Last Updated on March 18, 2021
Surrounded by live volcanoes, mountains, palm trees, giant waves and hula dancers, Honolulu Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places to photograph on earth.
As a matter of fact, you can point your camera almost anywhere and find a picturesque scene. One of the most popular places to get great photos is Waikiki beach. You will usually find tons of sun kissed vacationers and surfers congregated in one interesting location. But if you are after some less known Honolulu locations to take your camera read on for the best spots.
Best Spot To Take Pictures In Honolulu
There are a number of great spots downtown Honolulu for the visiting photographer. The city offers a rich and vibrant culture perfect for the street photography enthusiast. One of my favorite spots to hit in town is Chinatown with it’s tropical markets.
Honolulu’s Chinatown is one of the oldest in the country and has an intense history that still shows it’s self today. And when you’re done exploring the city head out to the following locations for some amazing photography spots.
Magic Island
One of the best non touristy places to hit is Magic Island. It’s located between downtown Honolulu and and Waikiki. The area is situated in the Ala Moana Beach Park and offers amazing views.
On one side you will be awed by Kahanamoku Lagoon and the Diamond Head. The other side offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Both perfect for getting amazing pictures.
The Lagoon provides the chance to get great shots of sailboats and canoes coming and going.
Byodo-In Temple
Located at 47-200 Kahekili Hwy, this gorgeous non practicing Buddhist temple is an exact replica of one located in Uji Japan. The grounds are meticulously kept and offer beautiful photo opportunities. The architecture and landscaping offer a truly unique experience for the architecture or landscape photographer.
The grounds offer a unique chance for nature photos with the roaming peacocks, black swans and multiple koi ponds. Another cool attraction is the nice foot tall hand carved golden Buddha statue.
Kualoa Ranch
Found at 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, this is the ranch where many scenes from Jurassic Park were filmed! If you were like me as a kid watching the movie wishing you could go well now you can. And bring your camera because there are 4,000 acres of beautiful landscapes and pristine beaches.
This family owned ranch offers a diverse and amazing photography opportunity with rain forests and awesome mountain cliffs.
Iolani Palace
Located at 364 S King Street this restored royal palace is from the time when Hawaii was ruled by it’s monarchy. It has a long and interesting history that’s well worth reading before heading over to take pictures.
It’s truly amazing how beautiful the palace is and it transports you to another time in Hawaii’s history. When I stopped by there were rules regarding photographs. No flashes, tripods, monopads or selfie sticks are allowed.
Conclusion
And one bonus spot to take pictures is one of my favorite to take the family. Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail offers two miles of gorgeous views of Oahu’s southeastern shore. It is a bit steep so be careful bring young kids or those with mobility issues.
These spots are more than enough to fill a Honolulu photography vacation with epic pics. You could spend multiple days in the city alone before getting outside the city limits.