Earlier this month, my friends and I headed to a bucket list destination: Hawaii! Surprisingly enough, being such an avid traveler, Hawaii was never really on my radar, but I'm so glad I went, as it was not my typical travel destination! Also because of this, I was kinda open to anything my friends suggested because I didn't have my usual set list of things I MUST hit. This was a whole new experience for me! Hopefully this guide will be a recourse if you ever find yourself visiting this Polynesian Gem of a state. We hit up two Islands: Oahu and Maui and I'm gonna break it allll down for you!
Oahu:
We started our adventure in Oahu, specifically the North Shore of Oahu. I specify this, because I was very surprised to find that Honolulu (where we flew into ) was very "city" like. Not at all what I imagined. This was true for Waikiki as well. I'm so glad we stayed on the North Shore which was much more quintessential Hawaii.
Where we stayed:
We chose VRBO for both of our accommodations on each island. Boujee hotels in Hawaii are extremely expensive so I'm glad we went with the VRBO option, especially being a group of friends, having 2 bedroom condos worked out perfectly!
In Oahu our Condo was a part of Turtle Bay Resort. This may sound familiar to you from the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was filmed there! Staying here was perfect, because we got all of the amenities of staying in a luxury hotel, without the price, since we were in a VRBO condo on the property! Talk about BoujE on a Budget! The condo was great, very spacious, clean and right on the golf course. We could also walk to all the restaurants and the beach! Check out some picture of the resort below!
What we Did?
Kualoa Ranch: This is a must visit if you are in Oahu! Kualoa Ranch is a gorgeous piece of land where you can visit and partake in many fun activities among the amazing Mountain range. Fun Fact! this is where Jurassic Park and many other famous movies were filmed! Some of the activities you can do here include zip lining, ATVing, horse back riding and a Movie Tour. Two of our friends ziplined and said it was amazing and my other friend and I did the movie tour which was awesome! ( I Chickened out of the zip lining...)
Visit Pearl Harbor: Pearl Harbor was a great experience to learn about a critical day in our Countries History. It was so educational and certainly a day we wont forget. You can book tickets to go on a boat out to the site of the USS Arizona Memorial the day before you visit.
Hike Diamon Head Volcano: OK as a person who isn't really a "Hiker" per se, I will say, this was certainly out of my wheel house for typical Vacation activities. This was tough for me, but very worth it! The views were gorgeous and we had a fun time doing it! Prepare for a lot of stairs, bring water and wear better shoes than I did lolz
Visit Waikiki Brewing: My friends are big brewery people! We love trying out different ones around the country! Waikiki did no disappoint! The vibes were on point and the drinks and food were even better!
Onto my fav thing to talk about, where we ate!
Every night in Oahu, we ate right at Turtle Bay. It was so convenient and the restaurants were all **chefs kiss**
Alaia: Alaia is located right near the pool, with stunning views of the pool and Ocean, this place was a vibe. The food was awesome and they served a cocktail in a giant copper turtle, which we were all naturally obsessed with!
Beach House: Beach house is located down by Turtle Bay's Private Beach. This restaurant was featured in many scenes of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was so fun to see in real life. The sushi and drinks were incredible! Despite the quality and upscale nature of both restaurants at Turtle Bay, they were both reasonably priced!
We also got drinks at the Turtle Bay Beach Bar. The cocktails and scenery were perfect after a day of exploring the island!
For Breakfast, the Sunrise Shack, located right across the beach was perfect for grab and go coffee, avo toast, homemade banana bread and acai bowels. Also the place is so cute and so insta- worthy
Now onto the next Island! Maui!
We took a quick 40 min flight via Hawaiian Air to Maui and we were onto our next Adventure.
Where We Stayed?
Again, VRBO came in clutch! I found the Waiohuli Beach Hale Condo in Kihei. This was centrally located, right on the beach with a pool and was perfect for our group! Both condos were a steal as far as price is concerned, only about 375 each for the four of us! Again, a great option to still be able to experience Hawaii, without the expense of a highly priced resort! Check out the link to this VRBO on the picture below.
What We Did?
