The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational is on today at Waimea Bay—and you don’t have to be on the beach to watch it. Contest sponsor Rip Curl is streaming the prestigious contest live starting at 8 a.m. HST. Honolulu lifeguard Luke Shepardson won the last contest in January 2023. Another Oahu North Shore native, John […]
In Hawaiʻi winter brings cooler weather, humpback whales and, of course, massive surf to north-facing shores. Surfing—or heʻe nalu in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language)—is believed to have originated in ancient Polynesia and brought to the Islands, where it thrived. Once a sport reserved for aliʻi (Hawaiian royalty), commoners were allowed to hit the waves when
When you think of Hawaiʻi, you think of beaches—and Oʻahu has some of the world’s best. From Waikīkī to Waimea Bay, here are your picks for the best beaches on Oʻahu, according to our 2024 Readers’ Choices Awards. 1. Waikīkī Beach Waikīkī Beach is one of the most recognizable shorelines in the world, stretching along
Under the sea, under the sea—you know how it goes. Everything’s better under the sea. It’s quiet, fish mosey along with their days and with a snorkeling mask, you can see it all with a clear view. It’s no wonder snorkeling is such an adored past time here in Hawaiʻi, where the ocean and the
This story was originally published on Jan. 24, 2023. It’s not every day the prestigious Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational happens at Waimea Bay on Oʻahu’s North Shore. In fact, in 34 years, the surf contest, which requires wave faces to be consistently larger than 40 feet (measured from the front of the wave)
It seems like the stars and swell are aligning this weekend, as The Eddie Big Wave Invitational has again been given the green light for Sunday. Although the contest was expected to run on Wed, Jan. 11, 2023, it was ultimately called off due to high winds and poor conditions. However, the forecast is showing
Creating a list of Oʻahu’s Top 5 beaches when there are so many out there just as blue and beautiful as the next is a difficult task—to say the least. Fortunately, nominations for the best Oʻahu beaches for our 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards poured in from our readers around the world. So, while every beach
If any one thing defines Hawai‘i to travelers, it would be our beaches. The Islands boast some of the most diverse stretches of oceanfront, from the jet-black sands of Punalu‘u on Hawai‘i Island to the otherworldly red landscape of Kaihalulu Beach in Hāna on Maui. And there’s so much to do on these beaches, from
Hawaii is unique in so many ways, from our always-tropical weather to the blending of diverse cultures. We celebrate the holiday season a little differently, too. For starters, our year-round sunshine means we can don board shorts and bikinis and go surfing on Christmas morning—and maybe even catch Hawaiian Santas throw shakas from outrigger canoes. Here
As a traveler, there are some things I’ll never do. I won’t eat whale or turtle meat, I won’t surf alone at an unfamiliar break and I won’t jump off a cliff into a body of water. I tried to do that last one, standing at the edge of Ka Lae, or South Point, on
Day One Wake up with the sun at the summit of Leahi (aka Diamond Head). Its moderate, 1.6-mile jaunt up the famous summit will give you a bird’s-eye view of Waikiki, Honolulu and West Oahu. Skip the food vendors at the park, and drive to local favorite Waiola Shave Ice for your reward—a round of
Think of some of the best romantic dramas and comedies and likely its setting is a character in and of itself. “Roman Holiday” and the streets of Rome, “Love Actually” and the city web that’s London, England, and we just can’t imagine “When Harry Met Sally” taking place anywhere but New York City. Hawaii’s beaches regularly receive the
