what i did, what i wore: hawaii
09: favorite spots in kauai and oahu plus versatile vacation pieces
I recently came back from an impromptu trip to Hawaii, visiting Kauai and Oahu. We booked our flights on a Friday and flew out the following Monday, which is very unlike me as I am usually very type A when it comes to travels, as you can probably tell from previous itineraries I’ve shared.
We had been waiting to get the ok from my doctor, as I have what they call a “low-lying placenta” and I wasn’t sure if it was ok for me to get on a plane. Once we got the green light though, my husband and I checked our calendars and saw that the only time we had in the near future for a little baby moon was the following week, so we took advantage.
I’ve gone to Hawaii on vacation with my family more times than I can count — spending a spring or summer break there when my brothers and I were growing up. When we got older, one of my brothers moved there for school then work, making it a destination we head to quite often, even now.
But because this was likely going to be my last trip for a while, I wanted to treat it like I would for any other vacation — mapping out places to go to and planning where we wanted to eat — so that we were intentional with the limited time we had there. All the times before, we almost took Hawaii for granted — going to the same spots we’d been going to for years.
Even though we booked it so last minute with hardly any time to plan at all, I would say that this was probably my favorite trip to Hawaii yet. Instead of poring over articles of where to go and what to eat (which I found often highlighted large corporation-owned businesses), I turned to friends and family with the best (ideally locally-owned) recommendations, who generously shared their favorite beaches and restaurants. It ended up being the perfect mix — of time to relax and time to explore, and enjoying new spots and revisiting ones we’ve loved for years.
Like with any touristy destination, it can be a lot to comb through all the options that are out there, but hopefully my little 5-day guide can help you with your next trip to the islands.
Note: Paid subscribers get access to a detailed list of the outfits I packed and wore with links.
Kauai
We had been to Kauai only a couple times before and just for 1-2 days at at time. This time we spent 3 full days there before heading to Oahu. Compared to Oahu, Kauai is more remote, laid-back and much less crowded with lots of green land and beautiful mountaintops. While the island is stunning and more relaxing, to me, it felt almost more touristy despite there being less people, as I noticed far less native Hawaiians and people of color compared to Oahu — likely because we stayed in Princeville during our time there. Most articles and people recommended staying in northern Kauai as there’s lots to eat and incredible views, but at the end of the day, it is a resort-style community. Next time, I do want to spend more time exploring the southern and eastern parts of the island.
Day 1
We took an early flight out of LA and landed just after noon in Lihue, which gave us most of the day to enjoy the island. After picking up our rental car (you need one!), we got a poke and pork lunch plate at Konohiki Seafoods, recommended to us by locals. My husband had the poke while I ate some of the pork, which was so juicy and tender. On the way up to 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, we stopped at a few more food spots: The Musubi Truck, which I was influenced to try after seeing it on TikTok — I would skip as it was pretty mid; Wailua Shave Ice, which was ok and topped with fresh fruit, but I later found I liked much less in comparison to the shave ice at Hee Fat General Store; and Kalalea Juice Hale, where I got the most delicious passionfruit smoothie, made with local ingredients. After checking in, we had an early dinner and settled in for the night.
Day 2
We had breakfast at the hotel and then headed to the highly recommended smoothie spot, Nourish Hanalei. To be honest… the acai bowl wasn’t the best and I personally wouldn’t go back. Afterwards, we went to Anini Beach, highly recommended by my friend Alyssa for its accessibility and calm waters, where we walked along the shore and laid out and read, as it was a bit too chilly to go for a swim. For lunch, we stopped at Dolphin Fish Market for takeout poke, sushi and clam chowder — the soft shell crab rolls were so good, we went back the next day — and ate them nearby at Hanalei Pavilion Beach, which was pretty and easy to walk onto.
We then relaxed for a bit back at the hotel, laying on the lounge beds on the beach, which was one of my favorite things to do during the whole trip. The beach the hotel sits on is Pu’u Poa Beach, which is small and feels secluded and has stunning views of the mountains behind the ocean. We then swam in the pool for a bit before going back to the room to change for dinner at AMA, another highly recommended restaurant that I honestly wouldn’t go back to.
Day 3
Our last day in Kauai. We enjoyed lounging on Pu’u Poa Beach so much the day before that we immediately did just that after breakfast to make the most of our stay. We laid and read and relaxed on the lounge beds again before checking out. Up until this point, the weather had been surprisingly sunny. It began to get cloudy and rainy as we drove up to Lumaha’i Beach, which was way too rough and choppy to swim in, but is beautiful, as it has a river running through it. On the way back down to the airport, we stopped for some yummy acai bowls at Wishing Well and again at Dolphin Fish Market for one last round of soft shell crab rolls. As we passed through Kapa’a, we impulsively tried Hee Fat General Store, which was maybe the best shave ice I’ve ever had. The ice was so soft and fluffy and they make their own syrup in-house — our favorite was lychee and guava over macadamia nut ice cream with condensed milk on top. To end the day in Kauai before flying to Oahu, we made sure to eat at Harley’s Tropical Barbeque, highly recommended by Alyssa — and for right reason. It is loved by locals and was Ben’s favorite meal of the Kauai. We got the Kalbi ribs and the pork tinono (a must order, my friend said!), which was crispy and juicy, and the perfect way to end our time there.
