Beaches

Pictures of hotels lining the shores of Waikiki Beach and canyons of tall buildings in downtown Honolulu have given Oahu a bad rap. The island is much more than an urban concrete jungle or a tropical Disneyland blighted by overdevelopment; it's also a haven for the nature lover and outdoor enthusiast.

With year-round temperatures in the upper 70s, and miles of verdant unspoiled landscape, Oahu is perfect for outdoor activities of all kinds, including hiking, golf, tennis, biking, and horseback riding. But the island's waters, which also enjoy year-round temperatures in the mid to upper 70s, are where the majority of residents and visitors head for relaxation, rejuvenation, and recreation. Locals don't think of their island or state boundaries as ending at land's edge -- rather, they extend beyond the reefs, well out into the ocean.

Oahu has more than 130 beaches of every conceivable kind -- from legendary white-sand stretches to secluded rocky bays. Waikiki, of course, is the best known, but there are many others -- some more beautiful, all less crowded. The following sample of Oahu's finest beaches was carefully selected to suit every need, taste, and interest, from the sunbather in repose to the most ardent diver.

A Word of Warning -- Wherever you are on Oahu, remember that you're in an urban area. Never leave valuables in your car. Thefts do occur at Oahu's beaches, and locked cars are not a deterrent.

Check Out the Beach Before You Leave Home -- Before you leave your hotel room, check out the Hawaii Beach Safety website, http://oceansafety.soest.hawaii.edu, a joint venture among various governmental agencies (the City and County of Honolulu, University of Hawaii, and Hawaii Lifeguard Association, among others). You can view the latest wind and wave conditions and other safety information for the beach you want to visit. The site is updated at 9am, 3pm, and 9pm, or if conditions change.

The Waikiki Coast

Ala Moana Beach Park -- Quite possibly America's best urban beach, gold-sand Ala Moana ("by the sea"), on sunny Mamala Bay, stretches for more than a mile along Honolulu's coast between downtown and Waikiki. This 76-acre midtown beach park, with spreading lawns shaded by banyans and palms, is one of the island's most popular playgrounds. It has a man-made beach, created in the 1930s by filling a coral reef with Waianae Coast sand, as well as its own lagoon, yacht harbor, tennis courts, music pavilion, bathhouses, picnic tables, and enough wide-open green spaces to accommodate four million visitors a year. The water is calm almost year-round, protected by black lava rocks set offshore. You can park in the large lot or at metered street parking.

Waikiki Beach -- No beach anywhere is so widely known or so universally sought after as this narrow, 1 1/2-mile-long crescent of imported sand (from Molokai) at the foot of a string of high-rise hotels. Home to the world's longest-running beach party, Waikiki attracts nearly five million visitors a year from every corner of the planet. First-timers are always amazed to discover how small Waikiki Beach actually is, but everyone finds a place for themselves under the tropical sun here.

Waikiki is actually a string of beaches that extends between Sans Souci State Recreational Area, near Diamond Head to the east, and Duke Kahanamoku Beach, in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, to the west. Great stretches along Waikiki include Kuhio Beach, next to the Moana Surfrider, which provides the quickest access to the Waikiki shoreline; the stretch in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel known as Grey's Beach, which is canted so it catches the rays perfectly; and Sans Souci, the small, popular beach in front of the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel that's locally known as "Dig Me Beach" because of all the gorgeous bods who strut their stuff here. Grey's is probably the best spot for catching the rays -- the beach is set at the perfect angle for sunning. It's also a great spot for people-watching. Get here early; by midday (when the rays are at their peak), it's towel-to-towel out there.

Waikiki is fabulous for swimming, board- and bodysurfing, outrigger canoeing, diving, sailing, snorkeling, and pole fishing. Every imaginable type of marine equipment is available for rent here. Facilities include showers, lifeguards, restrooms, grills, picnic tables, and pavilions at the Queen's Surf end of the beach (at Kapiolani Park, btw. the zoo and the aquarium). The best place to park is at Kapiolani Park, near Sans Souci.

