Holiday in Hawaii #12
Oahu’s North Shore is famous for big surf and tasty shrimp, and it’s definitely a place we want to visit. It’s only an hour’s drive from Honolulu but there’s so much more to see on the way; we spend a whole day getting there.
Oahu is divided by the Ko’olau mountain range, the remnant of a massive shield volcano which is thought to have last erupted only 10 000 years ago. The Pali Highway climbs from Nu’uanu Valley through several tunnels to Nu’uanu Pali Lookout before descending to the coast on the windward side of the island. It was at the sheer cliffs of the lookout that King Kamehameha I defeated the army of Chief Kalanikupule in 1795.
Kane’ohe is the largest community on the windward side of the island. Tucked away at the base of the mountain range outside Kane’ohe are the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens, where lush tropical plants from around the world cover 400 acres..
From the gardens we continue on Highway 830, which heads north along the coast. There are reminders of Oahu’s volcanic past all along the highway. Tiny Mokoli’i Island, a volcanic cinder cone, rises out of the ocean just off shore. We stop for a snack at Kane’oha Bay, where black lave flows separate the road from the narrow strip of white, sandy beach and the ocean.
We might have just eaten, but we’re still thinking about lunch; it’s shrimp we’ve come for. Giovanni’s shrimp van is the most famous of Hawaii’s unique dining experiences; consequently the queue is very long.
We’ve heard there are plenty more vans on the highway and we’re too hungry to wait, so we travel a few kilometres up the road to another one. The menu is tempting and it’s difficult to choose. Eventually we order a serve each of buttery garlic shrimp and crisp coconut shrimp to share. Along with the shrimp vans there are market garden stands on the highway, laden with fresh tropical fruit and vegetables for sale.
At Waimea Bay, where board riders pay homage to surfing legends Duke Kahanamoku and Eddie Aikau, the surf is up and the water is wild. The beaches are closed, but that doesn’t stop some swimmers from taking risks in the pounding waves.
Our round trip continues on to Waimea Valley, an historical area with a beautiful tropical garden. It’s almost closing time when we arrive so we just wander around the gardens, admiring the monkey pod trees with their vast spreading canopies. The resident peacocks and the wild roosters, both sporting beautiful plumage, compete for our attention.
We return to Honolulu via Highway 99, past sugar cane fields ready for harvest. The mountains are lit by the setting sun, and by the time we’re home the sun is gone and the lights of Waikiki are twinkling.
We’ve journeyed from Honolulu to the North Shore and back again, on an all day round trip – a distance of just 136 kilometres!
That was a lush, quick trip. Such gorgeous images and I love the prose.
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Thank you. We didn’t cover a vast distance but we saw lots.
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Yes, you do a great job on these posts. Now I want to go.
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I’m glad I’ve inspired you. Talk to Marsha. We spent our first week, on Maui, with her and Vince. It was amazing.
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What stunning photos. Don’t know how I’d feel about swimming in that fierce surf!
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I couldn’t believe people were going in, and letting their young children go in too. The noise of the water was quite astounding. It was an amazing sight.
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It looks amazing.
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I’m glad you went to Giovvani’s! The shrimp and rice are amazingly good đŸ™‚
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We went but we didn’t eat there. The queue was enormous. Next time…
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Excellent photos Carol. To me they are awesome, because I visited to Oahu in the 70s when I made my round the world trip. I love the greenery of landscapes.
Happy weekend!
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I wonder how much Oahu has changed since then. We really enjoyed our week there. I’m glad you enjoyed my photos.
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You could write for a travel magazine. Great shots and commentary. đŸ™‚
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Thanks for the vote of confidence. I have pitched to travel magazines in the past but it is very competitive in Australia and so far I’ve had limited success. I have written three travel articles for a small local magazine though, which have been well received. It’s a buzz to see your work in print that’s for sure. I’d love to do more but I need to work harder on pitching. I’m pleased that you enjoyed this post Judy.
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I agree with Judy – your photos and prose would be welcomed by a travel magazine or agency of any sort I imagine! It looks such a stunning place and I have never been!!
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Thank you CC. I wish it was that easy to get published by a travel magazine. It’s a difficult industry to break into, but I have written three articles for a small regional magazine here. I have permission to publish them on my blog so perhaps you will see them soon.
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Now that is exciting news! Well done you đŸ™‚
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Thanks.
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Your photos of the landscapes are beautiful, and everything looks so lush and green. My mouth is watering at the sight of those shrimp dishes – yum, yum!
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Elaine, they were so delicious.
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What an amazing trip! Now I feel like shrimp đŸ˜€
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I had coconut shrimp five times in two weeks. They were sooo good.
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I am jealous! I can’t wait to get to Hawaii one day
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It’s so beautiful. Well worth visiting.
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That shrimp looks so good and I don’t know why anyone would be so stupid as to even step into that surf. (And I’m pleased to see someone else who will willingly by-pass a “best of” rather than queue for hours – us too!)
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I don’t do queues well!
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I can’t believe you saw so much in just a day trip. Wow it’s stunning and those shrimp…. Yum!
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It was hard to believe we saw so much in such a short distance. The shrimp were amazing.
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Beautiful photos! I love the north shore. But only to watch the surf–not get in that. The coconut shrimp makes me hungry. This is a fabulous post with wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing.
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The surf was pretty wild but we heard a few days later it was much bigger. Glad you enjoyed the photos.
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It’s spectacular, isn’t it? As is that shot of the incoming waves. Wow! đŸ™‚
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Isn’t it a beauty. Another taken by Mr ET. I’ll pass on your comment.
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I’ll be right over for a few tips đŸ™‚
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Did someone mention shrimp! đŸ™‚ Such stunning landscapes, and those waves are really HUGE. Love the peacock and the magical sunset photos. What a great trip you had. đŸ™‚
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The shrimp were fantastic – I had coconut shrimp five times in two weeks. We did have a wonderful trip and there are more stories to come! Glad you’re enjoying them.
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Oh I adore coconut shrimp. It’s so hard to resist if it’s on the menu. The first time I tasted it was in Belize and I was hooked. đŸ˜…
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And each time it was a little different but so tasty!
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I know exactly what you mean and my mouth is watering. đŸ™‚
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What an excellent post. You show me the surf and add shrimp, I’m there!
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Me too. I loved the shrimp. The surf was a little wild and the water temperature was too chilly for me.
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What an amazing place —perhaps i need to look into this a bit more…
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We had a marvellous holiday in Hawaii. It’s more than beaches and hula dancers that’s for sure.
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