Above: Whether you want to focus on mental wellness or physical fitness, you can take care of yourself while in Hawaii.
Vacationing on Oahu makes it easy to unwind and relax. The Aloha State continues to rank as one of the healthiest and the most outdoorsy states. If you’re looking for ways to keep active and destress, there are several activities to achieve a state of blissfulness. Whether it’s exploring the island’s natural beauty with a hike or visiting a botanical garden, doing sun salutations or getting pampered at a spa, here’s our guide to health and wellness on the island.
Paddle Core Fitness
1201 Ala Moana Boulevard; meet near lifeguard tower 1D, 808-723-5357
Drop rates: $25 for skilled paddlers; $135 for first time or beginner paddler.
Classes include paddle techniques, water safety and fitness.
Stand-up paddling is a must-do activity while visiting the Islands. Why not make a fun exercise? Reid Inouye started Paddle Core Fitness in 2007 as a way to incorporate stand-up paddleboards into energizing workouts. Today, the organization offers three classes at Ala Moana Beach Park from beginner paddling to advanced. His one-hour classes are low-impact, but provide cardio and core strengthening, all while enjoying one of Oahu’s most popular beach parks.
Above: Stand-up paddling is an excellent way to keep your core nice and fit.
HorSea Yoga at Turtle Bay Resort
57-091 Kamehameha Highway, 808-293-6000, $89 per person
This may very well be one of the most creative yoga classes out there. Dubbed HorSea Yoga, participants ditch the yoga mat and instead practice their warrior pose atop a gentle horse. It’s a treat for both horse lovers and yoga enthusiasts. A trained yoga teacher takes participants through straightforward stretches and poses, as their horses stand steady below them. This unique class is located oceanside at the sprawling, scenic Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore and is offered daily from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. (Reservations are required; private lessons are available by request).
Above: If you love animals and yoga, you can combine your two passions with this fun yoga experience.
Hiking
Going on a hike in Oahu electrifies your senses. It’s a great way to experience the island’s natural beauty and there are great hikes no matter where you on the island. Trails such as the iconic Diamond Head State Monument offer stunning, panoramic views of the cobalt ocean. The Aiea Loop Trail in Central Oahu meanders through Norfolk pines and lemon eucalyptus trees, giving the air a pleasant fragrance. At the end of nearly one-mile Manoa Falls trail, you’ll hear the cascading 150-foot waterfall before the falls, and its surrounding pool, come into view.
Above: The hike itself may be demanding, but the views will certainly be worth your effort.
Valley of the Temples: Byodo-In Temple
47-200 Kahekili Highway, 808-239-8811; Admission: $4 (cash only)
byodo-in.com
Tranquility can be found in Kahaluu, in east Oahu. That’s where the Byodo-In Temple is located. The Byodo-In Temple, part of the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, is an intricately crafted, full-size replica of a 900-year-old temple in Uji, Japan. In addition to the red temple, the grounds feature a five-foot high, three-ton brass bon-sho, or sacred bell, cast in Osaka, Japan, and a nine-foot tall, gold-lacquered Buddha atop a lotus. There are several, secluded areas in the manicured grounds to relax or meditate, including the koi pond and the meditation pavilion.
Above: It's easy to quiet the mind in this tranquil environment.
Still and Moving Center
1024 Queen Street, 808-397-7678; Drop in classes are $20; $29 for aerial yoga.
stillandmovingcenter.com
There’s something for everyone at the Still & Moving Center in Honolulu’s Kakaako neighborhood. It’s all in the name. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, the center offers twice weekly meditation classes. But if you want to move and groove, there’s hula, belly dancing, Bollywood and more. And if you want to learn a new skill, take the AIReal yoga, an aerial yoga class, in which participants hang from silk hammocks. (Live Japanese translation is offered at the Monday and Wednesday aerial yoga classes.) The center also offers traditional yoga.
Above: Want to keep still, or want to keep your body moving? You can find great options for both here.
Master Sha Tao Center
885 Queen Street, 808-988-8090; Meditation rooms are $30 for 30 by appointment; Tao calligraphy, $35.
taocenterhawaii.com
In today’s stressful world, Master Sha Tao Center exists to “let the noise melt away, fill up on peace and recharge your inner batteries.” The center comprises two meditation rooms: Maluhia and Lokahi, in which participants relax in softly-lit rooms surrounded by Himalayan salt lamps. The center also offers Tao calligraphy classes. Tao calligraphy, also called oneness writing, is a unique form created by Master Zhi Gang Sha that builds on the tradition of Chinese calligraphy by writing in a single stroke. The classes, taught for all skill levels, create gentle flowing movements and encourage relaxation.
Above: If you want to let the noise melt away, then you've come to the right place at Master Sha Tao Center.
The Kahala Spa
5000 Kahala Avenue, 808-739-8938
kahalaresort.com/Experiences/Spa-Wellness/The-Kahala-Spa
Sometimes the best way to relax is to get pampered. The professional staff at the Kahala Spa can help you unwind and feel better. Located in the luxurious Kahala Hotel and Resort in east Honolulu, the Kahala Spa features nine personal and spacious spa suites, each equipped with its own relaxation area, glass-enclosed shower, deep-soak tub, changing area and wardrobe closet. The spa’s signature treatments include the Oli Oli Lomilomi, a Hawaiian-style massage in which warm pohaku, or stones are placed on the abdomen, heart and back. The massage also features a Mamaki mud wrap and scalp massage.
Above: Ready to pamper yourself? Head to the spa and you're sure to find some "ahhh!"
Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens
45-680 Luluku Road, 808-233-7323; free admission
honolulu.gov/parks/hbg.html
In Hawaiian, hoomaluhia means “a peaceful refuge.” One visit to the lush Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe and you’ll likely agree. This 400-acre Windward Oahu botanical garden was designed and built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1982 to provide flood protection for the area. Today, it has plants from the Americas, India, Africa, Melanesia, Polynesia, as well as endemic flora from Hawaii. The garden’s best feature though, is a 32-acre lake, from which you can do catch-and-release fishing. Framed by the rugged Koolau mountains, it’s the perfect place for peaceful strolls, quiet picnics or afternoon naps.
Above: If it's a peaceful refuge you are seeking, then visit Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens for the day.
