Almost everyone knows the greeting “Aloha”, the city of “Honolulu”, or the famous beach of “Waikiki” – but what on earth is an “Oʻahu”?
To be honest, that name didn’t mean much to me either — at least not until I started planning my trip to Hawaii. And then it hit me like a coconut falling from a tree. 🙂
Oʻahu is the name of one of Hawaii’s many islands – in fact, it’s the beating heart of Hawaii. While it’s only the third-largest island in terms of area, it’s by far the most populated.
Aloha Hawaii – I’ve arrived!
It was already dark when my plane touched down on the island. But even on approach, the city lights gave me a sense of just how big Honolulu is. It looked like the entire southern coastline was glowing. They don’t call this the most beautiful and compact city in all of the U.S. for nothing. And it’s home to one of the most stunning – and definitely one of the most iconic – city beaches in the world: Waikiki.
But when I landed shortly after 10 p.m., I couldn’t fully take in the beauty around me – partly because of the darkness, and partly because I was absolutely exhausted. We weren’t just 11 time zones away from Germany – we’d been awake for 26 hours and had flown halfway across the world. Just think about that for a second: Hawaii is smack in the middle of the Pacific, basically a speck of land in the vast nowhere. For 5,000 kilometers in every direction, there’s nothing but water.
And there we were, standing at the baggage carousel, waiting for our suitcases. It’s always the same game. A slight tension builds with the nagging question: Will our bags actually come out of that dark hole? Only once they appear can the vacation truly begin.
What fascinates me most about long-haul trips is the sheer contrast: stepping onto a plane in the morning in cold, rainy weather back home — and stepping off a few hours later into tropical 26-degree heat in Hawaii… and all that in the middle of November.
I absolutely love it.
Before we keep rambling on here, I just wanted to quickly mention that this dark abyss had finally spat out our luggage, and we were—completely exhausted but still relieved—on our way to the car rental shuttle. More precisely, we headed outside the terminal to the bus stops, where the different rental companies picked up their guests and took them to the cars. We had booked a medium SUV and got to choose from six different ones parked there. We went with a Jeep. Why? I think because it looked brand-new, white, and sparkling clean. But whatever—GPS on, searched for the address, and off we went to meet our hosts. That meant another 45 minutes or 31 miles until we finally arrived. In Makaha, way out west on the island, Tom and Kiyomi were already waiting for us. Tom, originally from Hamburg, had been living in Hawaii for 20 years, and his Japanese wife Kiyomi—whom I randomly connected with through a friend on Facebook—turned out to be an absolute jackpot. In hindsight, I couldn’t have imagined a better start to our Hawaii adventure.
They welcomed us with open arms, and even though we were totally wiped out, we still sat together until shortly after 2 a.m., chilling with a few bottles of local beer after we dropped off our luggage in our rooms. But then… we collapsed straight into bed.
So far, we had only seen Hawaii in the dark. But when daylight finally arrived, I got my very first glimpse—from my bed, no less—of those legendary green mountains that make these islands so unmistakable. And above them: that dreamy, cloudless blue sky. Over the next three weeks, it would become crystal clear to me that life in Hawaii mostly happens outdoors—and with this warm weather and gentle climate, it’s easy to see why.
A beach straight out of a dream – or when Magnum, P.I. becomes reality
I was buzzing with excitement and couldn’t wait to explore more of the island. Tom gave us a great tip: drive all the way west to the very end of the road before heading into Honolulu and Waikiki. What awaited us next absolutely took our breath away. Holy moly! A beach that was both empty and utterly paradise. Turquoise water. Surrounded by lush green mountains, set against a radiant blue sky. If you ever travel to O’ahu, this beach is a must-see. Its name? Makua Beach.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to linger, as we were already on our way to the island’s capital next.
On our way to Honolulu, it quickly became obvious—as we got closer—that O‘ahu is the most populated of all the Hawaiian islands and also the one with the highest number of tourists. That’s mostly due to the international airport. O‘ahu is by far the most “American” of the islands. Lots of people, shopping malls, heavy traffic, and pretty much every convenience you’d find on the mainland—you’ll find it here too. For mainland Americans, this island is a bit like what Mallorca is for us Germans: the classic vacation island. Parking in Honolulu is a luxury. But thanks to Tom, we got the tip to park at the Ala Moana Shopping Mall, where parking is free. From there, you can either grab an Uber to Waikiki or simply walk the short distance. With the weather so nice, we chose to walk.
