Aloha!
Hawaii is much more than Waikiki. To get the full experience, we recommend that you rent a car before or after the conference and explore the island. A real jewel of Oahu is Lanikai and Kailua, two small towns on the Windward side of the island.
Drive over the Pali Highway (after stopping at the Pali Lookout) and you’ll enter Kailua. Lanikai rests itself to the south-east, and features one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire world.
Stop by Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks and rent a sea kayak. They have everything you’ll need, including a dry bag to store your lunch and valuables. They’ll show you a map and give you tips. You can walk the kayak to the beach from their shop if you’d like to launch from Kailua Beach. If you want a much shorter trip, they will help you strap it to your car so you can launch from Lanikai Beach.
Once in the water, glide over coral reefs as you watch the sea turtles (honu) bob up and down. You’ll want to head for the Mokes, the two islands out in front of Lanikai Beach (featured in the panorama above). You can land your kayak on the island to the left (but not to the right!) and explore the hidden tide pools.
We hope you’ll explore Oahu, as each part of the island is unique and exciting!
Let us know if you have any questions, we want to help ensure you have a great conference and trip to Hawaii.
(this is a personal recommendation, no financial arrangement exists between Aloha on Rails and the vendors mentioned in this post)
