When you\u2019re flying into Honolulu, all you can think about is getting to a beach. You’ll find Expedia\u2019s Aussie travellers in hordes at the family-friendly resorts clustered around Waikiki. But there\u2019s only so many rays you can soak up on the average four day trip.<\/p>\n
When you need a break from the bikini-clad beauties sprawled on the white sand of Waikiki, and you’ve done your dash around the huge Ala Moana Shopping Center, rent a Mustang (with a GPS) and go for a drive with the wind in your hair.<\/p>\n
The island of Oahu has plenty of surprises and there\u2019s a lot more on offer than resorts and beaches. In fact there\u2019s almost too many quirky and picturesque places to stop, so I’ve mapped out a road trip that takes in my top picks.<\/p>\n
Set off in an anti-clockwise direction. Keep the ocean on your right hand side \u2013 the same side your car will be on \u2013 so you can easily pull off at little beaches or stop for sudden photo ops.<\/p>\n
If you start early, head south from Waikiki on Hwy 72, past Diamond Head, and around the coastline for snorkelling at Hanauma Bay. This has the most fish in one area for all of Hawaii and with clear, shallow water, it\u2019s the most popular snorkelling spot in Oahu. The bay is a listed nature preserve and there\u2019s around a $5 entry fee. We bought $10 snorkels and masks from the ABC Stores dotted all over Honolulu.<\/p>\n
But if you don\u2019t have a spare two-three hours to spend weaving your way around gorgeous beaches, cut out the lower part of Oahu and head instead from Waikiki across the Pali Hwy (61) to Kailua Bay. You\u2019ll find several quiet, idyllic beaches perfect for a picnic and a swim.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From Kailua, take the coastal Kamehameha Hwy to Kualoa Ranch. You might have seen the family-owned property on the big screen \u2013 it was used in movies including Jurassic Park, Pearl Harbour and 50 First Dates \u2013 visitors can take\u00a0Adventure Tours<\/a>\u00a0around the property, on horseback or in ATVs to check out ancient fishing lagoons and movie sets. Allow at least an hour for a tour.<\/p>\n Not far from Kualoa is another place worth stopping at: the Polynesian Cultural Center, celebrating 50 years this year. The interactive park represents seven Polynesian nations, their culture, art and music, all in one place. Walk from Tahiti to Samoa, Fiji and Aotearoa (New Zealand), Tonga and Hawaii. You can book a\u00a0Show<\/a>\u00a0package or hop on an evening tour from Waikiki for dinner and a show.<\/p>\n Continue north on the Hwy and keep an eye out for the shrimp trucks parked on the side of the road. We stopped for lunch at Fumi\u2019s. The original dilapidated truck sits out front, but these days the kitchen is in a bright blue shack near shaded picnic tables and the shrimp breeding ponds.<\/p>\n Now you\u2019re almost at the North Shore, where the waves are huge during Winter (October to March) and only the brave and daring take to them. In summer, this is another gentle beach where you\u2019ll find paddle boarders and young families cooling off.<\/p>\n Take a surfing lesson with the\u00a0North Shore Surf Girls<\/a>\u00a0or just along from here are more snorkelling spots – Turtle Bay and Shark Cove. Don\u2019t worry, there are no sharks!<\/p>\n As you head back down to Waikiki on Hwy 99, stop at the\u00a0Dole Pineapple Plantation<\/a>. There\u2019s a little train and fun maze for the kids, plus a fascinating tour of the plantation. Top the stop off with a sweet pineapple snow-freeze ice cream.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got time, call in at the Waikele Shopping Outlets for 50 discounted fashion stores or pay your respects to the marines killed by the Japanese at the beginning of WWII at Pearl Harbor, on a\u00a0Home of the Brave Tour<\/a>. If you haven\u2019t been here before, and you really want to visit, my advice would be to make this trip at the beginning of the day to ensure you get entry tickets for the sunken USS Arizona, which still holds the bodies of the men and women who died that day.<\/p>\n Now you\u2019re back at Waikiki, park the car and go in search of somewhere lovely to watch the sunset. Have dinner and sigh, \u201cthis is the life\u201d.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for somewhere to sleep, the reasonably priced 3.5 star properties along the beach are popular with Aussies. Try\u00a0Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach<\/a>, the\u00a0Embassy Suites Hotel<\/a>\u00a0or the\u00a0Holiday Inn Resort Waikiki Beachcomber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Images: Steve MacAulay, SuperStock and Getty Images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The island of Oahu has a lot more on offer than resorts and beaches. I’ve mapped out a road trip that takes in my top picks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,6,2,3,14,20],"tags":[139,140],"authors":[],"class_list":["post-94","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventure","category-destination","category-experiences","category-explore","category-interests","category-usa","tag-hawaii","tag-oahu","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHungry Travellers<\/h2>\n
<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n
Surf\u2019s Up<\/h2>\n
Final Stops<\/h2>\n