You’ll see Japanese tourists everywhere—they’re the second-largest tourist group after Americans. Sometimes, it even feels like you’ve landed in Japan instead of Hawaii.
And then suddenly, there it was: the world-famous Waikiki Beach. You’ve seen it so many times on TV, and then comes that surreal moment—you’re actually standing there. And you’re surprised at how narrow the beach is and how close those massive hotel towers are to the water, forming a kind of concrete wall. You just stand there, amazed. And at that point, I had no idea that even more breathtaking beaches were waiting for us over the next three weeks.
If you’re at Waikiki Beach, you absolutely have to jump in the water, grab a drink at Duke’s, and if it happens to be a Friday, stick around in the evening to watch the fireworks show by the Hilton Hotel.
The Hilton puts on this show every week, and it’s a real spectacle for thousands of tourists. It’s the oldest hotel in Waikiki and not only the largest hotel in all of Hawaii, but also the biggest hotel in the U.S. outside of Las Vegas.
And here’s a little tip: if you’re planning to visit other Hawaiian islands besides O‘ahu and you’re thinking about doing some shopping—don’t bother anywhere else. Only in Honolulu will you find malls and a huge variety of shops like you’d see on the mainland. On the other islands, shopping isn’t really a thing.
- Makaha – Unterkunft; 2. Makua Beach; 3. Waikiki; 4. Haleiwa; 5. Makapuu Point Lighthouse; 6. Diamond Head; 7. Stairway to Heaven
Jaw drop on our first island road trip
The next day, we actually planned to head out early—but somehow, we eased into the day instead. Two cups of organic coffee and a bowl of organic cereal with organic milk turned me into Bio-Superman!! *hahaha – Well, imagination is also a form of education. So it wasn’t until just before 11 a.m. that we hit the road and, after almost an hour of driving, arrived in the historic surf town of Haleiwa on the northern side of the island.
If you picture a classic small American town, like something straight out of the Wild West, then you’ve come to the right place. Wooden houses everywhere. And inside these historic buildings, you’ll not only find the best ice cream spot, but also the best burger joint on O‘ahu. Our host Tom even claimed it serves the best burger in all of Hawaii. One thing’s for sure — it was absolutely delicious.
Haleiwa should be a household name for every diver and surfer around the globe, as it marks the gateway to the North Shore. Here you’ll find not only the most epic waves but also stunning areas perfect for diving. A true mecca for lovers of the deep blue.
But speaking of water — on the northeastern side of the island, the word rain isn’t just something you’ll find on Wikipedia; it’s a daily reality. It’s the fate of the locals living on the “wrong” side of the island. Rain clouds tend to get stuck on the mountains here, leaving the south mostly cloud-free. For some, these mountains are a breathtaking sight. For others, stuck on the rainy side, they might feel more like a curse than a blessing.
Driving along the Kamehameha Highway — the island’s only main road that circles all the way around — we personally got to meet the rain once we were behind the mountains. But no worries, even that had its charm. Seeing the lush green peaks disappear into the clouds is a spectacular natural sight.
And it doesn’t stop there — the drive along the eastern coast heading south is filled with constant “Ahhhhhs,” “Ohhhhhs,” and “Woooowws!”
Often enough, we’re driving so close to the water that you have to avoid looking directly at it—otherwise you might go blind from the overwhelming brightness of that turquoise glow. It’s almost a sensory overload. In some places, the island has left just enough room between the ocean and the towering cliffs for a single road to squeeze through.
Ever since we left Haleiwa and got far away from Honolulu, you barely feel like you’re still in the United States. This is a different world. The world we know from the Jurassic Park movies—or more recently, from the blockbuster Jumanji. When I watched Spielberg’s masterpiece in the cinema back in 1993, I never imagined I’d one day travel to the place where it was filmed. To Isla Nublar. Well, that was the fictional name in the movie, but it gave fans around the world the feeling that such a dinosaur paradise could actually exist.
And now, here I was—on that island. Well, on O‘ahu, not Isla Nublar… if you get what I mean. 🙂
In many spots along the road, it felt like a journey back in time. O‘ahu truly is a jam-packed bag of wonders. Everything that defines Hawaii can be found here—in just the right dose.
