Oahu, HI Feb 14-18, 2010
Note:
Weather in February can get chilly, so don't forget to pack a light jacket.
Oahu at a glance
Oahu nicknamed "The Gathering Place" is a melting pot of cultures, east meet west infused with the native Hawaiian's value and traditions.
In my opinion, Oahu is divided into two sides: "The Metropolitan" - Waikiki with its high rises, brand name hotels, shopping, and countless of dining options; and "The Country Side" - North Shore with its mountain range, agriculture fields, wave swells, and quaint shops.
My favorite thing to do in Oahu is to spend a few days in Waikiki and enjoy all the modern city has to offer, then go into seclusion in the North Shore and just relax.
I'm breaking this blog down into Waikiki and North Shore because they are so different, each with its own characteristics.
Waikiki
Waikiki is a district in the city of Honolulu (the capital city of Hawaii). The 1.5 mile stretch of white sand beach is the core of Hawaii's tourist industry. It's packed full of brand name high-rise hotels, high end stores, and ocean front dining. The view of Diamond Head is one of the most beautiful views you can find.
If you are staying in Waikiki area, you don't need to rent a car. Parking is hard to find and the hotels charged around $25 a day for parking. If you drive around you can find some parking garages and it's around $15 a day. To get from the airport to Waikiki area, take a shuttle/taxi. Waikiki area is very walkable. There's free trolley to get to Ala Moana Shopping Center and along Kalakaua Avenue. Hotels/Tours company offers transportation to Pearl Harbor, Polynesian Cultural Center in the North Shore, Hanauma Bay, and city tour from Waikiki.
HOTEL
This time I stayed at Marriott Waikiki Beach Hotel (My Rating: LOVE IT!)
(Tips: check travelzoo.com to see if there’s any deals, AAA rate is normally lower if booked directly from the website)
Pros:
Room: spacious, clean and modern, reasonable rate ($139/night)
Hotel Grounds/Pool: 2 small pools with plenty of cushioned lawn chairs, hot tub with perfect heat temperature, nice lobby area.
Location: across from Waikiki beach with some shops on site
Cons:
Room: thin walls, I could hear the phone conversation from next door very clearly
Past Hotels I've stayed at:
Hilton Hawaiian Village (My rating: SO SO)
Pros: nice pools, beach front, lots of restaurants and stores on property, reasonable rate.
Cons: bathroom counters are not dusty/not clean
My story: This is definitely a 3 star hotel for the hotel room. Having stayed there previously I asked to stay in a different tower than the main Rainbow tower because the bathroom counters were dusty and the bathroom and its fixtures was out dated. I was told that the other tower's location was quite a ways from the beach area and that the room was smaller so I was upgraded to a suite in the Rainbow tower because my husband has an elite status with Hilton. I thought to give it a try. The room was very spacious with two balconies, but the bathroom was still dated and dusty. Cleanliness seems to be a problem there. The ground (pool, beach, man made lagoon) is beautiful so if you're not going to spend that much time in the room and don't mind the dust, this hotel is great for the price.
Ashton Waikiki Beach Hotel (My rating: SO SO)
Pros: very affordable, decent room with enough space, clean, location across from Waikiki beach, breakfast is included
Cons: small pool, the room is dated
Pros: very affordable, decent room with enough space, clean, location across from Waikiki beach, breakfast is included
Cons: small pool, the room is dated
Ocean Resort Hotel (My rating: NO NO)
Pro: location a block away from Waikiki beach, very affordable
Cons: room is very dated, has mildew smell, pool is small and not so clean, the stairs has urine smell.
Pro: location a block away from Waikiki beach, very affordable
Cons: room is very dated, has mildew smell, pool is small and not so clean, the stairs has urine smell.
My Restaurant Recommendation:
Ono Hawaiian Food (My rating: LOVE IT!)
For lunch, I like to hit Ono Hawaiian Food for some yummy local food. This restaurant is a bit out of Waikiki, if you walk it, it’s probably about 30-40 mins walk depending on where you are on Waikiki. This is a small mom and pop restaurant that’s been there for a long time. It’s my MUST HAVE for local Hawaiian food here. Service is not so great but people are friendly and the food is just exceptional. My favorite is their combination plate ($18) that comes with Lau Lau (taro leaves wrapped with choice of pork or chicken), Kalua pork, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Beef Jerky (sorry, forgot what it’s called), choice of Rice or Poi (taro paste), and Haupia (coconut pudding) for dessert. I also like their Chicken Long Rice (chicken with clear noodle soup). When the restaurant is full, you’ll have to wait outside since there’s no room to wait inside the restaurant.
Ono Hawaiian Food (My rating: LOVE IT!)
