Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The park is located on Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 83) in Kualoa; you can
get here via TheBus no. 55.
THE NORTH SHORE
MALAEKAHANA BAY STATE RECREATION AREA
This white-sand crescent, almost a mile long, lives up to just about everyone's
image of the perfect Hawaii beach. It's excellent for swimming. On a weekday,
you may be the only ones here; you can also 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 don't let the kids chase 'em.) 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.
WAIMEA BEACH PARK
In the summer, this deep, sandy bowl has gentle 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: Winter waves pound the narrow bay,
sometimes rising to 50 feet high. 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 monster waves and those who ride them. Week-
ends are great for watching the surfers; to avoid the crowds, go on weekdays.
A safety 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 restau-
rants and shops in Haleiwa town. The beach is located on Kamehameha High-
way (Hwy. 83); from Waikiki, you can take TheBus no. 52.
LEEWARD OAHU/THE WAIANAE COAST
MAKAHA BEACH PARK
When surf 's up here, it's spectacular: Monstrous waves pound the beach. 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
10-foot-long wooden boards in the old Hawaiian style of surfing. Nearly a mile
long, this 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.
A caveat:
This is a “local” beach; you are
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. 51.
7 Kid-Friendly Tours
If your time is limited, you might want to consider a guided tour. These tours
are informative, can give you a good overview of Honolulu or Oahu in a limited
