"What are your favorite beaches?" "What is the best place to snorkel?" "What's a great beach for boogie boarding?" I am often asked these questions which are so hard to answer because how could you just pick one favorite?! So I compiled a list of my favorite beaches and why, for anyone coming to Oahu to reference and enjoy. Most are on the North Shore because they are the best beaches in the whole world. Here is your local guide to the best beaches on Oahu: THe north shoreKawela Bay (Secret Beach), Kahuku HI Located across from a delicious, fresh fruit stand and next to Turtle Bay. So if you are staying there, you can walk to the beach anytime you would like. The resort also does kayaking and other activities at Kawela. Tons of movies and TV shows have been filmed here including Lost, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Pirates of the Caribbean, Hawaii Five-O + Blue Crush. The world's largest banyan tree, the secluded beach and local fruit stand are all picture perfect. Kokololio Beach Park (Kakelas) , Hau'ula HI When I lived in Hauula, this was my go-to beach for many reasons. It is long so you can walk the whole stretch and take lots of pictures. On the far right end of the beach, are tide pools nicknamed, "Alligator Pond". When you go during low tide, you can sit in them + look for fish. It is a local keiki (kid) place to play. It is shady due to the large trees which can cause you to be cold or can cool down when it is too hot to be on the sand. There is a big grassy area to play on that you walk up, to get to the beach. Depending on the wave size and time of year, it's a perfect place for swimming, body surfing, boogie boarding or snorkeling. Hukilau + Temple Beach, Laie HI Just like Kokololio, this beach is perfect for families. It is a great place for beginner body/boogie boarders, where the waves are medium to large depending on the season you visit. The water is always stunningly blue and the bottom of the ocean has hardly any rocks or coral. You can walk (with shoes on!) out to Goat Island during low tide. Ocasionally, you may see a turtle or two here. I recommend stopping across the street to Hukilau Cafe to eat some delicous local grinds and taking some pics of the view at the top of Laie Point. And check out the best Oahu eats here. Hukilau beach is long and if you walk from both sides, it's actually three beaches. Hukilau is the middle stretch between Temple Beach (Laie Point side) and Malaekahana aka Castles beach (Kahuku side). Temple beach is quiet and never has waves so it is great for young kids or if you just want to float. You can snorkel and look for shells too. Castles beach is a very local beach. The bottom of the ocean is rocky and is great for beginner to intermediate long boarding. Kahana Bay, Kahana HI Kahana has the best backdrop for pictures! Even if you don't stop to get in the water, you have to stop and take in the views. There are a few activities you can do here. If there are waves, it is a very popular place for long boarding + body/boogie boarding. It is a nice place to paddle board or kayak when it is flat, or you can go in the river. To get an ariel view of this bay, you can hike Crouching Lion. Check out the top 10 hikes on Oahu here.
Sharks Cove, Pupukea HI The prime snorkeling spot on the North Shore! Hours of fun await you here to explore all the tide pools and see all the fish you want for FREE! Conveniently located across from yummy food trucks. If you happen to not find one that interests you, keep driving north and you will see more on your way. I recommend swimming here in the late afternoon, grabbing dinner from the trucks and then sitting back on the sand to watch the always fantastic sunset! Three Tables, Pupukea HI This is the beach right after Sharks Cove, and it is a hidden gem. I LOVE Three Tables. Every time I go it is sunny + clear and I spend the whole day there. It is great for snorkeling and keiki (kid) bodysurfing. It is usually on the flatter side and when there are no waves and it is low tide, you can paddle out to the "three tables". This is another great beach for any age. Sunset + Pipeline + Waimea Bay How could you come to Hawaii and not stop at the three most iconic beaches ever?! In the summer you can swim, float and snorkel at any of these. But in the winter, you can watch the surfers and surf competitions. Of course, you can jump off the rock at Waimea, but only if the lifeguards say it's okay. Laniakea + Haleiwa Beach Park These are the best turtle stops on the island. You can take pictures with them here, as these are not beaches to lay out on or swim in. They can be really large and lay on the sand or float in the shallow water. Read up on sea turtle safety to help protect them and to prevent any harm before you get near the sea animals. The east shoreKailua + Waimanalo If you are looking for white, sandy beaches and flat, beautiful blue ocean, then the East side is for you. Lanikai, Kailua and Waimanalo are the prettiest, but most crowded beaches on the island. If you are staying in this area, I recommend walking or renting bikes everywhere. There is so much to do in the Kailua area. Lots of shopping, eating, hiking and water activities to enjoy so you will never be bored! THe south shoreI am not often in town (Honolulu), but when I am for appointments or grocery shopping, I try and stop at the beach. These are the TOP 5 BEACHES on the South side: Electric Beach- perfect for snorkling, deep sea diving and swimming with dolphins Sandy's- the beach that is famous for the amazing waves for body/boogie baording Hunama Bay- the best (and my favorite) snorkeling on Oahu + it is a natural reserve so you have to pay to enter Queen's- my favorite beach in Waikiki! Beautiful + warm + sunny Waikiki- iconic, fun, & stunning during the day and night Follow me on Instagram (@alexannephotos) to see more island life!
1 Comment
Tiffany Porter
5/8/2018 02:22:56 pm
Wow, what a great article and wonderful website!
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