Hawaii Vacation
 

Current girlfriend and I will be going to Hawaii in early May. Will be staying on Oahu (definitely) and going to The Big Island (probably). Would love any insider advice on places to visit, things to do, and specific companies you might recommend for services. We are far more interested in natural beauty and food trucks and far less interested in shopping and fine dining. We will be in Hawaii for 10 days.

We will definitely visit Pearl Harbor. Are there any insider tips or should we just turn up?

Would like to include 1 or 2 days of scuba diving (both have certifications and experience to do more challenging dives- maybe you have a favorite dive shop and/or a favorite dive site?)

Would like to rent surfboards 1 day (both really awful surfers- maybe you know a beach that is appropriate for beginners?)

Would like to visit a live volcano (is it essential to hire a guide? which part of the volcano park is the most exciting? which part of the volcano park is the most picturesque? We would like to see some cool stuff and get some good pictures but come back with all of our feet)

Would like to hike to (and swim in) waterfalls (Anyone have some favorite falls they can recommend? Or even favorite hikes that do not include falls?)

Helicopter tours are out- too expensive.

Submarines are probably out, too- same reason.

Also looking for recommendations on food. Again, more interested in the best affordable options, less interested in fine dining. Street treats and food trucks are fine with us.

Also looking for recommendations on best beaches. "Best" meaning most beautiful and least crowded as opposed to most popular or most amenities.

Also looking for recommendations on best places to watch the sunset.

Any and all help appreciated.

One place I've not been. Enjoy it.

Visit
Dog the bounty hunter

Oahu is home so I’ll always love it. That being said go to Kauai if your really into to natural beauty and serene beaches.

But if you must do Oahu then yeah, do Pearl Harbor for sure. I think the memorial is closed for repairs currently so make sure to check on that.

Your issue on Oahu will be finding beaches that aren’t that crowded. Maybe try Bellows or the beach back of the Mandarin Hotel or whatever they call the hotel that used to be the Kahala Hilton.

You’re best served just finding food trucks and such as you go. Plenty of good local grinds. But do go to Leonard’s for malasadas and eat at Zippy’s at least once.

Somehow I never got into scuba so I can only point to Shark’s Cove(don’t let that name scare you)for great snorkeling. That’s assuming you want to stay away from the super touristy spots).

Oh and it’s not the most difficult of hikes but I loved the Aeia Loop Trail where you can still some remnants of a WW2 plane that went down there.

Dole Pineapple Plantation. Get a pineapple split.

I was gonna suggest that but sounds like he’s not that in to touristy shit. I love Dole Plantation!

Thank you for the responses so far!

I went to the Dole plantation when I was 10 years old. It was one of the highlights for me then, but is it something that would appeal to grownups? I know they have gardens you can tour. Are they particularly impressive or would we be better off on a hike somewhere?

You really refer to her as your "current girlfriend"?

On a plane getting ready to head there now. North Shore snorkel at a place called Sharks Cove. Not easy to find but may be best on the island.

Have never been, but my buddy just did night diving with giant manta rays at Kona. It looked ****ing beautiful and is on my must-do list just based on his videos.

One of the best vacations we ever had, but it was in 85 so I am sure a lot has changed.
We spent almost entire week on Maui and stayed at the Wailea Intercontinental. There were lots of nice beaches and beautiful golf courses.
Food was expensive as heck even back then, for our family of four.

Spend very little time Oahu, do Pearl hike Diamond Head early and get out to other Islands. I prefer Maui for Diving and waterfalls, and we always have a great time.

Go to North Shore and Waimia Valley. Botanical garden that's huge and gorgeous. They also have a big waterfall you can swim in, too. Some great shots up there, too, and it's out of the tourism district.

Lots of good restaurants downtown. Get out if Waikiki, that's just for the tourists. You mist have the loco moco at least once - local dish that's great. And the best, freshest seafood around. We like Nico's on the Pier, an awesome outdoor lunch spot.

If you're interested in photography, there's some guided photo tours that are worth their money.

And of course you need to do a traditional luau. Paradise Cove is generally considered the biggest and best.

Be prepared for a LOT of Japanese tourists at Pearl, taking pictures and goofing around.

I'd skip the Big Island, personally. Go to Maui or Kauai instead.

I got married on Oahu and honeymooned on Kauai.

