Who doesn’t dream of Hawaii? Dream beaches, hula, volcanoes … Only the distance from Europe is a problem for many. However, this is no reason for a globetrotter like us 😉
If you are planning a vacation in Hawaii for the first time, the big question arises as to which islands you should head for. The volcanic island chain consists of 137 islands, 6 of which are accessible to tourists. Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii (Big Island), Molokai and Lanai.
We decided on Oahu (the main island), Hawaii / Big Island because of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Kauai (the garden island).
After 23 hours of flight we were compensated with the unique view of Waikiki Beach & Diamond Head on the main island of Oahu.
As soon as we checked in at the Hilton Hawaiian Village at Waikiki Beach, our jetlag was quickly forgotten and we immediately started our exploration tour at the world-famous Waikiki Beach.
Our accommodation was located directly on Waikiki Beach. Waikiki is the most famous district of Honolulu. In the evening there is a lot of nightlife, but you don’t really have the feeling of being in a city, everything is a bit more chilled here.
We went on a day trip, an Island Circle Tour, to the highlights of Oahu. It was a colorful mix of beaches, temples, waterfalls and viewpoints. After this tour we had a rough overview of the diversity of the whole island. Waimanalo Beach was our absolute favorite beach on Oahu.
Waimea Valley 
Waimea Valley
Turtle Beach – North Shore
La’ie Point – North Shore
Kualoa Ranch – East Shore 
Kualoa Ranch – East Shore
Secret Beach – East Shore 
Secret Beach – East Shore
Byodo-In Temple – East Shore
Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout
Waimanalo Beach 
Waimanalo Beach
Makapu’u Point – South Shore
Hanauma Bay – South Shore
A luau should not be missing on a Hawaii trip. We chose the Paradise Cove Luau, with traditional Hawaiian food, local games, hula and a sunset dinner show. The sunset was just gorgeous that evening.
The next day we went on our second trip to explore this island. A combination of hiking at Kualoa Ranch, kayaking and snorkeling at Chinaman’s Hat.
Insgesamt verbrachten wir 6 Nächte auf OahWe spent a total of 6 nights on Oahu before exploring the neighboring islands. Oahu is absolutely diverse and we could have stayed here longer. But now we were looking forward to Hawaii, also known as Big Island.
Our personal opinion about Oahu:
- Oahu is very diverse, it’s not just Honolulu that is worth seeing
- great climate all year round
- Hawaii is also extremely interesting for active vacationers
- our favorite beach was definitely Waimanalo Beach
On the following page you can get a very good overview of Hawaii:
Best travel time:
Hawaii is a great travel destination all year round. The temperatures are all year round between 24 and 29 degrees. In the summer months (April to November) it is a little warmer and drier than in the winter months (December to March). November to February is recommended for surfing. The best chance of whale watching is from January to early April.
Hotel recommendation:
Hilton Hawaiian Village at Waikiki Beach
Restaurant recommendations:
- The Cheesecake Factory – Honolulu
- Hard Rock Cafe – Honolulu
More tips & recommendations:
If you don’t have a rental car, be sure to take a day trip around the island. If you just stay in Honolulu you are missing out a lot. You can book excursions, for example, via www.discoverhawaiitours.com.
We can absolutely recommend the Paradise Cove Luau. The atmosphere is just great and there is a lot of entertainment on offer. As far as I know, it might be the best luau on Oahu.
Make sure to plan an extra day on Oahu to acclimate. Please do not underestimate the long flight time from Europe. The time difference doesn’t make it any easier either. Or you can make a stop in Los Angeles or San Francisco beforehand. From there the flight time is only 5 hours.
