the fun don't stop

One of my favorite cities on the North Shore is called Haleiwa. It is not pronounced how it looks. it is pronounced (HALL-ay-EE-va). Caught you by surprise didn't it? This city is absolutely beautiful. It is a touristy town with all of its different elements including the World-Famous Matsumotos Shaved Ice, Haleiwa Eats, Wailua Bakery, Lanikai Juice, and Bob's Pizza, just to name a few. Matsumoto's Shaved Ice is unlike anything you have ever tried. I promise. They put a scoop of ice cream in the bottom of your snow cone with your choice of any three flavors. My favorite combination is Strawberry, Guava, and Lilikoi with Lilikoi Butter on top which completes the deliciousness. The ice is so soft and melts in your mouth. It is very hard to explain, but it is just like snow! Another very interesting cultural option they have is beans. Sounds absolutely NASTY to me.. but I didn't have the guts to try it. I generally like to stick to what I know is good! The prices are super inexpensive too! A small shaved ice with ice cream is only $3.00. Best $3.00 you will ever spend, I assure you.

Another favorite hot spot bakery in Haleiwa is called Waialua Bakery. Everything on the menu is hand-made from scratch. So delicious. The food is very healthy for you and is made that morning. Their sandwiches are unbeatable. Hands-down the best on the island in my opinion. You won't find anything close to it at your local Subway that's for sure. The vibes at this local joint are so chill with the Spirit of Aloha. Everyone is very nice and willing to do anything so you have the best experience possible. 

My favorite activity to do in Haleiwa is definitely paddle boarding. You can rent these paddle boards for only $15 an hour at the Volcom store. They have their own launching ramp right into the river where you can cruise up and down and into the bay. It is so beautiful that it almost seems fake. This river is infested with Sea Turtles and they will bob at the surface for a breath all around you. It is incredible. It takes a few minutes to get adjusted to keeping your balance on the board, but once you get the hang of it, you will be a pro in no time! 

Me and my girlfriends went at the prime time right before the sun set and we got some insane pictures to show for it! It was one of the most beautiful sights. I will never forget this night.

For only $15, we got to enjoy God's beautiful creations, priceless pictures, we got a nice little workout, and memories I will never forget. I definitely recommend paddle boarding to anyone who is looking for a good time.

Haleiwa still to this day has my heart. 

The time of my life

From the collection of my stories from my blog it is obvious that Oahu has many adventures to offer. One of my favorite and most memorable adventures was last year on my birthday. Worried that my first birthday experience away from home would be a bust, I had very low expectations for the day. It wasn't until my cute sister and my friends surprised me and drove to a pier in Honolulu to take me para-sailing that my mind all changed! Talk about a ride! Para-sailing is one of the coolest things I have ever done! You have the option of going up a single rider, double rider, or a triple rider. I went up with my sister and got to enjoy the beauty of the Island from 1000 feet up in the air, cruising over the ocean. It was remarkable. My friends went up as triple riders and got the same treatment! It was such an interesting experience that is quite hard to explain. Imagine being in a wind tunnel and having your hair blow wild and not being able to hear your self speak. It was NOTHING like this scenario I just described. Instead of what I had imagined of crazy wind blowing in my face, it was actually very peaceful high up in the air! The air was very still and calm way up there. It completely shocked me but I enjoyed it! You could easily carry on a complete conversation up there as if you were in a solitary room. It blew my mind!

The group before our ascent!

Me loving my cute sister, Jordan for surprising me!

The crew that took us up!

One thing you will learn about me it that I am a risk taker. I love the thrill and adrenaline I get from taking risks. It must have been something I developed growing up with the Nitro Circus Crew. Although it was a huge risk, my sister took up her waterproof camera with us to get another perspective of our ride and capture the full experience. It was a well-worth it risk based off the incredible footage we got! Taking risks almost always pays off. In the words of Hilary Duff, "Why not take a crazy chance?" As corny as these lyrics are, they are so relevant and we should all take them into account. What do we have to lose? Nothing. Only everything to gain. Why sit back on the sidelines when we could be playing the game? You got to get yourself out there and try new things that may or may not scare you. It will pay off regardless of the circumstances.

