How to get to Byodo-in Temple from Waikiki

ALOHA!

It can be worth it to do the Byodo-in Temple as a trip from Waikiki if you want to experience a peaceful side of Hawaii surrounded by mountains and nature! The bright red temple really stands out against the lush green mountain backdrop and makes for a picture-worthy spot on Oahu too.

Actually, even before you enter the temple grounds, you’ll go through the Valley of the Temples to get there where you’ll see a green open space with the Koʻolau mountains in the distance!

The road through the Valley of the Temples isn’t long, but whether you’re driving or walking, you’ll get an amazing view of the mountains on your way to Byodo-in Temple. I thought it was a peaceful walk even though I was walking along the same road that cars were driving.

Once you’ve made it to the grounds of the themple, you can have a leisurely walk around with some classic Japanese-feeling things, just as you may see in Japan. (And I can say that because I’ve spent a lot of time in Japan!)

You can also ring the big sacred bell, walk through the temple building, see Buddha statues, buy some fish food to feed the koi at the pond (don’t use your own food), and just slow down and take it all in.

You may find that 30 minutes is enough to slowly walk around and take in the surroundings. You could also easy spend an hour if you want to sit and take it in!

 

 

There is an entrance fee for the Byodo-In Temple. This is around $7. (Credit card only.) See current fees.

The cheapest way to get to Byodo-In Temple from Waikiki is by bus, but it will take time and patience. You can also drive there if you’ll be renting a car since there’s easy parking. There are also tours that make a stop at the temple as part of a longer circle island tour around Oahu.

 

👆 This is the entrance. You’ll walk across the bridge to the Byodo-in Temple!

 

👆 You can walk around the temple grounds.

 

👆 Koi fish (carp) can be found at ponds across Japan, and you can see them at Byodo-in Temple too.

 

Waikiki to Byodo-In Temple is a little less than 20 miles away, and by car, it usually takes about 40 minutes depending on traffic. If you’re taking the bus, it can take just under 2 hours, but it is possible.

Now, I’ll show you below a little bit more about getting to the Byodo-In Temple from Waikiki!

 

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Quick list of circle island Oahu tours that include Byodo-in Temple

Here are the all-day tours you need to consider if you are looking for one that goes to Byodo-in Temple! Look for the “what to expect” section and it lists out all the stops that will be made.

• Slower paced: Byodo-in Temple and Waimea Botanical Garden combo tour (and a few more things around the island!)
  • 25 minutes at Byodo-in Temple, 2 hours at Waimea Valley, and a few more stops
• See a ton: Hidden gems of Oahu (with Byodo-in Temple)
  • 30 minutes at Byodo-in Temple, and tons of quick stops and scenic viewpoints

 

 

How to get to Byodo-in Temple (and Valley of the Temples)

Now, here is a little more about getting to Byodo-in Temple from Waikiki, by tour, car, or bus.

 

Circle island tours with Byodo-in Temple

If you don’t want to figure out the details, taking a guided tour that includes the Byodo-in Temple is the easiest way!

Then you’ll also get to see some more very-Oahu and very-Hawaii things, and you’ll get the added bonus of the background information to learn more about Hawaii.

There are tons of circle island tours. Not all of them stop at Byodo-in Temple, but some do. So you’ll want to make sure any circle island tour does make a stop at Byodo-in Temple if that’s a priority. Circle island tours are all-day tours that can be 8 to 9 hours.

Here are 2 you should consider if you’re looking to go to Byodo-in Temple by tour. These have Waikiki pick-up and drop-off.

 

Byodo-in Temple and Waimea botanical garden tour: Check availability

You’ll get the most time at Waimea Valley (2 hours) where you can spend time walking the botanical garden, Hawaii cultural sites, and see Waimea Falls. It’s a paved trail of 3/4 mile to the waterfalls, and along the way you can take your time walking through the garden and cultural sites.

You’ll get 25 minutes to walk around Byodo-in Temple, as well as 30 minutes at Dole Plantation.

You’ll also get a bunch of quick stops to see a few more very-Hawaii type things like Halona Blowhole and Macadamia Nut Farm outlet, as well as a drive-by of downtown Honolulu Hawaiian sites.

If you want to spend more time walking around and stop to look closely at things along the way (temple grounds and botanical garden!), then you will appreciate the extra time at Waimea Valley.

