The resort’s connection to its jaw-dropping North Shore location goes much deeper than blissful oceanfront access for guests.
One of the first activities guests staying at Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of O’ahu should book is not a surf lesson or a snorkeling excursion, but a tour of the on-site Kuilima Farm. Why, you may wonder, when the resort has seven beaches to explore, should you dedicate even one minute of your stay to strolling through vegetable fields? Because a visit to Kuilima Farm shines a spotlight on a core pillar of Hawaiian culture, and one that is central to the resort’s mission: a love of the land. Here are just a few ways that Turtle Bay Resort celebrates its land and sea.
An aerial view of Kuilima Farm.
A commitment to local agriculture and farm-to-fork fare
The 468-acre Kuilima Farm produces 2,000 pounds of produce a week, 800 of which goes to Turtle Bay Resort, where the chefs incorporate it into seasonal dishes like the garden beet trio, featuring farm-grown beets and arugula, on the menu at Alaia during my stay. You’ll see the “chef’s zone” of the farm during your tour, where resort chefs get to experiment with new varietals (purple and green Okinawan spinach was growing when I visited) and get to peek inside the hydroponic greenhouse where eight types of salad greens grow.
But my favorite part, and what gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of Turtle Bay Resort’s landscape, was the piko, or center, of the circular garden that features native and indigenous Hawaiian plants. I learned the legends and history of plants found all over the resort—like the flowering Naupaka shrub and golden yellow ilima flower—as well as the importance of plants like the kukui tree and ulu, or breadfruit, which were brought to the islands by the first Polynesian settlers and are core to Hawaiian life.
Banyan trees can be seen along 12 miles of trails that wind through the Turtle Bay Resort landscape.
Land that feels more like a nature preserve than a resort
A lot of resorts use words like “pristine” and “untouched” to describe their beachfront surroundings, but Turtle Bay Resort gives new meaning to what an unspoiled landscape looks like. Half of the resort's 1,300 acres are dedicated to conservation, meaning much of the land feels like a secluded nature preserve.
Some 12 miles of scenic trails weave through the landscape, inviting exploration and offering occasional solitude. Follow King’s Walk along the eastern coastline from Kuilima Cove to Kahuku Point—despite it being prime spring break season, I encountered only two other people during the 1-mile walk to Keiki Cove, an idyllic protected natural swimming hole formed by a tsunami. Or head west on Kawela Main Trail to reach the famous Kawela Bay, which has starred in blockbusters like Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Pirates of the Caribbean.
When you circle back toward the resort, head off the coast and into the small forest to find the giant and majestic banyan tree. The towering tangle of vines and trunks is several hundred years old and has appeared in many movies and TV shows, including Lost.
Turtle Bay Resort planted its landscape with native flora like the koali awa vine (left) and hala fruit plant (right).
Stewardship of native flora and fauna
Wildlife encounters abound at Turtle Bay Resort through planned excursions like birdwatching tours—where you can spot the Kolea, or Pacific Golden Plover, the bird that led to Hawai‘i’s discovery by the Polynesians—and natural daily occurrences. I spied one of the resort’s namesake honu, or green sea turtles, bobbing through Kawela Bay, and shared Kuilima Cove Beach with a sunbathing Hawaiian monk seal (the resort’s partners at Hawai‘i Marine Animal Response cordoned off her patch of sand so she could chill in peace). During the winter months, humpback whale sightings are also common, as the ocean in front of the resort is a National Marine Sanctuary.
Caring for the native animals goes hand-in-hand with protecting their natural habitat. To that end, Turtle Bay Resort partnered with local plant nursery Hui Kū Maoli Ola to remove invasive species and reintroduce plants unique to the North Shore on the 29 acres directly surrounding the main resort. Today, 58% of the plants on this land are endemic, native or Polynesian-introduced. You’ll recognize many from the farm tour, and find rare and endangered species like the ālula, identifiable by its rosette of large, rounded, light green leaves on top. Found only in Hawai‘i, ālula is technically extinct in the wild.
An outrigger canoe tour in Kawela Bay. Photo by @instamauimatt.
Thoughtful, authentic ocean experiences
Being in, near or on the water is a daily essential in Hawai’i, and Turtle Bay Resort offers myriad ways for visitors to explore and learn about the sea. Shaka Kayaks, helmed by Captain Scott Sunby, offers a Turtle Tour in Kawela Bay to spot honu, several of whom the guides are on a first-name basis with. Or let Rocky Canon, a North Shore native and ocean expert, take you and your family on a traditional outrigger canoe ride; Rocky shares his knowledge of the ocean and decades of stories, and makes you feel like ohana, or family.
And of course, you can surf. Jamie O’Brien, one of the North Shore’s best professional surfers, created his eponymous Surf Experience to bring the thrill of catching a wave to everyone. It’s the exclusive surf school of Turtle Bay Resort, meaning you’ll learn from the best in the business on premium equipment.
Book your stay at Turtle Bay Resort now and discover a love of the land for yourself.
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