Eclectic Trips

Hawaii’s North Shore has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world- often it is hard to chose between all the various offerings. After spending some time here, I have settled on a few that are my personal favorites, and kept going back to them..

Shark's cove

Shark’s cove, is not a great beach for laying out but it is a great beach for snorkeling and taking gorgeous photos. The lagoons and the rocks around them attract all sorts of beautiful fish, and the water is shallow enough for people who are not great swimmers to enjoy some fun easy snorkeling. We took some photos here close to sunset and they turned out quite beautiful- see for yourself.  There is also a quirky Japanese garden, with funky shaped trees and odd pyramids made of stones stacked on top of one another…hard to explain, you have to see for yourself. I have no idea who created this”oasis” or takes care of it, but it is certainly an interesting sight.

Right past shark’s cove on the way to Haleiwa is what  many  call “kid’s beach”. You can walk there from Shark’s cove parking lot. It’s a small lagoon with clear and relatively shallow water, and is perfect for kids. I really liked this beach- simple, shade under the trees, kids laughter everywhere. If you combine the snorkeling and views of Shark’s cove with relaxing time at this beach it makes for a perfect day…

Stone "pyramids""Garden" in Shark's cove

Across from Shark Cove we found the quirkiest  ” souvenir shop”- shark’s cove “trading post”. There is an awesome hippie Hawaiian man called Maui who has a small booth on the side of the road.  He collects all kinds of interesting beads from all over the world, art, artifacts, masks, trinkets- you name it. We got  a few really unique and beautiful pieces from him, and listened to his stories for a bit…it was a treat.

"Trading post"

"Trading post"

Outside the trading post

About half way between Shark’s cove and Waimea bay is Turtle beach. It is a cool stop for turtle watching- there is always at least one or two turtles, and usually someone who educated visitors about turtles and their behaviors. The turtles are huge and of course very passive- they just kinda lay there as turtles do:)  Some people snorkel here, but for me the water is too murky and there is too much seaweed pieces. This particular beach is nothing special in itself,  but definitely stop by to visit the turtles. 

A visitor at Turtle beachcool rocks at Turtle Beach

Waimea bay is a famous beach, and gets packed on the weekends but is still relatively quiet during the week. The water is cristal clear, and the sand is fine, there is really no shade anywhere though so you’d have to bring your own umbrella. On the left side of the beach is a big rock people dive of- there is usually a line to climb up and jump off. Even more to the left there is a small lagoon that is deserted most of the time- your own private beach if you get lucky. Picturesque rocks and a large black rock formation frame the lagoon, it’s pretty small and wind-free. Tons of colorful fish, the clearest water, and almost complete privacy- not counting the loud splashing of kids diving off the “rock” nearby. I love this lagoon in Waimea, it’s a truly magical place.

Waimea"private beach"

If you have a chance to visit North Shore beaches during the week as opposed to the weekend, definitely do so, as the beaches are at their best without the crowds… But even on the weekends these beauties will not disappoint.

Ocean House

Most of Waikiki dining options consist of chains,  fast food joints, and the generic overpriced hotel restaurants. Amongst this slew of unwelcome options I have discovered a few that are more my speed, and have been a frequent visitor. Hope to find more soon- variety is key

Ocean house is a creative seafood restaurant located in the Outrigger Reef hotel on Waikiki beach. The restaurant is open, with gorgeous sunset views and incredible light that changes from golden hour to sunset. The decor is  subdued Hawaiian style with grey and white columns, banquets and chairs covered in Hawaiian print, and waiters wearing different Hawaiian shirts. The upscale seafood is good and fresh, with creative presentation is and generous portions. I got two big pieces of Mahi Mahi for my main course- almost too large to finish. the service is very attentive, and a bit upselly. But the food is good and the views are incredible, and it’s definitely worth a visit or two. Call ahead and reserve an ocean view table. Find out when the sunset is and go about 30 minutes before, so you could be towards the end of your meal and on your second drink as the sun sets… Just the right mood

