[A]loha, and welcome to Oahu, Hawaii. 🙂

Where to stay?

During my time in Oahu I stayed at the Disney Aulani Resort. If you are just as big of a Disney Fan as I am then you are going to love this resort. I even got to take pictures with the characters at the character breakfast. Yes I know I’m an adult, but I had to. I love Disney!

The hotel offers many different activities, one of them is snorkeling in a closed area. That was really an awesome experience. I love how the underwater pictures came out 🙂 You pay for a day pass and then you can go snorkeling as many times a day as you please. And since the pools are right by the snorkeling area you can keep switching, which was really cool!

The Disney Aulani Hotel has a big SPA, and they also offer Ocean Fitness, Yoga, and many more activities. One morning I did Ocean Fitness which started at 7am sharp. And yes, it was in the ocean. I did squats, push ups and burpees on a paddle board. That was so much fun! And yes, I did fall in. 3 times actually! Thankfully the water wasn’t that cold. I am so happy I did this class, it was 45min long, and I was definitely sore the next day 😀 Then the other morning I did Sunrise Yoga at the beach, and that started at 6am! Yes it was very early, but it was so much fun and I am happy I did both classes, it was such a great experience. And the beach is beautiful too. It doesn’t have too many waves, since it’s a family resort. But it was very nice and relaxing!

The Disney Luau is also something that you have to experience while being in Oahu. The show was awesome!

Other Hotels

I did some research of other hotels and one of them is The Royal Hawaiian , which is also called the “Pink Palace of the Pacific”. Literally everything is pink, and it’s such a beautiful hotel. When I took a picture at Waikiki Beach you can actually see the Pink Hotel in the background. So the location of the hotel is right by Waikiki Beach, which is awesome! Another hotel I found is the Moana Surfrider Hotel, which is also located right by Waikiki Beach. This hotel is one of the oldest hotels on Oahu., and it’s absolutely beautiful! The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort is also located in Waikiki and has some great prices.

Blue Dress: Bloomingdales (similar, similar) (more pictures here) ; Floral Dress: Bloomingdales (similar, similar, similar) ; Purse: H&M ; Sandals: TjMaxx (similar, similar)Black Bathing Suit: TjMaxx (similar, similar) ; Green Bathing Suit: via TjMaxx (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar) more pictures here

Waikiki Beach

Waikiki Beach is probably the most famous beach, besides the North Shore, for surfers. There were so many surfers in the ocean! There are many places that you can rent a surfboard at, next time I definitely want to try it. Waikiki Beach is very big, but also very crowded. You have to either like it and not mind it, or you hate it, then Waikiki Beach is not for you! And that’s okay, Waikiki Beach is not for everybody. Sometimes a more private and less crowded beach is nice too. But however, before you stop at a nice lonely beach, make sure you know how to read the ocean. If the waves are breaking further out evenly, that mean there is a coral reef and big fishis can’t swim through and you should be save (of course there can always be an exception to the rule). But if there is a break in between the waves out far, that means there is a gap in between the reef which means big fishis can definitely swim through. So be careful. *Disclaimer: I got this info from my tour guide who was born and raised in Hawaii and that’s what they tell their kids when going into the ocean. They teach them how to read the ocean early on.

Blouse: H&M (similar , similar) ; Shorts: Victorias Secret PINK (similar) ; Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Pearl Harbor

When you’re in Oahu, I highly recommend to visit Pearl Harbor. I got there in the morning, and the tour takes about 3-4 hours, depending how long you take walking around the Pearl Harbor & USS Arizona Memorial. It is very informative, and very sad walking around the memorial, and out of respect I am not going to share more pictures.

All pictures are mine,

So to summarize, I had an amazing time in Oahu staying at the Disney Aulani Resort. It is an absolutely gorgeous hotel. There are so many great things to do in Oahu, and I am looking forward to visiting again. On the top of my to do list for Oahu, when returning, is going on a helicopter ride to see more of the island. Also I’d like to go snorkeling in the ocean, try surfboarding, and do some more beach hopping. I hope you guys like my Hawaii Travel Guide’s. I am looking forward to your thoughts! Mahalo, Joëlle

Right after the Helicopter Tour, the tour guide from Discover Hawaii Tour. com was waiting for me to pick me up at the airport. It was a tour around the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and we stopped in different locations. We stopped at different dried lava locations from different volcano eruptions, I walked through a lava tube that has been dry for decades, It was just amazing!

