Day 3 (August 21, 2022): Southeast Oahu

After yesterday’s traffic / crowd nightmare on the North Shore, it was with a bit of trepidation that we set out for the southeast / east coasts of Oahu this morning, worried about a repeat of the traffic and crowds, especially on a Sunday.

But first, let’s talk parking! Yes, parking. Oahu has changed a lot since we were here 20 years ago. The never-ending high rise developments have only continued exponentially in the last couple of decades. Add to that the August crowds, and it results in a densely crowded Waikiki where space is at a complete premium. And that makes parking a scarce commodity. Our hotel charged $50 USD per night to park the car, but they had no parking availability. So we were left to scrounge for parking meters and other paid parking. No city parking, even on meters, is free overnight or on weekends, meaning you are left to constantly chase parking spots. All that to say, I was up at 6AM to go to take care of parking! But at least we had a car (rentals are also scarce and crazy expensive) and were able to see parts of the island.

We were on our way by 8AM. We had hoped to snorkel world-famous Hanauma Bay, just east of Waikiki, which is one of the world’s best snorkelling areas. However, new restrictions put in place last year mean only 3000 people per day are allowed to snorkel Hanauma Bay. $25 USD spaces go on sale 7AM two days prior. For today, all spaces were sold by 7:30AM on Friday! That was a disappointment, but at least it’s a snorkeling experience we had 20 years ago and can take the memories with us.

Our adventures along the southeast / east coasts are outlined in the photos below. Back at the hotel at 1PM for a rest, we next went to the western end of Waikiki to snorkel in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, made famous back in the 1970s by its colourful 32-storey mural (see below). Our research indicated that snorkeling there is top notch. Sadly, however, the water was murky and we didn’t see so much as one fish! It was still fund to swim in the warm Pacific waters.

After returning to the hotel and getting cleaned up, we headed to an ocean-front restaurant at the Aston Waikiki Hotel for an early dinner, overlooking Waikiki’s busy beach scene. Then we concluded our day with a self-guided walking tour of the historic core of Honolulu.

All in all, it was a wonderful day that made up for yesterday’s angst. Traffic, site parking, access to stunning views - it was all incredibly easy and enjoyable. A wonderful end to our last full day on Oahu.

Loved these red-headed birds at Kuli’ou’ou Beach Park.

Long canoes were a-plenty at Kuli’ou’ou Beach Park. It appeared to be a canoe club, which launches into the Paiko Lagoon.

It was a bit hard to access (read: ‘very steep trail’), but Spitting Cave was an amazing off-the-beaten-track ‘blow hole’ with amazing lava rock formations, to the west of Hanauma Bay.

A the base of the Koko Crater, a lookout provided a view over Lunalilo on the outskirts of Waikiki.

Blowholes are basically holes in the rock, under which the waves crash in and push up through the hole. The Halona Blowhole is one of the best in southeast Oahu.

Halona Beach Cove

Koko Crater

The acccurately-named Sandy Beach at Wawamulu Beach Park.

The view of the Halona Blowhole from nearby Sandy Beach.

The surf at sandy Beach.

Lava rock at Wawamulu Beach Park.

Makapuu Beach Park at the start of the East Coast of Oahu.

The mountain range circled above, in southeastern Oahu, was break-taking. The next four photos shows some highlights of our views of it, en route to the town of Kailua, the largest town on the Eastern Shore.

Sorry for the freeway guard rails in the foreground, but at least that shows the magnitude of the Diamond Head Crater, just east of Waikiki. We wanted to hike inside the crater, but when we arrived, we discovered that — like Hanauma Bay — there are now crowd restrictions enforced and you must make reservations well in advance to hike it.

Approaching Diamond Head.

The tunnel into the Diamond Head Crater.

View of Koko Crater (in distance) from just outsid Diamond Head Crater.

Another view from just outside the Diamond Head Crater.

The cove in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, at the western end of Waikiki, was supposed to have offered amazing snorkelling. But alas, the cloudy waters didn’t cooperate.

Long canoes with the famous colourful mural of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in the background.

The iconic 32-storey mural of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, built in the 1970s.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village also has its own lagoon, perfect for families.

The marina at the western end of Waikiki.

Dinner with a view of Waikiki, at Tiki’s Grill in the Aston Waikiki Hotel.

Iolani Palace, the only royal palace in the USA, was built under King David Kalakaua in 1882. The building served as the State Capitol when Hawaii received statehood.

The former barracks of the Royal Household Guards.

Massive banyan trees on the grounds of Iolani Palace.

Statue of Queen Lili’oukalani.

Hawaii’s State Capitol Building, built n the 1960s, after Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959.

The unique design of the Hawaiian State Capitol building — the core of the building is open-air and has an open roof.

In a day and age when the Catholic Church is blasted for all its evils, Father Damien reminds us of the goodness that the church also demonstrated. Father Damien died, along with the people he served, of leprosy in 1889. Lepers were banished to Molokai Island back in the day.

This exact replica of the Liberty Bell was given to Hawaii by the United States Treasury in 1950.

This memorial flame is dedicated to Hawaiians who have served in the armed forces of the USA.

Washington Place, built in 1846, was the former residence of the Governor of Hawaii.

Ali-Iolani is the Supreme Court of Hawaii. The status in front of it is of Kamahameha the Great, cast in bronze in Italy in 1880. If this looks familiar to you, it is because this is often shown in “Hawaii Five-O”.