While the Hawaiian Islands chain consists of just eight main islands — the Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and Niihau — there are more than 100 incredible beaches to be found on them. You’ll find all sorts of beaches, from those with powder-soft white sand to black, pink and green sand stretches. Some beaches are ringed by shade trees while others offer no shelter so you’ll need to bring your own umbrella. Many offer amenities like changing rooms and restrooms, picnic tables and grills — and some even have playgrounds for the kids.
Some of Hawaii’s beaches are not recommended for swimming due to swift currents, while others are made for surfing and boogie boarding. Some of the most coveted options are inlets that provide calm water for swimming and wading.
Frankly, you can’t go wrong visiting any of them — but if your time is short on the islands, we’ll share our absolute favorites with you to help craft your future tour plans.
Just a few
words of advice first. If you plan to get out into the water, it’s best to pick
a beach with an on-duty lifeguard. Check water conditions before heading out.
HIOceanSafety.com monitors surf and wind conditions and is a good resource to
bookmark. Stay out of the water if the surf is high. Never swim alone and keep
an eye on children in and near the water.
Hawaii is a magical destination. If you’d like to learn more about the islands, check out TPG’s Hawaii trip-planning resources.
The
3-mile-long Kaanapali Beach on Maui’s West Shore fronts a variety of big
resorts, including four points options: the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa,
Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club, The Westin Maui Resort & Spa and the Sheraton
Maui Resort & Spa. It’s easy to swim and snorkel from this long, walkable
beach with views of Lanai and Molokai. It’s common to encounter sea turtles,
and even to see humpback whales breaching the water in the distance (season
dependent).
Many
visitors not staying at a nearby resort will park at Whalers Village to check
out the shops before or after beach time. The path from the shops to the beach
passes an area where you can rent snorkel gear, surfboards and wakeboards, and
arrange for a shaded cabana. The white sand is nice and soft but there are
shells and stones at the water’s edge, so wear reef shoes to protect your
tootsies. If you’re visiting near sunset, walk to the Black Rock Beach area
(the northernmost part of Kaanapali Beach near the Sheraton Maui, which is also
best for snorkeling) where you’ll be treated to a little cliff-diving show.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, beach accessory rentals, nearby shops and restaurants
Locals and
visitors alike spend idyllic days at Makena Beach in South Maui. While there
can be some rough waves here, the 1 1/2-mile-long beach is 100 feet wide with
glorious white sand. While sunbathing is the order of the day for most, you can
swim, snorkel, bodyboard and fish here too. A dormant volcanic cinder cone, Puu
Olai, separates Makena State Park, with Big Beach on one side and the 660-foot
Little Beach on the other. As you can imagine, the smaller Little Beach can get
crowded — and is sometimes where nude sunbathers congregate — so if you want to
enjoy that side of the park, visit early to get a spot. There is only an
on-duty lifeguard at Big Beach. The view from the park is worth the visit:
Kahoolawe and Molokini islands.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables, food concessions
Picture a
perfect, crescent-shaped beach tucked beneath lava rock cliffs and you have
Hamoa Beach out along Maui’s famous Hana Highway (a half-mile past Marker 51
beyond Hana Town). While this is a public beach, it’s also the “house” beach
for the Travaasa Hana hotel; the lounge chairs you’ll see are reserved for its
guests. The beach is just 1,000 feet long and 100 feet wide, but it’s a place
where Hawaiians have gathered to surf for many, many years. You can snorkel
here but since the beach faces the ocean with no coral reef fronting it, there
can be swift currents, so beware. The beach is lined by hala trees and other
vegetation so there are shady spots to be found. Street parking can be tight
here (it’s parallel parking) and the walk down to the beach is very steep, so
not everyone may be comfortable descending.
