o'ahu may be my favourite place on earth. this is my guide to all things surf, hiking and where to eat on north shore, o'ahu.
Where to eat
sunrise shack, sunset beach
even though it does feel very touristy at times, it's a north shore must. try the monkey bowl. the perfect eat after a surf.
hale'iwa bowls
my favourite açai bowl on the entire island, the perfect amount of sweetness and the best toppings. I had far too many açai bowls here, than I care to admit.
raised by the waves
a little more out of the way, is this small café by the old kabuki sugar mill. very chill and quiet spot, perfect place for lunch or early dinner.
ono yo
after an evening surf at turtle bay, a frozen yoghurt from ono should be your go to treat! Their peanut butter shavings are to die for, I still dream of this place years later.
pupukea grill
probably the most popular place amongst all the locals.
foodland
this is the og of north shore, and even though it is a supermarket, it deserves to be on this list. I couldn't find any Instagram account for foodland, but found this picture, which sums up the vibe at foodland pretty well.
panda's thai food
such an underrated place, go for the best thai food on the island.
surf'n'salsa
if you're craving mexican, this is your spot. miss this place so much.
farm to barn
two words: breakfast burrito.
down to earth
okay another supermarket on the list and not actually on the north shore, but this place is heaven. they have super good takeaway and have outdoor seating areas to eat at. think it of as the hawaii version of erewhon.
banzai bowls
not the best bowls on this list, but really damn good. find it next to the petrol station in pupukea, or next to the ripcurl store in hale'ewa.
Where to surf
Be warned, the locals here can be very tough on visitors/non-natives out in the surf. That said, people are for the most part super friendly AND helpful! some of my favourite surf spots are:
- haleiwa
- sunset
- chun's
- turtle bay
*be warned: these spots are for the most part beginner friendly, but can all turn into absolute beasts in the winter time*
Where to hike
all trails is your friend. there are so many great hikes on the north shore, so I will just mention the ones that I kept coming back to.
ehukai pill box trail
easy and short hike. tip: go here for the best view of pipeline when the waves are pumping.
the ka'ena point trail
this one goes all the way from the north shore over to the west shore. this trail has everything from the old railway tracks, monk seals, pelicans doing their mating dance rituals, and if you're lucky you may be able to spot mahi mahi jumping out of the water, dolphins or maybe even whales.
