Oahu, Hawaii

October 26, 2021

Hawaii was one of the most popular destinations prior to Covid and, when it re-opened, the islands where over-run with visitors this past summer. It played a part in the rise of Covid cases on the islands. Summer came and went and so did the throngs of tourists and the Covid cases dipped along with it. The timing was perfect for my visit when I arrived in late September.

Oahu would be the location for my first destination. I arrived at my hotel located right in front of Waikiki Beach. It was obvious that the number of visitors had diminished. There were less people on the beach and the street along the ocean wasn’t very busy. I stayed at the Aston Circle Hotel in Waikiki located right across the street from the beach. It’s an affordable accommodation with a million dollar view. It doesn’t have any amenities, not even a pool, making the price very reasonable in comparison to other hotels with a similar location. There are so many restaurants within walking distance and shopping as well. And, walking across the street to get to the beach is an obvious plus. With everything within walking distance, I didn’t get a rental car. It saved me from rental fees and the high cost for parking in the city.

It didn’t stop me from seeing more of the island. I paid for an island day tour so I could see more of Oahu. We did the usual touristy visits to Sandy Beach, viewed the island known as Chinaman’s Hat, and a stop at a Macadamia nut farm. These were quick stops because the focus of this tour would be the North Shore of the island, approximately 60% of the tour would be spent here. I wanted to see the big wave surfers in action at the famed North Shore beaches but it wasn’t the right time of year. Winter is when the shores are slammed by the big waves.

It was the perfect time to go kayaking so I rented one along with some of the other people on the tour. Unfortunately, there was a shark siting but that didn’t stop us from putting our kayaks and paddle boards in the water. We stayed near the coast and never encountered the shark.

The tour also included a visit to Waimea Valley Falls. A short hike, less than two miles up and back, is necessary to reach the falls. This trail, through a botanical garden, is just as satisfying as the waterfall. If you make out here, keep your eye out for amazing birds as you walk past beautiful flowers along a wooded rainforest. Bring your swim wear if you decide to visit as the waterfall is accessible for swimming.

For those who follow my blog, you know I love to hike. The most popular hike, to Diamond Head Crater, in Hawaii is just minutes away from Waikiki and not having a rental car didn’t stop me from visiting the crater. I paid for a shared van that picked up people from there hotel and included the entrance fee and a return ride. The trail is short, just under 2 miles up and back. It’s steep and will definitely wake you up in the morning and I definitely recommend doing it in the morning. You don’t want to hike this in the high heat of Hawaii and its humidity.

For the most part, I stayed in Waikiki wandering its streets for restaurants and strolling along the beach. In fact, I walked from one end to the other. The portion of the beach that was in front of the hotel was covered by a jetty so the water was calm and I didn’t have to worry about the tide.

I also did some snorkeling but not at the beach in front of the hotels. I took a short walk toward the shadow of Diamond Head, where there are less people and surfing isn’t allowed. That is a perfect combination for snorkeling. There are multiple species of fish here but don’t expect to see live coral. There are too many visitors to see anything like that.

For those of us who live in the United States, we are lucky to be able to travel domestically and still have so many different environments and landscapes to choose from. We can travel to the paradise islands of Hawaii and still not need a passport. I felt blessed to be able to sit on the sandy shores of Oahu while much of the world is still locked down in their own country without a tropical getaway. After five days, I turned my attention to another Hawaiian island and my time on this more developed island was over. It was now time to pivot to a more rustic island.

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