We changed into our swim wear and went to the beach. It was another super relaxing day, super sunny and warm and I saw my first sea turtle on that vacation. The following days where so relaxing and I was looking forward to my birthday. On my actual birthday we enjoyed pink pancakes (which are a must try at The Royal Hawaiian) and a glass of champagne on our hotel balcony, overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head Crater. We walked around the beach and went shopping, followed by cocktails at the “Rumfire” which is an incredible bar with spectacular views over Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head and is really close to The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Later that day we went on a helicopter ride which was special, because this time it was just the two of us and we flew “without” doors – in my opinion the best way if you want to take incredible pictures without reflections. On our trip to Maui we had a shared helicopter and doors on – so this was a different experience. Our dinner location for the night was Nobu and it was delicious. The day after my birthday was quiet and relaxed and we planned our hikes for the rest of the week.
One of our hikes included Diamond Head Crater which was absolutely stunning and not difficult at all. The path is easy to walk on and it took us about 20 minutes because we walked up really fast. The views are breathtaking and if the sky is clear you can enjoy views over Honolulu, Waikiki and Diamond Head itself. On our way back down we enjoyed the nature and talked to a local who explained that the color of the crater was different and special compared to its usual look. Due to heavy rainfalls the weeks prior to our arrival all of the vegetation was green, even the Crater turned its usually brownish cold look into a pretty intense green scenery. After our hike we went to another local coffee store and walked back to our hotel. We took a quick dip into the ocean and went to the bar “Rumfire” again, enjoyed sunset cocktails and Ahi Bowls. The day after we went on a road trip to the North Shore. Our first stop was the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, located at Kãne’ohe. I would highly recommend leaving the car and taking time to walk around and explore. You’ll see a lot more compared to just sitting and driving through. After the Botanical garden we drove further up north and stopped at Kaneohe Bay at Kuala Regional Beach Park and took a look at Mokolii, also known as Chinaman’s Hat. We walked alongside an empty beach until we reached Molii Fishpond looking toward the Koolau Mountain Range at Kualoa Ranch. Our rental car was a Mustang which worked very well on Oahu. Oahu has actual streets, even highways, compared to Maui where we did regret that car choice immediately. For a trip to Maui I highly recommend taking a jeep! We drove to the North Shore and the weather was perfect, just 5 minutes of showers which is not bad for that part of the island. The North Shore area is a famous surfing hot spot and we just sat at “The Pipe” for almost one hour and watched the waves crushing on to the shoreline. After sunset we were ready for dinner and drove into the next town, Haleiwa. We found a beautiful restaurant called “Haleiwa Beach House” with fantastic seafood, local cuisine and well mixed cocktails. The next morning we got up really early because we wanted to hike the Koko Crater Trail, which is better known as “Koko Head Stairs”. This hike will test your endurance and strength with over 1000 steps to reach the top! It is a challenge but absolutely worth it, it is fun and the rewarding panoramic view is worth every drop of sweat. We started our hike at 5:30 AM and tried to reach the top before sunrise. Oahu was an incredible island and I just loved being there. Even though it is more touristy compared to Maui I’m really looking forward to go back soon. Maybe we should explore another island during our next stay
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