After visiting the four largest islands of Hawaii, we were stunned by Oahu, a place where a center of cosmopolitan culture neighbors paradise-like hidden recesses.
Last updated: November 27, 2024
What is Oahu: A Tropical Paradise or a Cosmopolitan Center?
Oahu puzzled us. A tropical paradise with mountains blanketed with lush greenery and rising above cloud level? A place where the ocean is veneered with different tone layers that range from aquamarine to tortoise and dark blue, almost black?
Or is Oahu a center of cosmopolitan culture that none of the other Hawaiian Islands adopted so eagerly and on such a grand scale?
Oahu as Hawaii’s Most Developed Island: Waikiki
We spent the first four nights in the more developed area of Oahu. Waikiki, our home away from home, is world-famous for its sandy beaches, crystal-clear turquoise water, good surf, and an overabundance of shopping and dining places right behind the coastline.
Waikiki has worn many hats over the centuries, from a sacred site to the area that generated the rise of tourism in Hawaii with its first hotel, the Moana Surfrider, opened as early as 1901.
For Californians, it looked almost like a twin sister of Santa Monica. Except the beaches were narrower. The water was warm and clear. And if you go for a walk on Kuhio Beach, right near the Duke Kahanamoku Statue, Hawaii’s original aquaman, an evening of hula is guaranteed.
Historic and Natural Treasures of Developed East Shore of Oahu
Yet we didn’t come to Oahu to be swamped by the city life. We long for an adventure intertwined with culture to learn what makes Hawaii Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor
But first, we dove into the relatively recent history of Oahu, the Hawaiian Islands, and the entire U.S. Pearl Harbor National Memorial commemorates the events of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The early morning raid killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed 19 U.S. Navy ships. The day after the attack, the U.S. officially entered World War II.
When we travel to destinations like Oahu with its rich cultural and historical heritage, we want to visit locations where Dylan can draw a connection between places that he learns about at school with actual sites in their almost tangible form. Places like Pearl Harbor and Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, which we only caught a glimpse of this time.
Dylan got sick. Swimming in a cold pool the day before our trip, a long flight, and climate change caught up with him. We had to cut our visit to the garden short.
So instead of strolling through the 400-acre paradise and admiring tropical plants and trees, we got stuck in an airless parking structure in Honolulu, entertaining ourselves with Dylan singing while waiting for Roshan to come back with medicine.
Waikiki
Luckily, our misery lasted only a few hours. A good nap, a homemade soup (thanks goodness, there was a kitchen in our Airbnb), and Dylan, refreshed and energized, was ready to explore Oahu again. He even begged us to let him jump into the ocean. But sorry, buddy, not today.
Waikiki put on a show in the best Hawaiian traditions that evening. From golden glow illuminating gentle waves to friendly surf competitions between strangers that became quick buddies over catching the right wave at the right time, to hula show, this developed shore of Oahu lived according to its own rules that had established thousands of years ago, way before Captain Cook first arrived in the tropical islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
In Search of the Tropical Paradise of Oahu
Oahu is the third largest island in Hawaii and home to the state capital, Honolulu. Nicknamed “The Heart of Hawaii”, the island boasts world-famous beaches, lush gardens with indigenous plants, a plethora of scenic trails, and two volcanoes, Diamond Head and Koko Head.
We headed to the latter, to explore sites that locals favor over popular tourist destinations.
Koko Crater
The infamous Koko Crater Stairs or Koko Head Trail is approximately 0.9 mile long, from the trailhead to the top of the crater. One of the shortest, it’s also one of the hardest trails on Oahu.
The truth is, it’s hard to call the Koko Crater Stairs a trail. An almost mile-long staircase climbs the side of the mountain, never once breaking its pattern or offering a sturdy, flat gap to catch your breath and go easy on your knees.
The hike gets harder the higher you climb. But giving up halfway is not an option. Not when you look back and catch a glimpse of the immense ocean that suppresses its ferocious waves before they reach the turquoise haven of Hanauma Bay, Oahu’s superior snorkeling spot, and Diamond Head, a volcanic tuff cone that offers a sweeping panorama of the ocean and the Honolulu area.
