Hello paradise, round dos!

For those of you who are new here, I’m very grateful to say that this was my second trip to the beautiful Hawaiian Islands and WOW was it one for our adventure book!

Our first visit included many incredible ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences — we skydived on Oahu, zip-lined in Maui, whale watched in Kaanapali & hiked the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island.

This time, we had one BIG goal: SHARK DIVE off the North Shore of Oahu.

If you’re still with me, that sentence either terrifies or make you extremely jealous. Shark diving was never on my bucket list (similar to skydiving & we know how that turned out!), but it was on my sister-in-law’s & once the location of Oahu was picked, I was all in for another trip to the Pacific!

Just like last time, we flew direct from JFK to Oahu, but this time on Delta One & 11 hours later, we landed in paradise. If you’re interested flying direct in comfort and with hopes of catching some Z’s, this ticket is worth the extra penny or points!

The schedule: Oahu for two nights | Maui for three nights | Big Island for one night

The stays & my ratings: Turtle Bay Resort 11/10| Sheraton Kaanapali 10/10| Hilton Kona 5/10

The activities: shark dive | snorkel with sea turtles | drive the road to Hana | enjoy local cuisine | swim with manta rays

OAHU

We did a lot of research when it came to picking the ideal location & company for our free-dive — there are a lot out there! Thankfully, Oahu is home to One Ocean Diving, one of the highest-rated companies out there! Beyond the countless reviews and viral videos like this one featuring frequent visitor & group favorite, tiger shark Queen Nikki who’s known for saying hello to snorkelers, diving with One Ocean was a no brainer! Free-diving was truly an experience like no other. Exciting, terrifying and humbling all at once. As crazy as it sounds, it’s something I’d do again in a heart beat.

Oahu must-do's: the Sunrise Shack, shark diving with One Ocean & dinner @ Dukes Waikiki Beach.

PS most photos link to outfit links!

Maui

Maui was next on our list & we couldn’t wait to get back to the island that made us fall in love with Hawaii! In typical fashion, we pulled a repeat stay @ the Sheraton Kaanapali — mainly because of the near 100% guarantee of seeing sea turtles. We also did something we said we’d never ever do again — the road to Hana — after a horrible first experience. I’m SO happy to say giving the road second chance was one of the best decisions we could have made! We had an 360 degree difference of an experience. We swam in the Pua'a Ka’a waterfalls, enjoyed the famous black sand beach, finally tried Aunty Sandy’s banana bread & saw hundreds of sea turtles on the shore of Ho’okipa. Bottom line: if you’re on your way to Maui, the Road to Hana is a MUST!

Maui must-do's: dinner at DTH (Down the Hatch) *lobster+crab stuffed grilled cheese pictured below, shop at local artisan stores, visit the town of Paia, try a poke bowls from Kaohu Store (where the locals go!).

Big Island

Similar to our last trip took, we island hopped to the big island of Hawaii to hike the National Volcano Park. Sadly there wasn’t a current lava flow & the park has changed the rules since our last visit — you can no longer tour several areas of the national park due to the latest eruption devastation in January 2023 (only 4 months prior to our trip!). Open attractions: lava tubes, the caldera hike & steam vents. A must see if you’re crossing off North America’s national parks! The other reason the Big Island made our list for a second time, an attraction that’s only offered on this island: swimming with manta rays. Pro tip: bring lots of dramamine & snacks if you’re prone to sea-sickness! A very fun & unique experience that I’m happy to have checked off my bucket list!

Big Island must-do's: visit Hawaii’s National Volcano Park, poke bowls at Kurtistown, night time swim with manta rays.

Grateful from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to enjoy the beauty, hospitality, artistry & cuisine of the Hawaiian Islands.

Aloha, mahalo!

XO, Nicole