Last month, we took our first flight in 27 long months! The destination? Hawaii! Needless to say, we were beyond excited!
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Pandemic aside, I had been planning this vacation for nearly 10 years since Radwin and I were last in Hawaii for our honeymoon. The plan was always to return on our 10-year wedding anniversary to renew our vows.
Because this was our first flight during the pandemic, I had so many questions and wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.
Was navigating the airport any different?
Was getting through security going to be more difficult?
Were we expected to whip out our negative PCR test results every five minutes?
How will waiting at the gate look like if we needed to practice distancing?
Were restaurants and cafés open at the airport?
How were we going to endure wearing face masks for 12+ hours?
At the end of the day, the whole process wasn’t as scary as I had envisioned. Despite online check-in, all passengers had to go through airline counter check-in to provide proper travel documentations (aka negative PCR test results) and to drop off checked luggage. This process that used to take 10 minutes was now upwards of 45 minutes or longer. Security was surprisingly light and quick, not any different from pre-pandemic. Everyone was cooperative and mindful of putting at least six feet of distance between themselves and others. I think we were all just really determined to get out of the country.
A handful of cafés were open for business and so were a couple of shops. We had no issues buying some light food and snacks to bring onboard our flights. That single seat left empty between travelling parties at the gate hadn’t changed – it just was no longer considered rude. We were each handed a disinfectant wipe the moment we stepped onto the aircraft to disinfect our own seats, TV screens, tray tables, cabin wall and window. By the time we connected onto our second flight, we had been wearing our face masks going on six hours so wearing it for another six became a non-issue. Twelve hours after we walked out of our home, we stepped onto the island of Oahu, Hawaii!
Day 1 – Arrival
We just chilled on the first day. After checking into OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger, our home for the next two weeks, we wandered around the area to get our bearings, had an early dinner and retired early as we adjust to Hawaiian time.
Day 2 – Waikiki
Due to the time difference, we woke up super early and spent most of the morning hanging out at Waikiki Beach. This was Jordan and Evelyn’s first time to Hawaii so they were mesmerized by the soft white sand and clear turquoise water. Our first morning was a mix of awe and excitement!
Travel Tip #1: September is an excellent time to visit Hawaii as the summer crowds are waning and costs begin to drop. Temperatures during the day continue to be hot, dipping to balmy and warm in the evenings. September also happens to be one of the drier months, meaning less rain and warmest ocean temperatures of the year.
The afternoon was spent at the International Market Place. To be honest, Radwin and I were disappointed that the Market Place was turned into a shopping mall leaning towards high-end luxury stores. I would have rather the original maze of open-air souvenir kiosks.
We also spent the day picking up essentials at the ABC Stores (which quickly became a family favourite daily activity), grabbing a sweet treat at Ice Monster Hawaii to conquer the heat, and picking up a prepaid SIM card at SIM Cards Hawaii for data roaming. We ended the night (and my birthday!) with a fantastic dinner at Eating House 1849.
Travel Tip #2: As you probably already know, using your local service provider’s roaming plan is not the best option when traveling abroad. Your alternative is to purchase a prepaid SIM card, which gives you unlimited free local and international calling, unlimited international texting, unlimited data, and unlimited hotspot/tethering over wifi and bluetooth for 30 days! We weren’t sure how much data we would need therefore were suckered into buying the most expensive plan when the least expensive would have been more than sufficient. For your reference, Radwin and I both used our phones constantly over two weeks in tandem to navigate around the island, share photo and videos to social media, FaceTime family back home, etc. and barely scratched 2GB of data. Keep in mind, we had connected to our hotel’s free wifi upon check-in so our phones automatically switched from data to wifi every time we got within range.
Day 3 – Shopping
We had another early start and spent it at Waikiki Beach. This became a regular daily routine as mornings were the coolest time of the day. By noon, the temperature consistently reached a high of 31°C most days (but felt like 36°C!) and with not a shade in sight, it was too much to be outside!
After our morning swim, we took TheBus to Ala Moana Center, the world’s largest open-air shopping center. With over 350 shops including 29 sit-down restaurants, it was easy to spend our entire day here. We took our time shopping (how I missed Macy’s and Target!), admiring the koi fish pond, and discovering some really delicious and affordable eats in the food court.