Ocean House

Mahi Mahi at Ocean House

Hale is a macrobiotic establishment on an unsuspecting side street near Ala Moana shopping mall. Modern, spacious and light with an open kitchen, I instantly loved the space when we walked in. Our waiter was attentive and knowelegebale, and just plain sweet- slightly over the top sweet perhaps, but endearing.  The menu consists of a nice variety of macrobiotic items and fresh caught local fish. For those not familiar with macrobiotic- the cuisine focuses on whole grains and vegetables as primary food groups, and supplements it with occasional fish and vegetable protein, sea vegetables and pickles. Hale’s dinner combo includes a protein, veggies, rice, greens, beans and pickles, oh and soup! Sounds filling? It is. Very much so- and delicious. We went with a large group, and everyone seemd to love their meals- judging by completely empty dishes the waiter took away after our meal. The dessert of pumpkin pudding was so pretty that we waited a while to eat it…just kept staring at it. It proved as delicious as it was beautifully presented- a rare feat. The menu also has quite a bit of variety, so returning here often and trying different things is definitely in the plans.

Open kitchen at HaleHale interior

Pumpkin pudding- Yum!

Dessert

Tamahiro and his dinner combo

I like a restaurant that has a line waiting for tables on a Tuesday evening. So i had pretty high expectations of  Siam Square  after waiting for 20 minutes.  We were finally sat at our table by a lovely server wearing traditional white Thai outfit. This second floor neat and super authentic place really delivered. The decor is simple and nice, with crisp white tablecloths, traditional Thai art and a several flat screens showcasing documentaries about the beauty of Thailand. We ordered the coconut soup, and when our waitress brought it, I thought it was too big, and between my husband and I we’d never finish it . Low and behold we were having a spoon fight over the last few drops. One of the best soups I’ve ever had.  The rest of the meal was just as delicious. Even my simple choice- Pad Thai was a pleasant surprise, as the shrimp (usually bland in most Pad Thai) were marinated and full of flavor. WE really enjoyed all aspects of our dinner here- from fast service with a smile, to the decor to the fantastic food.

As it turns out Waikiki does offer some interesting and surprisingly good dining options. You just have to loook a bit harder to discover them, but once you do the searchi is worth it:)

It is so refreshing to see a historical town without a single Starbucks. Haleiwa is virtually corporate franchise free. Nothing against Starbucks, I do enjoy a caramel macchiato as much as the next girl, but it is indeed nice to know that some places have not changed in the past 25 years, and are seemingly not planning to. Haleiwa is all charm- from the vintage W vans with surfboards on the roof, to the kitschy restaurant signs. This town is what postcards are made of.

There are tons of great restaurants and cafes here, and serving good, fresh tasty food seems to be a rule in most of them.

There are several shrimp trucks- with very simple fair shrimp and white rice. The shrimp is super fresh though, and shrimp trucks are somewhat of a North Shore institution, so definitely worth a try. Grass skirt grill is  a very casual affair with just a few tables outside, and good, simple super fresh fish or veggie dishes. the place is all kitsch and charm inside with vintage postcards and a large chalkboard menu. Don’t even think about asking the guy at the counter for substitutions.

Inside Grass Skirt grillGrass skirt grill

Grass Skirt grill entrance

Luibueno’s Mexican is an upscale Mexican restaurant. They serve excellent very large and creative drinks, fantastic ceviche, and really good fish tacos. Our waitress was as gorgeous as she was nice. Quick and excellent service, creative fresh food and drinks- really can’t go wrong here.

The bridge to Haleiwa

Haleiwa is not all about good food and charming scenery- it has plenty of substance. There are a dozen art galleries, most featuring local artists and Hawaiian themes. You’ll see plenty of rainbows, blue skies, dolphins and turtles. There are some more abstract pieces as well- plenty of variety to chose from.

Farmer’s market is a recurrent theme in Oahu, and Haleiwa farmer’s market is a step above the rest. It has some crafts- gorgeous, if expensive hand painted pareos, really cool  bags made of recycled fabrics, and a  massage booth. there is also really good food and a nice picnic table set up. I especially like the crepe stand that uses all organic and local ingredients- most sourced from this very market according to them.