From 1000 feet up

Towards the end of your air time, the driver slows down the boat and dips your legs into the ocean. It was kind of scary at first but me and my sister were laughing the entire time and made the most of every second! The boat then speeds up and takes you back up. Me and my sister had such a great time up in the air busting jokes and laughing hysterically! We didn't care what anyone thought of us while we were up there acting like goofs and looking like complete idiots! It doesn't get much better than this. Really. We went at the perfect time when the ocean was pretty calm and the placement of the sun was impeccable. Seeing Diamond Head, the majestic mountain of Oahu, jetting out from the shoreline from 1000 feet up in the air was one for the books. It was such a sight! I will never forget the beauty that my eyes gazed upon.
I can't thank my sister enough for taking me to do this! We made memories that I will never forget. These were the best of times. My 19th birthday was the best ever! :)

Waterfall Hikes on da Aina

The beautiful island of Oahu has gorgeous waterfalls tucked away, just waiting for the visitors of the island to discover. These waterfalls are unlike any other. They are surrounded by lush, green tropical rain forest that literally looks as if you stepped foot into the Amazon. It is absolutely incredible. Some trees have sweet fruit that fall from their limps called guava. I can't promise the fruit is safe to ingest, but it certainly smells fantastic when you step on it. Tip to all hikers considering these hikes: WEAR BUG SPRAY.
52 mosquito bites later... lets just say I found out the hard way. Those little scoundrels love my blood obviously. After a year of living on the island, I fortunately became immune to these bugs and they began to leave me alone.
Three of my absolute favorite waterfall hikes on the North Shore of Oahu consist of Sacred Falls, Maunawili Falls, and the Pali Jump. These waterfalls are absolutely majestic. The falls are generally around 30-45 feet cascades and the water is quite chilly.
Maunawili Falls is one of my absolute favorite hikes on the island. You have to park in a neighborhood nearby and then walk to the trail head to begin the hike. Once you make your way to falls, many daring adventurers, like myself, will hike up to the 50 ft. jump! I can only say I accomplished a hike after cliff-jumping into the water. If you enjoy spicing up your life with adrenaline and thrill, I definitely advise you to jump. There is a rope located on the side of the falls to help you climb up. Once you gather the courage to propel yourself off the 50 ft. cliff, you are permitted to let out a scream or a profanity to release your fear. You can't help but feel a sense of fulfillment after taking the leap.

Here is a pic of our crew at the trail head of Maunawilis

After hiking the falls a few times, we started to get creative and went at night time with glow sticks to jump off the falls. We threw a bunch of glow sticks in the water and you could see them lit up at the bottom. It looked so sweet as it lit up the water! It was a lot more exhilarating not knowing what was beneath you when you jumped off. We were crazy. What can I say?


Second of my favorite waterfalls is Sacred Falls located just off the Kamehameha Highway near Hauula. Unfortunately, if you want to hike to Sacred Falls, you must trespass and do it illegally just as I did. The state park is closed off due to many deaths from rock slides. If you are a risk taker and a rule breaker, this hike is perfect for you! At Sacred Falls, the visible cascade is around 80 ft. The falling water is breathtaking and pours into a little wading pool that is very beautiful. The water has an orange hew to it due to the carbon in the water. When at Sacred Falls, it is necessary to take a little dip. If you are going to hike all the way up, it is definitely worth it to take a swim and become one with nature. If you don't, it is your loss.

Don't judge me for wearing my Twilight attire.

Last but definitely not least of my featured list of falls, is the Pali Jump! This hike is very short. It only takes a max of 5 minutes to get to it and it is absolutely incredible. It feels as if you are in a different world when you arrive at this marvelous place. These falls are around 45 ft. and have a rope swing at the bottom into a large wading pool. One of the many times I went, we made a day trip out of it and had a nice BBQ at the bottom. We stayed there for hours playing in the water, jumping off the cliff, and swinging on the rope swing. My friend brought his "Floatopia", which is a blow up little island, and we could float out to the middle of the falls and take in the beautiful place. Just like Maunawilis, Pali Jump is even more exhilarating at night. Although you don't get to see the gorgeous landscape, the thrill of jumping off at night is so worth it. 

Here is a group of us at the Pali Jump at night time!

It is a sin not to take advantage of these beautiful waterfalls when visiting the island of Oahu. Each has its own uniqueness to offer and is absolutely stunning. You won't regret visiting these hot spots and I promise you will make memories there that will never be forgotten.