Honolulu, Hawaii Day 6 (KCC Farmers Market, Hanauma Bay, Makapu’u Lighthouse, Waimanalo Beach)

Hi Everyone!
Welcome back to all those who are returning and welcome to all those who are new~
This is day SIX in Hawaii (really our fifth FULL day).
On January 13, 2024, we had a full day planned. We went to KCC Farmers Market, Hanauma Bay, Makapu’u Lighthouse, and Waimanalo Beach.
We started the day at the KCC Farmers Market to grab some breakfast and food to take away for a later lunch. KCC is only open on Saturdays from 7:30am-11am and offers free parking. They had a bunch of different vendors so we looked around before committing. Everything was pretty good, make sure you bring cash with you. Julia grabbed a bunch of fruit to try so if that’s something you’re interested in, definitely save a Saturday for it!
After eating and grabbing food for later we headed to Hanauma Bay. We were able to grab a 10:15am reservation 48 hours before when it opened. The tickets do go fast so make sure you put an alarm if you want to go. They are only open Wednesday-Saturdays 6:45am-4pm (with the last entry 1:30pm and everyone out of the water 3:30pm). It’s $25/person and they do only a handful of walkin. Parking is $3 cash per car and not guaranteed even with a ticket. Be aware that even with a set time you may not be entered at that time. They had us wait 15 minutes outside and then another 5 minutes in a different area and then had a 5 minute introduction by a lady (who was super rude) & then a 5 minute video. I understand that there are rules and protocols so we left it as is, was just upset since I didn’t account an extra 30 minutes not in the water. They also won’t let any drinks into the theatre so I had to leave my drinks that I got from the market outside and when I came out they had threw it out. Regardless we walked down, the bay was pretty and clean with changing rooms & bathrooms. The snorkeling scene was not bad, definitely great for new and beginner snorkelers who have never been. But for someone like me who’ve been to other places it was just okay, especially since other spots were free. Nevertheless my family had a great time. Once we finished we headed out using the free shuttle so we didn’t have to walk up the hill. However it wasn’t until we left the property that we realized we left something at the bay and turned around. When we explained the situation to the staff at the gate they would not let us in. They said they would go and get it but my dad said he didn’t know which exactly spot he put it in so it would be best to go together but they refused. Ultimately we left because they were relentless and started yelling at us. Needless to say our family was upset and it left the experience on a sour note.
We headed over to Makapu’u. Free parking & entry. Dad wanted to sit this one out (not a fan of hikes). Pretty quiet walk up reflecting on what just happened. The first 30 minutes were all incline but the roads were all paved so it wasn’t too bad. There were also check points to view the whales which was nice. So many were blowing water out of the spouts and some even breached (but too far to really make out the whales). The view at the top was well worth it as well so definitely recommend!
Afterwards we relaxed by the water at Waimanalo Beach. Free entry, parking and public bathroom (although it’s super dirty). The beach was super pretty especially with the sunset but the waves were strong so be careful. We took photos here and just took the scenery in. Definitely helped us with our mood !
On our way home we grabbed some sushi at Maguro Brothers. Heard great things about them. Parking is a bit difficult and it does take awhile to get our order but the price point wasn’t too bad. For the quantity it was less than the other sushi place but the quality was way better. Unfortunately we were still hungry so we went out to the downtown area. We tried to get musubis but the line was super long so we got Banan instead (pricey but good!). On our way we saw that there was market happening so we joined in after getting Banan. So many different stands with more food options and trinkets. Told my parents to come join but they wanted to take it easy. Funny enough my dad ended up biking around the area since it’s inexpensive. After coming back home , we washed up and did laundry!
Overall, had a great time and definitely recommend! Hope you all enjoyed!
If anyone has any questions or comments, feel free to let me know!~
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STAY TUNED FOR MORE~!
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