When we were researching going to O’ahu, we knew we would have to get around with public transport. We didn’t feel comfortable driving on the other side of the road to Australia. Plus we knew it would be expensive to hire a car. So we knew if we wanted to see anything outside Waikīkī (which we did), we’d have to find another way to get around. As it turns out, it is absolutely possible and we had an amazing time exploring the island! If you’re also wanting to see O’ahu without a car, read ahead to see how we did it.
How to Get Around
Without a car, you have the options of taxis or rideshares, or the public bus system. We opted for buses to make our way around O’ahu. The buses are clean, efficient, affordable and (mostly) punctual.
To catch the bus, you will need to buy a Holo card and load money onto it. Holo cards cost $2 and are available from ABC stores and some service stations. You can load money or passes onto your card. Each bus ride costs $3, and you can transfer within two hours for free. If you plan to catch a lot of buses, you can also opt for a daily pass, which is $7.50 for unlimited rides in one day.
Something to note is ABC stores only sell daily passes. If you want to buy a card and load a custom amount on, you’ll need to find a service station. You can also only buy and load Holo cards with cash.
Buses in O’ahu are integrated with Google Maps, so it’s really easy to find where you need to go! Simply put your start and end destination into Google Maps and select the public transport option. You will be shown which bus routes you need to take, where the stops are, and what time they leave.
Waikīkī
Waikīkī is a neighbourhood in Honolulu on the south east of the island, and is the most popular area of O’ahu. It’s likely where you’ll be staying, as it’s a tourist hot spot with heaps of hotels, shopping and food. It’s also pretty walkable so is super easy to get around without a car.
Here you’ll find Waikīkī beach and a number of other wonderful beaches. Most hotels and accommodations aren’t more than a couple of blocks from at least one beach. Which means you’re never far from somewhere to relax (if you can find any space between everyone else, that is!). There’s also some great shopping along Kalākaua Avenue, such as at the International Market Place. The Ala Moana Center is also in Waikīkī at the north end of the area. This is a four storey shopping centre with upscale shops and outdoor sections which is really nice.
There’s also lots of great food in Waikīkī , including refreshing Hawaiian shave ice. This is similar to a snow cone but with shaved ice instead of crushed, and with flavoured syrups and toppings.
It is a lovely area to spend time wandering around, especially if you’re staying nearby. However it is definitely the most touristy area. It is very built up and caters more to tourists than locals. Because of this it is also super expensive and finding affordable accommodation can be hard. We stayed in a private room in the Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel. While more expensive than a hostel normally is, it was quiet, in a good location, and one of the cheapest places we could find in Waikīkī. It was also the perfect spot to explore more of O’ahu from.
Diamond Head
Diamond Head is a volcanic crater that formed after an eruption over 300,000 years ago. The 800 meter trail to the summit was built in the 1900s, and ascends 170 meters. There are paths the whole way up, but it is steep and there are lots of stairs. We read recommendations to expect 1.5 to 2 hours for the return walk. However it took us around half an hour to get up, and closer to 20 minutes to get down. It is tough, however neither of us are super fit and we didn’t find it too hard, so it would suit most fitness levels.
From the top, there is truly the most incredible view over Waikīkī. You can also see a lot of the rest of O’ahu and the water, where you can sometimes spot wildlife.
Entry to Diamond Head does require a reservation. These can be booked here and cost $5 USD per person and are timed tickets. Inside the park, there’s a bathroom, a little shop and a water filling station. There is a small place to buy food, however there’s also some picnic tables if you want to bring your own food. There are lots of Mongooses in the park, so be careful to not let them get your food.
The trail is open from 6am to 4pm, with the gates locked at 6pm. Getting there from Waikīkī is easy, as there are a number of buses that go around the crater. It takes around 20-25 minutes. Make sure to get off at “Diamond Head Rd + Opp 18th Ave” on Google Maps. From there it’s a 10-15 minute walk into the middle of the crater to the Diamond Head Visitor Centre.
