Hey y’all!
I thought I’d take a break from the school/college posts, so this one will be about Hawaii (specifically the Waikiki island + north shore)! I recently visited this past week, and wanted to share a couple of the attractions I saw, food I ate, and unique souvenirs I got! I DO want to say however, there were two locations (Kualoa Ranch and the H’omomaluhia Botanical Garden) that I wasn’t able to visit since there was a Kona storm the day we landed, but it’s okay since we made the best out of it. I do recommend going to both of those places, as Kualoa Ranch has this ATV tour that takes you throughout the ranch to see where Jurassic Park was filmed, and the botanical garden is absolutely breathtaking as seen from the photos, and is likely way more awesome in real life. Anyways, let’s get into it:
Places:
- The Dole Plantation: where Dole really began! They have a botanical garden filled with all sorts of vegetation and flowers, and a ton of spots to take photos. Around the garden are a variety of miniature pineapples, vendors selling pineapple-flavored treats like pineapple/caramel cashews, popcorn, etc. Take the “Pineapple Express” train and they take you around the plantation on a 10-minute ride where they have a selection of trees including lychee, lemon, cacao, mango… basically anything that thrives in a tropical climate. If you head inside after the train ride, definitely try the Dole whip- it’s this soft-serve style pineapple whip that is really delicious!
- North shore: North shore in Oahu, Hawaii is about an hour drive from the city (Honolulu/Waikiki) that is home to several local-owned businesses especially in the town Hale’iwa. Along the coast, if you’re into snorkeling or surfing, or even seeing sea turtles, check out Waimea Bay and Shark’s Cove, which are wayy less crowded than the city beaches.
- Byodo In-Temple: This Japanese temple genuinely is straight out of a fairy-tale. First thing you should do before entering the temple is hitting the gong at the front of the temple, as it’s used to take away any bad energy that you may have (I’m big on superstitions). After, explore the koi ponds that surround the temple (there are SO MANY) and take off your shoes before entering the temple, where you light an incense stick as it’s believed to bring purity. Take a walk to the gift shop and explore the various traditions and trinkets- I got the maneki-neko, which is a Japanese lucky cat, and my parents and I each got our own omikuji, Japanese fortune-telling paper strips.
- Malls in Honolulu: International Marketplace, Ala Moana Center, Royal Hawaiian Center all have amazing Hawaiian-food options, various cuisines, and of course, SEVERAL souvenir options! I also recommend checking out Moni, located inside the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, as they have Rilakumma and Kewpie merchandise, such as the blind boxes, tote bags, and clothing.
- ABC stores: Ok… I will say that they have A TON of options here, BUT, they are quite overpriced compared to the other locations where you can get the exact products for a much lower price. However, do check out the ABC stores because they are EVERYWHERE, like the city is filled with them so you’re bound to run into them at least once or twice. At the ABC store, I got 2 keychains and bottles of water… that was literally it. Also, the Hello Kitty Hawaiian-themed plushies look really tempting, but get them at the location below this one, since it’s about $10-$15 cheaper there than at the ABC store.
- Aloha Stadium Swap Meet: CHECK THIS OUT!! They have SO many vendors here, with all sorts of souvenirs and trinkets for way lower prices than the city. It’s about a 20 minute drive from the city, so if you are able to catch a bus or an Uber, definitely check this place out. Most of the small businesses set up here, and I recommend heading there early in the morning since sunshine or not, there’s ALWAYS people. Also, they are only open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, so keep that in mind when scheduling a trip. Here I found hibiscus hair-clips, crocheted trinkets and keychains, and of course, a TON of the Hello Kitty plushies and keychains that are in the ABC stores for a lower price. In addition, there’s a selection of the infamous mini corduroy tote-bags, authentic Smiskis, Mocchicho, and Sonny Angels, and jewelry- so. many. different. options. They also have several food vendors if you ever need to grab a quick bite!
- Beaches/Coves: Waikiki Beach, Makapu’u beach, Halona beach cove, Lanikai beach (crystal-clear blue water + sea turtles on a sunny day!), Hanamau Bay (great for snorkeling).
Ok, I will be making a part two just for food and hiking spots!