Home : 50 Ways to Love Oahu : The Great Outdoors

Whether you hike or dive, kayak or sail, Oahu’s pristine beauty never fails to amaze.

Come kayak the tranquil turquoise waters off Kailua and Lanikai on O'ahu’s Windward Coast with local outfitters who offer an array of kayak adventures. Guides will share the pristine beauty of these waters and the offshore Mokulua islands of Popoia, Moku Nui, and Moku Iki, designated seabird sanctuaries. As you paddle along, you may even see honu (green sea turtles), tropical fish, and spinner dolphins swimming through the crystal clear waters. Click here for a listing of kayaking companies.

The popular sport of surfing is deeply rooted in Hawaiian culture and history and ancient Hawaiian royals actually surfed right off Waikīkī. Exceptional conditions and instructors make O'ahu the place to ride the waves. Waikīkī Beach’s year round gentle surf is ideal for beginners while the North Shore attracts experienced surfers and world champions in winter at famed locales that include Waimea Bay, Banzai Pipeline, and Sunset Beach. Mākaha Beach, on O'ahu’s western shores, is one of Hawaii’s most famous surfing spots, with huge swells all winter long. Click here for a listing of surf schools.

The golden sands and turquoise waters of Waikīkī Beach offer easy access to a multitude of water sports and top flight outfitters. There’s nothing like the exhilaration of a high speed catamaran sail that leaves right from the beach and provides magnificent views of Waikīkī and Diamond Head. You can also opt for the thrill of outrigger canoe surfing. You will paddle out from shore over the reef with a guide and then enjoy the adrenaline rush as your outrigger canoe rides the waves back toward the shoreline.

Stand up paddle, also known as SUP, has been around for decades, and is growing in popularity around the world. The sport combines surfing and canoe paddling and is best done in calm, flat water. Maneuvering the surf board with the paddle requires balance and provides an excellent core workout. The calm waters of Waikīkī, Kailua Bay, and the North Shore in summer are ideal for SUP and ideal for travelers who like to try new things and stay in shape during your vacation.

Venture to Oahu’s Leeward Coast to swim with dolphins and green sea turtles with Wild Side Specialty Tours. The company’s twin hulled vessel leaves from Waianae Harbor with a crew that includes a marine biologist who shares her extensive knowledge of O'ahu’s waters and marine life. Before long, spinner, bottlenose, rough-toothed, and spotted dolphins may surround the vessel. You can don snorkeling equipment and swim with the dolphins. Later on, the vessel will go closer to shore near the coral reef where you can snorkel among green sea turtles and colorful tropical fish. www.sailhawaii.com

Scuba diving enthusiasts find Oahu’s underwater sites as breathtaking as the island itself. Choose shore dives, boat dives, night or day, and discover colorful reef fish, coral beds, star fish, turtles, octopus, lobsters, and more marine life. Shark’s Cove near Waimea Bay on the North Shore and and Mokumanu on the Windward Coast are both popular dive spots. Oahu is also the only place in Hawaii that with wreck diving. The Corsair plane wreck and the Mahi shipwreck are both well worth investigating. Excellent dive shops and outfitters offer tours, equipment, and lessons. . Click here for scuba company listings.

The Windward Coast beckons hikers with the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail. The trail winds around Makapuu Head and from the top offers spectacular vistas of the Pacific Ocean, the dramatic coastline, the Koolau Mountains, and the island of Molokai in the distance. Come winter, you may even spot whales from the top of the trail.

Perfect for active travelers, for a demanding workout and rewarding views, nothing beats a hike up Oahu’s iconic Diamond Head, the dramatic volcanic crater on the edge of Waīkikī known as Leahi in Hawaiian. Once a military outpost, the 1.75 mile round trip hike features a 99-step staircase, gun batteries, and bunkers. The 760-foot high summit affords breathtaking panoramas of the Pacific, Honolulu, the Waīkikī shoreline, and inland Oahu.

Families can enjoy an easy hike to spectacular Mānoa Falls in Mānoa Valley at the base of the Koolau Mountains not far from Honolulu. The easy 1.5-mile round trip hike follows Waihī Stream through lush rainforest vegetation with giant ferns, bamboo trees, and unique tree forms. At the trail’s end, you are rewarded with views of the 150-foot high falls which cascade over a nearly vertical cliff into a small pool. Tip: Mānoa Valley is very lush and green and often blessed with morning showers so make sure to be prepared with the right shoes for possible muddy spots.

Northeast Oahu offers the natural wonders and plentiful activities at Kualoa Ranch, a 4,000-acre working cattle ranch that goes from steep mountain cliffs to the sparkling sea. This paradise includes dense rainforest, broad open valleys, verdant cliffs, and beautiful beaches. Many Kualoa Ranch locations have been featured in movies and TV shows. You can discover many of these famous locales and lots more while hiking, on horseback, or via an all terrain vehicle.