Around the world, airports have made major strides to improve the passenger experience. From friendly therapy dogs at IGA Istanbul Airport to meditation spaces and sensory rooms inspired by water at Newark’s renovated Terminal A, flora and fauna have made their way into the once-austere atmosphere.
Still, real outdoor spaces remain a rarity at airports, and the ones that do exist, like the open-air terrace in San Francisco or the Sunflower Garden at Changi in Singapore, often feel like you’re sitting on the tarmac, watching planes depart and inhaling jet fuel while you’re at it.
While all of those airports have garnered awards for their gleaming interiors, swanky food courts, and upgraded lounges, albeit with good reason, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu has long been overlooked for its surprisingly expansive gardens—in the fresh air, to boot.
Honolulu itself has tried to keep pace with airport trends, with a $300-million extension in 2021, but for travelers who would gladly trade floor-to-ceiling windows and polished steel for a few more precious moments outside the airport, the real joy of flying through the city is the open-air layout and old Hawaii vibe, down to the vintage floral tilework.
Admittedly, Honolulu airport has its idiosyncrasies. There are those who will grumble about the lack of air-conditioning in the walkways between terminals, the retro carpeting, and the absolute food desert, which it truly is, even with the new addition. However, for anyone craving an oasis before boarding a long-haul flight, HNL’s Cultural Gardens are not unlike pushing through the back of the wardrobe and ending up in Narnia.
Given how few travelers appear to know about this space, it truly feels like a secret garden with flowing waterfalls, lush foliage, and twittering birds.
The Cultural Gardens Map.
Cemile Kavountzis/Travel + Leisure
Located in Terminal 2 by the E gates, the gardens are set within a courtyard away from the planes and accessed by a flight of stairs or an elevator. Once you’re in, it feels like an actual park, or a mini botanic garden with three distinctively landscaped sections. The sections are divided into the Hawaiian, Chinese, and Japanese areas, reflecting the cultures that have left the most prominent imprints on the islands.
“The Cultural Gardens serve as a reminder of old Hawaii and why our islands are so special,” Hawaii Department of Transportation director Ed Sniffen shared in a statement provided to Travel + Leisure. “Infused with influences of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Japanese cultures and heritage, the gardens are representative of Hawaii’s melting pot and the diversity of our people.”
When the original airport, which was first built in 1927, was modernized in 1962 (just three years after Hawaii became a U.S. state), the vision included gardens designed by Richard Tongg. At the time, Tongg was considered the “grandfather of landscape architecture” in Hawaii and had been born and raised on Oahu in a Chinese immigrant family. In his work, he was driven to see people and nature living in harmony.
The Chinese Garden Bridge.
Cemile Kavountzis/Travel + Leisure
Additionally, there’s a smaller garden in Terminal 1, named the C.B. Lansing Garden, which was added in 1995. This also feels like a neighborhood green space ideal for reading a book.
The Hawaiian Gardens Lagoon.
Cemile Kavountzis/Travel + Leisure
In the Hawaiian Garden, you can follow a meandering path over a human-made lagoon filled with mullet fish and a lava wall with a cascading waterfall. Flanked by hapu’u ferns, oyster plants, and birds of paradise, among other plants and trees, it’s the section best suited to walking and observing the fractals, or repeated natural patterns, that can have a relaxing effect on the brain.
Researchers have even designed commercial flooring for stressful places like airports that incorporate these geometric shapes based on fronds, leaves, and petals. “Hidden in plain sight, the Cultural Gardens offer a tranquil spot for quiet relaxation and to reflect on your time in Hawaii before boarding a flight,” said Sniffen.
The Japanese Garden Zigzag Bridges.
Cemile Kavountzis/Travel + Leisure
Strolling over to the Japanese Garden, the sense of serenity starts with a zigzag, or yatsuhashi, bridge—traditionally used to evoke mindfulness—that leads to a small, wood-shingled pavilion with stone benches perfect for taking a few moments to meditate or do breath work. Lily pads float peacefully on the surrounding pond, and there are loose elements of a dry Zen garden with a tiered stone pagoda sculpture and a minimalist aesthetic.
The Chinese Garden Pagoda.
Cemile Kavountzis/Travel + Leisure
If you want to take a nap in the sunshine or do a few yoga stretches on the grass, head over to the rolling lawn of the Chinese Garden. Up a stepped pathway or over a carved, turquoise-and-white arched bridge, an ornate, red-and-yellow pagoda has glazed tiles crafted by Hong Kong masons, as well as a stone table and stools for a picnic. Throughout the gardens, the pockets of water features, which symbolically flow together to represent the intermingling of cultures, are filled with swimming koi fish, or Japanese carp, spotted with bright orange patches.
As you wait for your flight, this quiet sanctuary transports you somewhere else entirely—and brings you back to the destination you’re in.
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