Photo courtesy of Ala Moana Center
Travel Tip #3: I highly recommend purchasing the HOLO Card, available at all ABC Stores, if you plan on using public transportation to get around. The HOLO card is a contactless smart card used to pay for public transit fares and it has a daily fare-capping function, meaning you will not be charged more than $5.50 for bus fares a day. You can start with a single-day fare and reload as needed at all ABC Stores, select supermarkets and most 7-Eleven’s. Youth HOLO Cards are available for purchase only at Satellite City Hall locations.
Day 4 – Sea Life Park & Luau
Right after breakfast, we picked up our car rental (nicknamed ‘Mini’ by my mini-me!) at Lucky Owl Car Rental and began the first of several days of pre-planned activities.
We spent the entire day at Sea Life Park Hawaii, a marine mammal park, bird sanctuary and aquarium in Waimānalo. The park offers and focuses on fun and educational animal experiences through shows, exhibits and interactive programs. Since 1964, Sea Life Park has been committed to the research, protection and preservation of the native marine species of Hawai’i, and to educating visitors on the importance of ocean conservation and sustainability.
Our favourite exhibit was the Honu Turtle Habitat, the only active breeding colony of green sea turtles in the United States. We got to pet a baby green sea turtle while learning of its origins, and feed the larger full-grown green sea turtles.
Our day visit rolled seamlessly into the Ka Moana Lū‘au, an oceanfront dinner and show gala located at Sea Life Park. It was an amazing experience! The show from beginning to end was entertaining and captivating! The Polynesian show was incredible, the Hawaiian feast was delicious, and we got to learn so much about the cultures of the Pacific islands. We appreciated how they had set up the tables to accommodate one party per table and delivered the food to your table boxed (instead of buffet style) due to Covid regulations.
Travel Tip #4: Every ticket purchased to the Ka Moana Lū‘au includes a 1-day admission to Sea Life Park. If you time it right like we did, you can do both in a single day. Use promo code ADVANCE10 to receive 10% off when booking at least 10 days in advance.
Day 5 – Jurassic World & North Shore
I am a huge Jurassic Park/World fan travelling with a couple of young dinosaur fans so we couldn’t miss the chance to tour the movie site at Kualoa Ranch! The Jurassic Adventure Tour involves a 2.5 hours trek through a rainforest to visit filming locations from the original Jurassic Park as well as locations and sets from Jurassic World, including the Indominus Rex paddock with its 60 foot (styrofoam!) walls, the control center of said paddock, the bunkers and authentic dinosaur cages used in the movies, and the famous field of the Jurassic Park fallen tree scene!
Kualoa Ranch is also the filming location of over 70 movies produced out of Hollywood since 1950 so we also got to see Godzilla’s footprint and stop at the Kong Skull Island boneyard.
After lunch, we were on a mission to search for the famous wood swing along Kamehameha Highway near Kapaka Beach. We were unfortunately unsuccessful. We followed the pin drop shared by many others but the exact location was under construction with no tree.
We carried on with our leisurely drive with a stop at Turtle Bay Resort for a leg stretch before continuing on to Laniakea Beach, better known as Turtle Beach, where we found several turtles! Most were surfing the waves just beyond the shoreline but a couple decided to move further up the waterline to bask in the sun.
We then continued onwards to Haleiwa, North Shore where we had the best shave ice at Aloha General Store!
Day 6 – Zipline & Dole Plantation
Today was dedicated to another first for the kids – ziplining! I picked Coral Crater Adventure Park because they have Hawaii's lowest age for ziplining and offer tandem rides for children that fall below their minimum weight requirement. Their ziplines also feature the most modern braking system which meant we didn't have to worry about controlling our speed or stopping ourselves.
We opted for the Half Zipline Tour which covers 3 of their 6 ziplines through a jungle in an hour. The first line was a short warm-up, the second line was longer and faster, and the third and last racing line added a fun competition and extra laughs to the end. This tour duration is perfect for families with little monkeys that tire easily, like mine.