This is an 8.5 hour tour from Waikiki.

See the full itinerary and read the reviews for this slower paced tour.

 

Hidden gems of Oahu tour: Check availability

The hidden gems of Oahu tour notably doesn’t spend time at Waimea Valley, but it does go to some of the same places as the slower paced tour. The 2 hours it doesn’t spend at Waimea Valley is 2 hours to fit in a bunch more other things!

You’ll get 30 minutes at both Byodo-in Temple and Dole Plantation, plus a long list of other stops and scenic viewpoints. Many of them are quick photo opportunities or pass-by locations. So you will get to see a lot of Oahu, even if it is sometimes just out of the window.

If you are a “I want to see as much as possible!” type person, you will like this tour!

This is a 9 hour tour from Waikiki.

See the full itinerary and read the reviews for this see-it-all tour.

 

 

Driving (parking)

If you already know that you want to rent a car, then you can drive to Byodo-in Temple. There is a parking lot for it, and it’s free. You will drive 5 minutes through the Valley of the Temples to get there, which is a scenic road through a memorial/cemetery. It’s just off the main road.

 

👆 It’s a scenic drive through Valley of the Temples!

 

👆 There is free parking right at the Byodo-in Temple entrance.

 

The drive from Waikiki will take around 40 minutes to get there. It’s possible it may take longer depending on traffic. (map)

And longer also if you make stops! You’ll want to take the route of the Pali Highway (map) so that you can stop at the popular Pali lookout (reviews).

After that, you can also make a stop and go to Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden. This is another nice leisurely walk. (map + reviews)

Your possibilities for other things to do on the same day after the temple are endless!

The Byodo-in Temple is on the east side of Oahu, and you can explore more of this side. Right nearby is the Puu Maelieli Trail (reviews).

Then you can go to Kailua for Kailua Beach and/or Lanikai Beach, and also hike the Lanikai pillbox hike. Then make a stop at Waimanalo Beach for the views, and then you can continue to Makapuu Lighthouse Trail.

 

To rent a car to go to Byodo-in Temple and more, search for the cheapest car rentals. The best prices will generally be from Honolulu Airport.

Take a look at expedia car rentals and discovercars.

 

 

Bus

I’ve been to Byodo-in Temple twice by bus.

Going by bus from Waikiki means that it will take time and patience!

But the nearest bus stop is pretty much right across the street from the Valley of the Temples, which is where you will start your walk to Byodo-in Temple. So, it’s a pretty convenient bus stop.

The bus stop is located in a residential neighborhood, and then from there, you will basically just start walking towards the mountains! It will be a couple of minutes to the main road. You do need to cross a main road, but there are traffic lights so it’s fine. That said, take care!

 

If you’re hungry, there’s a McDonald’s there right by the road crossing. I’ve never eaten at McDonald’s in Hawaii, but they say there are some Hawaii-specialty items! So, it actually can be a unique Hawaii experience if you go there. 🤪

 

Once you cross the main road, it’s the road through the Valley of the Temples. You’ll walk that to get to Byodo-in Temple.

The time from the bus stop to the Byodo-in Temple entrance is about a 20 minute walk, but it’s a walk with nice views as soon as you get off the bus.

 

👆 As soon as you step off the bus at the bus stop near Byodo-in Temple, you’ll be walking with mountain views!

 

👆 This was my walk towards the mountains from the Byodo-in Temple bus stop!

 

👆 One of the most important things about taking the bus is to make sure you’re standing on the correct side of the road! This is the bus stop for the way back, which is different from the bus stop you get off at for Byodo-in Temple. Also, see the McDonald’s in the background.

 

Overall, expect the time in transit from Waikiki to Byodo-in Temple to take just under 2 hours one way. This includes the time walking from the bus stop to get to the temple. If you time it right, you can get there in closer to 1.5 hours.

A bus transfer will be necessary no matter what. Google maps makes it easy to navigate by bus to Byodo-in Temple! Just look for the public transit icon, pick a route you like, and do what it says!

If you look at bus directions and see there are 2 transfers required, adjust your start time. You can get there with just one transfer.

Just to get you started, for example, you can type in your hotel in Waikiki as your starting point, and Byodo-in Temple as your destination. See the map.

