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HAWAIIAN ADVENTURE
oahu, friendship, memories by: Kristy Hernandez
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ne of my favorite destinations is Hawaii, and my most recent trip to Oahu was full of exciting adventures, thanks to my dear friend Shanna. She has become a connoisseur since moving to Hawaii a year ago and picked some great locations for us to enjoy. Some of our excursions included snorkeling, hiking, and attending a luau with amazing sunset views. Here are some hot spots that are on my personal “Hawaii Highlights” list. Waikiki is the island’s tourist district. It has massive hotels, designer stores, delicious restaurants, and beautiful photo ops with Waikiki Beach as the backdrop. Some restaurants to lookout for are Hula Grill, RumFire and Duke’s. These are all beachfront with incredible views, drinks, and food. A high point was taking beautiful waterfall pictures at Kuhio Beach Park. Another hidden gem near Waikiki is the Kaka’ako. It is a lively urban center in Honolulu with colorful street art, unique dining, and shopping experiences. While in Kaka’ako, we strolled the streets, took pics with unique art, and dined at Moku Kitchen – a hip restaurant that brings Hawaii’s rich upcountry farming and ranching heritage to downtown Honolulu’s urban lifestyle. It was excellent! Snorkeling in Waianae was amazing! Even if you are a beginner snorkeler, you will have a great time. The water is calm, making it easy to view the pods of dolphins, coral reef, tropical fish, and magnificent sea turtles! Just remember, no matter the situ-
ation, always respect the local wildlife. Doing so ensures your safety and the safety of the animals as well. The Lanikai Pillbox Hike was filled with adventure. This is a moderate hike that took about 1.5 hours, roundtrip. It is best to do this hike as early as possible,