On Oahu, I liked hitting up the food trucks on the north shore and I enjoyed the Dole plantation, hiking Diamond Head and Koko Crater, and deep sea fishing and catching some fresh tuna.

However, I was very ready to get out of the Honolulu area after a few days. It's just another big city with traffic problems.

Kauai was wonderful. It was rural, calm, and relaxed. The NaPali coast was amazing. It was everything I wanted out of a vacation.

Watch the sunset while having a Mai Tai on the beach at Waikiki. The best vaca ever.
Also, go to a luau. They are a bit "touristy" but fun. Swim on the North Shore to be able to say you did it or you will forever regret not doing it.
The tide there can be no joke so swim responsibly.

When my family and I went, we spent all of our time on Oahu. So everything below is for Oahu.

For Pearl Harbor, it depends what all you want to do , how much time you have to stay there, and possibly when you go. We went at about 11:00 on a Tuesday, and it took a little bit (~15 mins) to find a parking spot. We didn't really have any issues/delays getting in, getting tickets and visiting the sites/memorials though. We waited and got tickets when we got there, and just did the USS Missouri & USS Bowfin, which was around $40 a person, and took 2-3 hours to visit both. If you want to do more, they offer a package called a Passport, which I believe was around $70-80, and includes most of the activities. They said this typically takes around 8 hrs though. If you want to visit the USS Arizona, you have to purchase a separate ticket, for something like a dollar. However, the USS Arizona memorial has been closed for a while for repairs, so you may want to check on that if you're interested in going to it. They were saying it would be open near the end of March, so it may be open now. If it is still closed, they will just take you on a boat tour near the Arizona.

If you want to spend a day to do a tour of Oahu, there's an app called 'Oahu Hawaii GPS Driving Tour' by Shaka Guide (at least for Android; believe they also have for iOS). The app itself is free, then you purchase the tour you want to do (~$6). For Oahu, it has one that circles a good part of Oahu, going all the way from the south (Waikiki/Honolulu) and up and around to the North Shore. We did this tour, and I'd highly recommend it. It basically talks about Hawaiian history along the tour, and calls out landmarks/sites/activities along the way. We did it on the first day, and were glad we did. Just some of the things it covers/goes by:

- A Japanese Temple
- Chinaman's Hat
- Takes you by Kualoa Ranch (more below)
- Beaches along the way
- Restaurants & food trucks
- Botanical gardens
- Polynesian Cultural Center
- A Morman Temple
- Lava rock formation that goes out in ocean a little ways; can walk on it
- The Dole plantation
- Other stuff I've forgotten :)

There is also a tour of south Oahu (Hanauma Bay, etc.), which we didn't do. I believe Shaka Guide also has similar apps for some of the other islands if you're going to any of them.

There are a bunch of food trucks on the way to and up along the North Shore that you can stop at. We stopped at the Shrimp Shack, which was really good, and had good views of the ocean.

We went to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant not too far from Pearl Harbor called Forty Niner Restaurant that had some really good burgers and authentic Hawaiian food. It was so good, we went twice.

Kualoa Ranch is a 4000 acre ranch on the NE side of Oahu. A BUNCH of movie scenes have been filmed there (Jurassic Park/World, 40 first dates). They offer ATV/UTV tours, which take you around part of the ranch and show you where different parts of movies were filmed. I believe they also offer kayak, zip lining, and a short ocean tour in a boat. If you do one of the ATV/UTV tours, WEAR A MASK.

We also went to a luau at Chiefs Luau. We had a great time and would highly recommend if you want to do a luau. I've heard the Polynesian Cultural Center also has a really good luau.

We wanted to do some snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, but didn't get a chance to. It's supposed to be one the best and prettiest places on Oahu for snorkeling. I think you can also scuba there as well. Sorry, can't be much more help there.

Oh, and the traffic around Honolulu and Waikiki can suck at times.

The Dole pineapple farm is fun as an adult. Run and plow over the kids Christian Okoye style trying to complete the maze in record time in order to win a free T-shirt.

