When you’re traveling halfway around the world, finding flights can be difficult and convoluted. On my way to Fiji last Christmas I took an extended layover in Oahu, Hawaii. In addition to saving money, I also chose to take the long layover so I could be on the same flight to Nadi with Richie who has been in Hawaii for a few days.
Anyone who has had a long layover has found themself in the same predicament; stay in the airport or try to fit in a short adventure. Having a friend already there helped me chose the later.
After landing around 2:30 PM, Richie picked me up and we headed off to grab a late lunch. Our mutual love of Poke brought us to one of the best rated Poke restaurants in Honolulu, Ono Seafood. It’s a small unassuming place but the line is usually out the door.
There are so many amazing hikes on Oahu, but we wanted to squeeze in one that neither of us had done before. Waterfalls are one of my favorite types of places to explore so we decided on the short hike up to Manoa Falls.
A mere 15 minute drive from Waikiki, Manoa Falls is a leisurely hike suitable for many skill levels of hikers. At the base of the trail, there is a parking lot with an attendant which costs $5 to park at. The hike advertises about an hour round trip but can be done in less for those who move a little quicker. The path is quite muddy so wear shoes you won’t mind getting dirty and take your time in the more slippery parts.
We finished off the afternoon at the falls and headed back as the daylight began to recede. As great as lunch was, my bottomless pit of a stomach was already demanding more food so we headed back towards Waikiki for dinner. After discovering that Richie had never had Korean BBQ before and had been recommended a place, we decided it had to happen. Plus you know, all you can eat.
We got quite lucky as there was a considerable wait but the hostess promised us an immediate table as long as we were done in under 1.5 hours. No problem.
Richie and I are always looking for speakeasies whenever we travel and we found one and headed out after dinner. After grabbing a couple drinks, we made our way back to the airport to return the rental car and relax for a bit before our 2:30am flight to Fiji.