Special things about Oahu

A Variety of Traditional Hawaain Poke 

Its hard to say what I like most about spending time in Oahu. If you are a student of culture, it's possible to observe all kinds of culture in Oahu. The Hawaiian culture is evident in the free hula shows, lei making classes, etc, and if you look around carefully you will find local and authentic Hawaiian food like poke, and lomi lomi salmon. You can also find local fusion type food like spam musubi. Poke is the most common traditional Hawaii food you'll see. It is a cold salad made with small blocks of raw fish or seafood. Spices and sauces are added for flavor.  Try to remember to try some! You will have the opportunity to taste lots of Japanese food also as a large portion of the tourists in Honolulu come from this country. A favorite market of mine is called YokoCho. Japan is famous for its Yokochos, or food alleys, crammed with restaurants competing to offer the most delectable cultural eats to locals and visitors alike. You can find Yokocho in the bottom floor of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza. Ever try tempura? This is the time to do it and it is a great way to get your vegetables!

A meal in a bowl from Shirokoyo in the Ala Moana mall

Nana's is another Yokocho market favorite of mine to get tea inspired food like this green tea ice cream with mochi and adzuki beans. If you prefer your ice cream to be a different color than green, cross Kalakaua St to get shave ice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead at the shave ice kiosk on the mall.

 Japanese inspired dessert at Nana's Green Tea

Don't forget about local sweet specialties like the tasty butter cookies sold by the Honolulu Cookie company. Go in to try samples and you'll want to buy a bunch for your friends at home, or a few to keep you happy and fed while traveling around the island. Here's a conversation I've spoken to the staff at many Honolulu Cookie company stores, along with the conversation I've had inside my head at the same time;

"Hello ..are you visiting the island for the your first time?
"Why yes it is." (Well about ten years ago )
"Feel free to try to try our cookies and let me know if you have any questions!"
"I surely will!" (Can you tell me where the next store is so I can get more samples please??)

Family Surf lesson near "locals beach"

Honestly some of the most enjoyable times I've had in Oahu is sitting on the beach. Does that statement shock you? The reason for that may not be what you may think. The water is gorgeous of course, and you never know what wildlife you will see. In the winter, you may have whales breaching in the distance. You may see an occasional sea turtle. Of course however, what you will see most, especially in and around the crowded beaches of Waikiki, is nature of the human variety. Observing those, you may feel, like me, is a satisfying thing about being there.

Seal like spear fisherman rinse off at the beach 

To see neighbors interacting with lifeguards they have known for years, or with their families, head down to 'Locals beach" at the very north end of Waikiki beach in front of the New Otani hotel. Hawaiians often take their young children out to the waves for surfing lessons.  One day I watched a small girl playing  in the water of a beach shower. When she needed to, she moved aside and waited patiently with her bucket while surfers came to rinse off in the shower. When she finally got the shower back to herself, she just stood quietly while the stream of water poured over her head. This reminded me of the simple pleasures of youth and to remember to appreciate things like this.

The beaches in the area of the New Otani are not as crowded as the other beaches of Waikiki so that is another advantage of heading down to this area. It can take a while to walk there so if you don't want the exercise I might suggest an uber (just insert your destination as New Otani hotel) or one of the local buses that head north along the beach.

Check the blog again soon for my next entry on Honolulu's Chinatown.