and a three-ton bell you strike on the way in. Sound behaves strangely in there; the wall sends it back.
That is Byodo-In Temple, Valley of the Temples. See how private it is and when it’s open, or build the rest of the trip around it.
Do
- Kailua Beach Sunrise Yoga & Paddleboard
- Hanauma Bay Snorkeling
- Diamond Head Sunrise Hike
- North Shore Shave Ice & Surf Culture Tour
Eat
- Senia (Chinatown)
- Mahina & Sun's (Surfjack Hotel)
Stay
- Halekulani Hotel
- Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club
Is the temple open in the evening?
No. It is ticketed and the last entry is early enough that this ending happens in daylight. That is a real constraint and you should know it before building a day around it.
Waikiki or the windward side?
Sleep in town and spend the days across the range. The hotels are on the south shore and the reason to come is on the other one.