This winter break, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to and stay in Honolulu, Hawaii for five days, with one of those days being entirely travel and another ending in my flight home. Including the flight and housing, I paid around $660 for the trip. Plus some excursions and the very optional amount I spent on food, the trip in total came to around $830, which is pretty reasonable for Hawaii. Here’s how I pulled it off.
The Flight
Booking the flight is one of the most important parts of a vacation, cost-wise. I didn’t use any flight discount website or travel agency — I just got lucky. I always fly Delta, so I used their official website to find my flight. Before I had actually planned on going to Hawaii, I was inspired by an episode of the show Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. While watching, I thought to myself: winter break is coming up, I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii, so why not just pick a random day and do a quick check on the Delta website? The ticket price when I looked originally around December was slightly over $600. Not terrible. I suggested to my friend that we check again in two weeks, and if there are still seats on the flight, we take it as a sign. Two weeks later, around a month before the flight, I checked again. This time, the cheapest tickets were around $460. We did, in fact, take this as a sign.
Here are a couple of flight tips based on my experience. If you buy the cheapest tickets on a flight, don’t bank on the seats being nice or having any leg room. If you’re on a connecting flight instead of direct like we were, chances are one plane will be an airbus and the other will be a standard passenger plane. Space is not really an issue on an airbus, but things can get really tight on a standard plane, so be mindful. Additionally, cheaper tickets are not always guaranteed a spot on the plane. To avoid your seats being in jeopardy, make sure to get to the airport with plenty of time to receive your seat assignment. On the Delta website, you can also check to see which seats are available and which seats are taken on the plane in advance, so you can check if it’s a full flight. The less available seats, the more at risk the low priority tickets become. Our flight to Hawaii from Detroit ended up delayed about four hours, so make sure to have a backup plan in case of any layover issues!
Book a hostel, not a hotel
I stayed on Waikiki Beach, which is the main tourist area of Honolulu. There are hotels and hostels around every corner, so picking somewhere to stay can be daunting. For budget purposes, I went the hostel route. Many of the hostels in the area are actually owned by hotel companies, so as long as you do your research, safety isn’t too much of a concern. I stayed at The Beach Waikiki Hostel by Aloh, so I can’t speak for any other hostels on the island. I highly recommend staying with them, especially if it’s your first time staying in a hostel. Everyone was incredibly friendly and the rooms were nice enough, similar to a decent-sized college dorm with a shared bathroom and bunk beds. The hostel itself also served mini-pancakes every morning downstairs, and had community events like margarita night for free on the rooftop. They also offered several tours during the day that you could pay for, which are all great ways to get to know everyone, especially if you’re traveling solo! Surfboards and boogie boards are offered for free as well, and it’s a five-minute walk to the beach from the hostel itself! The location is also extremely close to great restaurants, a convenience store, food trucks, and hotels that usually have small lobby cafes! That aside, the most beautiful part of staying in the hostel is, of course, how much money you save. I stayed for 4 nights which came to $160, so about $40 a night. This doesn’t include the key security fee, which is refunded to you once you check out. There is also a small down payment you have to pay when you book the room online.
How I got around on vacation
If you, like me, are not old enough to rent a car, then ABC stores are your one-stop shop for all things public transport-related. ABC stores are the best thing in the world. They’re small convenience stores all over Waikiki. If I had to describe them, it would be like if you took all the great parts of a Japanese 7/11 and combined them with liquor stores that also, for some reason, sold clothes. They’re one of the things I miss the most about Hawaii. What I recommend, depending on the length of your trip, is purchasing a HOLO card. A HOLO card is a one-size-fits-all card that works on trams, buses, and trains alike. You can either buy the daily version, the three-day version, the one-week version, or pay in cash on the bus. The three-day HOLO card costs about $20, and a day pass is $7.50. As for getting off the bus, the bus function on Google Maps works great, but if you’d like to know what to do ahead of time, the bus routes are posted on the Honolulu bus website. If you’re not sure if you’re getting on the right bus, don’t be afraid to ask! All the drivers are very nice and super accommodating to tourists.
What I did
With only three full days to spend on the island, I packed my itinerary just enough to look around without every day feeling like a massive undertaking. My friends and I arrived and checked in at the hostel the night before, so we were able to adjust a bit to the time difference. Our first day in Hawaii was pretty relaxed. We were able to wander around the area a bit, saw a beautiful park area, and realized how close we were to the beach. We went to the Honolulu Zoo, which was within walking distance of the hostel. It was absolutely gorgeous, and tickets can be bought at the door. One thing to note: do not underestimate the size of this zoo. It took us almost the whole day to get through it all, which made the $21 worth it.
On the second day, we took the bus to Diamond Head State Park, one of my favorite parts of my trip. Tickets must be purchased online beforehand, but they’re only around $5 each. The hike is well worth that money, and so is the view. I mean, just look.
Once we finished hiking, we decompressed at the hostel for a bit before heading to Hawaii’s Chinatown, one of the oldest in the country. I really encourage anyone reading this to see as much of the island as possible, even if it means several long bus rides. Everything I saw — or ate — was well worth the trip. In this case, what I ate in Chinatown was actually Korean food, and some of the best I’ve ever had. If you’re planning a trip to Honolulu, definitely put O’Kims on your list! You can find more information and their menu here.
On my third and final full day in Hawaii, I went whale watching with Pink Sails Waikiki. Unfortunately, I saw no whales due to some submarine-related sonar interference, but I did get to see a sea turtle and some seals! Again, not whales, but exciting regardless. After a quick lunch, I headed to Manoa Falls to do the waterfall hike. The length and difficulty of Hawaiian hikes and trails can be easily found online beforehand, and it’s important to make sure the hike you’re doing is right for your skill level. Definitely check the weather before putting Manoa Falls on your schedule, as the waterfall is at its best just after it rains, but the hike itself will be muddy and slippery if you set out too soon. A few hours after rain is ideal, that way there is decent enough water flow through the falls without the path getting too dangerous. If you don’t have a car, it’s a pretty long bus ride with one or two connections to get to Manoa Falls, but the view is beyond worth it. If you have the time, maybe get off a stop early and walk the rest of the way to the hike entrance. You won’t regret it. The day ended with the one meal I promised myself I’d splurge on: the best pork chop of my life at Lulu’s on Waikiki beach, and a slice of ube cheesecake.
There’s no place like home
On our last day on the island I headed to Sweet E’s cafe for an amazing local breakfast for a super reasonable price, diner style. I took the bus back to the airport with my friends and then settled in for my flight home. Hawaii was an absolute dream, and I would do it again a hundred times over. So if you just so happen to be watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, and you think to yourself, “I wish I was there,” just check for flights. Worst case scenario, it’s too much money. Best case scenario, you take a beautiful vacation without breaking the bank. Time will pass anyway, so seeing the world is always worth it.