We Tried It: North Shore Huaka‘i Shuttle to Support Local Businesses

 

With the North Shore still recovering after the Kona low storms in March, we took a trip on the $5 North Shore Huaka‘i shuttle to check it out and play a tiny part in supporting small businesses. The daily roundtrip service picks up passengers in Waikīkī and Ko Olina and takes them to Waialua for one hour and Hale‘iwa for 2.5 hours. (Huaka‘i means “journey” in Hawaiian.) There’s a small but simple catch: You need to show proof that you bought something at a local business to secure your ride back.

 

“The program is making a positive impact for local businesses,” says the Hawaiian Council’s Dee Matsuura, the cultural guide for the Waikīkī shuttles. Hawaiian Council partnered with the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, E Noa Tours and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority to roll out the service on June 29.

 

“It was a ghost town after the Kona lows, which was scary,” Matsuura says. “Now, they feel hopeful again.” North Shore businesses appreciate the extra patronage and that the shuttle brings in more people, but not more cars, she says. Huaka‘i passengers have said the $5 is worth not having to fight traffic, look for parking or fill gas, and they enjoy supporting local businesses.

 

Here’s how our day unfolded, along with a list of small businesses you can patronize. Click to the section you want to explore:

• How to Book a Trip
• The Experience
• Takeaways
• Tips

 

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How to Book

You can book a trip online or by calling (808) 591-2561—if you’re getting on at Ko Olina. This 90-day pilot program runs until Sept. 30 and is already fully booked for Waikīkī signups. There are currently no plans to extend the program, which is financed by the Hawaiian Council’s Kāko‘o Mai fund for Kona low storm recovery. The Ko Olina shuttle has availability, and you can sign up for the Waikīkī waitlist online.

 

Note that this is a family-friendly excursion where everyone needs a ticket, regardless of age. Passengers must sit in their own seats, so this trip is probably best for elementary school-age keiki and older.

 

The Schedule

8:30 a.m. Pickups begin in Waikīkī (pickup time varies by location—see “Additional Information” on the booking site)

9:15 a.m. Depart Waikīkī for Waialua

10:05 a.m. Arrive in Waialua and explore for one hour

11:20 a.m. Arrive in Hale‘iwa and explore for 2.5 hours

1:50 p.m. Depart Hale‘iwa for Waikīkī

3:15 p.m. Drop-offs begin in Waikīkī

 

We more or less stick to this schedule and get picked up at the Duke Kahanamoku statue at 8:53 a.m. Ko Olina has a similar schedule but with later pickup times since it’s closer to Waialua.

 

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The Experience

I go with a group of friends on a Friday, and our 40-passenger shuttle is full. Nani Popolo, our driver and guide, shares some ground rules (like keep your ‘okole on your seat at all times), and we’re off.

 

We arrive in Waialua, and as we get off the bus, Popolo gives us North Shore Huaka‘i passports with info on local businesses, a bit of history about Waialua and Hale‘iwa, some background on Hawaiian culture and values and a stamp rally. Each purchase at a participating business gets you a stamp, and five stamps get you a free gift.

 

Waialua

 

 

At the Old Waialua Sugar Mill, we head to Island X Hawai‘i, home of the Old Sugar Mill Brand Waialua Coffee. The store is part gift shop, part coffee mill, and we browse the souvenirs, knickknacks and locally made treats.

 

 

Towards the back, we find free samples of coffee, chocolate and roasted cacao beans. Ask for a free tour—or just say yes when a staff member asks if you want to see the coffee trees.

 

 

Out the backdoor, at a small row of cacao and coffee trees, Līlīnoe, our guide, points to little green buds dotting the coffee tree trunks and tells us they’re seed pods. She shows us the machinery that processes the coffee cherries into beans and talks through the steps. Now that we know what goes into the coffee and chocolate, we go back into the shop seeking them out. I pick up some chocolate-covered coffee beans ($8) and get my first passport stamp.

 

Now, I’m hungry. I look for Mele Mele Bakery but have trouble finding it even with Google Maps guiding me. Thankfully, I run into Popolo, who leads the way. He tells us today’s shuttle has a lot of locals onboard—many 808 numbers are on the passenger list.

 

 

At Mele Mele Bakery, I get the mango liliko‘i matcha ($8) and brown butter sea salt chocolate chip cookie ($3.50) for morning pick-me-ups. I would recommend both: The matcha is smooth and lightly sweetened, with tastes of mango and liliko‘i coming through. The chewy cookie staves off my hunger and is satisfyingly salty-sweet.

 

With all of us ordering a bunch of drinks, we cut it close but make it back to the bus.