Illegal!! Stairway to Heaven
As we made our way south, our journey brought us close to one of the most controversial tourist spots at the moment: the “Haiku Stairs,” also known as the Stairway to Heaven. It’s an extremely steep hiking trail in the Koʻolau Mountains, consisting mostly of thousands of narrow metal steps leading to a summit about 600 meters high. The reward? A breathtaking view over the island. That’s the upside. And up until I arrived on Oʻahu, it was my goal to conquer those stairs and reach the top.
But once I was there, I heard directly from the locals how unwelcome the climb actually is. They’re extremely frustrated that this “completely illegal” attraction is being hyped so much on social media.
Normally, I’m down for pretty much any kind of crazy adventure — but after weighing all the possible negative consequences, we decided against it on the spot. Because sometimes it doesn’t have to be: “Illegal? Who cares!”
In the end, everyone has to make their own choice: whether they want to risk climbing a now severely damaged and life-threatening staircase illegally — just for a few extra clicks and likes. Because in the end, that’s all it is.
The Landmark of Honolulu – Diamond Head
On our last day on the island, we wanted to get an early start to hike up the iconic landmark of Waikiki Bay: the 232-meter-high Diamond Head. This tuff cone was also an ideal spot for coastal defense at the beginning of the 20th century. The army built numerous fortifications and cannons here, all connected by a tunnel system.
After driving through a narrow tunnel into the crater’s core, we began our hike from the parking area. The path itself is quite manageable – a bit long, but not too challenging. As a result, the trail was fairly crowded with tourists. Some even tackled it in flip-flops. Unbelievable, right? Depending on your pace, you can reach the summit in 40 to 50 minutes. The first part of the trail is a typical hiking path, which then leads into a long tunnel. Toward the end, reaching the viewing platform involves a very steep, 20-meter-high metal staircase – and that climb is no joke. But don’t worry: you won’t have to descend the same way. There’s a different path for the way down.
Once at the top, you’re rewarded with a breathtaking 360-degree view. One of the highlights, of course, is the sweeping vista over Honolulu.
We continued eastward along the coast to the Lanai Lookout. A word of caution: there are only two small parking areas where you can safely admire this dramatic coastal formation. Many – ourselves included – climbed over the barrier fence and scrambled down toward the water. But be careful: parts of the area are very slippery. Still, the climb down is absolutely worth it, as it offers a whole new perspective of this rugged stretch of coastline.
Another highlight awaited us just a bit further along the Kalanianaole Highway: the hike to the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse. The trail to the viewpoint is fully paved all the way to the top, so it’s no problem at all. If the view hadn’t been so absolutely phenomenal, the stretch to the end might have felt pretty long – but as it was, we kept stopping regularly just to let our eyes wander across the lush green landscapes. Once again, I caught myself imagining dinosaurs roaming through the valley below. The scenery felt completely surreal.
At the highest point, we were almost alone, enjoying the stunning view, as the tourist rush hour had already passed. And that’s something special about Hawaii: even though there are quite a few tourists here, with a bit of smart planning, you can often experience many attractions almost entirely on your own – or with just a handful of others. Apart from Honolulu or a few trendy hotspots like Haleiwa, there’s really no sense of mass tourism here.
Around 5 p.m., we started heading back to our hosts to wind down the rest of the day together in a relaxed way. Okay, it took us nearly an hour and a half to get back to them since we had to drive from the easternmost tip of the island almost to the western edge – including a stretch through Honolulu. And since we were set to leave the island the next morning to fly to Kaua’i, it was also time to pack. Even though our flight was scheduled for 9 a.m., Tom recommended we leave just before 6 a.m., as that’s when rush hour starts on O’ahu. At first, I didn’t quite believe it, but he was right – just 20 miles from the airport, we hit traffic shortly after 6 a.m. Okay, I wouldn’t need that every day, but here, it’s just the norm.
Still, we made it to Alamo right after 7 a.m. on time, dropped off the car, and took the shuttle to the terminal. The second island of our journey was waiting: Kaua’i!!
My Conclusion
O’ahu alone is worth the trip. Without exaggeration, you’ll find everything that makes Hawaii so special here – like a miniature wonderland, a treasure chest full of surprises. The locals are warm and helpful, and the vibe and lifestyle you experience here are one-of-a-kind – pure balm for the soul. Add to that the incredible nature, and I promise you, just like me, you won’t want to leave this place. So, mahalo for reading – and now let’s head off to the next Hawaiian island adventure!