For lunch, I like to hit Ono Hawaiian Food for some yummy local food. This restaurant is a bit out of Waikiki, if you walk it, it’s probably about 30-40 mins walk depending on where you are on Waikiki. This is a small mom and pop restaurant that’s been there for a long time. It’s my MUST HAVE for local Hawaiian food here. Service is not so great but people are friendly and the food is just exceptional. My favorite is their combination plate ($18) that comes with Lau Lau (taro leaves wrapped with choice of pork or chicken), Kalua pork, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Beef Jerky (sorry, forgot what it’s called), choice of Rice or Poi (taro paste), and Haupia (coconut pudding) for dessert. I also like their Chicken Long Rice (chicken with clear noodle soup). When the restaurant is full, you’ll have to wait outside since there’s no room to wait inside the restaurant.
Waiola Shave Ice (My rating: LOVE IT!)
One of the best shave ice I’ve had on the island. It’s walking distance from Ono’s and it’s my dessert after lunch at Ono’s. The shave ice has a smooth taste that just melts in your mouth.
Leonard’s (My rating: LOVE IT!)
Leonard’s has the best Malasadas (Portuguese donuts) on the island. It’s also walking distance from Ono’s and Waiola Shave Ice. They have the original malasadas with sugar or cinnamon sugar coat, and some filled ones with chocolate crème, haupia (coconut) crème, and filling of the day (last time I was there, it was the lilikoi/passion fruit filling. Yumm!)
L&L Hawaiian BBQ (My rating: SO SO)
This Hawaiian fast food joint has pretty decent food. So if you need a quick Hawaiian food fix, this is the place to go.
Rum Fire (My rating: LOVE IT!)
Located beachfront in Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, a great spot to watch the sunset. This swanky lounge/restaurant features tapas/small plates with a modern twist to the island taste. It was featured on Rachel Ray on Vacation which attracted me to go check it out. Seat outside if it’s available, you’ll get a nice view of the Waikiki beach. For food, try the Edamame Flash Fried and the Jerk Chicken Wings. They are both delish. The service was pretty good too.
Yard House (My rating: LOVE IT!)
Known for the endless list of beers on tap that makes the guys happy and mixed beers for the ladies to enjoy. Nice surprise that food was very good too. I ordered the Mac and Cheese (with pancetta, mushroom and truffle) and Lobster Garlic Noodle (lobster meat, mushroom, shrimp, and spinach). They were both very tasty and came in big portion. Definitely worth a visit!
(Tips: If there’s a wait, check the bar area to see if there’s open table. You can order from the menu there.)
Pearl Night Club in Ala Moana Shopping Center (My rating: LOVE IT!)
Happy Hour is 6:00-8:00pm M-F which means $5 select appetizers and cocktails. Great deal for dining in Waikiki. There’s nightly live entertainment too.
On weekends, the live entertainment plays til 10pm then it’s the dj’s turn to spin some club music’s. If you go early enough for dinner you can get a table right by the dance floor.
La Mer at Halekulani (My rating: LOVE IT!)
This is a special occasion restaurant. Great food, the price is more on the pricey side, but totally worth it for the ambience. You can get a good sunset view from the restaurant, just ask to be seated at their best table. You'll also be entertained by the live Hawaiian music coming from the lawn. The service is very good.
Michel's at Colony surf (My rating: LOVE IT!)
This French restaurant has a beautiful view of the beach so it makes a good sunset time dining. Food and service are good too.
Top of Waikiki (My rating: SO SO)
This restaurant is the only revolving restaurant in Oahu. The food is not that great, but the views are awesome. My suggestion is to go for drinks/dessert and enjoy the 360 view of Waikiki and Honolulu area.
ABC Store (My rating: LOVE IT!)
This chain market that’s practically exist on every block in Waikiki has everything from fruits and snacks to island clothing. But my favorite local food there is the Spam Musubi (kinda like sushi but with spam). Not all ABC store has Spam Musubi though, but if you can’t find it on one store, you’ll be sure to find it on the next block.
Duke's Canoe Club (My rating: LOVE IT!)
Beachfront in Outrigger Waikiki hotel, it has a great view of Waikiki beach, great seafood with salad bar, and great cocktails too.
Hula Grill (My rating: LOVE IT!)
Also beachfront in Outrigger Waikiki hotel, this restaurant features island food with a twist. Some of my favorite dishes are: Kalua Pork Pot Stickers and Crab and Macadamia Nuts Wonton
Ramen Ezogiku (My rating: LOVE IT!)
There are a lot of ramen places in Waikiki. One of my favorite is Ramen Ezogiku on Kalakaua Ave. I personally like the Miso Ramen, but the others are good too, just depends on your liking. Lots of Japanese tourists here, so that’s a good sign for authentic taste.
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