East Oahu

Hanauma Bay -- Oahu's most popular snorkeling spot is this volcanic crater with a broken sea wall; its small, curved, 2,000-foot gold-sand beach is packed elbow-to-elbow with people year-round. The bay's shallow shoreline water and abundant marine life are the main attractions, but this good-looking beach is also popular for sunbathing and people-watching. Serious divers shoot "the slot" (a passage through the reef) to gain access to Witch's Brew, a turbulent cove, and then brave strong currents in 70-foot depths at the bay mouth to see coral gardens, turtles, and -- that's right -- sharks. (Divers: Beware the Molokai Express, a strong current.) Snorkelers hug the safe, shallow (10 ft.) inner bay that, depending on when you go, is either like swimming in a fish-feeding frenzy or like bathing with 300,000 honeymooners. Because Hanauma Bay is a conservation district, you may look at but not touch or take any marine life here. Feeding the fish is also prohibited.

In 2004, a $13 million Marine Education Center opened with exhibits and a 7-minute video orienting visitors on this marine life sanctuary. The 10,000-square-foot center includes a training room, gift shop, public restrooms, snack bar, and staging area for the motorized tram, which will take you down the steep road to the beach. (Tram fees are 75¢ down to the beach, $1 up from the beach to the parking lot, or $2.50 all-day rides up and down.) Facilities include parking, restrooms, a pavilion, a grass volleyball court, lifeguards, barbecue grills, picnic tables, and food concessions. Alcohol is prohibited in the park; no smoking past the visitor center. Expect to pay $1 per vehicle to park and a $7.50-per-person entrance fee (active duty military personnel and their dependents, and children 12 and under are free). If you're driving, take Kalanianaole Highway to Koko Head Regional Park. Avoid the crowds by going early, about 8am, on a weekday morning; once the parking lot's full, you're out of luck. Or take TheBus to escape the parking problem: The Hanauma Bay Shuttle runs from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay every half-hour from 8:45am to 1pm; you can catch it at the Ala Moana Hotel, the Ilikai Hotel, or any city bus stop. It returns every hour from noon to 4:30pm. Hanauma Bay is closed on Tuesdays so the fish can have a day off. Park is open from 6am to 7pm Wednesday through Monday.

Sandy Beach -- Sandy Beach is one of the best bodysurfing beaches on Oahu; it's also one of the most dangerous. It's better to just stand and watch the daredevils literally risk their necks at this 1,200-foot-long gold-sand beach that's pounded by wild waves and haunted by a dangerous shore break and strong backwash. Weak swimmers and children should definitely stay out of the water here; Sandy Beach's heroic lifeguards make more rescues in a year than those at any other beach on Oahu. Visitors, easily fooled by experienced bodysurfers who make wave-riding look easy, often fall victim to the bone-crunching waves. Lifeguards post flags to alert beachgoers to the day's surf: Green means safe, yellow caution, and red indicates very dangerous water conditions; always check the flags before you dive in.

Facilities include restrooms and parking. Go weekdays to avoid the crowds, weekends to catch the bodysurfers in action. From Waikiki, drive east on the H-1, which becomes Kalanianaole Highway; proceed past Hawaii Kai, up the hill to Hanauma Bay, past the Halona Blow Hole, and along the coast. The next big, gold, sandy beach you see ahead on the right is Sandy Beach. TheBus no. 22 will also get you here.

Makapuu Beach Park -- Makapuu Beach, the most famous bodysurfing beach in Hawaii, is a beautiful 1,000-foot-long gold-sand beach cupped in the stark black Koolau cliffs on Oahu's easternmost point. Even if you never venture into the water, it's worth a visit just to enjoy the great natural beauty of this classic Hawaiian beach. You've probably already seen it in countless TV shows, from Hawaii Five-O and Magnum, P.I. to Lost.

