How to Spend a Day in Honolulu's Chinatown
Morning: Dim Sum and Gardens
Begin your day in style with a great dim sum breakfast from Mei Sum, the popular corner spot open at 8 am. Then, visit the Foster Botanical Garden, which affords one an excellent opportunity to view large numbers of various tropical plant species, many of which are extremely rare. Among others, there is the Hawaiian loulu palm or, in a Madagascar type, the East African Gigasiphon macrosiphon. After visiting the big trees, be sure not to miss the fragrant vanilla vines, cinnamon trees, and spice and herb gardens.
Mid-Morning: Guided Tours
Take a guided tour with Hawaiʻi Heritage Center or American Institute of Architects. There are only a few days available with these tours for a more extensive history and architecture review of Chinatown. Book well in advance.
Lunch: Visit the Market
Walk up to Kekaulike Market and Maunakea Marketplace for lunch. Maybe it sounds cliché, but these markets are indeed the heart of Chinatown—filled with bustling stalls of produce, seafood, and prepared foods. You seriously won't go wrong with the sashimi rice bowls or grilled garlic ahi at Maguro Brothers.
Afternoon: Shopping and Relaxation
Check out Cindy's Lei Shoppe or Tina's Lei Shop for the live creation of traditional lei while you choose a gorgeous flower garland. Following this is the offbeat Skull-Face Books & Vinyl for noir, science fiction, and pop culture books.
Late Afternoon: Tea or Cocktails
Afternoon at Tea at 1024 with its varieties of teas accompanied by munchies to go witch, is perfect for a take-off and relaxation time. Or, if you prefer more cocktails, then Manifest offers the trending atmosphere, and EP Bar dispenses expertly crafted drinks with cool music played.
Evening: Dinner
Top off the day with dinner to remember. For a classy meal, make reservations at Duc's Bistro for fine French-Vietnamese cuisine. Alternatively, Korean bibimbap can be had at O'Kims, Asian-fusion dishes at Lucky Belly. Budget and worth it is Pho To-Chau for great pho in an energetic environment.
Enjoy your day exploring this dynamic, historic Chinatown of Honolulu!
