For O‘ahu-bound travelers seeking a quieter side of the Hawaiian island, the Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu at Ko Olina is one of the best options. Located about 25 miles west of tourist-thronged Waikīkī, the resort and its idyllic surroundings have more in common with less-populated neighboring islands, yet it remains within easy reach of some of the destination’s most compelling sites.
While the secluded and peaceful aspects of the resort are alluring, one of the resort’s greatest assets is Fabrice Ollivier, the property’s chief concierge. Born in Mauritius, Ollivier has worked at the Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu at Ko Olina for more than four years and has lived in Hawai‘i for more than a decade. He has become known for creating immersive, one-of-a-kind experiences on O‘ahu for guests at the resort—ones that offer insider access and reveal unexpected sides of the island few people get to see.
We persuaded Ollivier to share some of his favorite outside-the-box activities that he and the concierge team, through deep destination knowledge and string pulling, have created for guests at the resort.
Pearl Harbor from the sky: a flight in a vintage Warbird plane
The concierge at Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina can arrange tours of Pearl Harbor on a historic U.S. Navy SNJ-5C Warbird plane.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
Pearl Harbor needs no introduction: It’s one of World War II’s most famous sites. In the hope of offering another perspective of Pearl Harbor, Ollivier and his team connected with Ray Johns, retired U.S. Air Force Four-Star General and cofounder of the Warbird Legacy Flight, which offers participants a bird’s-eye view of the historic site at relatively low altitudes of 1,500 to 3,000 feet. Guests fly aboard the historic U.S. Navy SNJ-5C Warbird, a two-seater, open cockpit propeller plane built in 1944 as a training aircraft that the Army and Navy airmen used to practice combat flying maneuvers during World War II. The route takes you above Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, and guests can catch panoramic views along O‘ahu’s western and northern coastlines, too.
“When you book this Warbird flight, we will place a flight suit in your room the night before, along with reading material to explain the significance of the experience,” explains Ollivier. “The next morning, at about 6:30 a.m., you’ll take a Maybach to the nearby Kalaeloa Airport, which is a small private airport, before a preflight historical briefing with General Johns, discussing the events of December 7–8, 1941. You’ll also get insights into the Naval and Air Force cadet training during this era before the 40-minute flight in the Warbird.” Ollivier adds that “some people book a stay with us just to do this flight, including pilots and history buffs from different generations.” From $3,000
A helicopter diving adventure
A Trident Adventures experience through the Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
Photo by Greg K Champion
An activity for thrill-seeking guests is the chance to glimpse what it’s like to be a Navy SEAL for a day. “We collaborate with Steve Kaplan, a former SEAL and founder of Trident Adventures,” says Ollivier, referring to the Honolulu-based diving company. “You meet Steve for a briefing before a Magnum Helicopter ride above Waikīkī and Ala Moana Beach to discuss how comfortable you are at various heights, from 10 feet to 65 feet, for the main event—jumping out of the doorless helicopter and into the ocean.” (Note that participants can change their mind at any time about going through with the drop.) Once you jump into the water, a boat will be waiting, and you can either do a scuba dive, or, if you aren’t certified, snorkeling.” Ollivier says the activity takes about a half day and is available for ages four and up; an expert team accompanies guests the entire time. Aside from the water activities, guests can receive tactical shooting experience and learn to skydive for even more Navy SEAL insight. From $3,395.
A behind-the-scenes, close-up look at Hawaiian history
The Hawaiian Hall at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu
Courtesy of Bishop Museum
For the culturally inclined visitor, the Four Seasons has a partnership with Honolulu’s legendary Bishop Museum. Founded in 1889 and the largest museum in the state, the Bishop Museum has an unmatched collection of Hawaiian art and artifacts, including heirlooms from the Hawai‘i royal family (which was overthrown by the United States in 1893), and millions of objects and photographs about not just Hawai‘i but also other Pacific island cultures. “The museum has many more treasures than they can display,” says Ollivier. “We can arrange a behind-the-scenes tour with a museum docent if someone is interested in learning more about the culture of Polynesia and the monarchy. These items are kept in a private, temperature-controlled storage space—some of them you can even touch. There’s no set amount of time, so it just depends how long you would like to spend examining everything.” Afterwards, guests can have the docent lead them on a tour of the rest of the museum, which includes recreated ancient dwellings, a full skeleton of a sperm whale, and a planetarium. From $250.
A day on the North Shore with locals
Fabrice Ollivier, chief concierge at the Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort O’ahu at Ko Olina
While the world-famous beaches and breaks of O‘ahu’s North Shore draw visitors looking to catch a wave (or just watch wave-riding pro surfers), this is, at heart, a rural community with an entirely different flavor from any other part of the island. The Four Seasons can organize a day to explore North Shore life from the perspective of locals. “One of the main places we take guests is the Little Plumeria Farms, which is run by three generations of the Little family,” says Ollivier. Jim Little, the founder, started the 20-acre farm as a hobby in the 1970s and today grows the world’s largest collection of rare hybrid plumeria flowers, those fragrant white and yellow flowers (also known as frangipani) seen throughout the islands and often used in traditional Hawaiian leis. “The farm only opened to visitors in 2023, so it’s a special opportunity to learn about flower farming—and the fragrance on the property is amazing.”
Ollivier likes to pair a visit to Little Plumeria Farm with a stop at Waialua Surf Shop, a family-run business open since 1990 and located in a historic sugar mill from the 1890s. There, the owner, Stephen Matthews, creates custom surfboards. “Guests can get a behind-the-scenes look at the process, and if they are so inclined, can even have a surfboard made for themselves, and we will ship it home to them when it’s finished,” he said. Private surfing lessons, fly fishing, and other outdoor activities are also available as part of the day. From $250 per person.
