Best of Oahu, HI

Aloha! This time not from Hawai'i but from my apartment's living room in New York. Depressing? VERY...I miss Hawaii. What is it about vacation, or maybe coming back to work, that makes us feel sooo miserable? I honestly don't know but, third day in the office and I'm feeling sick.

Alright, enough with the complaining. I've been telling myself all day to stop whining and I am doing just that. Let's cheer up with some highlights of my lovely travel to a Hawaiian island.

Oahu is a fantastic place. The rest of the Hawaiian islands are still on my list of places to visit but for now I am checking off Oahu from the list, and recommending my favorite things from that amazing little island.

The Guide: Discover, Honolulu, Waikiki, & Oahu from +Lonely Planet 

This is the first travel guide I've bought and it was perfect.
It's organized by sections (Honolulu, Waikiki, North Shore, Windward Corast, etc.)
which made it really easy to plan every day.

Best Beach: Waimanalo Beach Park.

Beautiful clear water and perfect sand. We visited Waimanalo on a rainy day and it still turned out to be my favorite.

Best Hike: Koko Head.

Aloha from the top of Koko Head! You will get the best workout from hiking to the top of 
this inactive volcano crater. At one point I thought about crawling my way to the top - that's how good it was.

Best Food: Shrimp Scampi from Giovanni's Shrimp Truck.

I don't have words to describe how good this Shrimp Scampi tasted. Giovanni's truck is located on the North Shore of Oahu. Surrounded by many more food trucks all selling delicious seafood but Giovanni's Shrimp was the best shrimp I've ever had...ever.  The shrimp is cooked and served with the shell - I believe that's one of the tricks of such deliciousness but a real hassle when hungry.

Best Dessert: Haupia (coconut) Malasada from Leonard's Bakery

Ooh, yum! This portuguese-style doughnut was the perfect dessert.  Obsessed with coconut I had to order the haupia filling but I've heard the chocolate one is delicious too. 

Best Entertainment: Hula Show in Kuhio Beach. 

Great free Hula show in Waikiki. One of my favorite Hawaiian things is the Hula dance because it's composed of  harmonious wave-like movements. Very peaceful. 

Have you been to a Hawaiian Island? Share your favorite travel foods, beaches, and hikes in a comment below. Mahalao (thank you) & cheers to more vacations!

The hubby & I at Lanikai Beach (North Shore) . My favorite, perfect fit bikini from +Ann Taylor find it here.

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