BabuSoge

It’s been one year since we went on a wonderful vacation to Hawaii. We visited Maui, Kauai, and Oahu for a total of 12 days. While we didn’t pack our days with a ton of things – we still managed to do some amazing activities. Our thumb rule is to do one big thing everyday and have some idea about what we may do for the rest of the day but leave it flexible enough that we can chill if we wanted to or do something strenuous if we we up for it.

Our detailed itinerary and the activities are written up in a separate post; one year since the trip we wanted to go back and revisit the best moments of the trip; ones that we talk about a year later also. Here’s our top 3 from our Hawaii trip.

NaPali Coast doors-off helicopter ride.

Deciding to add this experience to our itinerary was a no-brainer. The NaPali coast was a major reason for our trip to Hawaii, and we were thrilled to embark on a doors-off helicopter adventure.

We did some digging to find out the best time to take flight. After weighing our options, we settled on afternoons. That’s when the sunlight hits the cliffs in just the right way, making them look absolutely stunning. Of course, there was a chance of encountering some clouds and rain, especially around Kauai. On the flip side, mornings promised smoother flying conditions and clearer views of the lush mountains and countless waterfalls. But, there was a trade-off – the NaPali coast would be cloaked in shadow. After some deliberation and head-scratching, we opted for the afternoon ride and crossed our fingers for good weather.

Luckily, our decision paid off. Despite a few clouds, we were treated to breathtaking views of numerous waterfalls cascading down the cliffs. Moreover, clouds added an extra layer of drama to our photos, making them even more spectacular.

At 400 USD per person, this ride isn’t cheap. But, it’s worth every penny. Flying with Mauna Loa helicopters ensured that it was a private ride and both of us got the full, unobstructed experience – no middle seats here! The doors-off experience felt a little scary the first couple of minutes but it was really wonderful once the nerves settled down.

Snorkeling in Maui

We snorkeled at a few different spots in Hawaii – at the Ke’e beach in Kauai, Kapalua bay and Makena in Maui. Our favorite by far was Makena or what is known as Turtle Town. Though there are tour operators that will bring people here on a boat after Molokini, it is easily accessible by a drive also. Since the Makena snorkeling was our first time ever, we booked with a small group tour (just 6 of us), and with a few minutes of instruction we were in the water. We felt slightly uncomfortable at first, but it was very easy to learn and we realized that snorkeling is a very relaxing experience. We saw a total of 12 turtles during our 90 min tours and got pictures and videos from our guide!

After this, we snorkeled on our own in Kapalua bay and Ke’e beach and found it to be a very fun experience. We bought our own gears on amazon and took them with us to Hawaii. There are also gear rentals at several places on the islands. Our guide for the turtle town snorkeling gave us a pro-tip – she asked us take a lighter and go over the eye mask of our gear. There is a thin film that is present on the amazon bought gears which causes a lot of fogging. We tried our gear before and after running through the eye mask with a lighter and found a world of difference! Hat-tip to our guide Shelby for helping us with something we didn’t know/realize. All in all, we can’t wait to use our snorkeling gears on other trips!

UTV tour at Kualoa Ranch, Oahu

We would rank this very highly because of the vastness of the place, the beautiful surroundings and the exciting UTV tour which takes you around the ranch and along several historic filming locations especially the Jurassic series.

Prior to our visit, we researched the various activities available at Kualoa Ranch and were intrigued by the UTV tour. We read up some reviews about the stunning landscapes and diverse terrain that the tour offered, and we couldn’t wait to experience it for ourselves. As we navigated through the ranch’s sprawling grounds, we were treated to breathtaking views of the valleys, towering mountains, and lush forests. The tour took us off the beaten path, allowing us to explore remote areas of the ranch that we wouldn’t have been able to access otherwise.

It wasn’t just the ranch but even our ride to the ranch that was very beautiful. We took The Bus from our Airbnb in Waikiki, the ride took about an hour and the route was very scenic and passed through small towns on the way to the ranch. On our way back, we stopped at Tropical Farms for some macademia nuts a as well as coffee roasted with mac nuts before taking The Bus back to Waikiki.