Souvenir Guide to Oahu: Unique Travel Mementoes
Where to Shop in Oahu and What to Buy?
Having experienced stunning sunsets and breathtaking scenery as well as unforgettable adventures, you’ll want to bring home a souvenir from Oahu to remember your trip. To bring back memories of surfing big breaks, snorkeling among colorful marine life, seeing a lively luau, and enjoying exciting nightlife on the beachfront, you’ll only need glance at your collection of Oahu souvenirs.
With an outstanding number of shops on the islands, you’ll have plenty of mementoes to choose from, whether you want authentic island goods or a quirky gift for friends and family back home. Take a look at our list of the best souvenirs to buy in Oahu.
1. Dashboard doll
A nice embellishment for your car
Good for: Budget, Shoppers
Visitors often bring home mementos of Hawaii in the form of a dashboard hula doll that dances along to the rhythm of your vehicle as you drive. For as long as people have been visiting Hawaii, the hula girl has been a symbol synonymous with the island culture.
Hula girl figurines have been around for a long time, but the dashboard doll started in the 1950s, rising to popularity when American soldiers spent time in Hawaii during the war. Dashboard dolls can be found just about anywhere in Oahu, but if you’re looking for a vintage version of the doll, visit swap meets and market and you might score a bargain.
Dashboard doll
2. Kona coffee
How to get your caffeine fix the Hawaiian way
Good for: Food, Shoppers
Cultivated on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai, Kona coffee is one of the most expensive and treasured coffees in the world. The unique combination of sun, rain, mild temperatures, and volcanic soil is ideal for coffee cultivation, giving Kona coffee a high-quality taste.
Oahu is one of the best places to find genuine Kona coffee to bring home with you, and you’ll find no shortage of local shops that offer it. When shopping, keep in mind that the best types of Kona coffee are Type I, known by names like Prime, Select, or Fancy.
Kona coffee
3. Nut butter
A delicious breakfast spread with unique flavours
Good for: Families, Food, Shoppers
While nut butter may not immediately spring to mind when you think of Oahu, it’s actually one of the best places in the world to buy this delicious spread. The island has numerous shops that offer different types of nut butter with unique ingredients, such as coffee and peanut butter, banana macadamia nut butter, and chocolate coconut peanut butter.
Macadamia nuts are commonly grown in Hawaii, so you’re most likely to find some combination of raw or gourmet macadamia nut butter with other added ingredients. Visit farmers markets for unique mixes and flavors.
Nut butter
4. Local wine
Not your typical Sauvignon or Merlot
Good for: Couples, Shoppers
Hawaii is known for producing unique wines with local flavors you might not find in many wine regions around the world. Favoring fruity flavors like pineapple, the viticulture in Hawaii is based on high elevations and cooler temperatures near volcanic mountains.
One of the most prized grapes in Hawaii is the Symphony grape, which produces a fruity, off-dry white variety of wine. If you’re looking to bring some wine home with you, just visit the nearest wine shop to enjoy samples of unique flavors.
Local wine
5. Flower lei
The symbol of Hawaiian culture
Good for: Photo, Shoppers
Flower lei is one of the most popular souvenirs to bring back from a trip to Oahu. A symbol of Hawaiian culture, this wreath of flowers is often given to visitors when they reach or leave the island.
Hawaiian leis are most commonly made of flowers, leaves, and ferns. They can also be crafted from other natural materials like seeds, nuts, and shells. The designs can get quite intricate. You can find unique leis that incorporate exotic flowers and vibrant colors. For a more lasting memento, pick up a lei made of feather, fabric, or even candy.
Flower lei
6. Koa wood
Decorative items made from ancient wood
Good for: Couples, Families, Shoppers
Koa wood is prized by Hawaiian carpenters and musicians for its vibrance and quality. It has a special significance in Hawaii, as it’s native to the islands and considered sacred. In the past, koa wood was used to build canoes and weapons.
Today, just about everything is made with this wood, including furniture, kitchenware, and home decor. All souvenirs are created from fallen Acacia koa trees to ensure the continuation of the species on the Hawaiian Islands. Brighten up your home with cute small koa wood figurines or pick up a stunning pair of wooden bowls.
Koa wood
7. Black pearls
Luxury native jewelry
Good for: Luxury, Shoppers
The black pearl, known as the “pearl of queens,” is one of the most desirable types of pearl in the world. Though they come in many hues, the pearls aren’t actually black but have a dark background with iridescent colors.
There are legends all over Polynesia about the significance of black pearls. Many locals claim that they contain healing powers and protect wearers from negative energy. Shop at Jewelry stores in Oahu that offer high-quality accessories like pendants to rings made with black pearls, either single or full strands, as well as with precious stones and metals.
Black pearls
8. Koloa rum
For mixing your own tropical cocktails
Good for: Nightlife, Shoppers
Koloa rum is a delicious rum created right in Hawaii. Painstakingly created from Hawaiian sugarcane and pure rainwater from Mount Waialeale, this high-quality liquor is distilled twice in copper pots, creating a smooth and rich product.
Koloa rum comes in a few varieties, including coconut rum and spiced rum. It mixes well into an array of island-style cocktails. You’ll find vendors offering Koloa rum all over Oahu, so you can bring back a few bottles for yourself, friends, and family back home. Savor your Koloa rum neat or on the rocks or use it to recreate your favorite island cocktail like Koloa Tai, Spiced Fashioned, or Hawaiian Mule.
Koloa rum
9. Hawaiian quilts
A practical and unique gift
Good for: Couples, Families, Shoppers
Unmistakably from the islands, Hawaiian quilts are a distinctive style of quilting that features bold patterns and nature motifs. Though there are “crazy” quilts with elaborate embroidery, the ones with botanical designs against a white textile are more commonplace.
Most souvenir shops and stores offer Hawaiian quilts, most of which are usually mass-produced goods but equally beautiful and usable and usually sold for a fraction of the price of a handmade quilt. Or browse the offering at a market or swap meet where you might find an antique or vintage version.
Hawaiian quilts
10. Tropical fruit preserves
Great for foodies
Good for: Food, Shoppers
Oahu has no shortage of delicious tropical fruit preserves to choose from. Fruit preserves travel well and make for excellent gifts for family and friends back home.
You can find artisan tropical fruit spreads at local shops and markets in many different flavors, such as passionfruit, guava, papaya, and mango-pineapple. If you’re feeling gastronomically adventurous, visit a farmers’ market and try some of the more unusual mixes like fig and cactus fruit. Bring home a few jars and enjoy a taste of Hawaii when you’re back to the daily grind.
Tropical fruit preserves
This article includes opinions of the Go Guides editorial team. Hotels.com compensates authors for their writing appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.