Lifeguarded:
No
Facilities: Restrooms, showers and a stop for a local food truck
You’ll find Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve in East Honolulu, about a 25-minute drive east of the Westin Moana Surfrider. It’s been a very popular snorkel destination for years so, in 2002, the city and county developed a marine education program. Now, everyone who visits the beach must first watch a nine-minute video that tells them about the bay’s marine life and how to enjoy the beach safely. The number of visitors per day is capped so be sure to arrive early if you have your heart set on a snorkel session here. Access to the beach is $12 per person, while kids 12 and under are free. It’s worth it: The shallow coral reefs are home to more than 300 species of fish
Nearly
every visitor to Oahu hits Waikiki Beach for its views of the Diamond Head
crater or to pay homage to Duke Kahanamoku, Olympic swimmer and father of
modern-day surfing, at the statue in his image. Visitors also take surf classes
or try their hand at canoe paddling here. On the island’s South Shore, Waikiki
consists of a handful of beaches, including Duke’s Beach, Kuhio Beach, Queen’s
Surf Beach, Sans Souci/Kaimana Beach Park, Ala Moana Regional Park and Magic
Island Lagoon. The last three options offer shallower and calmer waters and are
best for families or swimmers of all ages who want to get into the water.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers at all beaches except for Queen’s Surf; Kuhio Beach has food concessions and is accessible; Ala Moana Regional Park has picnic tables and grills plus food concessions; Magic Island Lagoon has picnic tables and food concessions
If you’re
looking for magical turquoise water paired with powdery soft white sand, head
to Kailua Beach Park on Oahu’s east coast. About 30 minutes from Waikiki, the
stretch of beach here is nice and long at 2 1/2 miles between Alala and Kapho
points. The beach is good for swimming and boogie boarding, plus windsurfing at
Alala Point. It’s also a nice departure point for sea kayak adventures, as you
can rent a kayak at the beach. In the distance, you’ll enjoy views of Moku Nui
and Moku Iki islands, which are about three-quarters of a mile off the windward
coast. Fit kayakers make the trip in 45 minutes to two hours.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, pavilion.
Beginner
snorkelers adore Kaunaoa Bay, also known as Mauna Kea Beach, because the
sand-bottomed bay is less than 10 feet deep. Located on the Kohala Coast, it’s
a great place to learn how to snorkel, or for less-than-confident snorkelers to
enjoy a stress-free outing. There is a rock ledge on the right side of the
beach that’s your best bet to spy the likes of peacock bass, butterflyfish,
goatfish, parrotfish and turtles. If you’re staying at the on-site Mauna Kea
Beach Hotel or nearby, return at night to see manta rays feeding on plankton.
While the beach is public, the hotel controls guest parking and there are only
a few dozen spots. If you have your heart set on a visit, arrive early in the
morning or you may have to wait for a parking spot later in the day. (If
parking is full, you can also drive 1 mile south to Hapuna Beach where you will
find plenty of parking for $10 per car. See below for more details.) Mauna Kea
Beach is a 40-minute drive from Kona Airport. Note that strong rip currents can
happen here in the winter.
Lifeguarded:
No
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, food and drinks available at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
Snorkeling
is good when the waters are calm at Hapuna Beach, just south of Kaunaoa Bay.
But when high surf hits the shoreline in the winter, it’s best to stay out of
the water due to strong rip currents. Even so, it’s a popular place to surf and
bodyboard when the conditions are right. The white sand stretches a half-mile
and is fringed with leafy vegetation. The plus of Hapuna Beach is that it is
lifeguarded, but it can get crowded here. If you’re looking for something more
sparsely populated, continue south to Waialea Beach (also known as Beach 69).