Sharks Cove is great for snorkeling. Close to Waimea and Sunset Beach as well, but I wouldn't Surf there:D Jumping of the rock at Waimea Beach is fun. There is also a burial ground overlooking Waimea Bay that is really fun to hike to and cost nothing. Waimea falls is also a good hike back to a waterfall that is cool and you can swim in the natural pool, at least you could last time I went. We rent a house on the beach between Haleiwa and Dillingham air base. Low key, beautiful. Lots of farmer's markets for fresh food and their used to be fresh shrimp stands that were awesome. Haleiwa is a cool town with good food, including chicken cooked in a supermarket parking lot. Blue plate specials for lunch at a lot of places each day as well. Turtle Bay is a resort on the North Shore, and it's beaches have to be open to the public. You can pull into the gate and get a parking pass and enjoy their beaches and also get a drink at the pool/beach bars.

I would stay away fro the Western Shore part of the Island, a little scary that way, and I don't scare easily.

If you want souvenirs, I would find out what day the flea market is a the Hula Bowl and go. You can spend 4-5 hours there and get anything and everything you want, and they have some local food vendors there as well. May sound like a long time, but it gets all of your shopping out of the way.

Just some thoughts on my past trips. Hawaii is a great place to visit.

Mokuleia Army Beach. My favorite beach on Oahu.

Check into Pearl Harbor. Major construction/rebuild. Parts may be closed.

There's a government website where you can reserve your tickets to Pearl Harbor in advance. If you can't get tickets in advance, they have tickets available on a daily basis for walk-up, but you may need to get there early

We did a Big Island & Oahu vacation 5 years ago. I'll take the Big Island over Oahu any day but that is because I like the remote feel of the Big Island vs. the Big City feel on Oahu.
1. We Uber'd everywhere on Oahu. Traffic is a nightmare
2. Pearl Harbor is greatness
3. Everything is expensive.
4. Volcano National Park is nice, but check to see what is open before going. With the recent activity there, I'm not sure how much of the Park you can get into these days.
5. I love Kauai. Wamea Canyon and the Na Pali coast are beautiful.
6. Hilo side on the Big Island is the place to go if you enjoy zip lining and tropical rain forests. Kona side of the Big Island is the rocky, dry side. Beautiful in its own way.

Mount Haleakala is a must (Maui), we car tripped around the Big Island and Maui, we rented a condo in Maui (cheaper than hotel) because we had laundry facilities and we could eat there as opposed to restaurants. Polynesian Cultural center on Oahu is a good one to see too. My brother lived there and said the best time is in the fall because the kids are in school and not so many tourists.

Food:
The Pig and The Lady (Vietnamese)
Liho Liho Diner (Diner w Hawai'i Favorites)
Leonard's (as mentioned before)
Gyu-Kaku (Cook your own Korean)
Giovanni's Food Truck (North Shore)
Sansei (Sushi)

Stuff to do:
Zoo
Aquarium
Sea Life Park
Diamond Head. Go super early or you're gonna get stuck behind old people and the hike is going to take forever.
Make sure you drive the H3 freeway. It's one of the most incredible views you'll ever take in. Sheer cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other.
Surfing, you can do Waikiki. Lessons are cheap and there's rentals everywhere.

Bars:
Stay out of anything "local"
Mai Tai's (Check when theres live music)
Duke's Waikiki

I'm going to Hawaii in July. I'm planning on hunting Axis deer on Lanai, then heading to the Big Island.

Lanai is incredible, but there are only two hotels on the island, so it can get pricey. (Larry Ellison owns 95 percent of the entire island)...

Personally, I love the Big Island too. It seems a bit more chill because it lacks the white beaches that tourists tend to love. There are a lot of fun and adventurous things to do there. We are planning on zip lining and some scuba...

Was on Big Island last month:

####Would like to visit a live volcano (is it essential to hire a guide? which part of the volcano park is the most exciting? which part of the volcano park is the most picturesque? We would like to see some cool stuff and get some good pictures but come back with all of our feet) #####



After the eruption last year, lots of changes. ***Can not see active lava at any point like you could in past. Entire volcano basin has fallen***

Museum is still open. The up close Observation Center is closed as road has been destroyed. And they were saying that it may never reopen again due to structural damage to building and surrounding area.

The Drive though the miles long lava fields down to the water is well worth it. Download Island App to hear commentary.
Once at water, you can hike .5 to 1.5(?) miles to see where communities were covered in lava.

All these things.

The best day I spent there was just renting a car and "getting lost" Ended up on the North Shore and there were very few people there and it was gorgeous. Waimea Valley was pretty cool too. Hard to find a place that isn't awesome, its Hawaii. :)

Eat a lot of pineapple and Spam. I think Don Ho is dead, so a live performance of Tiny Bubbles probably won't happen. That's all I got.

