Oahu, Hawaii — Hannah & Christopher

Celebrating our One Year

I can't believe it's already one year! It flew by so fast! We decided to celebrate by going to Hawaii because Chris kept raving about how awesome Hawaii is and its signature dish - poké. So we booked tickets to Oahu and Maui for 10 days! It was one of the best trips I've ever been on. Here are a couple things we think it's a must do in Oahu!

SPAM Festival

SPAM is a big thing in Hawaii. They have SPAM meals everywhere including McDonald's. The first day we arrived, we went to a festival dedicated to SPAM. We tried different takes on SPAM but in the end, the SPAM, seaweed rice combo was the best :)

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

The last time Chris was here he wanted to come to Hanauma Bay but he didn't have enough time. We came here after the first day and went snorkelling because it's a preserved area for marine sea life and you can see over 300 different Hawaiian fish species lurking about in the shallow coral reefs!

Foodland: Poké

We knew poké is a must-have when visiting Hawaii. So what better way to ask than a local Uber driver. He recommended Foodland (which Chris has always mistaken it by 'Foodmart'). At first we were skeptical because how does a generic grocery store have better poké than anywhere else? But when we tried it, we were surprised. It was SO GOOD!

Duke's

This place is known for party goers. It was so lively when we went around sunset. Because its location (right at Waikiki beach), we need to wait at least an hour to get a table. But while you wait, they have an awesome patio and bar, we ordered some traditional Hawaiian cocktails and it was delicious. We then had a view of the beach and the beautiful sunset while having dinner. It was really a nice way to end the night.

Novictor Oahu Helicopter Tours

Going on a helicopter tour wasn't really on our list while we were planning this trip. I knew it was an expensive excursion but Chris kept praising how awesome this experience is (*cue Jurassic Park theme song*) so I couldn’t help but try. I have a fear of flying and turbulence but our pilot was a very smooth driver; Chris didn't even realize we had taken off until we were well off the ground it was so smooth! I was a bit afraid in the beginning but after seeing the magnificent views of the island it was worth it in the end.

Kailua Beach

Waikiki beach was an obvious choice when it comes to tourist attractions. So to avoid the crowds, we decided to venture out to other infamous beaches around the island. Kailua beach caught my attention because of its white sand and clear water. There was a water bank in between which was very fascinating. There were definitely less tourists and it feels more relaxing.

Marukame Udon

This restaurant was recommended by one of Chris' coworkers. Every time we went past this place, there was always a huge line up. However, we eventually committed to visiting the cafeteria style restaurant. The udon was made from scratch and the chefs cook and serve in front of you. You can also pick up fried food on the side if you want to add to your meal. It costs about 2 dollars each! Cheap and delicious!

North Shore Shark Adventure

Chris and I love sharks. When we were planning to go to Hawaii, it was a must do on our list. Like most sea life related excursions, everything is done in the morning when the water is at its calmest. We woke up around 5 am and took an uber (about a 2 hour drive) from Honolulu to North Shore. We went with a group of around 25 people and travelled for about 15 minutes away from land. We were told that the engines of the boat are the reason why the sharks come and poke around. They do this because fishing boats would dump fishes and crabs that are too small to sell so the sharks associate the sound of boat engines with feeding time. When we first got into the water, it was freezing cold. But when we saw the Galapagos sharks, that feeling was quickly forgotten. I was never scared, in fact, super ecstatic! Check out our videos to see the sharks in action!

North Shore Shrimp Trucks

North Shore is also known for garlic shrimp. After we did the shark tour, we walked around to try out their food trucks. We also went to the infamous Giovanni Shrimp Truck! They weren’t even open yet and already there was at least 20 people waiting in line. We tried the shrimp, while it was decent, we thought it was overhyped. We also had garlic shrimp from a food stand near Waikiki beach and found that to be way better than Giovanni's.

Dole Plantation

Returning from North shore, we took the bus to the Dole Plantation (since it was along the way back to Honolulu). Chris is allergic to pineapple but I insisted we go (hence the sad face). They gave you a tour in a mini train around the plantation. There are pineapples, lychee, cacao, macadamia nuts, lemons, sugar cane and many more! One interesting fact is that 90% of pineapples that are distributed to the world are imported from Hawaii. We also went to a pineapple garden maze where we also reenacted The Shining! The souvenir shop was also an attraction for me, they sell many pineapple desserts and I had their world-famous - DoleWhip! Chris on the other hand (since the option is limited) had what he claimed the best sugar cane juice he's ever had.