Island Blog // Chapter 1 

Photography via @surrealshotz

 Looking to learn some secret hiking, snorkeling, and travel adventures on Oahu, Hawaii? You've come to the right place. In no particular order, here are 5 "Must Do" Adventures just for you!

1. Koko Head Stairs of Doom
2. Maunawilli Falls Waterfall Hike
3. Kau’au Crater
4. Stairway to Heaven Hike
5. Electric Beach

Now.. let's get into it!

Koko Head (Stairs of Doom)

Originally constructed during World War 2, the “Stairs of Doom” as they have known to be called, feature 1,000+ steps to the top of the Koko Head Crater on the east side of Oahu. This grueling climb has been known to test the endurance of even the fittest individuals, and is completely worth it once at the top. The best time to take on the stairs is definitely early morning, or late afternoon; anytime other than mid-day when the sun is highest in the sky. I learned this the hard way haha. I actually “threw-up” my first time, but hey..I survived.

Want to know more? Click HERE.

Photography via @muenchmax

Purchase this photo printed on a museum quality wall poster for adventure inspiration at home today!

A glimpse from the top doesn’t do it justice. The sunsets from this side are some of the best on the island, just make sure you leave yourself time to make your way down before nightfall!

Maunawilli Falls Waterfall Hike

This was actually the very first waterfall hike I did with a local buddy back in the day. After parking in a small neighborhood of the Pali Highway near Kailua, Oahu, one can expect to get wet and muddy fairly quickly. After an hour or so of trekking through swampy trails, jungle paths, and freshwater streams, you will find yourself face-to-face with one of the best waterfall locations for adventuring to on the island of Oahu. The falls flow from about ten feet of the rocks into a swimmable jungle pool below. If cliff-jumping is your thing, take a close look at your surroundings while here. There are three jumping locations in total, two of which are tricky to get to, but 100% worth the adrenaline rush.

Photography via @spamjeezy & @jermykermy

Photohraphy via @austinlaulau & @jace.shiroma

 Photography via @joeybenrae

The adventure doesn’t stop here. For those of you with a deeper passion to explore the unknown as far as it goes, try continuing the hike up and over the waterfall further into the valley. Unbeaten paths, rustic bridges, and moss-covered rock slides are just a few of the things you will run into.

 For detailed instructions on hiking Maunawilli Falls click HERE.

Kau’au Crater Hike

For those of you looking for a longer day trek on the island of Oahu, Kau’au Crater is great. After parking in the very back of Palolo Valley in Honolulu, you will find parking near what seems to be a monastery of some kind. After following some obvious signs, you will quickly find yourself at a slow moving stream in an amazing jungle valley. Travel upstream as far as possible, and you will quickly arrive at the first of three surreal waterfalls. The first is able to be swam in, the second is not. The third is one of a kind.

Photography via @daniel_keating

Once above the third and final fall, the ridge hiking begins. The trail winds up and around the edge of the Koko Crater Ridgeline, where razor grass hides wild boar in the flatland below. No worries, however, as there is no need to venture down into the crater itself. I always just thought the razor grass and boar part was kinda cool. The climb to the summit is not for the faint of heart, but the views are breathtaking!

Stairway to Heaven Hike

The Stairway to Heaven Hike on Oahu, Hawaii is undoubtedly the most unforgettable experience of thousands of individuals willing to “risk the fine” for a trip to the clouds. With over 3,922 steps up a winding, broken, and wavering staircase, these infamous stairs are off limits to the general public. However, for many who set their site on conquering the Haiku Stairs, some rules were made to be broken. A camera and water are a must for this adventure. Some of the most eye catching photos have been captured here, and it’s not hard to understand why. The view is INSANE! Words do it little to no justice, so see for yourself.

Photography via @manongsean & @breebree.w

Photography via @mrndapnda

Photography via @surrealshotz

Photography via @nolanomura

Electric Beach

Located just past the Disney Aulani Resort on the west side of Oahu is a little known dive spot that reminds me of something out of a movie. Snorkeling at Electric Beach is unforgettable. Several factory like installations on the shoreline pump hot water through the mouth of a giant “tube like opening” about 200 yards off shore. Here you can bear witness to the widest variety of underwater sea life anywhere on the Oahu. Spinner dophins, sea turtles, rays, fish, and sharks are but a few of the creatures you can encounter if you go at the right time.

Photography via @tadas_ontus

Photography via @galen_neil & @mrndapnda

You can even swim down to the mouth of the tube and get “blasted” by the current, sending you shooting out. When we first found this spot, we did this over and over. It’s hard to explain why this was so satisfying, but for some reason it really was, haha. One of the best memories of the entire adventure in my opinion.

Photography via @galen_neil

So there you have it. 5 unforgettable adventures you can do for free on the island of Oahu. Here at Rage Hawaii, our mission is to inspire and awaken a sense of adventure in every one of our viewers, readers, followers, and subscribers. Leave us a comment below if you would like to learn more about the hundreds of travel adventure opportunities the island of Oahu has to offer. Thanks for reading mahalo for all your support.

Much love,

The Team at Rage Hawaii