Happy New Year, friends! I'm still reminiscing about the sunshine and family time I soaked up in Hawaii just a few weeks ago. Here's Holiday in Hawaii - December 2020 - Part 3, which covers Day 4 and Day 5 of our trip to visit my parent's home on the island of Oahu! <3
Day 4 - Hike to the Pink Pillbox, Swimming and Sunset at Secret Beach, Ramen Ya for Dinner
Pink Pillbox Hike
The Pink Pillbox Hike, or Puu O Hulu, is probably one of the most instagrammed spots on Oahu. Therefore, be forewarned of people doing crazy dangerous poses on the edge of the cliffs and pillboxes. Overall, this was a great 1.6-ish mile hike! Until the fourth and final pillbox, where you had to traverse across a ridgeline and basically tight-rope walk over a plummet to the ground hundreds of feet below! (Slight exaggeration maybe.)
It was really neat to see the beautiful artwork people had painted inside the pillboxes. And while the first two pillboxes were covered in art inside and outside, the pink pillbox was left relatively untouched, to bask in all of its pink glory.
Secret Beach
This was my favorite beach that we went to during this trip! It's located near Aulani, the Disney Resort. I have no clue what the actual name for this beach/lagoon is, because my parents just kept calling it "secret beach". It was a pretty small beach, which meant less people, and that made it perfect for snorkeling and relaxing.
For nearly four hours, we switched back and forth between snorkeling in the water and sun bathing on the beach. We saw so many cool fishies here, including parrot fish, needle fish and Humuhumunukunukuapua`a (Hawaii's state fish)! We even saw Gill from Nemo (aka a moorish idol)!
AND we even swam with a mama turtle and its baby! WHAT? YES! THAT HAPPENED!!! Turtles sometimes like to swim in really shallow water, so we snorkeled with them in like 2-foot-deep water. It was magical. We kept our distance though, because it's illegal to touch a turtle in Hawaii and they are protected animals. 🙂
My parents eventually joined us on this beach and we watched another gorgeous island sunset together. I'll never get tired of watching the sun rise and set over the ocean here in Hawaii. <3
Dinner at Ramen Ya
After a day of hiking and snorkeling, we were ready to feast! We drove to Ramen Ya and I got the katsu chicken ramen with miso broth. It was so delicious and filling after an adventurous day!
Day 5 - Tour Aulani Disney Resort, Snorkeling at Secret Beach, Liliha Bakery, Sunset on Magic Island
Aulani Disney Resort
Disney built a gorgeous resort on Oahu called Aulani. After all the fun we had the previous day at Secret Beach, we wanted to go back again today for more fun! Since Aulani is just down the road, we took a quick tour of the impressive resort.
Someday, I'd love to bring my whole family here to enjoy a week in paradise AND Disney combined! It looks so fun!
Secret Beach
Here's Secret Beach Part 2! Today held more snorkeling with the fish and more napping in the sun. I could get used to this! 😉
Liliha Bakery
Okay, let me tell you the real reason I came to Oahu. Poi mochi donuts from Liliha Bakery. Poi is made of taro, which is a root vegetable, so basically these donuts count as my salad for the day, right? They are so chewy and delicious! If you've ever had poi or taro before, it's not super sweet. And these donuts aren't tooth-ache sweet either, which makes them dangerous because I want to eat like seventeen thousand of them.
Ala Moana Beach
Ala Moana is a popular spot for swimming, surfing, jogging, sun bathing and shopping. We sat on the Magic Island jetty and watched the magnificent sun fall behind the horizon, while a man nearby was practicing fire dancing.
The area is so lively and full of people taking swimming lessons in the water, jogging on the paths, taking a stroll in the romantic light, and whatever else they felt like doing. There was even a girl in a mermaid skirt playing the clarinet for everyone.
More Travel Posts about Hawaii
Check out Part 1 of our trip, when we landed in Oahu and watched the sunset at Sand Island on Day 1. Then on Day 2, hiked to the Lanikai Pillboxes and went on an epic beach tour, ending at Waikiki Beach for a swim in the ocean and sunset with pineapple dole whip.
Check out Part 2 of our trip, when we went snorkeling at Shark's Cove, devoured shave ice, toured a few more beaches and watched the sunset at Barber's Point, all on Day 3.
Rebekkah Lenora
You can never have too many palm tree pics! 😄
InsideMySlingBag
Beautiful captures and a lovely post, that donut sure looked temptingly deliciousâ£ï¸
strawberryandcream
Aw thank you! â¤ï¸ it's a super gorgeous place!!
