THE ALOHA STATE

Aloha Hawaii 
Tanika
This was my third time to Hawaii, and I was super excited as it was a GIRLS ONLY trip! On my previous trips to Hawaii, I had been with a bunch of boys staying on the North Shore the whole time and they surfed, surfed and ummm surfed. So this girls trip was definitely one to be excited about! I can't wait to share with you...
My friend Sami and I flew from Sydney directly in to Honolulu. After twelve hours, four medical emergencies with passengers on board and two hours of unbelievable turbulence we finally arrived. Our two other friends Sarah and Emily were on the flight over from Brisbane at the same time as we left from Sydney. They also had an interesting time on their flight, with one of the girls fainting a few hours into the flight. The airline staff wanted to make an emergency landing in Fiji, however after some discussion with Sarah (who is also a Nurse!), the flight continued. Eventually all of us had arrived in Hawaii and we were so excited about what was ahead of us!  
 
First stop Waikiki!
Waikiki is FUN and has such a touristy vibe which is exactly what we wanted for a few days.  From tandem surfing on the Malibu boards to drinking Mai Tai's by the pool;  we shopped until we literally dropped. This place was so alive and had such a great, fun, holiday vibe. 
I was lucky enough to meet up with one of my best friends Lauryn, who is originally from the Gold Coast but now resides on the North Shore. She is a wealth of Hawaiian knowledge and knows all the secret spots.  Lauryn showed us to the most amazing Cafe in Honolulu called ARVO, which we absolutely loved. From an excellent version of avocado on toast to cute pink lattes with flowers, this place is a must visit if you're in the area. 
      
 
Where we stayed: The Hilton Hotel in Waikiki Village. 
The Hilton was awesome. It was a little bit out from the main streets (however an easy walk or quick Uber ride away) so it was very chilled yet very close to all of the action. The views from our room were amazing and the whole vibe at the hotel was just cool- very summery, happy and positive! 
The pools at the Hilton are nothing short of amazing. There are five to choose from, including one you can snorkel in and check out all of the fish! 
A trip to Hawaii wouldn't be complete without a few cocktails, and I think we tried pretty much every option on the island - including these Pina Coladas which were out of this world, and very fitting in the environment. 
Next stop was the North Shore, which is one of my favourite places in the world. Going to the North is like heading into your own little world and is very different from the bustle of Waikiki -  it is just one long road full of the cutest houses, the best surf spots  (Pipeline, Sunset etc) and food trucks filled with tasty, fresh island food.
We decided to turn our phones off for the next three days to have a break from social media, and just relax and enjoy the time there on the island and with each other. Taking this break was a fantastic decision, and one that we all agreed was nothing but positive for us and for our trip. So it was just Myself, Sarah, Emily and Sami. We had a Jeep, our Eau Paix Vie bikinis (of course!), some blow up floats, snorkel gear and our bikes, and it was incredible.  
 
We stayed in an Airbnb in Sunset Beach. It was ultimate! It was a small house right on the beach which was fully equipped with bikes, surfboards and paddle boards - basically just the perfect beach shack. The waves were around 12 feet when we were there and with the waves smashing into the shore appearing even bigger, we did not even attempt to go in the ocean except small bays when we went snorkelling. 
Here are our top 5 things to do on the North Shore: 
1.  Bike ride from Sunset Beach Beach to Pipeline to get an acai bowl from Crispy Grindz and walk across the road and watch Pipeline.  
 2. Snorkel at Turtle Bay Resort. The snorkelling here is amazing and as long as you're prepared to swim out you are quite likely to see turtles
This pic was taken in Waikiki (not Sharks Cove) 
3. Take a trip to Haleiwa and keep an eye out for Haleiwa Bowls, a small shack on the side of the main street with acai bowls, smoothies and juice. It's just a short 15 minute drive from the main area of the North Shore.
4. Hire a Jeep. We hired ours in Honolulu and you will need a car to get to and around the North Shore, Sunset Beach, Turtle Bay and Haleiwa. We blasted the music and had the time of our lives. 
Tanika
5. Take a lot of photos! We have shot for Eau Paix Vie in Hawaii three times now and we love it. The atmosphere and the Hawaiian girls have been amazing to work with,  the colours come up brilliantly, and there's no shortage of perfect locations for your shots. 
Tanika
 Tanika
 
Have you been to Hawaii or heading over any time soon? We would love to hear from you!
LOVE Simone - EPV XX  
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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