Enjoying Biking in Hawaii

People enjoying biking in Hawaii.

Biking in Hawaii is one of the great ways to explore the Aloha State. When touring on a bike, travelers can see more of Hawaii’s beauty than they can on foot. Biking also minimizes pollution, offer mobility at a great price and helps burn those extra calories.

An Overview of Biking in Hawaii

Travelers to Hawaii are not likely to bring their own bicycles with them on vacation. But that is perfectly fine because there are plenty of rental companies offering bikes of varying sizes and types. Renting a bike is relatively inexpensive, especially if you stick to renting a basic bike. Prices can start from $20 per day, with a significant drop in rates for additional days. Most bike rentals include safety gear at no additional charge.

While biking in Hawaii poses some challenges, it could be a great way to see Hawaii. This is particularly true in less congested areas away from the traffic of larger towns. As in all places, follow the rules of the road and avoid high traffic areas, especially in Honolulu.

Biking by Island

There are places to ride bikes on all of the islands. But riders should seek the relative safety of less congested roads on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.

Oahu

But even if you’re on Oahu, you can take a bike path that runs past historic Pearl Harbor. This bike path starts near the USS Arizona Memorial and takes riders through scenic stretches of the harbor.

For the truly adventurous and experienced, there are plenty of mountain biking paths on Oahu. Here are some of the most popular ones. There’s the Pupukea Trail in the Waimea area of the North Shore. Kealia Trail is in the Mokuleia area southwest of the North Shore. While you can find the Kuli’ou’ou Trail in the Kuli’ou’ou area of east Honolulu.

Big Island

The Big Island offers challenges for experienced bike riders. There are places that take you through lush landscape, like at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. On the other hand, there are some grueling rides to be found here. One website says the 42 mile ride up to 13,796-foot Mauna Kea is the most difficult bike ascent in the world. Another claims the 45 mile ride up 13,678-foot Mauna Loa is the fourth most difficult bike climb in the US.

Maui

Maui offers escorted bike tours starting from the top of 10,024 foot Haleakala. From there, you can leisurely glide down its slopes through scenic Haleakala National Park and upcountry Maui.