As part of our Tone It Up Bikini Series Grand Prize, my amazing friend Amberlea and I were able to go on the trip of a lifetime to beautiful Hawaii, thanks to Contiki Vacations. Even as I write this, more than a month since I got back, it still feels like a dream. I'm looking through all of the pictures and going 'did this really happen?' But it did! It was the most amazing long weekend.
Amberlea and I chose the 4 day Waikiki Explorer trip and it was a bit of a rush! We booked it and three weeks later we were on that plane. It seems so surreal now.
Read below for a day by day recap!
I arrived before midday and Amberlea didn't get in until later so I checked in to the hotel and went to explore the local area! We were fortunate enough to stay at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel which had the most amazing location, just steps from the beach but far enough away to avoid the hustle and bustle! Waikiki itself was beautiful. Amberlea and I kept saying how it was like stepping back in time and we loved it. The hotels on the beach were beautiful, the beach itself was gorgeous and there was so much to do!
Amberlea arrived and we went straight down to the beach to explore! Amberlea dived straight in! The water was so warm and inviting - it was magical.
That night we were both exhausted from travelling and the delirium was starting to set in so we headed out for an early dinner at Lulu's! We both got salads with seafood and we both said how we had never tasted fresher fish!
Day Two began bright an early thanks to my friend Jet Lag! We went straight down to the beach to watch the sunrise. Seeing all of the surfers was something I will never forget. We quickly went back up to the hotel for breakfast before getting picked up for a Pearl Harbor and historic Honolulu tour provided by Contiki. I'll be honest, all of my knowledge about what happened at Pearl Harbor came from the movie and history has never been my thing so it wasn't something I was looking forward to as such - but I was SO happy to be proven wrong! The tour was unbelievably moving and is something I think I will never forget. The most touching moment was learning that 75 years later, the wreckage of the USS Arizona still rhythmically pumps out oil. Standing on the memorial watching it was moving.
After Pearl Harbor we were driven around Honolulu and it was lovely to see the town. Being a Law student, naturally I took a picture of the Court building - it was beautiful!
The tour took up most of the day so we had another quick trip to the beach before heading back out for dinner!
The third day was a busy one! We booked ourselves on a North Shore tour after countless recommendations! It was an all day adventure full of once in a lifetime experiences. We got picked up and after a 30-45 minute drive we arrive at a Macadamia Nut farm in the middle of the countryside! There was free coffee (which is always a bonus if you're me!) and the staff showed Amberlea and I how to crack a Macadamia nut and let us sample pretty much everything they had for sale! It was the most unbelievable experience.
We left the farm and headed for the North Shore where the first activity was snorkelling! I had snorkelled before in Greece and was so excited to get out and see what Hawaii's ocean's had to offer. We were out in the water for an hour and a half before making the drive to the town of Haleiwa where we went Stand Up Paddleboarding! It was the first time for us both and it is a LOT harder than it looks! It's easy to get the hang of but it really takes it out of you.
We paddle boarded for an hour before we picked up some dinner - world famous Shrimp Truck shrimp! It was unlike anything I have ever tasted. I can't even begin to put in to words how good it was!
The last stop of the tour was to the Dole Plantation on the drive home. We were able to explore for a little while and of course Amberlea and I picked up some of the infamous Dole whip! Whoever created pineapple ice cream - I love you! Coffee and ice cream in one day makes for a very happy Georgia!
For our last full day we decided to hike Diamondback Mountain - and not just hike it, walk there and back too! We worked out that we walked over 11 miles that Monday! Whilst it wasn't particularly challenging, it was beyond worth it because the views from the top of the crater were unlike anything I have ever seen before: panoramic views of the whole of Waikiki. It was beautiful. When we arrived back at the hotel we went down to the beach for a while before spending the afternoon shopping!
Dinner was a very special one for us so we treated ourselves to a meal at Duke's! Duke's had been recommended to us by a number of people so we were so excited to try it out. The meal was amazing, there was a self-serve all you can eat salad buffet to accompany your entree which suited Amberlea and I down to the ground! We loved it - we had to restrain ourselves!
There is so much I could say about this weekend. It is so rare for anyone from the UK to go to Hawaii so the fact I got to experience it under such phenomenal circumstances really is indescribable. It was unlike anywhere I have ever been and I left Oahu with a heart full of love. It was such a fantastic weekend. I'll probably never get the chance to go back to Hawaii so I am so full of gratitude for this incredible experience.
Thank you to Tone It Up and Amberlea for one of the most amazing weekends of my life.
Mahalo
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