Hawaii - The Dole Plantation

If you are not into the ‘touristy trap’ destination then this place is probably not for you. If, however, you don’t mind a bit of touristy stuff here and there and don’t mind a lot of pineapple themed things floating around then the Dole Plantation could be worth a visit.

Getting There

If you’re staying in Waikiki the easiest way to get to the Dole Plantation would be by car. I, however, am someone who wasn’t comfortable renting a car and driving this time. So my travelling partner and I opted for the public bus called The Bus.

When you enter the bus for the first time ask for a day pass, then put your money in the appropriate boxes. It should cost $5.50 USD (2018). Do not lose this as you will need to show this on other busses.

The first bus we caught was to the Ala Moana Shopping Centre. Then we caught the number 52 bus from a stand outside.  

I’m not going to lie. The bus trip is a long one especially with traffic. For the two busses it can take up to 2 hours or longer to get to your destination. The bus however is air conditioned and there is a sign that shows what stop you are at with a voiceover so it’s hard to get lost.

The stop you want to get off at is Kamehameha Highway + Helemano Plantations. It does not say Dole Plantation on the sign on the bus. However the really easy way is to look outside the window cause you can see it. The bus drops you off on the freeway and it is less than a minute walk to the door.

My recommendation is to screenshot the times and routes of the bus to get there and to get back. There is wifi at the Dole Plantation (free for an hour) but this will take some pain out of 'when will I get the bus?'

What to do when you’re there

Get some of the famous Dole Whip - there are a few topping varieties you can try.

Try one or a few of the activities that are there. Depending on what you want to do sometimes there are combo tickets that work out a bit cheaper.

The Train

There is a train that takes you around the plantation. It’s cute with a little soundtrack that plays overhead. You see some pineapple crops and some other plants. On a positive note passengers are not crammed into the train with only two or three people to a seat. On the other side the wait for the train can be extremely long. Ask at the ticket counter how long the wait for the train would be. Anything over the time you’re willing to wait is not worth it. You don’t miss a whole lot if you don’t go on the train.

The Maze

This was an experience I wanted to do. Basically, just to say I had been in the pineapple maze. Make sure you grab a pencil from either the ticket office or a little stand that is just inside the maze. This isn’t a find-your-way-to-the-centre-and-out-again-maze. It has a series of boards that you need to find which are printed on the map on your ticket. Then you rub your pencil over the paper on the board (like when you used to do Autumn leaf craft in kindergarten). There are quite a few boards to find and we ran out of time to do it all but still had a fun experience.

The Garden

This was an area we didn’t go into. I believe there are eight gardens you can wander around in to get a better understanding of plants that grow on the island.

After the Dole Plantation you could head another 20-30 minutes to the North Shore by bus. You would get the bus from the same side that you got off from. Or you can cross to the opposite side of the road and catch the 52 back to Ala Mona and then another bus near to your hotel in Waikiki. We caught the number 8 bus back.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure it is something that you want to do. There no use waiting around for a train, or wandering a maze if it’s not up your alley. It was quite hot when we went so I would suggest sunscreen and a hat. If you decide not to go here you’re probably not at a huge loss. However it can be a bit of fun if you let your inner child come out and have a play.