At the end of the 1,048-step path, you are rewarded with some of the best views of Oahu. A large portion of the south shore comes into view, from high-rises of Honolulu to iconic Diamond Head, playful Hanauma Bay and densely-inhabited hills of Aina Haina.
The stairs were constructed with a practical mission in mind. An old railroad track, the place was used by the military to transport equipment and supplies to a pillbox on the top of the Koko Crater.
The remains of several of these pillboxes are scattered throughout Oahu as silent witnesses of times of turmoil, danger, and uncertainty that loomed over Hawaii during World War II.
Nu’uanu Pali: An Overlook Where Two Sides of Oahu Fuse
Yet strenuous hikes up the mountainside are not the only option to enjoy the remarkable views of Oahu. You can find several gorgeous overlooks on the outskirts of Honolulu. Easy to drive to, they present the state capital in a different light: a cosmopolitan city tucked away in a valley surrounded by green tropical mountains and the boundless Pacific Ocean.
The Nu’uanu Pali Lookout was less crowded than we had expected. Heavy clouds congregated over the 1,000-foot-high cliff. Strong winds threatened to push oblivious visitors downhill. Yet the views of the sheer Ko’olau cliffs and Oahu’s verdant Windward side were breathtaking.
Nestled five miles northeast of downtown Honolulu, the Pali Lookout is also known as the site of the Battle of Nu’uanu. A pivotal point in Hawaii’ history, the fight took place in May 1795. Kamehameha, then the ruler of the Big Island who also controlled Maui and Molokai, won, securing his reign over Oahu as well.
Manoa Falls: A Natural Wonder that Entices Hollywood
Many legends and historical facts surround Manoa Falls, a 150-foot waterfall set in the Ko’olau Mountains. Today, the 1.6-mile hike through the lush tropical rainforest is mostly known as a shooting location for Jurassic Park and LOST.
Despite wet rocks and slippery ground, the trail didn’t disappoint. The rain-fed waterfall, however, looked rather unimpressive in the summer.
The popular hike takes about an hour. We spent almost half of the day in the dense jungle of Oahu, accidentally treading one of the most secluded trails some six miles away from the well-developed capital of Hawaii.
We started our hike to the waterfall when there were more puddles than dry spots on the trail. By the time we headed back to our car, the afternoon sun pierced through the thick canopy and dried up most of the morning, post-rain “mess”.
Dole Plantation
Way before Spielberg arrived in Oahu, another white man made a series of contributions that let to the island’s fame as a Hawaiian center of agriculture and commerce. James Dole came to Hawaii in 1899. A year later, he bought a large tract of land and established his first pineapple plantation.
A successful businessman, Dole recognized the tremendous potential of growing pineapples. But the fruit had to reach bigger markets outside Hawaii. Dole started packing and sealing the pineapples in cans. This marked the start of the Hawaiian Pineapple Company. Today it’s known as Dole Food Company, one of the leading brands in the world.
The original plantation on the North Shore of Oahu has expanded to almost 12,000 acres of pineapple fields and other crops. Apart from growing the sweetest local fruits, the company offers daily train rides into the fields, self-guided tours of the gardens, and pineapple ice cream that flows like a river here.
Semi-Developed North Coast of Oahu
The North Shore of Oahu is located just a little bit over an hour away from the South Shore with its bustling Honolulu. But laid-back surf towns and pristine beaches where locals hang out feel like a world away. It’s truly one of the best places to relish Oahu’s slower way of life.
Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden
We gave the South Coast of Oahu another chance to show us its slower-paced nooks and crannies.
With thousands of daily visitors, the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden is not the most secluded place. Yet, it certainly embodies the serenity and tranquility of a tropical paradise.
The garden was built in 1982 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prevent flooding in the town of Kaneohe. It’s been home to expansive collections of Hawaiian, Polynesian, Malaysian, African, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Philippine flora and a 32-acre lake ever since.
Ho’omaluhia sits somewhere on the verge between a popular destination and a place of complete serenity. It’s located so close to Honolulu, yet feels so far away from the big city’s hustle and bustle. We were fortunate to see some of the true hidden gems of Oahu during this trip and will round them up in the next blog post.