Kailua
Kailua is an area in the south east of O’ahu. It has some nice shops and places to eat, but the main reasons to visit are the beautiful beaches. You have Kailua and Lanikai beaches, which are both amazing. They’re surrounded by incredible hills, have chickens running on them, and palm trees everywhere. The size of the beaches also means they’re no where near as crowded as the beaches in Waikīkī. There’s also way less tourists here, meaning they feel way more relaxing and special.
Getting there is easy, but does take a while so you’ll need to plan in advance. Depending where you’re staying, it will take a couple of buses. From Waikīkī beach you’ll need to catch a bus up to the Ala Moana Centre. From there you can take either the 66 or 67 buses across the island to Kailua. It takes about 1 hour each way from Ala Moana. Once in Kailua, you can take another bus down to the beaches, or walk 20 minutes through the lovely suburbs. It really is worth the journey time to get away from the tourists and explore more of the island.
Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden
The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden is an incredible 400 acre garden on the east side of O’ahu. It mostly houses tropical plants from Hawai’i and Polynesia, and has some incredible wildlife. There are camp grounds and picnic areas within the garden, and a visitors centre where you can get all the information you need for a great visit. Most people visit this garden by car, but it is absolutely possible without one. You can reach the garden on just one bus from the Ala Moana Center. There is a bit of walking involved in visiting the gardens, but it’s so worth it.
While the garden itself is stunning, it is actually best known for the views of the nearby Ko’olau mountains. The mountains tower above the garden in the most interesting shapes. There is a viewpoint above the lake in the garden that is just incredible! The lake itself is full of koi, and you’re also likely to see amazing bird life, mongooses, and maybe even a wild hog!
Getting there does take a while but is relatively easy. From the Ala Moana centre, catch either the 60 or 65 buses across the island. For the 60, get off at the corner of Anoi Road and Hinamoe Loop, then it’s a 10 minute walk from the garden gate. The 65 stops further away, just under 20 minutes’ walk from the gate at Kamehameha Highway and KOA Kahiko Street. If you want more details we wrote all about our experience visiting via public transport. Each bus takes about 40 minutes each way, however visiting this garden was easily our favourite thing that we did in O’ahu without a car, it’s truly stunning!
Pearl Harbour
If you’re interested in war history, Pearl Harbour is a great place to visit while on O’ahu. Pearl Harbour is located on the south west of the island, right near Honolulu airport. It’s famous because in 1941 it was bombed by Japan, causing the US to join WW2. Now it is the home to the US Navy deep-water naval base and the US pacific fleet. There is also now a memorial and a museum to commemorate the attack.
The museum actually runs lots of tours that include pickup from various parts of the island. These tours are even cheaper than the self-guided tours too. However if you want to do it on your own, luckily it only takes one bus to get there. The A or the 42 buses run from the Ala Moana Centre and take between 30 minutes to 1 hour each way. All tours can be booked on their website and there’s lots of different options to choose from. There’s also lots of tours you can book on Get Your Guide too, so you’ll definitely find something for you!
East O’ahu
Seeing the east side of O’ahu without a car is easy and there are some great things to see and do. This is where you’ll find the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Koko Head and some wonderful beaches.
Hanauma Bay
Koko Head is the headland on this side of the island, and hiding here within a volcanic cone is Hanauma Bay. It was declared a protected marine life conservation park in 1967. Hanauma Bay is one of the most popular tourist destinations on O’ahu, but has previously suffered from over tourism. With up to 10,000 visitors a day, the reef and local wildlife were suffering. There is now a daily limit to the beach, and reservations have to be made before entering. Tickets are $25 USD per person and can be bought here. Note that the bay is shut on Monday’s and Tuesday’s and is open from 6:45am – 4pm the other days.
Koko Head
Also in Koko head is the Koko Crater Railway Trailhead, a hike on old railroad tracks. This 2.6km walk is very popular and will take around 1.5 hours to complete. It is quite challenging, with over 1000 steps to the top, but once there there is the most wonderful view over the island below. Also within the crater is the Koko Crater Botanical Garden. This free garden is special because it is in a volcanic crater, meaning that is has dryland, volcanic plants. There is a self guided 3km loop within the garden that shouldn’t take more than an hour to complete. There’s also some great beaches in the area such as Sandy Beach and Kaloko Beach.
