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Oahu Beaches
Welcome to the Guide to the Best Beaches on Oahu. Here you will find descriptions and recommendations for the beaches to go to on Oahu. Note that this review covers beaches and other coastal areas. They are arranged loosely by location, starting in Honolulu and going counter-clockwise around the island and are all rated by sea shells, from one (skip) to five (must see). Always check local surf conditions but in general, waves are largest for the South and East shores in the Summer and for the North and West shores in the winter.
South Shore
General: The South shore is located near all the action and hotels of Honolulu and is easily accessible. The water is calm, but sometimes the southern beaches get a bit crowded.
Ala Moana Beach Park
Location: Honolulu
Rating: 4.0 sea shells
Review: Ala Moana Beach Park is located near downtown Honolulu and across from the Ala Moana Shopping Center. Although the beach is not all that great, locals come here for the large picnic areas, tennis courts, and special events. The man-made Magic Island (which is actually a penninsula, not an island) attracts crowds on the weekends so plan your visit carefully. There is some easy swimming for kids here, but people mainly come here to picnic and spend a relaxing day outside.
Waikiki Beach
Location: Waikiki
Rating: 4.0 sea shells
Review: Perhaps the most famous beach in the world, Waikiki beach is what most people think of when they think of Hawaii. In reality, it is comprised of five smaller beaches that run along the warm southern shore, lined by the grandest hotels on Oahu. Here you will find a multitude of tourists looking for a bit of space to lie out and soak up the rays. As for the beach itself, it is somewhat small and the waves are usually small. But then, you don't go there to swim.
Hanauma Bay Nature Park
Location: Just east of Hawaii Kai
Rating: 5.0 sea shells
Review: No visit to Hawaii would be complete without a visit to Hanauma Bay. Located within the sunken crater of an extinct volcano (really!), Hanauma Bay is actually a protected nature reserve. There is an admission charge of $3/person (tourists only), and $2 for parking. But the park fills up quickly so get there early (by 10am). Once there, you have to walk down a steep road (you can take a bus back up for $0.50) till you reach the beach, a small strip of sand. But you don't go to Hanauma Bay for the beach, you go for the snorkling. Because of its extensive coral reefs and protected status, there are colorful, tropical fish everywhere. The water is calm and shallow, and clear (though it gets more cloudy as more people arrive -- so get there early). So bring your snorkles and hit the water.
Sandy Beach
Location: Just east of Hawaii Kai
Rating: 5.0 sea shells
Review: Sandy Beach is not for the faint of heart (or most tourists). At Sandy's, there is a wide sandy beach, large grassy fields, and potent winds, which result in some of the best kite flying on the island. But lurking off shore are some of the meanest waves in all of Hawaii. The waves aren't large (4-6 feet in the summer), but they come in hard and fast. This makes Sandy's THE SPOT for Boogie Boarding and Body surfing. But be warned, people have gotten seriously hurt when the wave crashes on top of them and slams them underwater to hit the sand below. But that doesn't stop the flood of locals on the weekends to try their luck at Sandy's.
Windward Side (East Shore)
General: The windward side is generally the calmest of all the shores and has the best swimming beaches. The sand is beautiful, the water blue, and the waves are calm.
Makapu'u
Location: South of Waimanalo, across from Sea Life Park
Rating: 3.5 sea shells
Review: Makapu'u is located just minutes from Sandy's (above), but couldn't be more different. Instead of sand, there is rock, and when Sandy's is up (big waves), Makapu'u is calm and vice versa. There is not a lot to recommend about this beach, except for the look out above where you can see two offshore islands, Rabbit Island and Black Island.
Bellows Field Beach Park
Location: Just south of Waimanalo
Rating: 2.5 sea shells
Review: Bellows is actually located on Bellows Air Force Station but is open to the public on weekends. There is a nice sandy beach and some picnic facilities.
Waimanalo Beach
Location: Waimanalo
Rating: 4.0 sea shells
Review: Located in the town of Waimanalo, just south of Kailua, this beach is a favorite among locals, and relatively undiscovered by tourists. It is a shame because this is one of the finest beaches on the island for swimming. The sand is wide and the beach is almost two miles long! Plus, it is convienently located just off the highway. The waves are decent and the beach is right up against the mountains, which makes for a picturesque view. Truly a hidden gem.
Lanikai Beach
Location: Just south of Kailua
Rating: 3.0 sea shells
Review: Located just south of Kailua Beach, Lanikai Beach fronts a semi-private community. It boasts (supposedly) the best sunset on Oahu, but the beach itself is small and unremarkable.
Kailua Beach
Location: Kailua
Rating: 3.5 sea shells
Review: Located in the town of Kailua, this beach is famous for its windsurfing. There is even an offshore island that you can swim too if you feel adventurous. The sand is wide and the waves are decent. There is even some large grass fields for other activities. Access is a bit difficult as you have to drive all the way through the town but it is definitely worth it.
