If you’ve got more than a few days on the island of O’ahu, it would be a mistake to not venture out of Honolulu. While most tourists will spend their time relaxing on the beaches of Waikiki, O’ahu has so much more to offer. One of our favourite things we did was a day trip across the island to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden. However, we did it a little different than most, because we visited the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car!
Even though most people visit by car, it is absolutely possible to visit the garden on foot. Before our visit, we found mixed messages about whether we would be allowed to enter, how to get there, and whether it was easy to get around. We’re here to break everything down for you exactly as we experienced it.
In this post:
- About the Gardens
- Getting to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden Without a Car
- What to See in the Garden
- Getting Around in the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden Without a Car
- What to Take With You
- Is it Worth Visiting Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden Without a Car?
About the Gardens
The Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden is a 400 acre garden located about 10km or 6 miles north-east of Honolulu. The garden has been open to the public since 1982. It houses tropical plants from many regions of the world, and emphasises conservation of plants native to Hawai’i and Polynesia. There is also campgrounds and picnic areas within the garden, as well as educational facilities at the visitors centre.
The garden is located at the base of the Ko’olau mountains, and has some spectacular scenery of the surrounding landscape. It was built in a flood plain, which was specifically chosen as a way to protect the towns nearby. The garden has been designed in such a way that the 32 acre lake within it can flood into the garden. This means that in times of heavy rains, large amounts of water stay in the garden instead of continuing downstream to the suburban areas.
As the garden houses mostly tropical plants, it is green and lush for most of the year. There are also a number of animals that live in the garden. These include koi, wild boars, mongooses, and several bird species. For this reason, it’s important to dispose of any rubbish, and stick to the paths and roads. We were lucky enough to see a wild boar from a distance, and we’re both very glad that we weren’t any closer!
Due to its location and size, most visitors drive to the garden, and park at the various points of interest. It is possible to visit the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car, though, and it’s worth doing so! Out of everywhere we visited on our 15 month world trip, this garden was truly one of the most beautiful.
Getting to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden Without a Car
Reaching the Garden Entrance Gate
To get to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car, you’ll need to utilise O’ahu’s public bus system. To catch the bus, you will need a Holo Card, which are available from ABC stores and some service stations.
From Waikiki, there are a few options to get across the island to Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden. Most of the options will result in catching either the 60 or 65 bus across the island. There are a few other buses as well, but these will get you closest to the garden gate. The most common places to catch these buses from is outside the Ala Moana shopping centre or from Alakea Street and South Hotel street. We would recommend using Google Maps to find the best route to one of these interchanges. Depending on where in Waikiki you are starting your journey, it will likely take around 50 minutes to 1.5 hours each way.
The 60 and 65 buses take different routes across the island. If you catch the 60, you’ll get off at the corner of Anoi Road and Hinamoe Loop, around a 10 minute walk from the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden gate. The 65 stops further away at Kamehameha Highway and KOA Kahiko Street, just under 20 minutes’ walk from the gate. The walk from either bus will take you along Luluku Road, through the suburb of Kaneohe.
If you’re planning to buy food on your way to the garden (this is what we did), the best option is to catch the 65 bus, as the stop is right outside a shopping centre with a Foodland. You could also stay on the 60 for two extra stops to reach the same shopping centre.
Getting to the Visitor Centre
Once you’ve reached the gate of the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car, you’ll enter on foot. Entry to the garden is free year round, and the gate is open from 9am until 4pm every day except Christmas and New Years Day. When we visited the gate was staffed and we were told the rules for walking around the garden. The main ones to remember are to walk on the left hand side whenever you’re walking on a road, and not to stop for photos on the road between the entrance and the visitor centre. We did find that as long as we continued walking and stayed off the road, we were able to get some photos and film.
Once you’ve entered, you’ll need to continue your walk for around 25 minutes to reach the visitor centre. This walk has some of the most spectacular views of the surrounding mountains! You’re not able to stop for photos, but you’ll get to soak in the most amazing landscape.