To offset the adrenaline rush, it was Dole Plantation for lunch and some discovery fun. I can’t say I ever thought to add pineapples to a hot dog but The Plantation Grille knew what they were doing with the Pineapple Chili Dog! The Dole Whip was something else too! Super yummy!
In addition to the Visitor Center, Dole Plantation provides other fun activities for the entire family, including the Pineapple Express Train Tour, the Plantation Garden Tour, and the Pineapple Garden Maze.
Travel Tip #5: Download the Dole Plantation brochure for two must-have coupons – receive a free regular Dole Whip with the purchase of two Dole Whip cones, and receive 10% off one adult admission to the Pineapple Express Train Tour!
Day 7 – The BIG Day plus Water Park
As mentioned, the main purpose of this vacation was for Radwin and I to renew our vows on our 10-year wedding anniversary. We couldn’t think of a better way than a private ceremony at Waimanalo Beach, officiated by Just Married Hawaii. The kiddos were super excited to be our "witnesses" but their patience ran out after 10 minutes. Apparently crab hunting on the beach was much more fun.
The celebration continued at Wet 'n' Wild Hawaii, the only water park in the state of Hawaii. Located in Kapolei on the west (leeward) side of Oahu, the park occupies 29 acres of land and has more than 25 rides and attractions. While a number of rides were closed, due to staffing shortages, we still had a great time, adults included.
Travel Tip #6: Save 10% when purchasing admission tickets at least 24 hours in advance online. The Family Fun Bundled Package (valued at $295) is only available online for $250 and it includes single-day admissions for 2 adults and 2 children, meal vouchers plus a soft drink for everyone, preferred reserved seating at the Hawaiian Waters Wave Pool, and free parking.
We topped the day off with a short visit to Aulani Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina. Important to note: self parking is not available for day guests on weekends. Our only option was valet parking at $37 per day but parking validation was available with a minimum purchase of $49 from the gift shops.
Days 8, 9 & 10 – Waikiki
After several days of activities, we kept the next two days really simply and low key. It involved our morning Waikiki Beach routine, and checking out the shops at Waikiki Beach Walk, Royal Hawaiian Center and everything in-between. We also fit in another visit to the Ala Moana Center.
For the third day, we switched up our morning routine with a swim in the outdoor rooftop pool at Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger. The afternoon was spent watching Jurassic World in our hotel suite followed by a beautiful sunset on the beach.
Day 11 – Diamond Head
Diamond Head, a volcanic crater formed about 400,000 to 500,000 years ago during a rejuvenation-stage eruption of the Koʻolau Volcano, is the most iconic volcanic formation in all of Hawaii. It is rumored that the Summit of Diamond Head Crater offers stunning views of Honolulu, the southern shoreline and the Pacific Ocean.
I had full intentions of hiking from the base to the summit but we only got as far as Kahala Lookout. The elevation gain combined with the hot, humid temperature of 33°C made it difficult for us to carry on without a car. The view at Kahala Lookout was nothing to laugh at though!
We also went for our PCR tests as negative results were required to board the flight home. While many online discussions recommended CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens for free drive-thru testing (potentially for out-of-country travellers as well), I opted for paid tests with Clinical Labs of Hawaii. The cost was USD$120 per person but it gave me peace of mind that results would be available within 48 hours and accepted by the airline. We actually received our test results between 12 and 18 hours!
Day 12 & 13 – Waikiki
For our last two full days on Oahu, we alternated between the rooftop pool at Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger and Waikiki Beach. In-between the pool and being beach bums, we managed to fit in a couple of visits to Lawson Station for shave ice and Dole Whip, and a photo with the famous Duke Kahanamoku Statue. Duke Kahanamoku is the world's greatest watermen and the "father of modern surfing”.
Travel Tip #7: There is a 10% coupon for any shave ice, Uncle’s ice cream sandwich or Dole Whip at Lawson Station in Oahu’s Best Coupons. These mini coupon books can be found all around the island, usually in the brochure display bins along Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.
Day 14 – Departure
As all of our PCR tests returned with negative results, we didn’t have a reason not to go home and we were very sad to leave. Overall, this vacation was an unforgettable experience!
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