In summer, the ocean here is as gentle as a Jacuzzi, and swimming and diving are perfect; come winter, however, Makapuu is hit with big, pounding waves that are ideal for expert bodysurfers, but too dangerous for regular swimmers. Small boards -- 3 feet or less with no skeg (bottom fin) -- are permitted; regular board surfing is banned by state law.

Facilities include restrooms, lifeguards, barbecue grills, picnic tables, and parking. To get here, follow Kalanianaole Highway toward Waimanalo, or take TheBus no. 57, 23, or 22.

The Windward Coast

Lanikai Beach -- One of Hawaii's best spots for swimming, gold-sand Lanikai's crystal-clear lagoon is like a giant saltwater swimming pool that you're lucky to share with the resident tropical fish and sea turtles. Too gorgeous to be real, this is one of Hawaii's postcard-perfect beaches: It's a mile long and thin in places, but the sand's as soft as talcum powder. Prevailing onshore trade winds make this an excellent place for sailing and windsurfing. Kayakers often paddle out to the two tiny offshore Mokulua islands, which are seabird sanctuaries. Because Lanikai is in a residential neighborhood, it's less crowded than other Oahu beaches, the perfect place to enjoy a quiet day. Sun worshipers should arrive in the morning, though, as the Koolau Range blocks the afternoon rays.

There are no facilities here, just off-street parking. From Waikiki, take the H-1 to the Pali Highway (Hwy. 61) through the Nuuanu Pali Tunnel to Kailua, where the Pali Highway becomes Kailua Road as it proceeds through town. At Kalaheo Avenue, turn right and follow the coast about 2 miles to Kailua Beach Park; just past it, turn left at the T-intersection and drive uphill on Aalapapa Drive, a one-way street that loops back as Mokulua Drive. Park on Mokulua Drive and walk down any of the eight public-access lanes to the shore. Or, take TheBus no. 56 or 57 (Kailua), and then transfer to the shuttle.

Kailua Beach -- Windward Oahu's premier beach is a 2-mile-long, wide golden strand with dunes, palm trees, panoramic views, and offshore islets that are home to seabirds. The swimming is excellent, and the azure waters are usually decorated with bright sails; this is Oahu's premier windsurfing beach as well. It's also a favorite spot to sail catamarans, bodysurf the gentle waves, or paddle a kayak. Water conditions are quite safe, especially at the mouth of Kaelepulu Stream, where toddlers play in the freshwater shallows at the middle of the beach park. The water's usually about 78°F (26°C), the views are spectacular, and the setting, at the foot of the sheer, green Koolaus, is idyllic. Best of all, the crowds haven't found it yet.

The 35-acre beach park is intersected by a freshwater stream and watched over by lifeguards. Facilities include picnic tables, barbecues, restrooms, a volleyball court, a public boat ramp, free parking, and an open-air cafe. Kailua's new bike path weaves through the park, and windsurfer and kayak rentals are available as well. To get here, take Pali Highway (Hwy. 61) to Kailua, drive through town, turn right on Kalaheo Avenue, and go a mile until you see the beach on your left. Or take TheBus no. 56 or 57 into Kailua, then the no. 70 shuttle.

Kualoa Regional Park -- This 150-acre coconut palm-fringed peninsula is the biggest beach park on the windward side and one of Hawaii's most scenic. It's on Kaneohe Bay's north shore, at the foot of the spiky Koolau Ridge. The park has a broad, grassy lawn and a long, narrow, white-sand beach ideal for swimming, walking, beachcombing, kite flying, or sunbathing. Picnic and camping areas are available, too. In ancient Hawaii, this was a very sacred spot where Hawaiian chiefs brought their infant children to be raised and trained as rulers. Today, the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's easy to see why it was so revered: The curtain of the Koolau Mountains provides a spectacular backdrop in one direction. The waters are shallow and safe for swimming year-round, and at low tide, you can swim or wade out to the islet of Mokolii (popularly known as Chinaman's Hat), which has a small sandy beach and is a bird preserve -- so don't spook the red-footed boobies. Lifeguards are on duty.