We continued to be very adventurous in Maui, starting with the famous Road to Hana! We attempted to do the "Reverse Road to Hana" , which was a recommendation to avoid the traffic and see some lesser known spots, however about 3/4 of the way, the road was closed due to multiple landslides so we turned around and did the traditional route! I suggest looking into that ahead of time to avoid a reallllyyy long day of driving. For our Road to Hana Tour, we used an app called Shaka Guide. This was great because it told us all the best spots to stop and gave tips and tricks along the way. The Road to Hana is terrifying at points but also incredibly gorgeous. You definitely need an all wheel drive car and an experienced, GOOD driver. You know ya girl was in the back seat the whole time! Some of my favorite Highlights were all of the amazing waterfalls, the black sand beach and obviously Coconut Glens, a vegan coconut ice cream hut!
Snorkeling at Molokini: This was by far my favorite thing we did on the trip! We booked a boat and snorkeling tour thru Viator and it was a blast! The fish in this area, inspired Finding Nemo and you could definitely tell! The colors of the fish and coral were gorgeous and the boat ride thru the Hawaiian Islands was one for the books!
Watch the Sunset at Haleakala : Ok I'm not gonna lie, I had a slight (ok big) panic attack on the drive up to Haleakala Summit, but it was totally worth it. I've seen a lot of gorgeous sunsets around the world from Italy to Iceland, and this one was one of the most amazing. Bring some wine and take in the moment. And don't freak out if you're driving thru dense "fog" on the way up, its really just the clouds and apparently nothing to worry about hahah
Visit the Beach: Duh, you're in Hawaii and among some of the best beaches in the world! My favorites were Waileia and Big Beach. The waves at Big Beach were insane! Some up to 14 feet! So beware if you're going to take a dip. I preferred to sunbathe.
Old Lahaina Luau: Another crowd favorite activity we did in Maui! You cant go to Hawaii and not go to a Luau and Old Lahaina was perfect! I cant say enough good things about this experience! It was perfect! The setting was serene, the food and drinks were great and the traditional Hawaiian Performances were the perfect way to learn about Hawaiian Culture. I HIGHLY recommend this!
Speaking of Lahaina, I also suggest carving out some time to spend a few hours in the downtown area. Its such a cute little beach town with lots of great shops, restaurants and bars! We loved the Dirty Monkey Bar and Down the Hatch
Maui Brewing Company: I told you, this group loves a good Brewery. Maui Brewing Co was awesome. Such a great location, awesome food and drinks and extremely friendly staff. If you're a craft beer lover, this is a must stop!
Where We Ate:
Remember when I said earlier I like to stay in VRBOs or Airbnbs in certain locations because its cheaper than the Luxury Resorts, well I'm still a sucker for a luxury resort obvi, and going for dinner and drinks is a great way to experience those beautiful places without the extravagant price tag. And that's exactly what we did at The Four Seasons Maui. I felt like I died and went to heaven in this gorgeous place. We ate at Ferraros and it was perfect. The braised short rib pesto pasta with truffles was a freaking party in my mouth! We even came back to Ferraros the next day for a drink and I had the best Aperol Spritz I've ever had in my life! Maybe some day I'll actually STAY at the Four Seasons, but until then, I'll be dreaming of that restaurant and their overpriced, but incredibly delicious sunset cocktails!
Monkey Pod: We had to come here for lunch because it has been voted the best Mai Tai in Maui for 8 years straight! I gotta say, I'm not a huge Mai Tai chick, but this was GOOD. The rooftop patio was so cute and the apps were awesome!
Ekolu Kitchen: This was actually my favorite meal of the whole trip! I got Pumpkin Raviolis with Shrimp Scampi and it was heavenly.
Gazebo: Apparently this is quite the cult favorite amongst tourists and locals. We had multiple recommendations for this place. Its super incognito, located behind a condo complex, but right on the water. We were told they're known for their variety of pancakes and fried rice, and unlikely combo but trust me when I tell you, these are some dishes your taste buds will truly never forget!
Well there you have it. My official BoujE on a Budget Travel Guide to Maui and Oahu! Many parts of this trip were out of my comfort zone, but it was such an incredible adventure that I will never forget! I hope this, and any of the travel reviews I've written, inspire you to get out there and explore this amazing world! So what are you waiting for, book that ticket and get packing!
Thanks for reading,
xoxo
Elisa
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