Congrats.

My honeymoon was on Kauai, but I had similar thoughts as to activities.

One thing I'd recommend, depending on how sentimental either of you are, is to do a luau. I know, it's kinda cheezy, but honestly, that night was one of the highlights of the week for me and my then-wife.

And the pig was pretty darn good. Basically, pulled pork without the bbq sauce.

Agreed... Climb Diamondhead and get a Spam McMuffin at McD's.

On Big Island:
Rent a Jeep, there are a lot at the car rental suggest reserving one you will be glad you did and will need it to get to a few places.

Go to green sand beach, there are only two in the world and one is there. It is way down on the point and the road ends some 2 or 3 miles before you get there. Many people try to hike rest of the way or pay locals to ferry you in 4x4. Since you have Jeep from step one lock in 4 low drive down to where you see locals picking folks up and follow one back. There are many trails and they crisscross because sections are rutted out so you need to know which forks to take or not. They use pickups and Tahoe’s if they can make you will have no problem in Jeep, you will freak out not novice trail but don’t stop or turn back.

Bring food and drink for the day, blankets, umbrella, towels and TP in case you need to find bush. There are no facilities for miles and it is not manned park. Once you get there you will have to hike down thin crevice in a cliff down a couple hundred feet, bring decent shoes to hike down, no flip flops, follow the path it not as difficult as it looks. Once you get there you will not Want to leave, hang out drink eat it’s an amazing place.

Best advice in this thread.

Waikiki and its trash and bums are pretty easy to find. :)

If you like food trucks Pupukea on the North Shore has a food court of food trucks. There is also a smaller one in Haleiwa. For sunsets Waikiki near the aquarium is a great spot. Also on the North Shore, Sunset Beach (which unfortunately lost most if it's beach a couple of years ago in a storm, but the sunsets are still nice). A good restaurant that isn't too expensive, but has the best (IMO) breakfasts on Oahu, is Liliha Bakery on Nimitz. If you want a low cost diner type place that locals go to try Zippy's, they are all over the place. There is a ton of great food here, from many different cultures, particularly asian. Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, etc. Also find a good plate lunch restaurant, lots of food, good prices. And poke, Hawaiian sushi. Fresh Catch in Kaneohe is good.

Definitely go to the Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor, but note that you can't actually go on to the memorial itself right now due to issues with the dock, so the boats just take you out near it.

You can rent snorkeling gear pretty cheaply, and also body boards. Hanauma Bay is the best snorkel spot for beginners, but get there early (like 6:00 am). I like Paradise Cove luau because they have a good show and serve alcohol. Polynesian Cultural Center has a better hula show, but is an all day thing, and they don't serve alcohol because they are owned by the Mormon church.

Manoa Falls is a good short hike to a tall waterfall.

Tantalus Lookout has a great view of Honolulu from the mountains

There are numerous hikes you can take. Kaena Point, from the North Shore side, is a good one. But there is no shade so bring a hat and plenty of water. Too many others to tell you, but search on google and you can find a lot.

IMO the best beaches on Oahu are on the Windward side of the island (Kailua area). Kailua Beach, Lanikai Bech (very little parking), and Waimanalo Beach are all beautiful. I would recommend Waimanalo due to it being less crowded (but still crowded). Laniakea Beach near Haleiwa has endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles sunning on the beach most days, really something to see.

Also note that Pali highway is closed until August. Be aware of rush hour traffic. Honolulu, and H1 freeway going west to and from Honolulu are brutal during rush hour.

And if you find yourself on the North Shore in the evening come see open mic night at Turtle Bay Resort, I play in the house band. Usually lots of talented performers (and a few not so talented). I also play in a couple of other North Shore venues regularly. I'll buy you a beer.

If you have any questions just PM me. I've lived on Oahu for 27 years, so I can probably answer your questions.

Manta ray dive on the Big Island. Google it and watch some videos. Unlike any other diving experience you'll have.

Enjoy the trip.

I think Punchbowl Cemetery is a far more powerful experience than Pearl Harbor. Maybe it’s all the tombstones. Maybe it’s when you realize all of the names carved in stone are the just the MIAs. I feel Punchbowl is a must visit if you would consider visiting Pearl Harbor.

Been many years since I went, but rent a jeep or car and drive around the Big Island. It was definitely more chill (and cheaper) than the other islands. Really a good time there, honestly.

