I fell in love with Malaekahana on the North Shore. Just past the Polynesian Cultural Center on 33 secure acres lies Hawaii’s best place to camp. They offer camp sites, yurts(cabanas), rest rooms, showers, and 24-hour security. This is not a place to party, but a place to have a chillaxin’ time.

I went with Martina and my friends James and Nasca. We hit the road on our mopeds and just had a good time riding to the North Shore. It wasn’t even cold considering it was January. We set up our tent, but the camp site had yurts that would have been great for us if we didn’t have one. I liked how secluded our campsite was from the other campers…really how secluded we were from the rest of the world. It was a great time to just hang with my friends and enjoy Hawaii for its pristine beauty.

That night, we headed out to Haleiwa and ate at Pizza Bob’s. It was an 8 on the pizza scale, which is great since Pizza Bob’s isn’t that expensive. Afterwards, we went back to camp, started a fire, and made some s’mores. Nothing got crazy that night. We just talked and stayed up late, the way you should do it when you’re camping.

The next morning, we cooked ourselves some breakfast (compliments of our local grocery store) and walked over to the beach. It was nice being so close to the ocean and not having to drive beween our campsite and the water. My friends and I played some football and just enjoyed our time together on the Hawaiian shoreline.

All in all, it was the perfect overnight trip. Close by, easy to get to with our mopeds, and secluded. Most people come to Hawaii to get away from something: work, school, the everyday doldrums of normal life. It’s nice to know that even in Hawaii, there’s a place to get away from the get away. If you’re looking to shop or do the touristy thing, hit Waikiki. But if you’re looking to see Hawaii the way it deserves to be seen, Malaekahana might be your kind of place.

Please visit Malaekahana’s website for more information.

Are you staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and not sure if you should rent a moped or a car? The Hilton charges $25 a night to park your car. That is not including the parking fees at all the sites like Hanauma Bay, Pearl Harbor and the Waikiki restaurants.

The Hilton is the most expensive place I have seen to park your car. On average $15 a day just to park it at your hotel. Our weekly rental for a moped is $25 a day and parking is usually free at most hotels and it is also included at our location.

You can go anywhere on the island with the mopeds and Hawaii is a very moped friendly place, so please consider renting a moped while in Hawaii.

Mahalo,
Nathan

Being involved in the Hawaii moped industry I have created a few guidelines that you should take into consideration before purchasing a moped in Hawaii.

1. The Moped Parts Supply - Heaven forbid you get into an accident, but if you do, can they help get you and your moped back on the road.

Note: You should also take into consideration how much parts cost and where they get them from. If they are out of stock and they have to order them from the manufacturer, which is most likely overseas, then you will be waiting a long time and should probably invest in a bus pass.

2. The Moped Manufacturer - I have yet to come across a moped worth buying from China. Taiwan, Japan and Europe made mopeds are pretty solid though.

3. Warranty - A manufacturer warranty means that the problems with your moped are between you and the manufacturer, not who you bought it from. Don’t count on any help. Look for companies who offer in-house warranties on their mopeds.

4. Due your due diligence - Shop around and make an educated decision. Research the possibilities and remember price should not be the main factor.

5. Don’t judge a book by its cover - Just because it looks pretty does not mean it is the best on the market.

6. Invest in a Lock and Use it Every Time - People do steal mopeds in Hawaii. Every time you leave the moped lock it! Please save yourself some grief and a lot of stress.

The Moped market in Hawaii is not really big. Unlike a bicycle company where they sell 30 bikes a day, a moped dealer might average 3 or 4 sales a day, if they are lucky. Which means that this is a small business probably ran by the owner and a few employees. So you can’t just trust any one you find. Follow step 4 and you will be allright. Good luck!