How to Get There
Getting there by bus will take a while, but is worth it. It will require a combination of two buses, all routes of which can be found on Google Maps. It takes 1-1.5 hours each way. Both Hanauma Bay and the Koko Crater Railway Trailhead can be accessed by getting off at “
Lunalilo Home Rd + Anapalau St”. From there it’s a 20-30 minute walk up a hill to either spot. The botanic gardens and beaches require slightly different buses, then shorter walks to all spots.
If the bus ride across the island is too long for you in one go, then do what we did and break it up! All the spots require the buses to go alone the southern coastline, meaning you can get off at any time and visit any of the beaches along there. These beaches are all free, quiet and beautiful. We recommend Kahala Beach but there’s also Wailupe Beach, Niu Beach and Kawaikui Beach Park.
North O’ahu
The north shore of O’ahu is definitely harder without a car, depending on where you’re staying. As it’s further away from Waikīkī, it’s more of a 2-3 hour journey by bus to some spots, but is still possible! It is also a beautiful part of the island and is less touristy and built up than Waikīkī so is definitely worth a visit.
Waimea Bay
Waimea Bay Beach is famous for it’s surfing, with waves up to 30 feet in winter attracting some incredible surfers. In summer it turns into a popular place for swimming and snorkelling. There is a also a big rock that people jump off, but please assess the risk before participating yourself.
Nearby is the Waimea Botanical Garden where there is a waterfall you can swim in. It’s open every day except Monday from 9am to 4pm and it costs $25 USD per adult to visit. To get there from Waikīkī beach it takes 2 buses and takes about 2 and a half hours each way. In terms of food, there may be some food trucks around but best to take some food with you just in case.
Turtle Beach
The same bus journey that takes you to Waimea Beach will continue on past Laniakea Beach or “Turtle Beach”. Turtle Beach is famous for the turtles that live there. You’ll find them either sunning themselves or swimming in the water. Please remember it is illegal to touch them, instead just watch and admire them from afar. This beach can get busy so there are also some nearby beaches you can swim and turtle spot at instead. These are Kawailoa beach and Papa‘Iloa beach on either side of Laniakea. In terms of food, there may be some food trucks around but best to take some food with you just in case.
Dole Plantation
Something very Hawaiian but very touristy is to visit the Dole Plantation. The Dole company was originally founded in Hawaii as a pineapple plantation and the current building is where the original field was. What used to be a fruit stand in 1950, the Dole Plantation now attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. There are heaps of activities there now, such as a train, a garden maze and a garden tour. There’s also a shop, a restaurant and of course lots of opportunities to purchase Dole soft serve and fresh pineapple.
From the Ala Moana Center, it takes about 70-90 minutes each way on a bus. Entry to the plantation is free, however inside the activities are all paid. The train is $13.75 USD, the maze is $9.25 USD and the garden tour is $8 USD. You can buy both individual activity and combo tickets on their website. It would be a cool place to visit if you love Dole and pineapple!
Tours
If you don’t want to catch public buses to the north of O’ahu, there are always lots of great tours available. Get Your Guide have many great north shore tours including full day tours from Waikīkī. They’ve got tours with hikes, snorkelling, trips to the dole plantation and even one with shark cage diving. It’d definitely be an easy and fun way to see O’ahu without a car.
Final Thoughts
If you’re visiting O’ahu without a car, we hope this post has given you some hope that you can still have an amazing time. There is so much to see and do, especially if you plan ahead and are willing to spend a bit of time on buses. Use it as an excuse to catch up on podcasts like we did! Plus, O’ahu is such a stunning island that the bus journeys are always so pretty too. Whatever you manage to see, we hope you have an amazing time exploring O’ahu without a car.
To see everything we got up to without a car in O’ahu, check out our vlogs below:
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