Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To get there, turn off Kaluakoi Rd onto the road to the Paniolo Hale condos, but in-
stead of turning left down to the condos, continue straight toward the old golf course.
Where the paved road ends there's space to pull over and park. You'll come first to a
rocky point at the southern end of the bay. Before descending to the beach, scramble
around up here for a scenic view of the coast, south to Papohaku Beach and north to ʻIlio
Point.
Make Horse Beach
BEACH
Make Horse Beach supposedly takes its name from days past when wild horses were run
off the tall, dark cliff on its northern end;
make
(
mah
-kay) means 'dead.' This pretty,
tiny white-sand cove is a local favorite and more secluded than Kepuhi further to the
south.
It's a sublime spot for sunbathing and sunset, but usually not for swimming as the cur-
rents are fierce. On the calmest days, daredevils leap off the giant rock ledge at the
beach's southern end.
To get here, turn off Kaluakoi Rd onto the road to the Paniolo Hale condos and then
turn left toward the condo complex. You can park just beyond the condos and walk, or
follow the dirt road heading off to the right for a quarter of a mile to a parking area. From
there, cross the golf course remains to the beach. In some of the distant reaches clothing
has been deemed optional.
Kepuhi Beach
BEACH
You can see why they built the defunct Kaluakoi Hotel here: the beach is a rocky, white-
sand dream. However, swimming here can be a nightmare. Not only can there be a tough
shorebreak, but strong currents can be present even on calm days.
During winter, the surf breaks close to shore, crashing in sand-filled waves that can be
a brutal exfoliant.
the southern end of Kepuhi Beach, is rewarded with a nice view of Papohaku Beach. At
the top you'll find the remains of a pulley that was once used to carry cattle down to
waiting barges for transport to Oʻahu slaughterhouses. There was also a 40ft heiau on the
hilltop until 1967, when the US army bulldozed it (and gave the superstitious another
reason to ponder the local run of bad luck). There's plenty of parking in the resort's
cracked parking lots.
Sleeping & Eating