Fried green tomatoes- Yum!

The freshest eggs I've ever had

Haleiwa Farmer's market

I like to start my day at the farmer’s market, then drive over to some of the beaches- Shark’s cove for snorkling or Sandy beach for relaxing.  then go back to Haleiwa after sunset for some browsing and good dinner… Perfect day for my taste…

Leaving Wainae harbor

We didn’t have an underwater camera, so our underwater journey remained undocumented, but in a way I am glad- It keeps the image of the dolphins fresh and vivid in my mind. It’s an image I hope to preserve and remember for years to come, and when it fades I’ll just have to come back to Oahu and call up Tori.

Tori Cullins, the captain of our boat is a marine biologist, and has been studying behaviors of dolphins  and whales in Oahu since the 90′s. She works with  Wild Dolphin Foundation and Cascadia Research. Tori is beautiful and a bit rugged- sporting a perma tan, wearing a large hat and face hugging sunglasses. It must be a nice way to make a living-  taking people out into an open ocean and providing them with an incredible, unforgettable experience. But like any other jealousy inducing occupation, it can get old. “We’ve been taking people since 1996, and I love it” Tori says. I believe her- it feels as if she is as passionate and excited about her “day job” as she was in 96. Her company- Wild Side is definitely a labor of love, as becomes even more evident by the homemade sandwiches she feeds us later that day. Wild side gives a portion of proceeds from the tours to the Wild Dolphin Foundation for conservation efforts. And the boat is environmentally friendly, using low-sulfur diesel fuel, and having lots of other “green” upgrades.

Tori tells us the details of the day’s trip, including some instructions on how to be polite to the dolphins. “Swim with them, not at them, do not touch them, and try to be intuitive- observe and mimic their behavior”.

"There they are!"

We sail past the beautiful green mountains rising against the blue sky. The color of the ocean in Oahu is unlike anything i’ve ever seen before - it is royal blue- a rare shade. Barbara, a marine biologist and our marine guide for the day tells us that our first stop is a “turtle cleaning station”. Ha? Well, it’s a large reef where turtles come to get cleaned by little fish. Turtles grow algae on their shells, which can slow them down, and the kind fishies are happy to help, eating the unwanted algae of the turtles. We swim out to the reef, find the turtles and the fish that love to clean them. It is fascinating to see  nature’s perfect design first hand- and see these creatures take care of each other. There are schools of fish swimming by, blue and yellow and white. But not an overwhelming amount of busy fish like in some popular snorkeling spots. Just a few here, a few there, and a bunch here, all really different sizes and shapes, all pretty bright. Calm and serene…

Picture perfect day

Sailing by...

Back on the boat, Barbara tells us about raising turtles that have been separated from their mothers, and teaching them how to swim on their own. She is volunteering on turtle beach in North Shore, educating people about turtle behaviors. She has been working with turtles and educating people about them on Nieves for decades, and has recently moved to Oahu to do more of that. Pretty cool job I’d say. I get distracted from Barbara’s story because we see the dolphins swimming in pods all around the boat. We get in the water and swim towards them, catch a pod and swim with them for a while until they swim away. Then another pod, and one more after that. I see a mother with the baby attached to her- the baby is nursing. It is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. I follow that pod for a bit, there are two more babies in the pod, and as the mother comes up for air, so does the baby- very clumsily. There is the strong vibrational sound of dolphin’s sonar. I am smiling under water the whole time.

Dolphin pod near the boat

And one really near!

When it’s time to go back to the boat I am filled with quiet joy. It is an honor to swim with these amazing creatures, and I feel very lucky having experienced it. We sail in silence for a bit, everyone pondering their experience, or just wanting to savor it as long as possible. And then it’s lunch time- we are served sandwiches with hummus, blueberries and sprouts. A very creative and delicious combination. There are also chips with homemade mango salsa, all kinds of wholesome nut and fruit bars, and iced cappucino.  I am thinking that if Tori’s family was out on a boat trip they would get the same exact sandwiches and snacks. Looking at Tori and Barbara words “salt of the earth” come to mind, and I feel grattitude. For this amazing day, for having this rare experience, for the baby dolphins, and for having met these women.  And for knowing that there are people with passion and purpose that are out there every day observing and studying marine behaviors, and  looking out for our wild life.