 

Old Sugar Mill Brand Waialua Coffee, Island X Hawai‘i, 67-106 Kealohanui St., Unit C-1, Waialua, islandxhawaii.com, @islandxhawaii

Mele Mele Bakery, 67-106 Kealohanui St., Waialua, melemelebakery.com, @melemelebakery

 

Hale‘iwa

 

 

Before we set out for Hale‘iwa, another guide hops on. It’s Matsuura, who introduces herself as a Waialua resident directly impacted by the Kona lows. She talks about the flooding and recovery efforts still underway as we drive by large hills of soil being cleared. In Hale‘iwa, she spotlights local businesses that are part of the passport stamp challenge, calling out some owners by name.

 

 

Popolo drops us off in the Hale‘iwa Store Lots parking lot. My friends want a place to eat and relax, so we walk over to Hale‘iwa Beach House about 15 minutes away. Matsuura recommended it for its beachfront views. Sitting around a table, talking story and eating thick-cut fries with the sea breeze coming in makes me feel lucky we live Hawai‘i.

 

 

I’m determined to fill out my stamp card, so I stop in at Saylor’s Hale‘iwa café for a cold brew ($4.50) and a cute souvenir sticker ($3).

 

 

While some of my friends line up for shave ice at Matsumoto’s (not on the stamp list), I pop into Whalers General Store next door, where I’m delighted to find a table of Peanuts merch. I pick up a navy Snoopy cap ($34) for my last stamp.

 

Hale‘iwa Beach House, 62-540 Kamehameha Highway, Hale‘iwa, haleiwabeachhouse.com

Saylor’s Hale‘iwa, 66-030 Kamehameha Highway, Hale‘iwa, saylorshaleiwa.com, @saylorshaleiwa

Whalers General Store, Hale‘iwa Store Lots, 66-111 Kamehameha Highway, #602, Hale‘iwa

 

 

I show Popolo my passport as I get back on the bus, and he hands me my free gift: a bar of pineapple soap from Hawaiian Bath & Body. My friends get other scents. If you forget to get your passport stamped, you can show your receipts to get back on the bus. Whether anyone would actually be left behind if they didn’t purchase enough seems doubtful, but who would even go on this trip and not buy a single thing?

 

We return to Waikīkī after 3 p.m. as promised and holo holo for a bit before heading home.

 

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Takeaways

The Huaka‘i shuttle makes it easy to get to the North Shore for cheap. For locals, getting to Waikīkī or Ko Olina is another hurdle, but don’t let that stop you. It’s a fun summer outing and group activity if you have folks visiting from out of town.

 

Everyone I went with enjoyed it thoroughly, though the allotted exploration times passed by so quickly. This means the shuttle is not only a great way to support the community, it also entices us to come back to explore at our leisure.

 

If you missed the chance to book a trip and don’t make it off the waitlist, remember that you can still drive up on your own. Make a day of it with your friends and family and hit up local businesses. What’s better than playing tourist for a day on the North Shore? Doing it with intention and supporting local.

 

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SEE ALSO: O‘ahu Adventure Day: 7 Hours in ‘Ewa Beach

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Tips

Before you go:

• Get a good night’s sleep! There’s a lot of walking, the sun zaps your energy, and the bus ride is too bumpy for napping.
• If you’d like to plan ahead to make the most of your time and complete the stamp rally, here’s the passport.
• What to pack: sunscreen, a water bottle, medicine for carsickness if you’re susceptible, reusable shopping bags, a fan if you really can’t stand the heat.
• What to wear: a hat, sunglasses, comfy walking shoes you don’t mind getting dirty, breathable clothing you don’t mind sweating in. You probably don’t need a jacket or umbrella unless there’s rain in the forecast.

 

For the trip:

• Some of my friends parked in Waikīkī and walked to the Duke Kahanamoku statue, while I took a Lyft. Parking is the cheaper option, especially if you carpool and split the cost, but make sure to get to pickup in time.
• You can leave stuff on the shuttle, just nothing valuable to be safe.
• Talk to your driver and cultural guide! They can give you personal recommendations if you’re looking for something in particular or just want a local’s perspective.
• More local businesses are being added to the passport stamp rally that may not be in the booklet yet, so don’t hesitate to ask when making a purchase somewhere not listed.
• Watch the time. Set an alarm on your phone so you don’t miss the bus.
• Eating at a full-service restaurant will take up a lot of your exploration time in Hale‘iwa, so I recommend looking for a faster food spot or picking a place near the shops you want to visit.

 

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Andrea Lee is the digital editor of HONOLULU Magazine.