Strolling Through Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown
I have the utter privilege to house sit my friends’ place and their miniature schnauzer. It’s an extreme pleasure simply because they live in Harbor Court, smack dab on the waterfront across from Aloha Tower Marketplace and on the edge of Chinatown and downtown Honolulu. This is most fortunate for me because Chinatown and downtown Honolulu is great for walking, great for sightseeing and great to mingle with people. Read the rest of Strolling Through Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown »
It was a Friday when I stepped off the plane in Honolulu, back from four months in the Vegas desert. I am a student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and nothing was better than being at home for the summer. My mom called me shortly after I landed and told me to change in the car because we were headed straight to the North Shore for lunch. I probably didn’t sound enthusiastic about the idea, but my tummy was grumbling and some good ole North Shore grub sounded appealing after four months without it. 
My wife and I live within walking distance of the beach in Waikiki, so we go there a lot. Every weekend we would see the catamaran sailing boats that pull up right onto the sand and take people out, so we decided to try it ourselves. There are three or four different catamarans that pick up passengers on Waikiki Beach for short, hour-long cruises out to Diamond Head and back. 
Looking for something different to do, my wife and I, who live in Waikiki, made the thirty minute drive from Honolulu and Waikiki to a side of Oahu that most visitors never see: farming country. The rural town of Waimanalo is an agricultural region where many small farms and nurseries produce locally grown produce and flowers. Many of these flowers, which my wife is a huge fan of, end up being used in leis and luaus.
Sure the Ka ‘Iwa scenic shoreline hike, with its peak views of winding Koolaus mountains, Rabbit Island, Sea Life Park, and the Makapu Peninsula (not to mention the ocean so vast you can almost see a bend in the earth’s horizon), stretches the definition of sweetness during the day, but what about taking this same hike at night? Yeah, that’s right, as in when it’s totally dark outside. 
My wife and I have made a few visits to Fort DeRussy Beach, on the west end of Waikiki (towards Ewa), and have always done something different each time we went. It’s an excellent beach to spend the day at. We found that the beach here is wider than on Waikiki Beach proper (i.e. the area in front of the Royal Hawaiian), and there is a protected area inside the reef offering calm and shallow water. There are also beach rentals on the sand for kayaks, floats, and aqua bikes. 
Have you ever seen a sea turtle in its natural environment? At Laniakea Beach, aka “Turtle Beach” you’ll get your chance! This beach is on Oahu’s famed north shore, about a mile and a half from Haleiwa town. If you’re driving from Honolulu or Waikiki, it’ll take about an hour to get there. This is an excellent stop-over if you’re going to see the famous surfing beaches of Pipeline or Sunset Beach, or going to the town of Haleiwa. 
Bodyboarding (also known as “boogie-boarding,” after Morey Boogie, a popular brand of bodyboard) is a form of wave riding where riders use a short foam board to ride waves, usually in a prone position, but also sometimes knee-boarding or even standing up. In Waikiki there is great bodyboarding spot called “Walls,” named after a prominent seawall there with a gazebo on the end of it. This structure is formally known as the Kapahulu Groin. To get there, go to the intersection of Kapahulu and Kalakaua in Waikiki.
Nestled among the foothills of Manoa Valley is the gorgeous campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This oasis of tranquility sits less than a mile from Waikiki and the Ala Moana district. The campus has many interesting things to see and do, and for those of you wanting to experience something besides Oahu’s tourist attraction staples, a short trip to the UH Manoa campus will let you relax for a bit and see part of the “real Hawaii.” 
Oahu is a unique scuba destination which is not to be missed. There are many dive sites along the shores of Oahu which include wreck diving, coral reefs, fascinating marine life, and don’t forget the warm and clear water! For those who are not yet certified scuba divers, many dive shops and resorts offer an “intro to scuba” type of course, also known in the industry as a “resort course,” which lets non-certified divers give scuba a chance and see if it might be for them. 