China town in Oahu is pretty cool.

Other cool places to eat in Honolulu:

Mahina and Sun’s
Tchin Tchin Bar
Sushi ii - pronounced ē ē
Fête

It’s easy to eat well in this town.

Lot's of good restaurants in Chinatown, but can be pricy. Little Village is good.

Agreed. I love wandering around Chinatown. I enjoy going into The Dragon Upstairs. Nothing to eat but it has a cool vibe, especially on jazz nights. Hank’s is just underneath if you really want to get hammered.

Another vote for Kauai. It was absolutely amazing and very relaxed.

I've played with bands at both Hank's and Dragon. Cool bars.

Been 3 times & one thing you must do is climb Diamond Head. Awesome view.

Maui is by far my favorite island. Do the Road to Hana.

Just enjoy!

Right across Kam highway from Pupukea Foodland. Just google Foodland.

Big thanks to all who have contributed so far! Probably too much, but I have a working itinerary for Oahu:


Wed 1 May-
Arrive in Honolulu
Diamond Head
Tantalus Lookout
Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Aquarium
Sunset at Waikiki Beach

Thu 2 May-
Aiea Loop Trail (WWII plane wreckage on trail; interior, north of Honolulu, on the H3 freeway)
Drive the H3 freeway (interior, north of Honolulu)
Dole Pineapple Plantation
North Shore beaches (snorkel, sea turtles)
Sunset at Sunset Beach
Open Mic night at Turtle Bay Resort

Fri 3 May-
Reef Pirates scuba
Hawaii Beach Time rent surfboards
Paradise Cove luau

Sat 4 May-
Pearl Harbor
Flea Market at the Aloha Bowl
Manoa Falls
Hanauma Bay (snorkel)

Sun 5 May-
Beach (snorkel)
Fly to the Big Island



Now on to (over)plan the Big Island.

JFC, relax dude.

Plan one thing per day and make a list of alternate, available activities if you still feel like doing something else.

It's a vacation, not a job!

Loochy, I think we are probably both "go with the flow" type of travelers and that is fun and relaxing for us... That would be torture to travel like that for others who enjoy having things planned out, and planning causes them to be relaxed. I couldn't do it, just as they can't do it our way.:)

Have fun!

Sounds like a winner! One thing though, try to avoid buying touristy crap there. Vendors are EVERYWHERE and all that crap will add to the cost of your trip.

Not enough SPAM.

They also sell a Poi pie at McDonalds and they will serve it at the Luau... Take a small portion, it is truly awful and I will eat almost anything.

My wife and I honeymooned on Oahu in 2005. Stayed on Waikiki beach.

We kind of just went with the flow. Pearl Harbor was really the only thing that was a must do for me. We did the USS Missouri the same day. Somebody earlier in this thread said something about it being closed right now though. Bummer. The rest of the time we just went with the flow.

We did a few of the touristy things. We spend a few days doing nothing but hanging on the beach. Diamond Head and the Punch Bowl. We spent a day driving the entire coast of the island just checking out the scenery. We had lunch at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck (amazing) and spent a couple hours afterward on the North Shore before finishing the loop. We did a Luau one evening. Spent a day snorkeling at Hanauma Bay (A fish barked at me!) We spent the day at the Swap Meet at Aloha stadium. It's an enormous flea market that rings the whole outside of the stadium.

Your itinerary scares the shit out of me. I don't know if I could even enjoy the trip knowing every moment was filled. I would be nothing but stressed. Hawaii is supposed to be relaxing. But to each his own.

Oh, as somebody mentioned, it is very odd to see Japanese tourists at the Arizona memorial snapping photos and carrying on. It was a powerful place for me and I felt like any speaking above a whisper was disrespectful. Maybe that was just us though. We didn't speak any more than a few words during our time on the monument.

haha! My thoughts exactly. That sounds so action packed!

The USS Missouri isn't closed, the USS Arizona Memorial is/was. Apparently some issues/cracks were found in the memorial platform 1-2 years ago, and it's been closed since for repairs.

Been in Oahu for two days now and haven't gotten to dive yet. I rented a car for tomorrow just to get away from the group I am with and get some diving in... Can't ****ing wait. Got a two tank dive tomorrow and Sunday. Hoping to get at least one more day of diving in.

