I went to the exotic holiday islands that feature in Disney's new movie – with dinosaur tours and turtle beaches

The Sun

23-05-2025

'ISN'T this where the dinosaurs come and eat us?' I joke.
We're ten minutes into our hiking tour of O'ahu — one of the eight main islands in the US state of Hawaii — when our buggy tyre goes flat.
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Thankfully, despite Jurassic Park being filmed here, no dinosaurs ever roamed in Hawaii.
After all, the islands were created a mere five million years ago, and the dinosaurs became extinct 60 million years before that.
That doesn't stop me heading straight to Kualoa Ranch after our hike, for an e-bike tour of the exact spot where the famous movies were shot.
Or so I thought. My guide crushes my excitement by declaring that just 96 seconds of Hawaii actually featured in the first film.
Remember when Alan, Lex and Tim are hiding behind the tree trunk from the Gallimimus? Yeah, those 96 seconds.
But my dismay ends quickly — the landscape is breathtaking.
The ride takes me around the overwhelmingly beautiful hills, so green they didn't look real against the cloudless blue sky.
I'd never been so glad to have the support of an electric bike. One particularly treacherous incline left me drenched in sweat, even with the additional pedal power.
But as stunning as Hawaii is on land, it's the ocean (or in Hawaiian, moana — yes, really) where it truly comes to life.
Turtles basking
When temperatures soared past 30C, I headed to the famous Waikiki Beach to cool off in the waters.
Four things to do on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu
Known as the birthplace of modern surfing, it's also where shows such as Hawaii Five-O and ­Magnum P.I. were filmed.
It has recently been the location of another major blockbuster, Disney's new live version of Lilo & Stitch.
Dubbed the surfing capital of the world, the North Shore felt like I'd stepped back in time, with its laid-back community.
The pristine stretch of sand was taken up by eager sunseekers as well as brightly patterned surfboards dotted around the beach.
On the other end of the island is the quaint town of Haleiwa, which also features in the Disney movie.
Dubbed the surfing capital of the world, the North Shore felt like I'd stepped back in time, with its laid-back community.
I spent hours exploring the multicoloured wooden shops with barely any crowds, filling my bag with local art prints and jewellery.
A must-visit is Matsumoto's, one of the region's oldest shaved ice stores (I recommend the guava and pickled mango combination).
But a trip to the state of Hawaii shouldn't just stop at one island.
Nearby Hawai'i — another island in this collection — offers a different kind of beach, the famous black-sand Punalu'u.
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It is also one of the few places in the world where you can see turtles basking in the sun on the shore.
Most only head to land to lay eggs, whereas the chill Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles are there to laze. Y
ou have to stay a certain distance from them, but the nonplussed one we spotted gave us a relaxed 'wave' of the fin.
Apparently that wasn't close enough for the cheeky creatures, however, as I found myself surrounded during a quick dip.
Despite my attempts to move away, it was almost like they didn't know I was there, nudging me in the stomach while blissfully gliding beneath me.
I thought this would be the highlight of my bucket-list trip. Boy was I wrong.
Just behind the Outrigger Kona Resort were more majestic sea ­critters ready to greet us, and these ones are best seen at night.
I geared up with a life jacket and oar, eagerly paddling out in the dark with my jocular guide.
The magic happens when we turn on the lights, attracting plankton. It takes a few minutes before a manta ray comes right up to us for a midnight snack.
Having slid into the water — again trying not to touch them — gripping the boat wearing snorkels we watch as they gracefully ­catapult below.
In the following days, I walk the length of an active volcano, which has started to erupt for the first time in months.
One manta ray turns into two, then five, before we realise there are at least ten below us.
My laughs become slightly terrified screams as they graze me, mere centimetres away. Even my guide is impressed, saying the average number to see is barely three per night.
Thrills are at every corner of these stunning islands.
In the following days, I walk the length of an active volcano, which has started to erupt for the first time in months.
Then I drive up 13,000ft to some of the world's largest observatories, spotting Saturn from the top of Mauna Kea. No wonder I have such an appetite every evening.
'Food is the love language of Hawaii,' a local server said.
I could see that — the American-sized portions kept me well fed, with towering piles of rice and kalua pork. One of my favourite side dishes were their bright purple taro rolls.
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And with fantastic coffee and chocolate (both grown on the island) it was enough to keep me going.
Needing a more relaxed afternoon, I spent one of my final days exploring another retro town, with Hilo's Art Deco streets looking more like Miami.
One of the more popular shops is owned by shirt designer Sig Zane, who explained how the scenery is often the inspiration for his patterns.
'We're living in heaven,' he said.
Leaving the shop to see the bright- blue sea right in front of me, I was inclined to agree.