If you have time and the budget I can definitely recommend doing a day trip to the Big Island to visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Absolutely worth the experience. You might as well, if you’re already in Hawaii 🙂 Mahalo, Joëlle

Helicopter Tour

Hawai’i Volcanoes National ParkAll my pictures are mine, taken 16. April 2018

Mahalo, Joëlle

[A]loha. Thinking about travelling to Hawaii, and looking for some inspiration and tips? I’ve always wanted to travel to Maui since I’ve been a teenager and my dream finally came true! I am super excited to get to share my experiences with you about Hawaii in the next few posts! This is part one of my Hawaii Travel Guide and in this post I’m sharing my experience about Maui. And just to warn you, it has some text and quite a few pictures 🙂 Since I was wayy excited to be there, I took soo many pictures and want to share soo much with you about my trip, so I split my Hawaii Travel Guide into three parts, one per Island I visited. So a separate post about my time on the Big Island of Hawai’i, and on Oahu is following soon, in which I will share my experience about the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Disney Aulani, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor and much more. So stay tuned for part two and three of my Hawaii Travel Guide. Enjoy the trip and please let me know in your comments below if you have any questions I didn’t cover.

Welcome to Hawaii

I live in New Jersey, so I took a flight with United Airlines to San Francisco with a short layover and then took the connecting flight to Maui, Hawaii. The flight was pretty good, they had snacks and food available for purchase and internet was available also (great bonus if you have work to do). Without complications, and about 11 hours on a plane later, I arrived at the airport in Maui. From there I took about a half hour cab ride to the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort.

Where to stay?

During my stay on Maui, I stayed at the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort which is in Wailea. The hotel is located right at the beach, and retail and convenient stores are not too far from the resort either. Additionally, the resort has a few stores also for souvenirs etc. The Grand Wailea is part of the Hilton Honors program, so if you’re a Hilton Honors member, bonus points for you! The hotel rooms at the resort come at different price points, depending on balcony or ocean view etc. Everyone at the hotel is so friendly and welcoming, and when you arrive at the hotel you either receive an Orchid Leis or Kukui Nut Lei, they are so pretty. It’s an absolutely amazing hotel, I will let the pictures do the talking 🙂

I did some more research on a few other hotels for you guys, and one of the hotels that I found is the Residence Inn by Marriott Maui Wailea. It got some pretty good reviews on Trip Advisor and has some good rates! This hotel is actually also located in Wailea, and is very close to the Grand Wailea. Another hotel I found is the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa which is located in Lahaina, Maui. It also got some pretty good reviews on Trip Advisor and might be the most economical option from the three hotels. I really like resorts, because I like to go to the pool as well as to the beach. 🙂

First look: Pants: Aqua by Bloomingdales , Top: Aqua by Bloomingdales (similar, similar) , Hat: Amazon , Purse: Louis Vuitton , Sunglasses: Ray Ban ; Second look: Bell Sleeve Dress: Aqua by Bloomingdales , Shoes: TjMaxx (similar , similar) , Purse: H&M , Earrings: Amazon  ; Third look: Beach Dress: ASOS (similar, similar) , Beach Bag: Amazon , Bathing Suit: Michael Kors via TjMaxx ; Fourth look: Long Sleeve Tunic: TjMaxx (similar)

Beaches

The Wailea Beach by the Grand Wailea is absolutely gorgeous, the sand is so soft and there are no rocks or algae to climb over to be able to walk into the ocean. The beach is absolutely a dream!

I did not go beach hopping this time, but beach hopping is definitely on my list for when I travel back to Maui. Kapalua Beach is definitely on my list. The white sand beach is located in Lahaina, which is on the north west side of Maui, and is sheltered by two reefs which makes it ideal for snorkeling. Another beach that I’d like to visit next time is Makena Beach. Besides the Wailea Beach, this beach is considered to be one of the best beaches on Maui and is the largest one. The beach is actually not too far from the Grand Wailea Resort.

First look: Bikini: ASOS ; Second look: Bathing Suit by Michael Kors via TjMaxx , Sunglasses: Ray Ban

Luao

The resort offers a variety of activities and also has a gym, spa, kids club (if you’re travelling with little ones), and they also have a Luao a couple evenings a week. And let me tell you, if you’re in Hawaii you will want to experience a Luao. I had such a great time at the Luao! The performances were amazing, and the food was great. It was a nice way of getting to know the Hawaiian culture a little bit more. And a tip, make sure you make reservations in advance, especially if you want to have good seats! The reservations fill up quickly.

Dress: Bardot via Bloomingdales

Food

On my first night at the Grand Wailea I went to a local restaurant in Wailea called Monkeypod . The restaurant only uses products from Hawai’i and works closely together with farmers, brewers and artisans. The food is seriously so amazing, and the people are very friendly and welcoming also!

If you’re staying at the Grand Wailea, make sure to check out the restaurant Humuhumunukunukuapuaa, or short Humu Humu , which was named after Hawaii’s state fish. They have dinner available from 5.30pm (reservation required), and Sunday Brunch at 10.30am. The cuisine is Hawaiian and Polynesian style, the food is absolutely amazing!! And if you have a sweet tooth like me and like coconut, try the coconut macaroon. So delicious! Unfortunately I have a shellfish allergy (about 8 years now), so I couldn’t try any of that but it all looked sooo good!

