Every postcard you’ve ever seen, every picture in every wanderlust list that mentions the top 10 beaches in the world and whatever you imagined the coastline of Hawaii to look like, it is exactly that, if not more. The shores of Turtle Bay are where we spent most of our time, lounging on the beach, snorkeling in clear waters and riding our bikes. Exploring the north shore of O’ahu. Bonsai Pipeline and Waimea Bay were the highlights of this part of the island.
As it goes in any hugely popular exotic destination, the main city of Honolulu is packed with tourists, boutique spaces featuring the Guccis and Louis Vuittons of the fashion world and plenty of hotel rooms to check into on the famous stretch of sand called Waikiki.
Of all that’s screaming “tourism” in this part of the islands of Hawaii, I particularly enjoyed visiting The Moana Surfrider Hotel, which was first opened in 1901. It boasts of a beautiful old world charm and it’s located in the heart of it all.
Another definite must-see is the iconic USS Arizona memorial, which commemorates the USS Arizona crew that died in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The absolute icing on the cake of this vacation was visiting the Big Island of Hawaii and getting to experience my first ever active volcano. The island is filled with glorious hiking trails, each featuring something different to enrich your Hawaii experience. Would I go back there again? In a heartbeat.
— as told to Ikyatha Yerasala