The beautiful drive to Kailua

It’s  a short drive  from Waikiki to the simple coastal town of Kailua, and the amount of gorgeous scenery per mile is immense. I call this the high impact drive, because it is relatively short and really, incredibly, overwhelmingly beautiful. Coming from Waikiki  you would take highway H1 to H2. H2 took 37 years to  build, costing $100 million dollars (gasp) per mile! You will drive through Ko’olau mountains for about 15 minutes and marvel at their beauty. Ko’olau mountains form perfect, chiseled peaks covered with every shade of green imaginable,  and are just so stunning it’s hard to look away. For the grand hooray, after you pass the tunnel, the road opens up an absolutely incredible view on the left. Open ocean, small towns, lagoons and more green mountains. It is hard to take picture of this wonder as it is too grand scale, and well, you are in a moving vehicle and there is nowhere to pull over. Believe me, we tried.

As you get into Kailua, you pass the ” town center” comprised of several strip malls. There is a mix of the corporate Macy’s and Starbucks with local mom and pop businesses, about an equal amount of both, which is nice. Oahu has a big farmer’s market culture, and Kailua has a nice market every Thursday evening. The sweet corn was my favorite treat. This type of corn only grows on Oahu, it is juicy and unbelievably sweet. We also had a quesadilla from the burrito stand which was  average, and had waaay too much cheese,  a nice ginger iced tea, and the best organic mangoes. Walking around the market, shopping with the locals and checking out all the fresh farm produce is a very nice to spend an hour, and a cheap fun way to entertain your taste buds. If you need something more substantial than Farmer’s market goodies, read about our Kailua restaurant experience here.

Kailua has  a beautiful beach with fine white sand and very clear water. There is a nice beach front park with picnic tables, huge old banyan trees,  shady ficus trees and fearless pretty white birds walking around. The scent of the ocean is very strong  and refreshing here- makes you want to breathe with full lungs, and save some of the potent oxygen for later. You can rent a kayak right on the beach, get some  instruction, and kayak to the nearby tiny Mokulua islands. That is if you are feeling adventurous and need a serious upper body workout. Alternately, being a beach bum is perfectly acceptable here. Laying on the soft sand staring at the turquoise water, and taking an occasional dip was my sport for the day. This beach is rated one of the 10 best beaches in the country, so I wanted to get all my beaching in at Kailua beach.

If you are planning to spend the day here,  bring your umbrella. Hawaiian sun is deceivingly gentle, but is in fact very strong.

Oh, and the sunset here is really beautiful and serene…If you can stay till the sun sets, do- it will offer a perfect wind down to a lovely day.

Corn stand at Kailua Market

the organic goods at the market

Kailua beach after sunset

Scenic view from West Maui mountain

We landed in Maui’s tiny airport at 11am, and Masha was waiting outside in her old beat up green station wagon. Bright red Hawaii print nylon seat covers adorned the front seats. I guessed this car gets pretty wet, sandy and muddy at times, though it looked perfectly clean now.

“I love this car- I can fit my board inside without having to tie it to the top!”

Masha confirmed my suspicions, and made me think about all the perks of Island life. On we went with what I knew was going to be an awesome day. There is nothing better that coming to a place and having a dear old friend who happens to live there be your personal tour guide for the day. Masha and I have been friends about a decade, and see each other about every year, sometimes less, but we keep in close touch, and I always look forward to seeing her. This was truly a special treat- catching up, hanging out on Maui and having Mash show us all the hidden Maui treasures.

1. Our first stop was the West Maui mountains an old, residential area of Maui that offers scenic drives and lovely hikes. We drove around the winding road for a bit, ooohing and aaahing at all the beautiful scenery that revealed itself after each turn. Typical Hawaiian landscapes- so amazing and grand and in such abundance . You know those stops on the road that say” scenic view”?  Well, I think all of West Maui Mountains can be designated as one giant “scenic view”.  We pulled over at a side of the road with a small trail and went on a small hike to a waterfall. Strawberry guava was in season, so we walked and ate the juicy small red guava. Nice start to our journey.

