Hawaii: An American Tropical Paradise

Hawaii will always hold a special place in our hearts. It’s where Roelf popped the question at Yokohama Bay. One of the best days ever!!

We went for a week and tried to fit in as much as humanly possible. If you keep up with our travels, this is how we vacation. We’ve got no chill!

Here are some of our favorite things we did:

• Lanikai Pill Box Hike – a great hike but not an easy one! It’s around 1.5 miles long. A perfect picture spot once you make it to the top!

• Cinnamon’s Restaurant for breakfast—we had Loco Mocos! This is a Hawaiian staple made with white rice, hamburger, a fried egg, and brown gravy! Delicious.

• Luau– what’s a trip to Hawaii without a luau?! We loved our experience at Waikiki’s Starlight Luau. They gave us leis when we arrived. The food was wonderful, and the entertainment was even better! I loved seeing the dancers. The fire acrobatics were also insane!

• Surf School? – Yes, please! Why not try out surfing in one of the prettiest places in the world? We did a lesson by the Ohana Surf Project. Neither one of us had ever done it before but they made us feel so comfortable and by the end, we both stood up on our boards! This was definitely a trip highlight.

• Day trip to Maui – We both agreed we would have liked to have had more time here. It was so cheap to hop between the islands. Less than $100 on Hawaiian Airlines.
• Road to Hana in Maui – Would definitely take a tour bus if you plan on doing this. I think I would have had a panic attack if either one of us drove. It’s steep and filled with lots of turns. This is a must see in my opinion! The Black Sand Beach is very cool & the banana bread you buy at “Halfway to Hana” is a necessity!!!

• Yoga on a paddleboard– I loved this. Roelf’s knees did not haha! We took a SUP Yoga class that was for beginners, and it was right on the water.

• The Dole Plantation! This is a very touristy spot. But, it’s a “pineapple experience” like no other. We did the Pineapple Express Train Tour and indulged in some of their Dole Soft Serve!

• Try a Poke bowl! This is another dish native to Hawaii. Roelf and I had never had it before but it was amazing! It is diced raw fish & it is so fresh. There are Poke restaurants all over the island. You shouldn’t have a problem finding one!

• Banán – Looking for something sweet? Banán was so yummy!! They take bananas grown in Hawaii and turn them into smoothies, smoothie bowls, and all kinds of other mouthwatering products.

• Diamond Head– We finished out our trip by hiking Diamond Head. It was packed with tourists but had beautiful views. Understandable as to why so many people were there! This is a part of a range of volcanoes that started erupting over 2.6 million years ago.

We lucked out when it comes to accommodations. One of Roelf’s best friends was living in Hawaii at that time and kept winning marathons that gave away hotel stays. He gave away his stays to us. A true angel. We love you, Rickus!

• We got to stay at Hilton’s Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. This was right on the beach, had incredible views, and had all the Hawaiian vibes.
• We also spent several nights at the Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger. Now, this wasn’t on the water but it was super nice! Highly recommend it.

A truly magical spot! Mahalo!

xoxo-

Roelf and Destiny