The Diamond Head lighthouse is seen from the top of Diamond Head on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, seen here during our June 2023 visit. From way up here, the lighthouse looks rather small.
Named Lēʻahi in Hawaiian, you probably recognize Diamond Head from all those beach photos from Waikīkī, with the volcanic mountain looming in the distance. The lighthouse out in front of the mountain is not as well known, and as you can see, the mountain towers over the lighthouse.
We saw lots of natural growth on the trail to Mānoa Falls on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi during our June 2023 trip.
Looking at this photo, you would almost expect an Ewok to jump out from behind one of those trees. Or maybe Bigfoot. Except that everyone knows Bigfoot does not live in Hawaiʻi. And Ewoks are on Endor.
Waves crash into rocks along the shoreline at Kaʻena Point State Park on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi.
We visited Kaʻena Point State Park early in our trip, as we were looking to check out some of the beaches of Oʻahu. If you have not already done so, you might want to read about it in Part 4 of the trip report.
Lanterns hang from tree limbs at the Four Seasons Resort along the shore on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi.
As you might know from reading our Hawaiʻi 2023 trip report, we went for a walk every evening of our stay at the Disney resort of Aulani. On our very first night there, we walked past the Four Seasons Resort, which was right next door in the Ko Olina resort area. These lanterns were hanging in a tree near the path, and of course I could not resist taking a photo.
Previously in the Hawaiʻi trip report from June 2023, we had gotten a bonus night in Hawaiʻi thanks to a canceled flight. Do we ever make it home? Read on! And if you have not done so already, you might want to read the previous part.
Thursday, June 22, 2023 After a somewhat restless night of sleep, we got up around 9:00 AM. There had been some noises from the adjacent rooms that had woken us up at various times in the earlier morning hours, but I had usually been able to go back to sleep relatively quickly after those.
The Hawaiʻi trip in June 2023 continues with us exploring the Waikīkī area before attempting to start for home. If you have not done so already, you might want to read the previous part.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023 For one last time, we followed our morning routine of getting up at 7:00 and eating breakfast on the Riedels’ balcony. We finished off all that we could of what we had bought for breakfast, which meant an extra glass of pineapple cranberry juice for me. I also had an extra granola bar, but I slipped it in my backpack just in case I needed a snack at an airport or somewhere else along the way. And I tried my best to enjoy the balcony view as much as I could for this last time. Of course, we would still have plenty of times to sit and talk with the Riedels once we got back home, so at least that part did not have to end with the trip.
A lifeguard station on the beach at Kaʻena Point State Park on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, as seen during our June 2023 Hawaiʻi Trip.
During our visit to Kaʻena Point, we happened to walk by the lifeguard station, which looked to me to be a good photo opportunity. For whatever reason, lifeguard stations are interesting to me, such as this one at Cocoa Beach, Florida and this one on the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi. In fact, the Kauaʻi station linked above looks very similar to this one, which would make sense as they are both part of the Hawaiʻi parks system.
The Hawaiʻi trip in June 2023 continues with a hike up Diamond Head and another great sunset. If you have not done so already, you might want to read the previous part.
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 As was our custom by this point, we started off the day much like every other day. Up at 7:00 AM, breakfast on the Riedels’ balcony. It had been a good routine. But beyond that, things were starting to change. We knew this was to be our last full day at Aulani, so our morning routine would not last much longer. And besides that, we had plans for the day that were a little different from the previous days.
The view from Makapuʻu Point on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, as seen during our June 2023 Hawaiʻi Trip.
During our trip, we had hiked up the trail to see the Makapuʻu Lighthouse. But before we climbed, I was not quite expecting to see the view that we found there.