Oahu
While Kauai is a bit more relaxed and quiet, Oahu is much more vibrant and busy (and diverse) in comparison. As I mentioned before, all the times I traveled to Oahu kind of blur together as we were so used to going to the same spots each visit. This time, I wanted to make sure I tried new things, while prioritizing some of the tried and true. Because there’s much more to do and see in Oahu, I really had to pick and choose among all the incredible recommendations I had received. We only had 5 days in total and I had visited Oahu so much in the past, we decided to do 3 days in Kauai and 2 days in Oahu. If you’ve never visited Oahu before, I’d definitely recommend at least 3 or 4 full days there.
Day 3 — continued
We had arrived late-ish after our flight and went straight to Lucky Belly in Chinatown, where we tried really delicious dishes like lobster shu mai, oxtail dumplings and crispy duck tacos. We then checked into The Royal Hawaiian, an iconic Hawaii resort known for their pink exteriors and beachfront property, which we were fortunate to get at a lower rate. While the property itself was gorgeous, the rooms were a bit dated and not super nice.
Day 4
We started the day much later than we planned (thanks to not-so-fun pregnancy symptoms the night before that kept me up for hours) and explored the hotel then walked over to Island Vintage for breakfast (which I think is overpriced and skippable!).
Because we were flying out the next day, we made sure to go to North Shore on this day. Ben got an acai bowl at Hale’iwa Bowls, which is a popular spot that I honestly find kind of just ok, and because I was craving something a bit more plain but substantial, I got a tuna sandwich and fries at Kua Aina, which is supposedly loved by Obama lol. The sandwich was fine (probably because I had to get it without the raw sprouts) but the fries hit the spot. We then drove up to Waimea Bay Beach, a favorite of my friend Bonita’s (founder of Kye Intimates!). Because the waves were large and choppy, we found some shade by the rock walls and read and watched people jump off the cliffs into the water. When it started to get a bit cloudy, we headed north to try Ted’s Bakery, highly recommended by my friend Aisha who used to live in Oahu. She raved about the chocolate haupia pie — a fan favorite — which was incredible, but the guava strawberry cream pie is what blew me away. It was so good, Ben and I finished it in the car minutes after leaving the bakery. As we made our way back down, we saw a beautiful rocky bay to the left of us, which we learned was Shark’s Cove. We stopped the car and got out, wading ankle deep in the water to look at the tide pools and little fishies, until it began to rain. We then stopped at Matsumoto Shave Ice on the way back to Waikiki, a Japanese and family owned business that’s been around since the 1950s. Again, I had to get my favorite flavors — guava and lychee over ice cream with a snow cap.
To end the night, we had some yummy Korean barbecue (I always get the brisket!!) at Yakiniku Korea House.
Day 5
Our last day in Hawaii. Up until this point, we hadn’t swam in the ocean because the waves were too big and the water too cold, but we finally got in at the beach in front of our hotel. While Waikiki Beach is notoriously full of tourists, the water is super calm and warm and has a great view of Diamond Head, making it a go-to for families, kids and pregnant women like me who prefer not to be knocked around by large waves.
Afterwards, we checked out of our hotel room and got some lunch at Ono Seafood, another favorite of Aisha’s. Ben ordered the poke and I got the tako, which is cooked octopus — luckily, something I could eat while pregnant. We then had to make a stop at Leonard’s, famous for their malasadas and a place I have been going to since I was little. They make their sugary donuts fresh and made-to-order so you always eat them warm. The original and the guava are my favorites. We popped into Daily Whisk Matcha where I got a matcha-hojicha latte and headed to Waimanalo Beach, my brother’s favorite beach on the island, which has turquoise blue water, soft sand, lots of shade and gorgeous views.
We ended our last hours on the island having dinner at Kaimuki Shokudo, recommended by Honolulu local @pineappleice. Everything we had was incredible — including the Okinawan sweet potato salad (a must!), garlic shoyu butter scallops and even the grilled corn and veggies. For dessert, we walked over to Cowcow’s nearby, known for their purple rice yogurt drinks. We got their #1 flavor — mango — and I immediately wished we had gone sooner so I could have had more. I’ve thought about this mango yogurt drink everyday since I’ve left and have tried finding similar drinks here in LA to no avail. I’ve even tried making my own version at home, which is very unlike me as I’m not exactly a whiz in the kitchen.
Paid subscribers have access to the details of all the outfits I wore below, along with full access to previous pieces: Japan recommendations and outfit diary, every product I packed for my month-long trip and my most worn items of 2024.
What I packed
My wardrobe has been quite limited now that I have a growing belly and I’ve been trying to resist new shopping as I know I’ll only be this new size for a short window of time. With that said, I thought it would be pretty difficult to pack for a last minute trip. Instead I found that it was almost easier to plan outfits as I now had a smaller selection of clothes to choose from — ones that fit me pre-pregnancy and still somehow fit me now.
Below, you’ll find a packing list of my most versatile pieces — ones that I’ve been able to wear year after year, through all seasons (at least in LA, anyway) and in the different phases of my ever-growing body.
Tops
RLT Baby Tank: I headed to RLT as soon as I booked my flight as I knew I was in need for some versatile basics. I got this 90s inspired tank in both white and black, made from 100% cotton locally in LA, which I wore solo and layered with an oversized linen shirt. In everyday settings, I plan to wear these loads with my favorite shrunken cardigans.
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