Epic Gap Year Travel Adventures! - Stunning Photos and Articles! – This page is all about Oahu island, Hawaii on our round the world trip.

Stop 7 - Hawaii Oahu

Oahu Island - Hawaii
Gap Year Travel Journal

Text By Jo & Photos By Mike

(10th - 17th August) Oahu, Hawaii - Around the Island
We discovered the Valley of Temples down at Kaneohe. You have to drive through a big cemetery, but at the back is an impressive replica of a 950 year old Buddhist temple in Japan called Byodo-In. The setting is so tranquil below the mountains, surrounded by lush greenery and in beautifully maintained grounds. We rang the giant bell that it is customary to ring before you enter the temple and then saw the giant Buddha inside. The little bird with the red head is a Cardinal and they are really common around Hawaii. We drove all the way up the Windward coast to the North Shore beaches. This is where the huge surf rolls in during the winter months. The beaches were calm and serene while we were there so it was difficult to believe that these are the legendary surfing beaches such as the Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay, the home of classic tube-shaped waves and big 20-40 feet high waves. We had to divert from our plan to drive all the way along the North Shore due to a huge brush fire that raged for 3 days up here, fanned by high winds from the approaching hurricane Flossie. And yes, you did read that right – it’s hurricane season here and we had spent days monitoring the track of category 4 hurricane Flossie as she headed towards the Hawaiian Islands (see satellite photo here). Fortunately she stuck to her predicted course and passed 200 miles south of Oahu and the only effects we felt were increased winds and lots of rain for a couple of days. We’re very relieved that our emergency supplies of tinned foods weren’t needed! Mike did some snorkeling on Oahu – his favourite spot was at Hanauma Bay – see the photo looking down on the curved bay surrounded by volcanic crater and palm trees. The photo of the two snorkellers surrounded by coral was also taken here. It was so beautiful and a lovely place for Jo to sit on the beach. It’s a protected, safe bay to swim in and as usual he saw loads of fish.