Cafe Des Amis

2. As good as the guava was, we got hungry pretty quickly and drove to Paia for lunch. Paia is a  sweet little town that’s popular with the windsurfers, and the hippies, and as all good and “quaint”  places on Maui, slowly becoming popular with the tourists. Cafe Des Amis was our lunch spot, with a very bohemian vibe, melodic lounge music, wooden benches and tables scattered in no particular order. I had mozzarella and tomato crepe – simple and delish, my husband  had a vegetable curry  he found delectable, and Masha had a very good looking salad. We walked across the street to Mana, a very well stocked natural food store, got some Vosges chocolate and raspberries and proceeded to the next stop on our itinerary. My favorite stop-

3. The Bamboo Forrest, something out of a fairytale… It was an easy hike through the bamboo forest to a waterfall.  The bamboo is cool to the touch, smooth and very sturdy. Sometimes it grows really thick not letting any light through, and at times it’s patches of younger, thinner plants with sun rays coming through. This ever changing light is incredible, and makes things look positively unreal at times. When Masha mentioned “Bamboo forest” I did not imagine it to be so beautiful. We finally got to a lovely waterfall we swam under, and then sat on some smooth big rocks and dried off. It was Sunday, and though there were a few cars parked by the side of the road next to the forest, we only saw one couple by the waterfall, and some people upon leaving the forest. I imagine this place is completely deserted during the week, and likely harder to find with no cars indicating the stop, but so so worth it! You need to take  Hana highway to get there. Look for the visual que of the bamboo forest itself. It’s right before the mile marker 7. If you are driving from Kahalui or Paia you will come upon mile marker 7 once but that’s not the one you want- continue driving until you reach mile marker 16, and they will start over again and it’s the marker #7 after that  that you want- in other words it is approximately 23 miles from Kahalui.

Hiking to the waterfalls

The magic Bamboo forest

feels like a scene from "Lost"

4. Watching the turtles. This was a pure, simple pleasure. We stood over a giant cliff with some pretty spectacular views and watched the turtles slowly swim and peak their heads out of the water below. At first there was a lot of  “spot the turtle” game going on, as we  couldn’t distinguish between the giant rocks and the equally giant turtles. But we soon got the hang of it, and stood there looking for a while. A very tranquil moment complete with the strong scent of the ocean and the loveliest breeze intermittently blowing by. Find the turtles on Hana highway around mile marker 8 (the first #8 going from Paia) Look for the Hookipa Beach Park turn, it’s a couple of hundred meters past that. There is a razor wire all around, but there is also a wooden gate you can climb over, it’s easy.

We then went back to Masha’s house, hung out for a bit and got ready for dinner.

5. Dinner at Colleen’s at the Cannery was just right- all around. Colleen’s is a super local place, no tourists anywhere in sight. I had the freshest fish I’ve had in Hawaii- monchong with pitch perfect mashed potatoes, and huge crunchy asparagus. I barely stopped myself from licking my plate clean- that’s how good it was. My dinner companions had burgers that looked and smelled like really, really good burgers. The place is simple, something of an upscale diner decor. Our waitress was fast, friendly, attentive, and very pretty. No room for desert, as my entree was very large and perfectly filling. Colleen’s is in Haiku, at the Cannery marketplace, a local strip mall type place.

After all the hugs and goodbye’s, we watched as Masha’s green station wagon drove off, and I was filled with gratitude to have an amazing friend who made us feel totally like locals on touristy Hawaii Island in just one day.

Our destination was The valley of the Temples, and the traffic from Waikiki  to Kaneohe was brutal. It would clear up for a minute, and we’d start rolling slowly, but then it was bumper to bumper again for the next 10 miles. We got there at 6 PM, The Valley, and with it the temples were closed. “We’re closed ya all” said the very friendly girl at the gate with a huge smile, as if she was delivering great news. Really wished it said that the “Valley” closed at 5PM in our guide book.

