Signing you up...
Day One
AM: Waking up to a beautiful morning I start the day with a walk along the beachfront. Even at 7.30am the place is busy with joggers, other walkers, surfers and paddle boarders. The majestic Royal Hawaiian Hotel (aka The Pink Palace) and the colonial-era Westin Moana Surfrider (the oldest hotel in Waikiki) look magnificent from every angle and the outdoor terrace restaurants are already full with breakfast diners. On Kalakaua Avenue there are already people out shopping!
For breakfast today I choose the Cheeseburger Factory in Lewers St with its elevated terrace. The US$5.99 breakfast special is hard to resist: eggs as you like them, hash browns, toast and coffee.
Next comes an easy post-breakfast walk down to the Ala Moana Center for some shopping. The walk takes about 20 minutes from central Waikiki but there's also the option of a bus, a taxi or the Waikiki
trolley bus service.
PM: The afternoon is devoted to what you typically do in Waikiki, which is laze on the beach. Renting a deck chair is a good idea. The people watching is entertaining and the water is clear and warm, even in the Hawaiian winter. For late-afternoon cocktails, the pool terrace at the nearby Halekulani Hotel is a great destination. The Mai Tais here are definitely the best ever.
EVENING: Dinner tonight is to celebrate a friend's 50th birthday at The Modern Honolulu hotel in Waikiki. Formerly part of the Ilikai Hotel & Suites, The Modern Honolulu is a new property whose sleek contemporary style has a real "wow" factor. I particularly like the beautiful teak poolside decking and outdoor furniture.
We dine at the hotel's signature restaurant, Morimoto Waikiki. The ambience is sensational and the cuisine is a fresh and delicious fusion of Japanese and Western fusion. I enjoy a carpaccio of wagyu, fresh white fish with hot ginger oil, and heavenly salted peanut ice cream for dessert.
Day Two
AM: The next morning starts with breakfast at Eggs ‘n Things, a Honolulu tradition since 1974. The restaurant chain has two locations in Waikiki and I head for the one in Ena Road, Central Waikiki. Be prepared to wait in a line for a table though as Eggs 'n Things is very popular with locals and tourists alike.
AM & PM: A tour of Pearl Harbour and the South Shore of Oahu is the plan for the day and it's a full-day excursion, departing around 9am and returning at 4.45pm. At US$84.99 including lunch it’s good value and we see all of the key Pearl Harbour sights including the USS Arizona Memorial, plus historic Downtown Honolulu and some of Oahu’s beautiful beaches.
EVENING: For our last night in Waikiki we head to the great streetside bar at the iconic Roy's restaurant in Lewers Street. The Pineapple Martinis are delicious and would have Dean Martin falling off his bar stool! The menu at Roy's is "Hawaiian Fusion" and my favourites from the menu are Macadamia Nut-crusted Mahi-Mahi and Szechuan-Spiced Pork Ribs. And then, just like the beautiful sunsets you enjoy every day in Hawaii, my 48 hours in Honolulu comes to an end.
Have you ever had a holiday in Hawai'i? Tell us what you loved about it in the comments below.
