Aloha, are you planning a trip to Hawaii? That’s great, you couldn’t have chosen a more perfect getaway destination. The US State of Hawaii has 137 islands but only 8 are inhabited. These are Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Kauai d Niihau. Oahu is where Hawaii’s capital and biggest city Honolulu is located.
If you’re traveling to Hawaii from outside America you’ll need a US visa and a valid passport. Also be sure to find out who needs EVUS (usavisaupdate.com), to travel to the country.
There is a lot to do and see in Hawaii and two days will not be enough to see it all. However, since you are constrained for time and want to see the best of Hawaii here is a list of activities you must include in your two-day visit.
1. Enjoy a meal at a farm-to-table Hawaiian luau
A trip to Hawaii would not be complete without a luau, which is a traditional Hawaiian feast with lots of entertainment. At a luau, you will get to taste some of the islands best dishes such as lomi salmon, kalua pig, haupia, poi, opihi, and poke. Entertainment will include Hawaiian music and the popular hula. Oahu has some of the best luaus on the island, try out Diamond Head Luau.
2. Go swimming with sharks
Are you an adrenaline junkie? Well, this activity will get blood rushing through your body. In Oahu’s North Shore, Hawaii Shark Encounters lets you get into a cage and dive into a shark’s natural habitat. Here you get to see these amazing creatures up close a truly magical experience that I doubt you’ll ever forget about. This activity will take you about two hours to do and once done you will know more about sharks.
3. Visit Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, a U.S. naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. This surprise bombing of the harbor led to the US formally joining World War II the next day and later carrying out retaliatory attacks against Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The attack on Pearl Harbor led to the death of more than 2,400 Americans and another 1,000 people were wounded. A memorial site has been built at Pearl Harbor in their honor and there is also a museum where you can watch actual footage of the Japanese attack. A visit to Pearl Harbor will, therefore, bring you closest to this tragedy. To get to the memorial you will have to take a short boat ride.
4. Cross Skydiving off your bucket list
Have you been planning to jump off a plane but haven’t gotten round to doing it? Or are you just looking for something new to try? Hawaii offers you an opportunity to skydive. And don’t worry you don’t need to have any experience to do that. If you choose to do this activity you’ll do it in tandem with an experienced skydiver.
Once you jump off the plane you’ll experience a minute of free fall before the parachute is deployed. After that, you will enjoy amazing aerial views of the island before getting to the ground in 4-5 minutes.
5. Take a sunset dinner cruise
Get on a boat and go sailing on Hawaiian waters to enjoy watching the sunset in this beautiful island. When darkness sets in the Honolulu city lights brighten up the city giving you another amazing view. You can take in all this as you enjoy a delicious dinner and drinks on the boat. Several tour companies can organize this excursion for you.
Another perfect way to catch the sunset is with sea turtles at Maui’s Ho’okipa Beach Park. Every evening throughout the year close to 40 sea turtles come ashore to rest. You’ll love seeing these endangered species but please refrain from touching them or disturbing them as they rest.
6. Visit Hilo’s Market
This is regarded as one of the best Markets in the U.S with over 200 vendors. At the market, you can buy different kinds of foods for example sushi, Thai food, and baked goods. You can also buy veggies and flowers cheaply. There are also several activities like tarot card reading and local arts you can indulge in. The market is opened year round as is a good place to interact with the locals when you visit Hawaii.
7. Take as much shave ice as you can
Shave ice is one of the local foods you must try in Hawaii. It is a dessert made from ice and colorful floured syrups. The most popular shave ice usually has vanilla or coconut ice cream with sweetened condensed milk as a topping. Other toppings you will like are azuki beans or li hung mui (preserved plum) powder. You can get shave ice anywhere in Hawaii and enjoy them as you will hardly get some once you leave the islands.
8. Take a trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
When you visit this park you will get to see Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The volcano last erupted in 2018 and has changed the landscape of the park. If you love hiking the park has several trails you can hike to explore the effects of volcanic eruptions.
Another activity you can combine with a visit to this attraction is a tour of Diamond Head State Park. Here you can take the 0.8-mile hike to the top of the Diamond Head crater for some remarkable views of Honolulu, Waikiki beach and the Pacific Ocean. This activity should take you about two hours.
9. Just chill on the beach
Hawaii is the perfect beach holiday destination. So you cannot go there and not make time to soak up some sun at the numerous beaches on the island. At Waikiki beach, you can ride the ocean’s blue waves or learn how to surf if you don’t know how to do so. Snorkeling is also something you can try. In the evening you can get yourself a disposable barbecue and do some grilling on the beach as you enjoy fireworks.
There are several restaurants and shops near the beach so you can get something to eat once you get your suntan.
Final Words
These activities will take up your two days but to get to all of them you might have to rush through some sights. I recommend you come back to Hawaii when you’ve more time since there is still a lot for you to see.
Wherever your travels take you I hope you create amazing holiday memories!