Aylin's Daily Photo Journal & Travel Stories
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Google Photos StoriesKo Olina · North Shore West Side · Byodo-In Temple, Oahu7 min read
We Flew First Class to Oahu, Ditched a $95 Resort Buffet for Food Trucks—And Found Pure Zen at Byodo-In
Most first-timers to Oahu squeeze into row 34, check into a noisy Waikiki tower, wait 90 minutes for an overpriced chain restaurant, and wonder why paradise feels like rush hour. Here is what happens when you fly First Class on Alaska Airlines, check into Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, chase food trucks along the quiet West Side of the North Shore, and feel the Zen of Byodo-In Temple.
😅 The Tourist Trap: Squeezing into a middle economy seat, fighting for 6 inches of towel space in crowded Waikiki, and paying $95 per person for lukewarm resort buffet eggs.
✨ Aylin's Plot Twist: Landing rested in First Class, waking up to empty turquoise lagoons and duck ponds at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, eating legendary food-truck Loco Moco, and discovering empty West-Side North Shore beaches.
Photographs in This Story:
Published Oct 31, 2026 by Aylin Nazaryan