Because both residents and visitors frequent this huge beach park, it's better to go on a weekday. The park is on Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 83) in Kualoa; you can get here via TheBus no. 55.

Kahana Bay Beach Park -- This white-sand, crescent-shaped beach is backed by a huge, jungle-cloaked valley with dramatic, jagged cliffs and is protected by ironwood and kamani trees. The bay's calm water and shallow, sandy bottom make it a safe swimming area for children. The bay is famous for the akule (bigeye scad), which come in seasonally; papio (skip jack) and goatfish are also found here. The surrounding park has picnic areas, camping, and hiking trails. The wide sand-bottom channel that runs through the park and out to Kahana Bay is one of the largest on Oahu -- it's perfect for kayakers. Locals come here on weekends, so weekdays are less crowded. The beach park is on Kamehameha Highway in Kahana; take TheBus no. 55 (Circle Island) to get here.

Hauula Beach Park -- The town of Hauula and nearby Hauula Beach Park were named after the hau trees that were once abundant. Although less plentiful now, the trees continue to blossom here every July and August. The blossoms begin as a bright yellow flower in the morning, changing color as the day progresses, until they are reddish gold by dusk and dark red by night, when they fall to the ground. The cycle is repeated the next day.

Hauula Beach Park, which fronts Kamehameha Highway, is a straight and narrow stretch (about 1,000 ft. long), shaded by kamani and ironwood trees. An offshore reef protects the waters off the beach, but the shallow and rocky bottom makes the area unsafe for swimming. Snorkeling is good along the edge of the coral reef, and fishing for papio and goatfish can be fruitful. Picnic and camping facilities are available. Weekends tend to be more crowded here, too. TheBus no. 55 (Circle Island) will get you to Hauula Beach.

Pounders Beach -- Because of its easy access and great bodysurfing waves, Pounders is a popular weekend beach. The beach used to be called Pahumoa, after a local fisherman who arranged the local hukilau (the catching of fish in a net) and made sure that the elderly living in the area received a portion of the catch. The name change occurred in the 1950s, when a group of students at the Church College of the Pacific (now Brigham Young University-Hawaii) called the beach "Pounders" after the crushing shore break that provided brief but spectacular bodysurfing rides; the nickname stuck.

Pounders is a wide beach, extending a quarter-mile between two points. At the west end of the beach, next to the old landing, the waters usually are calm and safe for swimming. However, at the opposite end, near the limestone cliffs, there's a shore break that can be dangerous for inexperienced bodysurfers; there the bottom drops off abruptly, causing strong rip currents. The weekends and after-school hours are the busiest time for this beach; weekday mornings are the quietest. Park on Kamehameha Highway in Kailua, or take TheBus no. 55 (Circle Island) to get here.

The North Shore

Banzai/Pipeline/Ehukai Beach Park -- Because the sandy beach here is continuous, with only one sign -- EHUKAI BEACH PARK -- most people think of this area as one beach park, although it's actually three separate ones. Located near Pupukea, Ehukai Beach Park is 1 acre of grass with a parking lot. The long, broad, white-sand beach is known for its winter surfing action. Swimming is good during the spring and summer months, but currents and waves prohibit safe swimming in the winter. The surf in front of Ehukai Beach Park is excellent for body and board surfers.

The park also provides access to Pipeline and Banzai. Pipeline is actually about 100 yards to the left of Ehukai Beach Park. When the winter surf rolls in and hits the shallow coral shelf, the waves that quickly form are steep -- so steep, in fact, that the crest of the wave falling forward forms a near-perfect tube, or "pipeline." Surfers have tried for years to master Pipeline; many have wiped out, suffering lacerations and broken bones on the shallow reef. The first surfer to ride Pipeline successfully was Phil Edwards in the early 1960s. Even today, Pipeline still causes its share of injuries and fatalities.

