{"id":2579,"date":"2019-08-29T08:26:54","date_gmt":"2019-08-29T08:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/expedia.blog.au.local\/oahu-the-easiest-romantic-holiday-ever\/"},"modified":"2022-08-08T23:29:28","modified_gmt":"2022-08-08T23:29:28","slug":"oahu-the-easiest-romantic-holiday-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/oahu-the-easiest-romantic-holiday-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"Oahu \u2013 the easiest romantic holiday ever"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oahu. A land where swaying palm trees and aquamarine beaches meet fine dining and five star hotels. Where surfing, smoothie shacks coupled with road trips to meet dinosaurs are part of the everyday. Where honeymooners dance under the stars and couples curl up on the beach in cabanas. It\u2019s almost too easy to turn on the wow factor on the most famous of Hawaii Islands<\/a>, so if you\u2019re looking for a getaway that is high on romance and low on effort, this is it.<\/p>\n

One stop wonder<\/h2>\n

Oahu has long been the favoured hotspot of Aussies looking for a one stop shop \u2013 one non stop flight and you\u2019ll be sipping Mai Tai cocktails on the beach. Even before you leave the tarmac, the holiday starts now. Hawaiian Airlines greets passengers with the ukulele playing on the plane speakers, chocolate covered macadamias on your meal tray and in some cases, a rum punch before landing. Departing Sydney and Brisbane daily, you\u2019ll cruise to Honolulu in around ten hours, enjoying a menu designed by Executive Chef Lee Anne Wong, who has her own famed Koko Head Cafe in Honolulu. We’re talking treats like Chicken Adobo and chocolate covered macadamias. And that’s just in the main cabin. Business class menus include the likes of Crab and Sweet Corn Cakes and Warm Teriyaki Salmon Salad, with Chilled Guava Strawberry Pie for dessert. You’ll disembark at Honolulu’s open air Daniel K. Inouye International Airport terminal with a smile on your face and a few Hawaiian melodies in your heart.<\/p>\n

Sunsets deliver<\/h2>\n

The sun sets on Waikiki Beach at 7pm in summer, tinging the length of one of the world\u2019s most famous beaches in dappled pink and purple as it dips below the horizon. It doesn\u2019t quite get as pink as the Royal Hawaiian\u2019s famous blush coloured fa\u00e7ade, but it\u2019s a show rarely interrupted by rain or bad weather. One of the best spots to soak it up is from the manicured lawn of The Royal Hawaiian<\/a>, where the famous hotel\u2019s luau takes place every Monday and Thursday. The fading light is the backdrop for a spectacular visual storytelling of Hawaii\u2019s past, starting with a slow, peaceful hula, before speeding things up with fire twirling and some seriously impressive hip work. The show doesn\u2019t kick off until the sun is setting \u2013 guests spend the hour prior basking in the warm weather tucking in to a buffet of traditional Hawaiian slow cooked pork, heirloom tomato salads, Korean ribs, ginger fried rice and of course, the Royal Hawaiian\u2019s famous pink coconut cake for dessert. Not all luau\u2019s are created equal and \u00a0the Royal Hawaiian luau is a show stealer. The sunset is the icing on the cake.<\/p>\n

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First lady of Waikiki<\/h2>\n

Since 1901, the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa<\/a>, has been considered the grand dame of hotels lining the white shores of Waikiki. The original Beaux Arts style building at its heart, \u00a0has all the glamour of Gone with the Wind, gone tropical \u2013 walk under the archways and ionic columns, past the grand wooden staircase, out to the open air courtyard where a mighty Banyan tree reigns over rocking chairs, outdoor bar and the pool, before sinking your feet into the sand. These days the new tower wings host additional guests, but everything retains the white, creamy tone, from the beds to the balconies. The ground floor wrap around verandah hosts the Beach Club Lounge on one wing, where guests in suites and above can pop in day and night for breakfast, snacks and canap\u00e9s \u00ad\u2013 the mini macadamia muffins in the morning are a must \u2013 and the chic Beachhouse restaurant on the other wing. Dinner here is a fine dining affair, with glasses of crisp French ros\u00e9, an Ocean raw bar with ahi sashimi, kona abalone and lobster, and a mighty Tomahawk steak that goes down a treat with creamy local garlic mashed potatoes and a glass of red. Don\u2019t go past the chocolate s’mores for dessert; a sphere of dark chocolate cracks over vanilla gelato, graham crumbs and gooey handmade marshmallow. Unlike many of the hotels on Waikiki Beach, you can walk straight through the Moana\u2019s front door, look past the banyan tree and see the water in front of you \u2013 you\u2019re on the sand in a minute flat. This is the spot for unrivaled beach access, without the crowds. It feels intimate and special, and these days that\u2019s precious.<\/p>\n