Lani
Stunning photos <3 I remember a friend posting something about turtles coming back... kind of crazy, I mean, the big ones you might see on the beach somewhere on the outer islands, but growing up, we never saw them. The photo that my friend posted as a baby in the ocean. Made me tear up a bit 😛
strawberryandcream
Seeing wild turtles in person was so special ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ And everyone was super protective of the turtles which was so touching to see! 💕
infinitelyadaydreamer
How picture perfect! I'll never stop gushing about how much I love your travel diaries. They are out of this world! Those pillboxes are very interesting. You're sort of cocooned in them but there's a gap to see out into the big world. The art is very unique. I paused to read the writing and felt very connected to the words on the artwork titled breathe. It really speaks to the divine and spiritual connection between Mother Earth and all her people- we truly are brothers and sisters in this race. There is no real division other than that which we create. Definitely something we should tune into more during moments of meditation!
I wonder how old that tree with its overgrown roots is.. I can only imagine what a journey its been on to look that way. For so long it's stood tall and firm, slowly taking over all that surrounds it. It's amazing how so much can change and others things stay consistent, no matter how much time passes. That Chapel at Aulani looks like a place you'd find in Greece with those beautiful cool mediterranean colours! The design is so beachy. I imagine the weddings there would be blissful. The churches in other parts of the world can get so bland and boring. I love seeing the different architecture from place to place. The pastries you got look so fluffy too! Poi Mochi donuts. Very cute, very kawaii.
strawberryandcream
Thank you so much!!! 💕 It did feel surprisingly safe inside the pillboxes, and the views through their gaps were incredible! And I agree, all the paintings and drawings on the walls were reminders to slow down and really appreciate the space and the fact that we were standing on a diverse island made from a volcano in the middle of the ocean!
Literally that tree was so inspiring 🌲 I love how you describe it!
Disney knows how to make a place feel magical, you gotta hand it to them 😉
Have you ever been to Hawaii? â¤ï¸
Markus + Micah
Lucky you! We hope this trip refreshed you and filled you with good spirit. Your angel photo was lovely. Happy 2021!
strawberryandcream
Hehe thank you! â˜ºï¸ It definitely refreshed us. You know how spending time in a place completely different from your usual surroundings can reset your brain? That's how we felt 💕
It also re-lit the travel bug and I can't wait until my partner gets his passport so we can travel internationally (also waiting for when it's safer to do so) 🙃
Markus + Micah
Yes, definitely. It is like the sky opens up and the lungs expand. Lovely joys of travel. Envy you so much! Good luck with the passport, and here is to wishing we get to travel more this year.
strawberryandcream
Thank you! And same to you, I hope you guys get to travel again soon 😊
Happy Panda
Love the photos - looks like you had an amazing time. I miss the beach - can't wait to head there. 😊
The goodies from Liliha bakery look so so so delish especially that Poi Mochi donut. *Mouth is watering*
Secret beach looks like the perfect beacb. â¤ï¸
strawberryandcream
Thank you!! The beaches were definitely a highlight! We don't really have beaches that are ever warm enough to swim in here in Oregon 😛 I hope you get to squish your toes in the warm sand and swim in the ocean soon! 🌊☀ï¸
I could have eaten like all the poi Michu donuts in that bakery. I'm pretty sure I ate all four that are in the photo 😅
singingandsauerkraut
Looks divine! Lovely pictures. Thanks for posting and Happy New Year to you!
strawberryandcream
Thank you!! It was a marvelous trip - can't wait to go back!! What's your dream destination at the moment? ðŸ˜
singingandsauerkraut
I'm glad! I've been obsessed with Norway lately I'd love to visit and try out their thermal baths 😂ðŸ˜
strawberryandcream
Norway is high on my bucket list! The glass ceiling igloos to see the northern lights are a dream 🥰
singingandsauerkraut
Oh stop! Hope you get there soon 😊
Sheryl
Great photos - Hawaii looks wonderful. Happy new year!
strawberryandcream
Thank you, Sheryl! Have you ever been to Hawaii? ☺ï¸
Azilde Elizabeth
I am so glad you had an amazing time! It looks so beautiful! Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year! 🎆
strawberryandcream
Thank you so much! It was our dream-come-true trip for sure â¤ï¸ðŸ¥° Happy New Year to you too!! 😊
Yum-number1
I hope there's 500 more parts to this Hawaii trip! I love reading it!
strawberryandcream
Haha! â¤ï¸ Thank you! My trip wasn't quite that long ðŸ˜