What to See in the Garden
When you get to the visitor centre, it’s definitely worth stopping by to get a garden map and to talk to the staff. The staff member that we spoke to was able to help us plan a route around the garden that suited the season. We visited in February, which meant only a select few plants were flowering, so it was nice to get advice on which ones to see. They were also able to give us advice on how best to see the Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden without a car.
All areas of the garden are accessible by foot, so there are many options of what you can see. Some absolute must-visits are the lake and the lake lookout. The lake itself is quite large, and has SO MANY koi! It was amazing to just sit and watch the fish by the edge of the water. Above the lake is the lake lookout, which has one of the most beautiful views in the whole garden.
It is also worth heading to Kilonani Mauka, the highest point in the garden. We were warned that it was up a long, steep road from the carpark on the main road, but it really isn’t that bad. It is steep, but it took us no more than a minute to reach the top from the road.
No matter which paths you decide to walk, you can’t really go wrong as everything in the park is so beautiful. Even visiting in winter, everything was so lush and green.
Getting Around in the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden Without a Car
There are some areas of the garden where you will need to walk along the road, and others that have footpaths. The actual garden itself is quite large at 400 acres, and the road is 2.5 miles (around 4km). When we visited, part of the garden was closed, but we ended up walking about half way before heading back.
The roads within the garden are sealed, although they do get narrow in spots. There were a few times when we had to move onto the grass bordering the road. The walking tracks through the garden can be grassy or dirt, and when we visited, they were a little muddy in places.
Most of the walking was not strenuous, but it can be uneven in places. There are also a number of hills that you’ll be walking up and down. Make sure you’re prepared for a few different terrains throughout your walk around the gardens.
What to Take With You
When planning your visit to Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car, you’ll need to be prepared. You’ll need to make sure you’ve got food and water, and appropriate gear for the weather and walking.
Food and Water
There is nowhere to get food inside the garden. As we mentioned above, there is a supermarket that is around 20 minutes from the gate. Taking food that you can use for a picnic or snack on as you walk around is your best bet. You should also make sure you have enough water, especially in the warmer months. There are places to fill your water in the park, but taking a large bottle is definitely a good idea.
Clothing and Gear
Weather at the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden can be very different to the weather in Honolulu. Because they are on opposite sides of O’ahu with mountains in between, they can experience totally different weather at the same time. It’s so important to check the forecast for the gardens before you leave so you can make sure you’re dressed appropriately. It doesn’t usually get cold (it is Hawai’i, after all), but it can be rainy or cloudy. We wore hats and packed an umbrella and a light jumper just in case.
It’s also a long day of walking if you visit the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car. It’s not really strenuous walking, and much of it will be on sealed roads, but you will definitely get your steps up. We ended up walking about 20k steps and over 15km the day we visited. Make sure you’re wearing comfortable shoes for walking in, and consider packing some bandaids in case you get any blisters.
It’s also a great idea to take sunscreen and insect repellent with you. It can get hot and sunny, as you would expect, and there are some areas of the garden and the walk that aren’t shaded. Insect repellent can also be useful after rain or in the warmer months.
Is it Worth Visiting Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden Without a Car?
The answer is absolutely yes! While it may be a little trickier to visit the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car, it’s definitely possible. We absolutely loved getting to see a different side of the island, and getting away from the city. The views within the garden and of the surrounding mountains are unreal. It’s well worth at least half a day of your time on O’ahu.
One of the benefits of visiting the garden without a car is that most other visitors are driving between the lookouts. There were several times during our visit when we were the only people walking along a path in silence. Given that the name of the garden means ‘to have peace’, we think you get a much better feel of what the garden is meant to be by visiting on foot.
As long as you know what to expect and you dress and pack appropriately, there’s nothing stopping you from having a fantastic day.
Final Thoughts
Like us, you might have been finding some mixed messages about whether it is possible and worthwhile to visit the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car. We’re here to confirm that it is without a doubt both! We loved our trip to the gardens, and we found that it was a great use of a day on O’ahu. We really enjoyed getting to see another part of the island and seeing the nature and wildlife outside of the city.
If you have any questions or concerns about visiting the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden without a car, leave a comment below or reach out to us and we’ll do our best to help!
To see how our day at the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden went, as well as some of our other activities in O’ahu, check out our vlog:
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