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Dish it up<\/h2>\n

If you thought Hawaii was all about burgers on the beach, think again. There are restaurants for every type of cuisine clustered just back from the beach \u2013 Asian, Italian, Mexican, American, and every kind of fusion in between. If you\u2019re after a special meal, make a beeline to the open air rooftop of the International Market Place<\/a> shopping centre. Called the Grand Lanai level, this is where you\u2019ll find the serious food, in clever open air dining that lets you sit out under the stars or soak up some air conditioning. STRIPSTEAK WAIKIKI<\/a> takes things up a notch, with an indoor outdoor bar leading into a super sleek dining room where you’ll find some of the island’s best served steak. Ask for one of the chic booths alongside the black rock walls to watch the magic unfold. Chef Michael Mina has a reputation for serving up showstoppers all around the world and he doesn\u2019t disappoint in Hawaii. Dry aged beef, trios of duck fat chips, steak tartare with quail egg, salads made with local Waipoli greens, and a caviar ‘twinkee’ are just a taste of the menu. The flamb\u00e9 Maui Gold pineapple foster is flamed right at your table and served straight up in a half cut piece with haupia sorbet and vanilla-infused rum. It’s the new crepe suzette and we\u2019re never going back.<\/p>\n

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Shop<\/h2>\n

If you want to shop, Hawaii is your spot. Unlike other American hubs where the malls are outside of town, you\u2019re spoilt for choice without even leaving the Waikiki strip. Walk off dinner with a peruse of the International Marketplace shops \u2013 the likes of Kate Hudson\u2019s own legging label Fabletics, Sketchers, Anthropologie, Abercrombie and Fitch await. Duck into Tesla on your way out of the International Market Place, head down the street to Macy’s, Victoria\u2019s Secret and Sephora. If you\u2019re after a proper mall experience, Ala Moana is only 10 minutes down the road, just past Ala Wai Boat Harbor. The good news is, there\u2019s no need to stress about your luggage limits. Hawaiian Airlines\u2019 bag policy will cover you, with 2 x 32kg bags for all international departures.<\/p>\n

Meet the dinosaurs<\/h2>\n

\"\"Hop in your Jeep and head north for an hour to Kualoa Ranch for a fix of star power to up the voltage of your romantic getaway. The Private Nature Reserve sprawls over 1,500 hectares of Oahu\u2019s most spectacular forest, valley and mountains \u2013 making it the favourite for some of the world’s biggest movies. Its major claim to fame is Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. You’ll spot classic scenes and even sets from the movies throughout the property, including jumbo sized dino bones. There’s also locations included in King Kong, Lost, Jumanji and a host of other movie shows. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to exploring the Ranch. There are ATV tours, horseback riding tours, VIP movie tours, trolley tours \u2013 almost every type of tour departs from the ranch style home base, which feels a little like an extremely well run school camp, but it\u2019s the ziplining tour<\/a> where you get to see the real star. The rainforest. Over two hours you zip through the ‘Jurassic Valley’, across seven different zip lines and two suspension bridges, laughing, screaming, canon balling, jumping and even superman flying over trees and rivers. It\u2019s a birds eye view up close, with the longest zip line stretching nearly 400 metres through the valley. The guides are a well rehearsed cast, sharing quick history lessons in culture, botany and history; their jokes are still fresh and their efficiency at latching you on and off each zip line in record time is impressive.<\/p>\n

At the heart of history<\/h2>\n

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Take a few hours and head indoors (yes it may sound counterintuitive, but trust us it’s worth it) to explore the Bishop Museum<\/a>. Officially the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, this beautiful historic building dates back to the late 1800s, and is housed in what was once a boys school. These days the halls house artifacts and objects from the islands of Hawaii’s dramatic past. Everything from whale skeletons to towering Kahili feather standards are on display \u2013 with each room more dramatic than the next. Navigating the maze-like staircases is part of the fun, the building is on display as much as the unique pieces of Hawaiian history. Save time to duck across the manicured lawns to the Science Adventure Center included in admission. Big kids will enjoy simulating waves and learning about volcanoes.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Getting there<\/h2>\n

Oahu is the easiest of the Hawaiian Islands to get to from Australia \u2013 hop straight aboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight departing daily from Sydney and three times a week from Brisbane and you’ll heading to the beach in no time. If you want to splurge and really arrive in style, try the Business Class seats on the Airbus A330 \u2013 lie-flat beds, top notch food and wine, great entertainment the whole way.<\/p>\n

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For great deals on the Hawaiian Islands, click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Lisa Perkovic was the guest of Hawaii Tourism and Hawaiian Airlines<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oahu. A land where swaying palm trees and aquamarine beaches meet fine dining and five star hotels. Where surfing, smoothie shacks coupled with road trips to meet dinosaurs are part of the everyday. Where honeymooners dance under the stars and couples curl up on the beach in cabanas. It\u2019s almost too easy to turn on… Continue reading Oahu \u2013 the easiest romantic holiday ever<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,2,3,39,14,7,494,74,4,20],"tags":[],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-2579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destination","category-experiences","category-explore","category-food-and-wine","category-interests","category-oceania","category-romance","category-shopping","category-type-of-holidays","category-usa","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOahu \u2013 the easiest romantic holiday ever - Expedia AU Stories<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com.au\/stories\/oahu-the-easiest-romantic-holiday-ever\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Oahu \u2013 the easiest romantic holiday ever - Expedia AU Stories\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Oahu. 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