Oahu West Side
West Side of Oahu
In previous posts, I discussed my Top 10 things to do in Oahu, including my North Shore and Island review, but on this trip, I focused on the sunny, warm and a little wild Western side of Oahu.
The west side, or leeward side, is dominated by Ko Olina—the resort area anchored by several large properties, including Marriott, Disney and the Four Seasons—which has easy access to some terrific hikes, sailing and snorkeling adventures. I used the incredible Four Seasons Ko Olina as my home base and had one of my best Hawaii experiences.
Four Seasons Ko Olina
Four Seasons Oahu
My only apprehension with the Four Seasons was the fact that it shares the lagoon with the Disney Aulani resort - but any concerns were quickly dispelled upon arrival. The resort is private and luxurious and comes with the personalized service that the Four Seasons is known for. Small touches like the valet radioing into the front desk so you are welcomed by name, given a cold drink and a lei, then led to reception with the reservation pulled up and all your activities noted for your stay. The first ten minutes of arrival set the tone for the entire stay - personalized and proactive service.
The concierge team was extremely helpful in accessing the resort’s daily activities and booking off-site adventures and spa/wellness treatments. Everything is consolidated on the app - so your itinerary is always at hand, and requests are a click away. Tech is an aid and extremely helpful, even for a luddite like me. But to maximize my stay, I always come with a plan and do all the prep work ahead so I can really relax.
The room!
The room was stunning - huge bathroom, comfy bed and sitting area and a lanai with a chaise lounge, 2 chairs and a table with a killer view of the western shoreline.
Resort Activities
The resort had some unique features - including a 6-story stand-alone spa, gym and outdoor activity center with tennis, basketball and pickleball. The spa was a standout and the locker room had steam, sauna and indoor and outdoor chill space. There was also a beach with loungers at the lagoon and multiple pools - with a blissfully kid-free adult infinity pool. Yoga was in ‘the chapel’ - an old structure that looked suitable for weddings. Their on-site wellness guru, Adam Brewer, led a terrific yoga session with me before bounding off for tennis lessons and a stand-up paddleboard. There’s also a rooftop speakeasy on the weekends that is pretty glam as well. Here are some snaps of the resort offerings.
Adult Pool with Dr. Mai Tai’s Swim Up Tiki Bar
The most fun amenity at the property is the swim-up mai tai bar - Dr. Mai Tai’s! Fun, creative, excellent drinks - this was the adult Disney I was looking for.
Dining
Dining at the Four Seasons is very good - the Michael Mina Fish house was outstanding, with views overlooking the lagoon, and the Italian restaurant, Noe, was beautiful and romantic, while the buffet breakfast at La Hiki was over the top. If you move off the property, there’s a group of restaurants at the end of the street, including a MonkeyPod Kitchen, Starbies and other dining options that are still walkable.
Pink Pillbox Hike
20 minutes north of Ko Olina is Moili Pillbox - one of the WWII abandoned cement block lookouts that dot the Hawaiian landscape. One of the best hikes you can do in Hawaii is to a pillbox - there is usually a well-defined, if steep, trail; they have built-in amazing views and it really gets the heart pumping to climb 1000 feet elevation in under two miles. This pillbox is called the “Pink Pillbox” as it was repainted in honor of breast cancer survivors and friends, family members, and survivors who have tagged the pillbox with prayers and memories of a loved one. This is a moderate to difficult hike that takes about an hour round trip to complete. A beautiful place!
Scuba, Sail and (Aquarium) Fish!
Back towards Waikiki, there is always something to do - and this time, I did a great dive with Aloha Scuba Diving and the Na Hoku II Catamaran sail around Diamond Head. In addition to a great zoo, Waikiki has an aquarium with family friendly fun exhibits and tanks with sharks, sea horses and tons of fish.
