Okeydokey, today was the driving day east to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling and then north to the North Shore.

 

Up early to catch the sunrise over Diamondhead:

 

Over to the Ala Moana Center area to pick up the car - although there's a lot of Brutalist buildings in Honolulu, some are kinda cool!

 

And we're off - a few new glassy condo towers have added to the skyline:

 

Hmm, that weather's not looking too promising  :|

 

This gave me vertigo just looking at them:

 

And onto the highway (the H1 I believe):

 

The glass tower with the antenna is Century Center, one of the earliest modern skyscrapers in Honolulu (42 floors, 350 feet to the roof, built in 1978):

 

The "back end" of Waikiki:

 

More "back" of Waikiki, the construction crane is for the Trump building:

 

Mt. Doom/Mordor in the background, residential areas hugging the hills in the foreground:

 

Aww yeah!!!  :banger:

 

Koko Crater - note the line on the side; that used to be a tramway which was decommissioned, closed briefly and then reopened as a trail. We didn't make it over there, but two hikers were attacked by a mentally ill guy. What struck me was how most news coverage was as un-WOIO as it gets. http://www.khon2.com/news/local/38847937.html

 

Anyway, we made it to Hanauma Bay - one of the most popular areas in the world for snorkeling. I'd never snorkeled in my life and it wasn't on my "to do" list but I figured I'd try it - it was actually pretty cool, you didn't have to get into really deep water to see some amazing fish. When we arrived it was a downpour, but as soon as we walked out of the visitor center (for an orientation video), it was nothing but sunshine:

 

Down on the beach at Hanauma Bay, it gets a little busy but never obnoxiously so - fortunately they have a tram that takes you back to the top in case you're tired (we were). Note Koko in the background:

 

It's not just the sights underwater that are cool - the lava rock formations kick arse too!

 

Lifeguards, and note the person snorkeling - you can be in two feet of water and see plenty of fish:

 

As we learned from travel guides and every website, when you see this - they ain't playin':

 

This area of the bay is called Witches' Brew - apparently a tourist or three has been knocked off the rocks and swept out to sea over the years. This was as close as I needed to get (and the waves got way bigger than this):

 

There's a lookout area above the parking lot - those clouds never seem to go away:

 

Ah well, time to move on - next a drive up the coast (if you like that sort of thing):

 

I'm glad I wasn't driving - my (undiagnosed) ADD would have been a liability:

 

Some sort of shrine - didn't get a chance to stop, though:

 

Sandy Beach:

 

Rock formations in Waimanalo Bay:

 

I think this is near Kailua - note the skies are getting a little less sunny:

 

I was just awestruck - there's this kick-arse mountain in the foreground, and then one so tall that (because of the clouds) we never saw the top. Can you believe my partner expected me to follow a map with sights like this? I have photos to take!!:

 

We got a little turned around and ended up on another highway but made it back to Kamehameha:

 

If you ever want to be reminded that you (and mankind) are pretty much an insignificant gnat in the grand scheme, take a drive along the Kamehameha Highway (not exactly a highway, just a well-paved two-lane road) - this is near Kahaluu:

 

Un.f#cking.real:

 

And apparently we're on the "rainy" side of the island at this point:

 

I'm guessing the Brigham Young University is nearby:

 

Not sure what this was:

 

I swear it was "go around the curve. Big Mountain. Isolated beach." - rinse, lather, repeat:

 

This rock formation is nicknamed "Chinaman's Hat" near Kaneohe:

 

Perhaps a former WWII lookout point?

 

Some quaint churches along the way:

 

 

 

Now up in Kahuku at the northeasternmost area of Oahu - I guess no matter where you are, if there's a convenience store near a school, the scene is pretty much the same. My partner said "could you imagine going to school here?" - my reply was an emphatic "YES!!!":

 

The legendary Giovanni's Shrimp Truck - wish we had a chance to grab some but my partner's not a fan and was worried they wouldn't have anything BUT shrimp - note the signatures of their customers:

 

Giovanni's wasn't alone:

 

This shell was next to a sign saying "convalescent home"  :?

 

Here we are at Waimea Beach - much bigger waves than Waikiki but not the 20'-30' we'd hoped to see:

 

 

The "blur" in the wave would be a boogie-boarder:

 

 

 

 

Now THAT was a big wave (guessing closer to 20'):

 

And off we go, one last look at Waimea Beach:

 

We'd heard the Haleiwa area was popular with surfers and sure enough:

 

Memorial near Haleiwa:

 

Haleiwa reminded me of Peninsula (in Summit County) with a surfer twist:

 

Haleiwa's landmark bridge:

 

After a quick lunch, we had to head back to Honolulu if we wanted a ride back to our hotel. The mountains of western Oahu are in the distance:

 

Some sort of farm/plantation:

 

Back to civilization:

 

Note the outbound traffic clusterf#ck:

 

Aloha, Aloha Bowl!

 

Honolulu's skyline:

 

The old church was pretty nifty:

 

Hmmm...

 

I believe this is Imperial Center:

 

Waikiki Landmark, one of the more distinctive skyscrapers:

 

And in the next section, parting shots and the zoo!

SistahGurl, this one of your best "tours" ever!    :clap:

These are great pictures Mayday. 

 

I think a drive up the Kamehameha Highway is a must.  Its amazing the way the terrain/topography changes.  I remember walking around in that little village of Haleiwa and eating somewhere there. 

 

If you keep driving you will see banana and papaya groves and then things totally level off and its pinapple fields as far as the eye can see. 

 

Nice!

Excellent! It is hard to believe this is the United States.

Stunning scenery, gorgeous photos!