Rock on.
Sec

Man, I love Hawaii
 

Big Island: it is huge. When you are inland, it will seem like you are not on an island at all. Be prepared for long drives if you want to go from volcanic to tropical. Great snorkeling, volcanoes, green sand beach (yes green! one of four in the world), and nature. Quite rural. It is really cool to go from volcanic (Mars-like landscapes, African plains, dry & hot) to tropical (rainforest, bamboo forest) in same day. Take an all day snorkeling trip down the Kona (W) side... to Captain Cook Memorial. It is amazing! Last time we did that excursion we went out on a zodiac... saw a 10' hammerhead and an incredible variety of fish along the reefs.

Maui: party island. Way more activities and nightlife on Maui than the other islands (possible exception of Honolulu on Oahu, as that is a big city). Maui is fun for all the reasons you would do a tropical vacation. It has the scenery, the beaches, and all the modern as well as traditional activities. Lots of fun here, and faster (athletic) pace.

Oahu: Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, Waikiki, and a bunch of great beaches if you know some locals/people who have lived there. Honolulu is a legit big city, so it comes with all of the advantages/disadvantages of big cities.

Lanai: very little there. Pristine. If you don't have an explicit reason to go, don't.

Kuaui: laaaaaaid baaaack. Called the "Garden Isle" for a reason: it is lush and beautiful. Waimea Canyon is amazing: imagine the Grand Canyon covered in rainforest. You can kayak on fresh water river, tube through lava tubes, and enjoy a truly laid back island vacation. People there are super friendly (as long as you are cool and don't **** with them, their stuff, and nature). There are wild chickens all over this island, which makes mornings funny (all the roosters crowing).

Other islands: stay the **** away. The locals do not want you there and there really isn't a reason to go...the bigger islands offer everything you could want.

Concur. Good synopsis. I used to live there and have traveled there many times on business or vacation. When you live there after the first year adapting to watching Chiefs games early Sunday morning, “island fever” starts to set in. Maui is my preference. Was last in Pearl Harbor them Maui ( pacific missile test center) so business trip in December but it’s great.

Just got back a little while ago. Saw some sharks, my dive master got an octopus out of its hiding hole and got to hold him, and got up close and personal with some sea turtles as well. Great time just getting back into diving.

True, it is closed and probably will be for a while. But the visitor center is still open, and you can still take the boat out next to it, you just can't get off the boat onto the memorial itself. I can see it from my workplace. Also, the USS Blowfin, a WWII era submarine is also at the visitor center. You can walk through it if you aren't claustrophobic. It is very small. And as you said the USS Missouri, and also the Pacific Air Museum are both on Ford Island. You can take a bus from the Arizona Memorial Visitor Center - which was just renamed the Pearl Harbor Memorial I think because there are the other sites besides the Arizona to see now.

Been here since 1992 and haven't had island fever yet. Not everyone gets it.

I agree about Maui, it is my favorite.

Get off the plane, dive, dive some more, get back on the plane.

Roger.

What scuba company did you dive with? And what dive sites did you visit?

Hanauma Bay, a horseshoe-shaped inlet on the southeast corner of Oahu, is great for snorkeling. After going through a short training session of how to snorkel in the bay without destroying its natural habitat (yes, the training is mandatory), you'll enjoy seeing a wide variety of plant and animal life.

Eat Spam. Don't eat poi.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2a8c627010.jpg

But get there very early if you want to get parking.

That's not a bad thing actually. After our last two trip to Coz and watching divers bounce off the reef way too often, I wouldn't be surprised if they start0 making divers show they can control their buoyancy, angle, direction, and that they know where their tanks, fins, and hands are before they let them near a reef.

A check out dive is already the standard in Bonaire. Actually, a lot of companies will arrange the first dive in a more controlled site before going to more challenging sites. Makes sense... can’t have people destroying the reef and or hurting themselves while some dive shop is responsible.

Totally agree, the reef is too important...

Spend the money and do the helicopter tour - it’s the best way to see liquid earth. Check out Akaka Falls, too, while you’re there. Get you an authentic Hawaiian shirt, I think there is an Avanti store in the ki’s. Hank’s Haute Dog is a diners, drive ins and dives spot. RENT A CONVERTIBLE - best way to enjoy the islands.

North shore is a pain...go down the road to Haleiwa. I’d also go to Iolani Palace.

Have a blast - I was 25th ID at Schofield in the early 90s....many, many, many runs up KoleKole Pass