
Exploring the North Shore and the West Coast (Oahu Part 2)
Of course I also had to leave Honolulu and surrounds to go and explore the famous north shore as well as the less visited west side of the island.
I did two trips to the north shore. The first one was with a couch surfing host that took me, a friend of mine and 2 other couch surfers on a trip around the east side and north shore of the island. The second time I hired a car, so I could stay at places located outside of Honolulu.
First stop was the Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden. We went there just because I had seen a shot on Instagram that I also wanted to take. I’m so glad we went. It was another of these magical places. It is what I have in mind when I think of Hawaii, beautiful green mountaintops. I loved the place so much that I stopped on my second trip too. This time I was driving and I had some other friends with me, so we stopped again to take in the natural beauty.
We then went to Laie Point. Some people were jumping off the cliffs into the water here. I contemplated for a long time whether to jump or not, but fear won and I decided not to do it. We had one very funny moment while there. We decided to take some pictures with crashing waves in the background. There were two of us posing and two people taking pictures. We had to wait for a long time for a big wave to come, but when it came, it was huge and we all got really wet. It was funnier for me, because I only got a little bit of the spray, but Lucy got soaking wet. We all had a big laugh and it made for some fantastic pictures.
Next up was the north shore, which is known for its huge swells and the pipeline. I love this part of the island because the big waves are so cool to watch. I made sure to stay out of the water, as I have too much respect but it was so nice to watch the big waves role in.
On second trip we stopped at Waimala Beach for a swim. It was quite amazing because on day one it was calm enough to go swimming, but when I returned the next day to play volleyball the waves had become huge (15feet). It was so big that they closed off large parts of the beach. I had great fun trying to capture the big waves, but again it was one of these things you have to be there to experience to really get a feeling of the size and strength of the waves and ocean.
On my second trip I was very lucky to find an amazing accommodation. It was a couchsurfing place. The house was right at the beach. I had a huge bedroom with my own bathroom and ocean views. It was so incredible to be able to stay there for free. I didn’t want to leave.
Check out the photos and videos below. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge images.
After my stay on the North Shore I went to the west side. The west side is the least touristy part of the island. When I told people where I was going everyone seemed concerned for me and my safety, so much so that I was contemplating to change my plans. I’m glad I didn’t though because I had a great time there.
I stayed at another couchsurfing place and Laree, my host, was so lovely and welcoming. She has a small studio right at the beach with a killer view. While there, we drove around the beaches and Laree showed me some fantastic beaches where we admired the sunset, enjoyed some quiet time without people and a beach where we went snorkeling. We were lucky to come across some turtles there. I have to say I’m a little obsessed with turtles ever since my trip to Indonesia last year. So every time I get to experience turtles in the wild in the ocean I’m a very happy person. So please if you ever visit Oahu make sure to plan a day or two on the west coast. It has a lot to offer and is a great way to escape the tourists.
Check out the photos and videos below. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge images.
All in all I had a fantastic time in Oahu. I met some great friends and enjoyed the diversity that is Oahu. It was a good way to finish my time in Hawaii. Mahalo.
Next stop San Francisco.