Just west of Pipeline is the area surfers call "Banzai Beach." The Japanese word banzai means "10,000 years"; it's given as a toast or as a battle charge, meaning "go for it." In the late 1950s, filmmaker Bruce Brown was shooting one of the first surf movies ever made, Surf Safari, when he saw a bodysurfer ride a huge wave. Brown yelled, "Banzai!" and the name stuck. In the winter, this is a very popular beach with surfers, surf fans, curious residents, and visitors; it's less crowded in the summer months. Again, access is via Ehukai Beach Park, off Kamehameha Highway, on Ke Nui Road in Pupukea. TheBus no. 52 (Circle Island) will drop you on the highway.

Pupukea Beach Park -- This 80-acre beach park is a Marine Life Conservation District; as such, it has strict rules about taking marine life, sand, coral, shells, and rocks. Two major swimming areas are in the Marine Life Conservation District: Shark's Cove and Three Tables. Don't worry: Shark's Cove, near the northern end, is not named for an abundance of sharks that call this home (in fact, it's relatively uncommon to see a shark here); rather, it's a popular snorkeling and dive site. Diving is best outside the cove, where caves promise interesting night diving. During the calm summer months, this is a popular dive site both day and night.

At the southern end of the Marine Life Conservation District is Three Tables, which is named for the three flat sections of reef visible at low tide. Snorkeling is good around the tables where the water is about 15 feet deep. Diving outside the tables, where the water is 30 to 45 feet deep, is excellent -- there are many ledges, arches, lava tubes, and a variety of marine life. Swimming, diving, and snorkeling are best from May to October, when the water is calm; nevertheless, watch out for surges. In the winter, when currents form and waves roll in, this area is very dangerous, even in the tide pools; a lifeguard is never present in this area. Summers find this Marine Life Conservation District brimming with visitors weekdays and weekends; it's a popular site for local dive operators to take their clients. In the winter, it's nearly empty during the week. It's right on Kamehameha Highway in Pupukea and has a small parking lot. TheBus no. 52 (Circle Island) stops at the park.

Malaekahana Bay State Recreation Area -- This almost mile-long white-sand crescent lives up to just about everyone's image of the perfect Hawaiian beach. It's excellent for swimming. On a weekday, you may be the only one here; but should some net fisherman -- or a kindred soul -- intrude upon your delicious privacy, you can swim out to Goat Island (or wade across at low tide) and play Robinson Crusoe. (The islet is a sanctuary for seabirds and turtles, so no chase 'em, brah.) Facilities include restrooms, barbecue grills, picnic tables, outdoor showers, and parking.

To get here, take Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 83) 2 miles north of the Polynesian Cultural Center; as you enter the main gate, you'll come upon the wooded beach park. Or you can take TheBus no. 52.

Sunset Beach Park -- Surfers around the world know this famous site for its spectacular winter surf -- the waves can be huge thundering peaks reaching 15 to 20 feet. This surfing spot wasn't really "discovered" until the 1940s; before that, surfers preferred Makaha on the leeward side of the island. During the winter surf season (Sept-Apr) swimming is very dangerous here, due to the alongshore currents and powerful rip currents. The "Sunset rip" has been the site of many rescues and has carried numerous surfboards out to sea. The only safe time to swim at Sunset is during the calm summer months. Sunset also features a huge sandy beach adjacent to the street. This is a great place to people-watch, but don't go too near the water when the lifeguards have posted the red warning flags. One of the most popular beaches on the island, Sunset attracts local surfers, sunbathing beauties, and visitors wanting to get a glimpse of this world-famous surf destination. To avoid the crowds, go during midweek. Because the beach is located right on Kamehameha Highway in Paumalu, TheBus no. 52 (Circle Island) will get you there if you'd rather not drive.

