Afternoon Tea might not be the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of visiting the sun-drenched beaches of Waikiki, but tea folks are always on the lookout for great tea experiences to share with their fellow tea lovers back home. And of all the Hawaiian islands, Oahu has the most afternoon tea locations to brag about.

Shelley and I were recently on Maui for a week of vacation and my editor at TeaTime magazine suggested we spend a couple of extra days in Honolulu in order to check out the tea scene. How could I say no?

Our hotel in Honolulu was situated on Waikiki Beach where, seated on the corner of a curving veranda, we enjoyed our afternoon tea while watching surfers ride the crests of waves that brought them to shore just a few yards from our table. 

Afternoon Tea at the Moana Surfrider Hotel Honolulu

Later that first afternoon, I walked up the beach where I had my second full afternoon tea of the day. Teatime there was enjoyed on a patio that afforded an uninterrupted view of Diamond Head.

My tea adventures the next day took me to the southern tip of the island for a luxurious resort teatime accompanied again by gentle breezes and the site of palm trees waving in the wind. All that deliciousness took place after I visited the oldest tearoom in Old Town Honolulu. That cozy venue was filled with Victorian charm and colored with pink hats and red boas.

Someone asked me what was unique about afternoon tea on the island of Oahu. I have to say that, after enjoying hundreds of teatimes across the world, this is one of the few places I know where diners are serenaded by the sound of crashing waves as they dab clotted cream and jam on their scones.

Four afternoon teas in two days – the things I do for my readers!

I hope you enjoyed this teatime teaser. Look for my full story and lots of photographs in the July/August 2017 issue of TeaTime magazine.