When you’re actually in Waikiki, you’ll just use your current location as the starting point. It will tell you where your nearest bus stop is. You can play around with the routes. Doing this on the google maps app on your phone gives you more details. You can click on “scheduled” to see more upcoming departures, and you can click on “stops” when you’re actually on the bus to see exactly how many stops you have left (and follow along on the map with GPS once you’re on the bus). It will tell you where your nearest bus stop is.

If you are going by bus, it will be helpful to do a google maps bus route search for the way back to Waikiki. You can take screenshots of future bus timings for the way back.

 

The first time I went to Byodo-in Temple, I also did the Puu Maelieli Trail (map) before going to the temple. There’s no additional bus required for this. The second time, I also went to Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden on the same day. This was a LOT of extra walking… and an extra bus ride.

 

👆 Google maps is the easy way to figure out how to get from Waikiki to Byodo-in Temple by bus!

 

👆 You’ll see different options, so you can expand each route to see which one is best.

 

👆 You can expand out any bus route for details. This is bus #2 when coming from Waikiki. The closest bus stop to Byodo-in Temple is about a 20 minute walk. But you’ll feel like the walk will start pretty much as soon as you step off the bus because you’ll be walking with mountain views!

 

👆 It will also tell you about future bus timings! You can expand the “scheduled” section to see the different bus timings of any particular route. Do this for your way back and screenshot it!

 

It will be worth getting a HOLO card for the bus to Byodo-in Temple. You can get the card with a “day pass” at any ABC Store in Waikiki. This acts as a public transportation cash card, and you can load it up online if you want to take the bus on another day too. You can also order your card online if you still have time.

Otherwise, you’ll need cash in exact change for every bus ride you take. See current bus fare.

Since you have to transfer at least once to go from Waikiki to the Byodo-in Temple, if you don’t have a HOLO card, it means you will be paying individually for each bus ride at least 4 times. (Counting up the bus rides to get there and back.) There is no such thing as a transfer ticket if you pay in cash. With a HOLO card, you will be capped at the cost of a “day pass” and never pay more than that in one day for bus fares.

 

To decide if this extra time in transit is worth it for YOU, read the reviews of people who have visited! (And see more pictures below!)

 

 

More Byodo-in Temple tips

👆 The Byodo-in Temple has a backdrop of the Koolau mountains!

 

👆 Temple architecture in Hawaii as you may see in Japan! The Byodo-in Temple is a smaller-scale replica of a nearly 1,000-year-old temple in Japan (specifically the Byodo-in Temple of Uji just outside of Kyoto), and it was built in Hawaii to honor Japanese immigrants. The temple serves as a symbol of the longstanding ties between Japan and the people of Honolulu and Hawaii.

 

👆 See the raked sand off to the left! It has a similar look and feel to the sand-and-rock Zen gardens that you may find at many temples in Japan. (I’ve seen many sand gardens in Japan!)

 

👆 You can buy koi fish food at the gift shop so you can feed the fish. Feeding your own food can hurt them.

 

👆 There’s a Buddha statue in front of the temple.

 

👆 Another smaller Buddha statue elsewhere on the grounds.

 

👆 Little birdie! 😄

 

👆 There’s a little overlook near the entrance that you can walk up.

 

👆 The Valley of the Temples is a peaceful memorial park.

 

 

Quick travel tips when you are OFF TO WAIKIKI!

You can go to Byodo-in Temple on your own by bus (map). It will take time, and it does require a bus transfer. The nearest bus stop is about a 20 minute walk to the temple grounds entrance, but it’s just a few minutes walk to get to the scenic Valley of the Temples road that leads to it!

It’s about a 40 minute drive by car, maybe longer with traffic (map). See cost of car rentals at expedia.

You can do a jam-packed circle island tour that goes to Byodo-in Temple and a lot of other famous Oahu places. Read the reviews from people who have taken the tour.

Or do a little bit slower-paced island tour that goes to Byodo-in Temple, and a few famous Oahu places. Read the reviews.

It’s nice easy walking around the Byodo-in Temple grounds! Wear footwear good for walking.

If you’re driving to Byodo-in Temple, you’ll want to make a quick stop at the Pali Lookout (map) and maybe a longer stop to go to Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden (map).

Whether you’re driving or going by bus, you might want to hike the Puu Maelieli Trail that is near Byodo-in Temple (map).

 

Happy walking around the Byodo-in Temple!