A Relaxing Solo Day in Waikiki
The last chords of guitar from a cover of Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Somewhere over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” drift away as the man next to me claps excitedly, then looks around sheepishly, realizing no one else is clapping; I clap with him and we laugh. We are sitting at the bar at Monkeypod, located in the Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki. The ocean is right outside the window and the sun streams in. We enjoy a brief chat about how great live music is in the area. Turning to my other side, I learn all about the interesting life of a guy who is visiting from the Big Island, has sailed around the world and lived in the Philippines, Indonesia, and on the Great Barrier Reef. Oddly enough, this is not the first person I have met in Hawaii who moved to the Big Island while sailing around the world.
Monkeypod Kitchen, an outpost of chef Peter Merriman’s domain of Hawaiian restaurants focused on farm-to-table and local ingredients, has one of the many outstanding happy hours in Waikiki and stands out for its delicious Maui-style mai-tai. Happy hours are one of my favorite parts of spending a relaxing day traveling solo in Waikiki, although it is hard to pick a favorite part. Many people think of Waikiki as an over-touristed, artificial place that isn’t the “real Hawaii,” but there are a lot of reasons to spend at least some of your vacation soaking up the scene. According to government data, Hawaii gets close to 10 million visitors per year, with over half of people going to Oahu. On any given day, there are nearly 230,000 visitors in the state. It is understandable that travelers want to escape what they see as the inauthentic, busy beaches of Waikiki. People who know I spend a lot of time in Hawaii often ask questions like, “where can I stay to lessen my footprint?” or “how can I support the local economy?” My answer of sleeping, eating, and recreating in Waikiki is often puzzling to them.
In a large, bustling city, the impacts of tourist activity are less damaging than in small towns or rural areas. Waikiki has purpose-built infrastructure for tourists and is easy to get around without a car; walking, taking the bus, ride share apps, and taxis can get you anywhere you want to go. The island has intentionally limited hotel developments outside the major tourist areas of Waikiki and Ko Olina to preserve the rest of this island for locals and nightly-rentals outside these areas are often illegal and take up limited housing on the island. Spending time in Waikiki supports locals working in tourism and keeps residential areas for residents.
My favorite kind of day in Waikiki begins before dawn. Coming from mountain time, the time difference is 3-4 hours depending on the time of year (Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time), which sets me up to enjoy the morning. I get up, work or read, drink some coffee in the room, and head down to Duke’s Marketplace for a haupia malasada. Yes, Leonard’s are famously better, but walking to Duke’s is an easy breakfast for under two dollars. I eat the malasada on the lanai of my Kuhio street hotel, change into a swimsuit, grab my snorkeling gear, and walk down to Queen Kapiolani Beach.
Some people will tell you that snorkeling is not very good here, but there is a wide and beautiful variety of fish with occasional honu (green sea turtles). Locals and visitors alike are out in the morning to see what they can see. I enjoy asking others on the beach where the hot spots are and what the conditions are like; this, along with only snorkeling where there is a lifeguard, is also a safety precaution for snorkeling solo. Conditions are clearest in the morning. Snorkeling, reading on the beach, and repeating the cycle makes for a peaceful start to the day. It feels like slipping between two different, beautiful worlds; the world above with the beach, backed by banyan trees and Diamond Head, and the world under the sea. There is not a wide variety of live coral here, but it is easy to avoid trampling the coral, a great place for a free leisurely snorkel, and is just a short walk from the hotel.
After a morning on the beach, I like to head back to the hotel for pool time, catch a shower, and head out for lunch and shopping. My favorite pools in Waikiki are saltwater pools, which make floating effortless. There are so many wonderful places for lunch down here, but Lulu’s is my favorite. Ask for a seat at the rail with views of the sea and/or Diamond Head. The spicy poke bowl or the poke nachos are a delicious light lunch, washed down with a jungle punch, a blue Hawaii, or a mai-tai make for a decadent vacation meal with a view. I would be remiss if I failed to note that Lulu’s has a great happy hour on weekdays.
When it is time to shop, there are stores for every price level from luxury brands to the ubiquitous ABC stores for affordable souvenirs. There are a variety of locally owned stores, and many big brands have Hawaii-exclusive merchandise. My favorite things to shop for are cotton Aloha wear made in Hawaii, locally designed and made jewelry, and locally designed bags. The International Marketplace, built around an impressive banyan tree, is a must to at least walk through. After shopping, Monkeypod is next on the agenda. It is a good idea to show up at the beginning of happy hour for a seat at the bar.
After Monkeypod, it is back to the hotel to rest for a bit, change into swimwear, and get to the beach for a sunset swim behind the historic Moana Surfrider. Sunset is an event every night in Waikiki, unless it is raining very hard. Most days the beach is packed with people swimming, sunning, strolling, laughing, talking, surfing, and more. English, Japanese, Korean, German, and other languages can be heard as everyone comes together to say a ritual goodnight to the sun. I love swimming and wading and turning my head from the sunset dropping in the west and Diamond Head changing in the evening light to the east.
Then, for me, it is time to head back to the hotel, read, reflect on the day, and drink a Maui Brewing Big Swell IPA on the lanai before heading off to an early bedtime to sleep well and be ready for the adventures of the next day. It is a beautiful, stress-free way to spend a day in Hawaii—supporting the local economy in this bustling, purpose-built tourist neighborhood in the middle of the Pacific.
