During our recent trip to Oahu, we made a special stop at the Byodo-In Temple in Hawaii, tucked away in the beautiful Valley of the Temples. It wasn’t originally on our must-see list — in fact, I hadn’t even heard of this peaceful gem before. But my wonderful cousins kindly took us there, and I’m so glad they did. As I’ve said before, they should quit their day jobs and go on Travel Guides (an Australian travel show) or The Amazing Race — they know all the best hidden spots!
Byodo-In Temple in Hawaii
But wow, this place was incredible! The temple is a beautiful replica of a 950-year-old Japanese temple and sits peacefully beneath the stunning Koʻolau Mountains.
When we arrived, we could hear a bell ringing softly in the distance — dong, dong, dong — and it sounded almost mesmerising. Later, we learned it was the sacred bell at the temple entrance. Visitors can ring it to bring good luck and clear their minds. I got so distracted by the incredibly peaceful surroundings that I missed the chance to line up and ring it! Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to go back again someday.
Inside the Byodo-In Temple, there was a large golden statue of Buddha.
Outside, the gardens were stunning. They reminded me of what I imagine a huge version of Mr. Miyagi’s garden would be like — peaceful and carefully cared for, with little paths, koi ponds, and bridges.
In the gift shop, you could buy food for the koi fish, so of course, we did. The koi would follow you as you fed them. Then we ran out of fish food. But my son and cousin M discovered that the koi fish would still follow them whenever they waved their arms over the water. The fish were clearly well-trained — waving arms meant food.
The koi followed them across a good stretch of the big pond, back and forth for ages as the boys waved their arms like koi masters. Their arms got sore, but the koi were persistent (or just really hungry). It was so funny to watch — a real memory and a hilarious moment all rolled into one.
If you’re visiting Oahu and want to see somewhere special, the Byodo-In Temple is the place to go! It’s such a peaceful oasis — a real contrast to the usual busy, touristy spots, which are, of course, also incredible. It was so good to experience both!
Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens
Continuing with our peaceful and serene theme of the day, we headed over to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens after visiting the Byodo-In Temple in Hawaii.
There’s a small Visitor Centre near the entrance where we popped in briefly to look at some displays.
After that, we had a look around one of the open grassy areas nearby. We didn’t explore too far; it was just a quick visit to admire the breathtaking views.
Lanikai
We ended our perfectly peaceful day with a swim at Lanikai.
I couldn’t believe that all this amazingness was happening to me – like I was in a movie or something! The water was so clear, the breeze was calm, and the whole place felt so soft and quiet. I’m used to the beaches in Sydney being windy and a bit wild, so this felt completely different — in the best way. Dreams really do come true 🥰
Many of the photos are by my cousin J — she really is an amazing photographer!
Ah, that does look so peaceful! What a nice visit.
Another perfect day! That temple is so pretty and the backdrop just can’t be beat.
Wow, what a cool place to visit. The mountains are so beautiful there.
oh wow! You could actually believe you were in Japan. I love the Japanese temples and as I know I’ll never be able to visit my daughter lets me use her VR Headset and I go looking around on Google maps. It’s not the same I know but it’s still so lovely. I will know see if I can find this temple. I won’t be able to swim though.