Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The craggy and probably uncomfortable Pele's Chair.
Ahead lies 647-foot-high
Makapuu Point,
with a lighthouse that once signaled safe pas-
sage for steamship passengers arriving from San Francisco. The automated light now bright-
ens Oahu's south coast for passing tankers, fishing boats, and sailors. You can take a short hike
up here for a spectacular vista.
Turn the corner at Makapuu, and you're on Oahu's windward side, where cooling trade
winds propel windsurfers across turquoise bays; the waves at
MakapuuBeachPark
are per-
fect for bodysurfing.
Ahead, the coastal vista is a profusion of fluted green mountains and strange peaks, edged
by golden beaches and the blue, blue Pacific. The 3,000-foot-high sheer green Koolau Moun-
tains plunge almost straight down, presenting an irresistible jumping-off spot for hang-glider
pilots, who catch the thermals on hours-long rides.
Winding up the coast, Kalanianaole Highway (Hwy. 72) leads through rural
Waimanalo,
a
country beach town of nurseries and stables, fresh-fruit stands, and some of the island's best
conch and triton shell specimens at roadside stands. Nearly 4 miles long,
WaimanaloBeach
is
Oahu's longest beach and the most popular for bodysurfing. Take a swim here or head on to
Kailua Beach
★★, one of Hawaii's best.
