Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed about the magical Hawaiian Islands. I watched every movie and documentary I could find—fascinated by their crystal-clear waters, towering volcanoes, lush green mountains, and of course, their wild dolphins.
In 2017, a good friend of mine who had recently moved to Honolulu invited me to visit. I couldn’t resist any longer. As soon as I arrived, we set off to explore the island of Oahu—its mind-blowing mountain peaks and stunning beaches left me speechless.
If you ever travel to Oahu, don’t miss out on some of the island’s most breathtaking hikes. Trails like Kuliouou Ridge, Makapuu, Pali Puka, Diamond Head, Koko Head, Kaneana Cave, and the famous Pillbox Hike reward you with views that are worth every drop of sweat. And if hiking’s not your thing, just jump into the island’s turquoise waters—you’ll likely find yourself swimming with sea turtles and colourful tropical fish.
After a few days, we flew over to the Big Island, and it felt like stepping into another world. Driving around the island, it’s hard not to feel like there’s magic hiding around every corner. Lava fields, moonlike landscapes, active volcanoes, green, white, and black sand beaches, tropical waterfalls… You can sunbathe at the beach in the morning and find yourself shivering in sub-zero temperatures by afternoon—high above the clouds on the summit of Mauna Kea.
As incredible as all of that was, nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
We made our way to a spot called Captain Cook, located in Kealakekua Bay on the island’s west side. This historic snorkeling site is named after Captain James Cook, who anchored his ships here in 1779. At first, the Hawaiians mistook him for the god Lono and welcomed him with a great feast. But when he returned after a storm damaged one of his ships, they realized he was no deity—and he was killed.
Getting to the beach was tough. We hiked 1.5 hours under the blazing sun, through three-meter-tall grass and over jagged volcanic rock. But once we reached the bay, it felt like paradise. We jumped into the water and swam for hours, surrounded by thousands of vibrant reef fish. It was like diving into a living dream.
As the day wound down, we decided to swim out into the open ocean. A few hundred meters from shore, I suddenly heard something—those unmistakable, magical sounds of dolphins. I stopped and looked around. At first, I saw nothing—just the endless deep blue of the sea. When I looked up again, I realized my friends were gone. I was completely alone, floating far from shore in absolute silence.
And then… I saw them.
Faint grey shadows emerged beneath me, and my heart began to race as soft whistles and clicks echoed through the water. One by one, the shadows took shape—dolphins rising from the deep.
They swam toward me, fast and graceful. Within moments, I was surrounded by a pod of 20 to 25 dolphins. They swam with me in perfect harmony, their presence both thrilling and peaceful. We stayed together for nearly 20 minutes before they vanished into the blue.
That swim—just me and the dolphins in the wild open ocean—was one of the best days of my life. A true dream come true.