Kaneohe Beach
Location: Kaneohe
Rating: 1.0 sea shells
Review: Not really a beach, more like mud flats. Actually, it is only mentioned because it is located along the scenic drive and some boats are launched from here.
Kualoa Regional Park
Location: North of Kaneohe
Rating: 1.5 sea shells
Review: Kualoa Regional Park is more of a picnic grounds with a small streach of beach. What most people remember is the little off shore island of Mokoli'i, which the locals refer to as Chinaman's Hat.
North Shore
General: The North Shore is famous for its surfing, and waves regularly hit 30 feet in the winter. Extreme caution should be taken during this time.
Turtle Bay
Location: North Shore
Rating: 2.0 sea shells
Review: Located at almost the northernmost point on Oahu, this bay fronts the Turtle Bay Hilton. Restricted mainly to hotel guests, it provides calm water for swimming and other water activities.
Sunset Beach Park
Location: North Shore
Rating: 3.5 sea shells
Review: The North Shore has always been famous for surfing, and Sunset is no exception. Waves regularly hit 15-20 feet in the winter, and there are some large swells in the Summer. Parking is very limited; most people park on the road above the beach and walk.
Ehukai Beach Park (Banzai Pipeline)
Location: North Shore
Rating: 3.5 sea shells
Review: No one remembers the name of this beach, but everyone remembers the most famous surf break in Hawaii. This tubed surfing break is famous among surfers and most people come here just to watch the best (and not so best) surfers try to tackle the huge surf, especially in the winter. Swimming is okay when the surf is calm and just plain dangerous when the surf is up, so take care.
KeWa'ena Beach
Location: North Shore
Rating: 2.0 sea shells
Review: This relatively unknown and underdeveloped beach park overlooks the famous surf spots of "Off the Wall" aka "Kodak Reef" to the North and "Log Cabins" to the South.
Waimea Bay Beach Park
Location: North Shore
Rating: 4.0 sea shells
Review: Perhaps the most famous surfing beach in the world, Waimea Bay is home to some of the biggest and most beautiful waves in the world. In the winter, waves can tower more than 30 feet tall, and only the most expert surfers hit the water.
Ali'i Beach Park
Location: Just north of Hale'iwa
Rating: 2.0 sea shells
Review: Located just outside of the town of Hale'iwa (a must stop on any trip to the North Shore), this is the only beach on the North Shore suitable for swimming. Care must still be taken in winter.
Haleiwa Beach Park
Location: Just north of Hale'iwa
Rating: 2.0 sea shells
Review: Like other Northshore beaches, has high surf in the winter and calm surf other months. Located near Haleiwa harbor (with jet skis available for rental) and the town of Haleiwa, the Beach Park has ample grassy picnic areas and decent sand.
Mokuleia Beach Park
Location: Just past Wailua
Rating: 2.5 sea shells
Review: Located just past the town of Wailua on Oahu's northwest shore, Mokuleia is located just across from Dillingham Airfield where gliders take off and land. It's remote location means that very few people (tourists and locals) ever make it out here so you can have the beach to yourself. The beach itself is quite nice, with areas for picnics and good sand.
West Shore
General: The West Shore has good surfing in winter. One concern is that its isolated location along the poor and arid Western shore has resulted in numerous breakins to rental cars and some resentment by locals of any tourists that invade their "turf." But for those willing to deal with that (or that can blend in), it is worth a look.
Makaha Beach Park
Location: Near Makaha
Rating: 2.0 sea shells
Review: Not too many tourists make it out to the West shore, but those who do should stop by Makaha. A famous surfing spot, waves hit 15 feet and sometimes as high as 30 feet during the winter.
Pokai Bay Beach Park
Location: South of Makaha
Rating: 2.0 sea shells
Review: This beach has some of the best swimming on the West shore. It does have some boat traffic, but the waves are generally calm year round due to its protective coral reef.
Nanakuli Beach Park
Location: South of Makaha
Rating: 1.5 sea shells
Review: This beach has some swimming, but it gets dangerous during the winter. It is most famous for the scuba diving off shore.
Ma'ili Beach Park
Location: South of Makaha
Rating: 1.5 sea shells
Review: Another surfing beach, it is best avoided by swimmers during the winter months.
Ko Olina Beach Park
Location: West of Kapolei
Rating: 1.5 sea shells
Review: Ko Olina is actually a series of man-made lagoons created on the West shore to support the proposed luxury hotels that were supposed to be built there. At the present, only one hotel (the Ko Olina Resort) has been built, so the lagoons remain unfinished. But they still are decent beaches and have picnic areas. But if you came all the way to Hawaii, why bother with a man made beach?