We enjoyed our last two days on Oahu. We hiked to the top of Diamond head on Sunday morning and were rewarded with great views of Honolulu. We took the bus from our hotel there and back, which was easy and fun. We got back just in time for lunch. Across the street from our hotel was a little counter service place serving poke called Maguro Spot. We ordered salmon and ahi tuna bowls which were fresh and delicious – definitely hit the spot. We then walked over to a food truck and ordered shave ice – another delicious Hawaiian treat!
In the afternoon we hung out at the beach and enjoyed the sunset over the water – our first one that was not obscured by clouds. Our hotel, Vive Waikiki, provided towels, beach chairs, mats and umbrellas. We really liked the hotel which was a couple short blocks from the beach. It is surrounded by eclectic and delicious places to eat. For supper, we ate at a Korean BBQ counter service place that was made out of a converted cargo container.
On Monday, we rented a car for the day and did a loop around the island. First we crossed over the mountains on the Pèle highway to visit the Ho’omaluhia botanical garden in Kailua. We got our “forest bathing” fix in among tropical trees from all over the world including coffee, cacao, papaya, banana and more! After that we stopped at Leonard’s bakery to try their famous malasadas. Sophie got one filled with coconut and mine had chocolate. They are kind of like a warm filled donut, but crispier and more dense. Yummy!
The rest of the day was spent driving counter-clockwise around the island. We visited a macadamia nut farm, tried some poi (still tastes like paste), had a picnic lunch by the beach, watched the end of a surfing competition on the north shore, saw a couple sea turtles, and ended the day at the Dole pineapple plantation. We learned that pineapples are a type of bromeliad, which Sophie enjoys growing at home. There were lots of bromeliads in the Dole gardens – some with flowers taller than me!
It’s always hard to leave a paradise like Hawaii, but we are excited for our next destination… Tokyo.
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