For many reasons, a vacation to Oahu, Hawaii, can be a rewarding and entertaining experience. Visitors to the dynamic and diverse island of Oahu can enjoy beautiful scenery, historical sites, outdoor activities, and relaxation.
Experience the stunning beauty of the places to go in Oahu’s verdant rainforests and volcanic craters, hike the many trails that wind through the island, discover its fascinating history and culture, dine on a variety of cuisines, take in the island’s lively arts and entertainment scene, shop till you drop, and more. Oahu is a tropical paradise.
We have compiled a list of the island’s most photogenic locations and included them in this blog post to assist you in your search. Here, we reveal some of our hidden gems, most of which aren’t your run-of-the-mill tourist spots!
Byodo-In Temple
Among the most picturesque vistas on places to go in Oahu, you’ll find the Byodo-In Temple in Kaneohe’s Valley of the Temples Memorial Park—quite a surprising fact: Hawaii has a small Japanese community.
On the island, you may find the serene Byodo-In, a replica of a Buddhist temple that dates back 900 years. If you’d like to avoid the heat, we suggest going first thing in the morning. Parking is limited at this site, as at many others on Oahu.
Popular spots for photos include the red bridge by the entrance and the bench outside the temple. On weekends, Byodo-In tends to get very busy, so you’ll have to wait if you want a photo without many people.
Regional Park Kualoa
Even though you’ve probably seen images of Kualoa before as one of the places to go in Oahu, you’ve likely never heard of it because anyone you know who has watched Jurassic Park will recognize this place.
You might recognize it from the original Jurassic Park movies, where it served as a backdrop for the dinosaurs’ era-appropriate habitat. This popular Hawaii tourist destination results from its breathtaking natural beauty and the allure of its movie star status.
On the island’s eastern side, towards the northern end of Kaneohe Bay, you’ll find Kualoa Regional Park. A picturesque beach, perfect for parking your car and taking in the scenery, is just across the street from the regional park and has many places to eat in Oahu.
Chinaman’s Hat
A small island in Kaneohe Bay, Mokoli’i, is also known as Chinaman’s Hat on the mainland which is one of the places to visit in Oahu. It lies off Oahu’s eastern coast. This island is just over 500 meters from the shore, so if you visit Kualoa Regional Park, you can see it from the beach. The island was so named because it looked like traditional Chinese hats.
Although it can be seen from the shore, paddling to the island gives one a true sense of its beauty. The paddle isn’t too long, and you might be the only one on the island. As soon as you step on the island, you’ll be greeted with breathtaking views of the azure waters and the craggy mountain ranges of Kualoa Regional Park, one of the places to go in Oahu.
Kaneohe Sandbar
Snorkeling and swimming are made for the Kaneohe Sandbar and surrounding reefs. You can find the sandbar about 1.6 km offshore in Kaneohe Bay, one of the places to visit in Oahu. No matter the weather, the bay is always calm because of the outer reef that surrounds it.
The level of water covering the sandbar can vary from completely exposed to just below waist-deep as the tides change. The sandbar is a breathtaking sight at any time of day or night. Looking back to shore, you can enjoy the view of Kualoa Regional Park, which is a bonus. Although getting up close and personal with Kualoa Park is essential, viewing it from the sandbar, one of the places to go in Oahu, was equally enjoyable.
East Side of Waikiki Beach
One of the most common mental pictures of Hawaii is undoubtedly Waikiki Beach. It boasts a spot among the world’s most renowned beaches! It isn’t suitable as a photography spot on Oahu due to its popularity. We will give you a little secret: the East end of Waikiki Beach, right by Diamond Head, is the most photogenic spot on the island and has many places to eat in Oahu. Here, you’ll notice that it’s mainly uninhabited. Plus, street parking is abundant!
The beach’s natural beauty makes it one of the most photogenic beaches on Oahu. Kids playing in the water make great photo ops because the waves aren’t too choppy. Truly, it ranks among Oahu’s most picturesque locations, along with many places to eat in Oahu!
In addition to making memories that will last a lifetime, taking high-quality photos during your travels will allow you to enjoy those memories repeatedly. For this purpose, hire Keokiana Photography to help you capture memories and places to go in Oahu. I will compile your memories so that you can have beautiful memories to look back on and show off to loved ones with the help of a professional photographer like us!