There is a $10 per car entrance fee to Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, pavilion, gear rentals, concessions
What’s
unique about Hawaii is the fact that you’ll find as many black sand beaches as
white ones. Punaluu Beach is one the easiest black sand beaches to visit and
it’s got a lot to offer, from snorkeling to coastal hikes to sunbathing and
evening camping (permit required). But many people visit for the opportunity to
see endangered hawksbill turtles (honuea) in the water and green turtles (honu)
that love sunning themselves on the black sand made from fragmented lava. As you
can imagine, black sand gets hot, so wear water shoes at this — or any — black
sand beach. Seek out shade under the stand of coconut palms that line the
beach. Currents can be strong here, so be careful. Punaluu Bay has several
underwater freshwater springs so when in the water, you’ll traverse both warm
and colder temperatures. Pair a visit to nearby Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
with some time at this beach.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, pavilion, gear rentals, concessions
You
honestly can’t visit Kauai without spending some time at gorgeous Hanalei Bay
on the island’s North Shore. The crescent-shaped beach offers 2 miles of sand.
The center section, known as Pavilions, is very popular for swimming, surfing
and bodyboarding. This is the area of the beach that’s staffed by lifeguards.
Even if you don’t plan to swim, this is a fantastic beach for walking and
there’s plenty of eye candy by way of the boats anchored in the bay.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, pavilion
Also on
Kauai’s North Shore in Hanalei, Lumahai Beach is another stunner. We don’t
recommend this beach for swimming, since the surf gets quite rough here. But
with its perfect white sand, it’s the type of beach made for walking and
enjoying picturesque sunsets. Many people visit just to take photos and there
is a scenic overlook of Lumahai Bay from the road above the beach.
Lifeguarded:
No
Facilities: None
We adore
Poipu Beach on the South Shore as much as the endangered Hawaiian monk seals
that love hanging out here on Nukumoi Point, which separates this beach into
two sections. If your kids want to learn bodyboarding, head to the western section
of the beach, where gentle waves break against a shallow sandbar. To the left
of that area is a shallow swimming area that’s sheltered by lava rock. You can
rent snorkel gear and surfboards nearby and there’s an on-site playground and
picnic areas.
Lifeguarded:
Yes
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables
First
things first, there’s no shade at this beach — so bring an umbrella and a
cooler packed with drinks if you plan a visit. In Kekaha on Kauai’s West Side,
you’ll find 17 miles of white sand beach and 100-foot dunes. If you love beach
walking, this is a terrific spot to get in that exercise. Locals also come here
to fish. But the real treat is visiting at dusk to see the sunset over the
island of Niihau in the distance. Polihale is the last beach before the Napali
Coast takes over. The water is rough here and considered dangerous, so it’s not
the place to go swimming.
Lifeguarded:
No
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables, camping by permit
Most
visitors from the mainland visit Oahu, Maui, the Big Island or Kauai, but
you’re missing out if you don’t pay Molokai a visit at some point. This
smaller, more remote island still packs a punch in the beach arena with its
largest: Papohaku Beach on the west side. It’s 100 yards wide and 3 miles long
— hence its nickname, Three Mile Beach — so you’ll have plenty of space to
spread out and enjoy nature. The sand is white with golden hues at sunset. The
water can be dangerous here during the winter months, so get in the water
cautiously from October through March.
Lifeguarded:
No
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills, two campsites
If you’re
lucky enough to stay at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai on the island’s southern
coast, you’ll get intimately acquainted with crescent-shaped Hulopoe Beach
right on site. The brilliant blue water is a beautiful contrast to the beach’s
soft white sand. In the summer, visitors swim and snorkel here, while surfing
and bodyboarding are more popular pursuits in the winter. Stroll to the east
side of the bay and you’ll find a volcanic rock tidal pool. Kids love exploring
here to find sea stars, limpets and hermit crabs. Train your eyes on the water
and you’ll often see spinner dolphins and, in the winter, humpback whales. From
the beach, take a short hike to see Puupehe, aka Sweetheart Rock. Legend has it
that a Hawaiian prince scaled the rock only to jump to his death in the ocean
as he mourned the passing of his wife.
Lifeguarded:
No
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, picnic tables and grills
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
0 comments:
Post a Comment