Five wicked things to do in Waikiki

By MiNDFOOD

Things to do in Waikiki
Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii, United States - August 27, 2016: summertime in crowded Prince Kuhio Beach also called The Ponds because a concrete wall makes the water calm. Kuhio Beach is a section of Waikiki Beach. (Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii, United States - Aug
It's best to zig, when everyone else zags in Waikiki, in Honolulu, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. While the following places are not exactly secret spots, if you get the timing right you will feel like you've discovered your own patch of paradise. Here are five wicked things to do in Waikiki.

Top picks: things to do in Waikiki

High-rise hotels that line the shore and a neighbourhood known for its popular surf beach provide the backdrop for this incredible district in Honolulu. We take a look at some of our top things to do in Waikiki, from sampling the local flavours to swimming with the fish.

Slurp on shrimp at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck has cult food van written all over it. It’s also got the names of its many customers who pen their personalised messages on the side of the food van. Thank the garlicky shrimp gods when you see the signs for Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck on the Kamehameha Highway; pull over and park in the shade to enjoy the best plate of garlicky shrimp you have ever had.  giovannisshrimptruck.com

Devour a smoothie bowl at The Sunrise Shack

The original Sunrise Shack is located smack-bang on the sand at Oahu’s famous Sunset Beach on the North Shore. Founded by pro surfer Koa Smith and brothers Travis and Alex, the trio are purveyors of food and drink options they say ‘promote health and happiness’. A quick scroll through the @sunriseshack social feed and you will see cameos by bronzed surfers on the world circuit who like to Instagram their smoothie bowls. A sister shack has just opened at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. sunriseshackhawaii.com 

Things to do in Waikiki - The sunrise shack

Swim with the fishes with Sail Holokai

Cruise along without a care off the coast of Waikiki while the staff onboard Sail Holokai unfurl the sails, which tighten in the wind, and head out beyond the breakers. Sunset is the best time of day to kick back on the sleek cat as it weighs anchor just off the coast of Oahu. Using the ship’s laminated images of fish as a reference, you can drift in the ocean alongside parrotfish and turtles seemingly miles away from Waikiki’s main tourist drag.  sailholokai.com

Try Spam musubi at a farmers’ market

Waikiki is a district in Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, one of the main eight islands in the Hawaiian Islands chain. If want to walk in the footsteps of the kamaaina (locals) you should head to the farmers markets, which are at the foot of Diamond Head at the east end of Waikiki. The Kapiolani Community College market is a multicultural celebration of the island’s people. Try the spam musubi: it’s a must. kapiolani.hawaii.edu

Embrace flower power at the Lyon Arboretum

The Lyon Arboretum is a botanical garden managed by the University of Hawaii at Manoa – and a must on the list of things to do in Waikiki. The 80 ha garden in the upper end of Manoa Valley is painted 50 shades of green; it’s where will find hidden statues of Buddha, flowering ginger, trees festooned with epiphytes and a world-class collection of exotic palms and orchids.  manoa.hawaii.edu/lyonarboretum

Read more: Top things to do in Oahu

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