I am not a fan of guidebooks- I prefer to do my research on line, read a few indie travel blogs, a few restaurant review sites, check out tripadvisor for good measure and call it a day. This book was laying around our hotel room, I picked it up, and got into it- It was a new way to navigate for me, all the info in one place, pretty pictures and maps (which I could not for the life of me figure out). Needless to say I got a bit addicted to the convenience, and got lazy on my research. Today           ” Oahu Revealed” by Andrew Doughty 3rd edition has let me down by not providing “hours” for the “Valley”, and we took a very long drive for pretty much nothing. I know it’s the journey and not the destination, but I did want to see the temples!

We were in Kaneohe, it was getting late, and we were starved. We needed something close, quick and good to make up for the disappointment of our journey. Seemed like “good” was pretty much out of the question. The restaurant selections in Kaneohe that suit our taste were pretty slim. But quick, decent and inexpensive was an option- Andrew Doughty recommended Chao Phya Thai, stating that the restaurant had good selection, good service with “good size” portions and very reasonable prices. And so to Chao Phya we went. To say the place did not impress me upon entrance is a huge understatement. Depressing is the word that comes to mind. There were two tables of two occupied in a restaurant with roughly 30 tables. The decor was outdated with faded foam green tableclotes, and faded pink napkins, the staff seemed sleepy. The hostess sat us, and threw the three menus together at the corner of the table. It’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine- why not hand the menues to each of the customers, or at least place them in front of each person? But i tried not to mind- after all we weren’t at an upscale restaurant, we wanted quick and decent, and here we were. My husband returned from the restroom saying “So, this place got a good review in your guide book? Can I see it please?”. Of course I asked why, and he replied that he walked past the kitchen twice and did not like what he saw at all. The place did not look clean to him. “Do we have any other options?” I looked at our friend, who seemed to be in agreement with his sentiments, and we apologised and walked out.

We drove to Kailua, the next town over, and thought we would just look for a restaurant that struck our fancy. Instead we stopped by Fromaggio’s, which got an excellent review from Andrew, and my husband who was really set on eating Thai food seemed to be endlessesly disappointed. “Is there no good Thai place in town?” What about this one?” Incidentally there was a Thai place next door “Saeng’s Thai”.  Andrew’s review of Saeng must be quoted here-

“If you are in Kailua, and looking for excellent Thai food, you are outta luck. The food is not exactly good, the service is not exactly good, the restaurant is not exactly good. Guess that about covers it” He goes on to say that as awful as the place is, it’s better than the only other Thai option in town.

I read the review outloud, and all 3 of us chuckled.  ” I don’t trust this guy after he recommended this Cho Phuya place” I want to check out Saeng”.  Never try to stop a hungry determined man looking for Thai food, and we meekly followed Ruslan to Saeng’s. It was Tuesday night, and the restaurant was pretty full. The decor was nice with a gorgeous carved wood Thai bar, several beautiful statues, traditional tapestry- a nice consistent Thai theme. At this point we knew we were eating here. The waitress was lovely, all smiles, and very attentive. We ordered a Thai coconut soup and summer rolls for appetizers, and I stuck with my motto                     ” in unknown Thai restaurant- order pad thai”. The Summer rolls were a bit of a disappointment, though they got eaten. The soup was one of the best i’ve had- or maybe I was just really, really hungry. My pad thai was also good, great flavor combination, well cooked noodles, not too sweet. We really enjoyed our dinner- it turned out that  : “the restaurant was pretty good, the service was pretty good, and the food was certainly pretty good”

Lesson learned- people have very unique perceptions of places and things, and that is the reason why I like to read MANY reviews before selecting a restaurant/hotel/spa. Also the more blogs and reviews you read the more savvy you get in deciphering which ones are of importance to you personally, and which ones are written by people whom you have very different tastes/perceptions/priorities with. For instance I remember reading great reviews for a hotel, except  one traveller who gave it 1 star based on the fact the ‘the elevator was slow”. I just can’t imagine myself paying attention to something as minute as that, and having it change my opinion of the hotel. So get a guide book if you must, but research, read, see, compare… In other words- Be a savvy traveller