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Cruising Around Hawaii on Mopeds

Cruising Around Hawaii on Mopeds

One of the first things we wanted to do after arriving in Hawaii was to explore the south shore of Oahu. The two of us wanted to escape the tourist-filled Waikiki without having to pay excessively for a rental car or be restricted by taking an organized tour. But how else could we see the real Hawaii?

After a few hours of online research, we found Hawaiian Style Rentals who offer moped rentals at very affordable rates (24 hours for $35). By hiring mopeds, we could set our own itinerary and explore Oahu at our own pace. Perfect!

Our Moped Rides

Our Mopeds

There’s a reason that Hawaiian Style Rentals are ranked in the Top 10 of tours to do in Honolulu on TripAdvisor. Their staff are brilliant and as professional as they come and our guide Clinton did a great job in alleviating the anxiety we were feeling as first time riders.

He explained all the functions of the moped in detail and didn’t let us leave until we were fully comfortable on the mopeds. Hawaiian Style Rentals even make you take a helmet (you don’t have to wear it but we definitely recommend that you do!) and provide you with maps and a lock and chain.

Now that we were confident and prepared, we set off for the day’s adventures!

Diamond Head

The view from the top of Diamond Head Crater

The view from the top of Diamond Head Crater

Our first stop was the famous Diamond Head State Monument, a relaxed 4-mile ride around the coast from Waikiki Beach. This was a fantastic first route for beginners – not only did we get sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean along the way, a top speed of 25mph meant we could cruise along and get used to controlling these bad boys.

As we entered the park at Diamond Head, the first benefit of riding mopeds became evident – instead of paying the $5.00 per car admission fee, we only had to pay $1.00 each (the pedestrian admission fee) and got prime parking right next to the start of the trail.

We spent the next 2 hours hiking to the top of Diamond Head and were rewarded with the view in the photo above. Definitely well worth it!

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay

After we finished hiking Diamond Head, we got back on our mopeds and headed for Hanauma Bay, approximately 10 miles east.

To get to Hanauma Bay we had to get on Kalanianaole Highway (Highway 72) which was nervewracking at first, merging onto the highway and dealing with the increased speed limit of 35mph. Fortunately for inexperienced riders, you are allowed to ride in the bicycle lane at a reduced speed until you feel comfortable enough to get amongst the traffic.

Like with Diamond Head, parking mopeds at Hanauma Bay was effortless compared to the hassle some visitors were experiencing with their vehicles. Even if the car park is full, you can go straight past the “No Entry” sign and enjoy the rest of your day!

We did just that, spending a sunny afternoon snorkelling at one of the most popular tourist destinations on Oahu.

Other Destinations on Oahu

Lanikai Beach

Lanikai Beach (Flickr Photo: EDubya)

We spoke Brad Fresch, the operations manager at Hawaiian Style Rentals, and asked about the most common places visitors to Hawaii ride the mopeds.

Quite a few take the same ride we did (it was their second most popular ride), while others take the mopeds to Pearl Harbor and even to the North Shore. But the most popular ride was to Lainikai Beach/Kailua to see one of the best beaches of the world. It looks pretty amazing, doesn’t it?

If only the two of us had gotten out of bed a little bit earlier!

Disclaimer: We received complimentary moped hire from Hawaiian Style Rentals, however all thoughts and opinions are our own.

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