Waimea Beach Park -- This deep, sandy bowl has gentle summer waves that are excellent for swimming, snorkeling, and bodysurfing. To one side of the bay is a huge rock that local kids like to climb and dive from. In this placid scene, the only clues of what's to come in winter are those evacuation whistles on poles beside the road. But what a difference a season makes: From November to March, monstrous winter waves pound the narrow bay, sometimes rising to 50 feet high. The ground actually vibrates and everyone on the beach is covered with salt spray mist when they break onshore. When the surf's really up, very strong currents and shore breaks sweep the bay -- and it seems like everyone on Oahu drives out to Waimea to get a look at the massive waves and those who paddle out to challenge these freight trains. This unforgettable activity won't cost you a dime, and you'll be amazed at how small the surfers appear in the lip of the giant waves. Weekends are great for watching the surfers; to avoid the crowds, go on weekdays. Tip: Don't get too distracted by the waves and forget to pay attention when parking or crossing the road.

Facilities include lifeguards, restrooms, showers, parking, and nearby restaurants and shops in Haleiwa town. The beach is on Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 83); from Waikiki, you can take TheBus no. 52.

Leeward Oahu/The Waianae Coast

Ko Olina -- The developer of the 640-acre Ko Olina Resort has created four white-sand lagoons to make the rocky shoreline more attractive and accessible. Nearly circular, the man-made lagoons offer calm, shallow waters and a powdery white-sand beach bordered by a broad, grassy lawn. No lifeguards are present, but the generally tranquil waters are great for swimming, are perfect for kids, and offer some snorkeling opportunities around the boulders at the entrance to the lagoons. Two lagoons have restrooms, and plenty of public parking is on-hand. Located off H-1 in Kapolei, Ko Olina has no local bus service; the closest bus stop is on Farrington Highway, more than 4 miles away.

Makaha Beach Park -- When surf's up here, it's spectacular: Huge waves pound the beach from October through April. This is the original home of Hawaii's big-wave surfing championship; surfers today know it as the home of Buffalo's Big Board Surf Classic, where surfers ride the waves on old-Hawaiian-style 10-foot-long wooden boards. Nearly a mile long, the half-moon gold-sand beach is tucked between 231-foot Lahilahi Point, which locals call Black Rock, and Kepuhi Point, a toe of the Waianae mountain range. Summer is the best time to hit this beach -- the waves are small, the sand abundant, and the water safe for swimming. Children hug the shore on the north side of the beach, near the lifeguard stand, while surfers dodge the rocks and divers seek an offshore channel full of big fish. Note: This is a "local" beach; you're welcome, of course, but you can expect "stink eye" (mild approbation) if you are not respectful of the beach and the local residents who use the facility all the time.

Facilities include restrooms, lifeguards, and parking. To get here, take the H-1 freeway to the end of the line, where it becomes Farrington Highway (Hwy. 93), and follow it to the beach; or you can take TheBus no. 40/40A.

Yokohama Bay -- Where Farrington Highway (Hwy. 93) ends, the wilderness of Kaena Point State Park begins. It's a remote 853-acre coastline park of empty beaches, sand dunes, cliffs, and deep-blue water. This is the last sandy stretch of shore on the northwest coast of Oahu. Sometimes it's known as Keawalua Beach or Puau Beach, but everybody here calls it Yokohama, after the Japanese immigrants who came from that port city to work the cane fields and fish along this shoreline. When the surf's calm -- mainly in summer -- this is a good area for snorkeling, diving, swimming, shore fishing, and picnicking. When surf's up, board and bodysurfers are out in droves; don't go in the water then unless you're an expert. No lifeguards or facilities are available, except at the park entrance, where a restroom and lifeguard stand are positioned. No bus serves the park.

Pokai Bay Beach Park -- This wonderful beach, off the beaten path for most visitors, offers excellent swimming year-round, even when the rest of the Waianae shoreline is getting battered by heavy surf. The waters inside this protected bay are calm enough for children and offer excellent snorkeling. The swimming area is marked by buoys. Waianae-area residents have a bit of a reputation for being xenophobic; however, they want the same things most people want. Just go with respect for local customs, be a good steward of the land, and appreciate the local resources. Do what the locals do: Pick up your garbage, don't play loud music, and be courteous and friendly. On weekdays, you can practically have the area to yourself. The beach park is on Waianae Valley Road, off Farrington Highway. TheBus no. 51 will drop you off on the highway, and you can walk the block to the park.