Shaka Guide App: What You Need to Know About the App on Oahu

Have you heard of the Shaka Guide app? If you’re heading to Oahu, you should get to know it!

Even after living on the island for 9 years, I keep it downloaded for when friends come to visit. I still find new places and interesting stuff I never knew.

The Shaka Guide app has become the go-to app for many visitors to Oahu. It can give you a self-guided tour experience with GPS-enabled audio tours, and help with planning your trip

The tours cover the best attractions, historical sites, and hidden gems across this spectacular island. The app includes authentic Hawaiian stories and cultural info that will help you get to know the real Oahu.

Keep reading to find out what all the app has to offer.

* All quoted prices are approximate and may change at any time.

A cloudy blue sky over the Kailua boat ramp in Oahu, creating a serene and picturesque coastal atmosphere. — *Kailua boat ramp*

The Shaka Guide App

The Shaka Guide is a free-to-download app. Once you have it on your device, you choose which tours you’d like to pay for. They range in price from around $5 for a short walking tour, $20 for a single to $80 for a bundle of 21 tours across the different islands.

Even without buying tours, there’s a lot of info for you on the app. You’ll find super-helpful and up-to-date “Know Before You Go” guides.

The guides describe things like what to expect on an east Oahu shoreline drive. They will let you know the hours of operation for places and attractions. If there are entry fees or safety concerns, the guide will make you aware.

It will let you know how much time it will take to explore a certain part of the island. Also if there’s a level of fitness you need for certain activities, and what you should take along for a great day.

Plus, there are guides on the best restaurants and shopping around the island. Find these all under “Plan Your Trip” on the webpage, or “Explore” in the app.

It’s a fantastic, fun way to learn about the island’s history and culture at your own pace and to find the best places. And the tastiest places!

Beach vista from Haleiwa Joe's, highlighting a distant boat and the calming waves, embodying a peaceful seaside experience. — *Beach view from Haleiwa Joe’s*

Here’s a deeper breakdown of the Shaka app’s uses:

➤ Audio Tours

The Shaka Guide has GPS-enabled audio tours. They provide detailed and entertaining narratives as you drive or walk through different parts of Oahu.

The tours include cultural insights, historical facts, and directions to significant sights and hidden gems.

➤ Travel Planning

You can plan your day with suggested itineraries that help optimize your time and experience on the island. Find out how much time to set aside for the items on your itinerary and how much they’ll cost.

➤ Offline Maps and Navigation

There are many places, especially as you drive out toward the North Shore, where cell reception is spotty. Or you may not have mobile data while you’re on Oahu.

It’s not a problem! Download the app and your tours before you leave home, and you can use it entirely offline while you’re here.

➤ Where to find the app

The Shaka Guide app can be downloaded on both the Apple App Store for iOS devices and Google Play Store for Android. Just search for “Shaka Guide” on either platform to find and download the app.

A vintage VW convertible bug in front of a Haleiwa surf shop, highlighting the local surf lifestyle and beach vibe. — *Haleiwa Surf Shop on the North Shore*

Here’s a quick step-by-step run-through of how it works:

1. First up, download the app from either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Just type “Shaka Guide” into the search bar, hit download, and you’re all set.

2. Take a look at the tours once you’ve got the app opened. There’s a bunch to choose from, each with its own little summary and price tag right beside it.

3. Pick your adventure and hit the buy button. You’ll need to log in here or sign up if you don’t already have an account.

4. Pay for your tour using whatever method suits you best, like a credit card or PayPal. It’s all done securely through the app.

5. You’ll find that tour under ‘My Stuff’ once you’ve made your purchase. You’ll see all the tours you’ve bought right there.

6. Download your selected tour while you’re still hooked up to Wi-Fi. This saves all the important stuff—like maps and audio—right to your device, so you won’t need to use data later. Or if you have data to use on the go, that works, too.

7. You can switch off your data and still get the full tour experience. Just make sure your GPS is on because the app uses it to know where you are and what to tell you about next.

8. Start your tour through the app, and it’ll guide you from one spot to the next. The audio will kick in automatically at key spots, giving you the lowdown on everything interesting.

9. Use the app’s maps to keep track of where you are and what’s coming up. It’s pretty straightforward—like any other GPS navigation tool. If you take a detour or explore off-route, the GPS will find you when you’re ready to rejoin the tour.

10. Feel free to pause, skip, or replay the audio whenever you want. Just tap the controls in the app whenever you want to manage your tour.

It really is a no-brainer – great tours, stories, and info for minimal cash. And lots of free info in the app (and on the web page) if you’d rather not pay for tours.

It’s the recipe for an incredible trip to paradise!

Happy travels!