Monkeypod

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa

Haleakala Sunrise

During my time on Maui, I went to the Volcano Haleakala to watch the sunrise. Watching the sunrise is absolutely breath taking, I took a video of the sunrise and a bunch of pictures! I left the hotel around 3am (with a rental car), since the drive is about an hour and a half (there are tours available here). I got there around 5.30am and then needed to get situated with my camera. Plus there are a lot of people, and as a matter of fact you need to make a reservation (here), because it gets so crowded. Otherwise the park ranger won’t let you go through. 😉 And another tip, it is freeeezing up there! It was 34 Fahrenheit, so it was around 1 degree Celsius, so make sure you dress warm! I actually brought a blanket from the hotel with me additionally and wrapped myself in it, it was so cold! And when leaving the tip of the volcano, down by the mainland it was 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).

After the sunrise, on the way back to the resort I stopped for breakfast at the Kula Lodge (it’s a hotel and restaurant) and it was absolutely delicious. If you’re planning on getting French Toast or Pancakes, definitely try their Coconut Syrup, YUM! They also have a really pretty garden where you can find some liguanas, geckos and beautiful flowers. Very close to the Kula lodge is a nice souvenir shop too 🙂

Backpack: Tommy Hilfiger (similar, similar, similar) , Raincoat: Michael Kors (similar, similar, similar)

All pictures are mine.

I had such an amazing time in Maui and cannot wait to plan a trip back there. I already have a few items on my list to try next time I’m there: swim with the dolphins, helicopter flight around the island, day trip to waterfalls and swim under the waterfalls, snorkeling, swimming with turtles, try out more local restaurants and I’m sure my list will expand over time.

The Travel Guide for Oahu, and the Big Island of Hawai’i is following soon, so stay tuned 🙂 Mahalo, Joëlle

You’re never too old for Disney.” Agree or not agree?

When I was little, my parents would take my brother and I to Disney World in Paris (I grew up in Germany) and I would always dress up as one of the princesses and dance and twirl through the amusement park. On that note, I think a visit is due! I absolutely love Disney movies – I actually love watching them especially when I’m sick, I find it kind of comforting (especially being so far away from home).

I already own a few Alex and Ani bracelets (a Harry Potter one of course too), but when I saw the Disney edition at the Disney Aulani Resort in Oahu, Hawaii it was really hard choosing just one, so I got two (even that was hard)! I can’t wait to add more to my collection.

Which Alex and Ani bracelets do you have? Do you have a favorite one? Bisous, Joëlle

OUTFIT DETAILS:

DRESS: Bloomingdales (similar, similar) ; SANDALS: Bandolino via Marshalls (similar, similar) ; BRACELETS: Alex and Ani (The Little Mermaid , Minnie Mouse) ; EARRINGS: J.Crew (similar)

When thinking about summer our mind usually goes to beach, pool, ocean, and outdoor activities. At least most of the time right? Summer actually used to be my least favorite season, I call it sun lotion season. Now don’t get me wrong, when I go on vacation I usually like to go somewhere warm, but at least I’ll be able to jump into the ocean or pool to cool off. But we can’t do that everyday all day 🙂 The reason why summer used to be my least favorite season, is because my skin is so fair and I get sunburned very easily if I don’t protect myself well enough from the UV rays. I am always on a mission to find the best sunscreen – meaning it doesn’t have bad chemicals in it, doesn’t stain my white beach cover up yellow, doesn’t make me feel all greasy and sticky all day, and is waterproof. Protecting your skin from the strong UV rays is very important – it will help you to prevent early wrinkles and getting skin cancer. When I started to pack for my trip to Hawaii I noticed I needed new sunscreen to bring with me and I found Goddess Garden Organics at Target (it’s also available at Marshalls, TjMaxx and on their website). I did some research on it and decided to give it a try. It feels nice on your skin, it doesn’t feel too sticky or greasy at all, and it’s very moisturizing.

Goddess Garden Organics was founded by Nova Covington and Paul Halter, because their first daughter was allergic to certain chemicals used in traditional bath and cosmetic products. The pure minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the only active agents used for sun protection in the sunscreen. Their mission: “Goddess Garden was founded on two important principles: helping the planet and helping people safely enjoy the sun.” You can read more on their website 🙂

About my bathing suit, I really love one pieces! They don’t always leave the best tan lines, but which bathing suit really does? Since my skin is so fair I always try to stick to either bright colors, dark colors, or bright patterns. I found this bathing suit at TjMaxx, and I linked some similar ones for you. 🙂

What sunscreen do you use? Do you have any other recommendations? Please let me know in your comments below what you do to protect your skin from the sun 🙂 Aloha, Joëlle

PS: In the last picture I’m showing the Hawaii’s most beloved and universal hand gesture “Shaka”. There is no direct translation to it, but it’s supposed to stand for “hang loose” and it is commonly used to reflect the aloha spirit. There is even an emoji for this hand gesture!!!

OUTFIT DETAILS:

SUNSCREEN: Goddess Garden Organics ; BATHING SUIT: via TjMaxx (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar) ; SUNGLASSES Ray Ban ; HAT: Amazon