List of things to do on the island of Oahu Dolphin Excursions (808) 239-5579 (whale and dolphin watching) Leaves from Waianae Harbor-by the tennis courts Polynesian Cultural Center Two right next door (Makaha Valley Resort and Makaha Counry Club) Hiking: 1. the Kaena Point walk along the ocean is a must do 2. Kane;aki Heiau- turn right at the gate & take the 1st left after leaving MVP to visit a very well preserved Heiau. Visiting hours are posted at the gate. Swimming/Snorkeling: Hale Nalu Surf Co on Farrington Hwy in Waianae has boards, snorkeling gear, bicycles, and other gear available for rent or sale. They are very friendly and helpful. Makaha Beach- closest beach to the condo. Turn left at gate, take 1st left and go down hill 1.5 miles. You come right to beach. Great for relaxing, tanning, swimming, and surfing Kaeana Point state park beach- Also very close to condo. At Makaha Beach, you turn right and go about 5 miles. Besides the hiking trail, this is also a great beach for swimming and tanning. Uncrowded, white sand beach. Pokai Bay- Lots of fish and turtles to see. Local kids practice their canoe racing there Ko Olina Resort- About 8 mile drive from condo. JW Marriot timeshare resort. Several man made coves that are great for easy swimming and snorkeling. A good place for kids. Some locals mixed in with tourists. Get there early (especially on weekend) to assure parking spot. North Shore beaches- About a 30 minute drive from the condo. There are several beaches along the highway and most of them are good. Waikiki Beach- the famous one. About a 1 hour drive from Makaha. You should go there at least one day. Nice beaches, lots of people, great place to shop for souveniers (International Marketplace and all the ABC stores), lots of restaurants, bars, etc. Also, if the weather is not so great for the beach, the Honolulu Zoo is a fun time. In fact, it getting to Waikiki, I suggest taking the last freeway exit for Honolulu Zoo and follow the signs to Honolulu Zoo and park in the Zoo parking lot. You need change for the parking meter & you can park up to 4 hours. Ala Moana Beach and state park- near Waikiki. It is a nice clean beach and park for picnics. You are also near the Ala Moana shopping center which is one of the biggest shopping malls I've ever seen. It is 3 levels. Hanauma Bay- keep going past Waikiki about another 30 minutes. This is the FAMOUS place for snorkeling and viewing sea life. It is crowded on most days but worth it. Kailua- windward side of the island. Great place for kayaking. You rent them there by the hour or for the day. Restaurants Waianae Area 1. Hanarra's- Hawaiian, American, and Korean food. Very good breakfast including banana pancakes. Very local. Friendly staff. 2. Red Baron- Fantastic prime rib, good pizza, and their nightly specials are good. 3. Makaha Golf Club-Breakfast/lunch/dinner-okay food, nice view. 4. Makaha Resort Restaurant-Lunch and dinner. Nice place to watch the sunset. 5. Waianae Chop Suey-good Chinese food. Behind Long's drugs in the shopping center. Lunch specials are cheap and good. Kapolei- a ton of different restaurants, fast food restaurants, and a movie theater Waikiki/Ala Moana/Honolulu- the big city. We like Bubba Gump's and Hooters! North Shore-Either Haleiwa Joe's or Jamesons are great. Nice place to shop after an around the island tour or a day of surfer watching/surfing on the north side. There are also some great galleries nearby if you are looking for Hawaiian prints or art pieces LUAUS Enjoy a FULL DAY at the Polynesian Cultural center and dinner show. It's the best. My second favorite is Paradise Cove Luau which is right at Ko Olina and close to condo. SHOPPING ON THE WAY TO THE UNIT, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET OFF IN KAPOLEI, TAKE FIRST LEFT, THEN LEFT IN SHOPPING CENTER AND THERE IS A HUGE SAFEWAY. YOU CAN STOCK UP ON YOUR GROCERIES FOR THE WEEK HERE (In Kapolei, about 11 miles before Waianae) In Waianae (Makaha), there is Tamura's Supermarket. This is where the locals shop. 7-11- for water, beer, or quick pick up items. There is a Longs drugs in Waianae. Costco- if you are a member- South on H-1 towards Honolulu,, take H-2 turn north and take the first exit. Turn right over H-2 & at 1st stoplight, turn left.