All things bright and beautiful: (2019) 9 days in Hawaii --- Day 6 (Saturday) From The Big Island to Oahu

The first part of our Hawaiian trip had seen us criss-cross the breadth and depth of the Big Island, going from the Kona coast on the west up to the summit of Mauna Kea and to Hilo on the east, as well as travelling from the Waipio Valley in the north down to the Punaluu Black Sand Beach in the south. After five memorable days on the island, we had to bid it farewell and make our way to the Oahu island for the second part of our trip.

Having a morning flight to catch meant that we were denied more time to explore the large Hilton Waikoloa Village resort or try out some of its facilities. We took the resort tram to the Main Lobby. It was still early and the tram was much less packed than it was the day before. As the tram moved from one hotel tower to another, early risers could be seen making their way to breakfast or maybe a dip in one of the many pools in the resort. While I would have preferred to lie in for a bit more, a few young children seemed to be eager to start the day early and get ready for the many choices of activities.

Aloha! Boarding the plane that would take us from Big Island to Oahu.

At least, staying at a hotel that was a short half-an-hour's drive from the airport had given us a little more sleep. After checking-in at the airport, we had time for a rather leisurely brunch. The flight from Kona International Airport to Honolulu on the island Oahu itself took about forty-five minutes.

While renting a car is more or less a necessity for a tourist on the Big Island, it is not the case on Oahu. With a comprehensive network of buses that cover most parts of Oahu island, relying solely on public transport is a perfectly viable option. Thus we decided to be environmentally friendly and not to rent a car for our 4-day stay on Oahu. For a start, we took a shuttle from Honolulu Airport to our hotel, located in the touristic Waikiki district.

Looking out from our hotel balcony, it was easy to see why Waikiki is such a popular tourist area, with numerous hotels lining the waterfront Kalakaua Avenue that borders the Waikiki Beach. Guests staying at one of these hotels can literally just cross the street and get in the water, whether to swim or to surf.

A room with a view --- Waikiki Beach as seen from our hotel.

Swimmers and surfers at Waikiki Beach

Tidy --- balconies of the neighbouring hotel

There is no shortage of big hotels along the Waikiki Beach, such as the one (as seen in the photo above) next to ours. The absence of any guest in the photo is an odd coincidence --- at almost all other times when we looked out of the window, we unfailingly saw numerous guests in the balconies either indulging in the impeccable view of the Beach or relaxing on the deck chairs.

With half a day on our hands, we wasted no time and set off quickly after checking in the hotel. Our chosen place of visit for the day was the distinctive Diamond Head, a volcanic cone that is one of the geological landmarks of Oahu. Located to the east of Waikiki, the popular Diamond Head State Monument could be reached from our hotel by taking Bus #2. It was a moderate hike up the Diamond Head Summit Trail. On the Saturday afternoon, we joint scores of people taking this trail. Those who reach the summit of the crater were awarded with a stunning panoramic view of Waikiki and the southern coastline of Oahu.