Eat, drink, swim, shop, repeat… We asked Honolulu local, stylist and blogger Lindsey Higa to share her favourite food, fashion and beach spots with Aussie beauty, food and travel writer Paula Joye. Explore an unexpected side of Oahu as Lindsey takes Paula on the ultimate girls trip – from roadtripping the North Shore, to vintage couture and hip restaurants in Honolulu’s Chinatown, yoga paddle boarding and the best spots for sunset cocktails.
Experience Paula’s Aloha
Top 5 Experiences on Oahu
From the best garments at world-class designer boutiques to the freshest produce at farmers markets, Oahu has shopping for every taste and budget. Popular shopping precincts include Waikele Premium Outlets, the newly opened International Market Place, malls such as the Ala Moana Center and the elegant 3.2 hectare Waikiki Beach Walk. Visit local designers for a Hawaii-made Aloha shirt or dress, or any number of local artists for gifts to take home – for friends, family or yourself.
Oahu is the epicentre of nightlife in Hawaii. On every night of the week you can find good local food, live music and dancing in a variety of restaurants, bars and lounges from Waikiki to Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown. To experience the best of Chinatown’s nightlife, visit during the First Friday art celebration. You’ll see why the downtown streets literally buzz with activity on the first Friday of every month.
Oahu offers everything from farmers markets and food trucks to fine dining with a taste of Hawaii regional cuisine – a culinary movement that utilises the freshest produce from across the islands and blends the diverse, ethnic flavours of Hawaii with the cuisine of the world. Live like a local and get downtown to the Chinatown precinct to experience some of Honolulu’s best small bars, restaurants and cafes. Also, check out the Kaimuku neighbourhood with its mix of local cafes, hole-in-the wall Asian food and farm to table restaurants.
No girl’s getaway would be complete without experiencing at least one of Oahu’s superb spa experiences. Both Hawaiian and Asian influenced therapies are available for you to indulge in. Some of these spas use local natural ingredients such as seaweed, papaya, ti leaf, poi and coffee to give you a uniquely Hawaiian spa treatment.
From the famous Waikiki Beach to other familiar names like Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach on Oahu’s North Shore – one thing there is no shortage of on Oahu is a stretch of sand to relax on. Take a surfing lesson on Waikiki Beach, or if surfing isn’t your style you might like to try stand up paddle boarding (SUP). Be sure to snorkel at Hanauma Bay – a marine conservation area home to hundreds of tropical fish – or take the time to find some of the locals’ favourite coastal spots like the picturesque Waimanelo Beach, Oahu’s longest beach.