This time, we will introduce you to the best gourmet food and spots on the island of Oahu in Hawaii that you will definitely want to visit again and again. A Hawaii Meister who has traveled to Hawaii more than 100 times in total will guide you through everything from the local food that you will definitely want to visit again and again to the recommended power spots.
The ultimate pho that you'll want to eat 365 days a year
PHO THINH
Waikiki Free and Easy Trip
Large pho with tripe and tofu
If you are staying in Waikiki, be sure to try the pho. In Honolulu, Hawaii, the island of immigrants, there are many authentic and delicious Vietnamese restaurants that are just like the real thing. Among them, the pho at "Pho Sin" is so delicious that it will surprise even those in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. If I stay in Waikiki for four days, I will eat at this restaurant at least four times. "I guarantee it!" That's how delicious the pho is. The pho soup here is exquisite. You will never be able to taste it anywhere else.
"Pho Sin" is a Vietnamese restaurant, but as the name suggests, the most popular dish is pho, and many of the regular customers eat pho all the time. I always order a large bowl of pho with tripe (beef stomach) and tofu. I sometimes eat this twice a day, and I never get tired of it.
Since there are many Vietnamese Americans living on Oahu, the level of Vietnamese restaurants is high to begin with, and I have tried almost all of the Vietnamese restaurants in Honolulu from A to Z over the years. At least when it comes to pho, I have confirmed the top three: "This, This, and This!" And the number one is here, "Pho Sin." Of course, taste is a matter of personal preference, so I cannot give an absolute rating.
One of the charms of Vietnamese cuisine is the generous use of herbs.
There is a certain way to eat pho. This is exactly the same in Vietnam, where it originates, but when you order, a plate is first served with a generous amount of herbs. While you wait for the pho, you "tear" these green vegetables, such as Asian basil, into small pieces. Meanwhile, there are several (spicy) sauces specially made by the restaurant, such as homemade doubanjiang, on the table, so you can mix them with the fish sauce to create your own dipping sauce in a small dish.
When the pho arrives, I add a bunch of torn herbs and dip the tofu and tripe (in my case) in the sauce. I mix the sauce into the pho soup halfway through to make it spicy. Of course, this way of eating is up to personal preference.
"Pho Sin" opens at 10:00 a.m., so my style is to go there directly after arriving at Honolulu Airport in the morning with a rental car. If my return flight is in the afternoon, I eat pho here at 10:00 a.m. and then head to Honolulu Airport.
Enjoy the nature of the North Shore on a one-day drive
THE NORTH SHORE
Beautiful North Shore sunsets. You might even spot whales in the winter.
Waikiki is convenient because you can get around on foot, but if you're staying for 4 or 5 days, we recommend renting a car for one day and going a little further out to the North Shore. Waikiki is on the South Shore, which means the southern coast of the island, while the North Shore is the northern coast of Oahu. In winter, it's famous as a "surfer's mecca" with big waves, but in summer the North Shore has calm waves, is less crowded, and is a great place to relax. There are no large buildings and few native residents, so you can fully experience the beauty and tranquility of the island's countryside.
After renting a car at Honolulu Airport or in the city, take the H1 freeway and then the H2 along the way, heading straight for "NORTH". You can reach the North Shore by driving to the end of the H2, but we recommend getting off at the exit just before the end, "WAHIAWA". If you go from here, you'll be driving on a local road that passes through vast pineapple and sugarcane fields, and this drive is incredibly pleasant.
The road eventually leads to the surfer's town of Haleiwa on the North Shore, and if you drive along the coastal road (Kamehameha Hwy), you will reach Waimea Bay, known for its giant waves, and eventually Banzai Beach, known for the Banzai Pipeline, a dream spot for surfers from all over the world.
Along the country roads, there are a few stylish cafes and shops dotted here and there.
If you like shopping or spending time at crowded beaches, you may not need to go all the way to the North Shore. But if you like Hawaii's nature, flowers and greenery, and would like to visit neighboring islands such as Kauai and Maui, why not try visiting the North Shore at least once?
Hawaii's power spot "Kukaniloko"
KUKANILOKO
Red dirt road at the entrance to Kukaniloko
The recommended way to get from Waikiki to the North Shore, as mentioned earlier, is to get off at EXIT 8 WAHIAWA, the exit before the end of the H2 freeway.
If you get off the freeway and drive down that road, you will come to a traffic light called "Whitmore Ave." You are literally in the "middle of nowhere," but turn left at the light without hesitation. It is a red soil area that is like "part of a field," but after going a little further you will come across an iron chain, so please park your car in front of it.
Beyond the chain stretches a single red dirt road. Locking your car, taking your valuables, and walking down the road, you soon come to a vast, empty space in the middle of a sugarcane field, as if it had spilled out from another dimension.
Even among Hawaiians, not many make the effort to come here. In recent years, it has been featured more and more in Japanese magazines (especially women's magazines), so I think it's more common among Japanese tourists who love Hawaii. If you like sacred places and power spots, Kukaniloko is a must-go place.
I also recommend having your lunch in the shade of this tree.
Kukaniloko is actually the name of a rock at this location. Legend has it that since the 12th century, all of the chiefs on Oahu have been born near a rock called Kukaniloko. In other words, all of the chiefs' wives gave birth to their babies "near the rock." There is an ancient legend that says, "If a baby is born at the right angle to the rock, it will be blessed by God."
Regardless of the authenticity of the folklore, this place called Kukaniloko is certainly a bit mystical, powerful, and very comfortable.
In Hawaii there is a word called "mana." It refers to the spiritual power that all things in nature, such as flowers, trees, and stones, possess. I believe that Kukaniloko has "strong mana."
Eiichi Imai
Freelance writer and editor. Travels around Japan and overseas, writing, photographing, editing, and producing FM radio programs on the themes of travel and people. Written works include "Rain, Rainbow, and Hawaii," "Hawaii Travel Hints 100," "Beautiful Bookstores of the World," "What I Learned at 104," and others. Translated works include "The Beat Generation: Walking New York with Jack Kerouac," "Walking San Francisco with Allen Ginsberg," and "The Rolling Stones in 1972."
*Some content was updated on July 25, 2019.
Waikiki Free and Easy Trip
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
