Oahu Beaches

Ko Olina 3 (Turtle) lagoon and beach (O-155) is backed by one the Marriott resorts, with grassy reserve to either side, and future developed planned on the northern side of the beach. Ko Olina 2 (Dolphin) (O-156) has grassy reserves to either side and no development presently near the beach.
Ko Olina 1 (Whale) lagoon and beach (O-157) is the most popular of the beaches. It has the large Marriott resort of the northern side of the beach, and a small wedding chapel behind the centre, with the public car park providing access to the southern side where the change rooms are located.
Kaula Bay (O-158) is a is a 50 m wide natural bay located 100 m north of lagoon 1, that has formed in lee of a natural gap in the beachrock reef. The beach curves round in a semicircle in lee of the gap for 80 m, with beachrock boulders and debris to either side, as well as beachrock outcropping on and off the beach. The beach usually receives low waves, which surge up the central 20 m wide section of sandy shore. Higher waves start breaking over the boundary reef and into the bay, the extra water generating a strong pulsating rip current through the channel.
Anianiku Cove (O-159) is located another 50 m to the north and consists of a 50 m long sheltered sandy beach located in lee of a near continuous section of beachrock reef which has been eroded and partly lowered in the centre to permit waves to cross and form the beach. The moderately sloping 10 m wide beach is backed by a seawall and dense coconut palms of the resort. It usually has a calm 30 m wide lagoon between the shore and inner reef. When waves break on and over the reef they produce a potentially hazardous situation where people can be washed off the rocks. The water from the lagoon tends to flow north into the adjoining Paradise Cove.
Paradise Cove (O-160) in located immediately to the north and shares a section of boundary beachrock reef. The cove is forms in lee of a 50 m long section of eroded reef, with a few gaps in amongst the boulders. The beach curves round for 100 m with a lagoon up to 50 m wide between the shore and reef. The beach is moderately steep with a wide sandy berm popular with resort guest and the public. Waves break over and flow through the central gap, resulting in low waves at the shore and a permanent pulsating flow of water back out through the gap the flow increasing with higher waves. The beach is backed by a dense stand of coconut trees then resort cabins. A public car park provides access to both Paradise and Anianiku coves.

OAHU 161-162 TRACKS BEACH PARK

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

161 Electric Beach 3 5 R+rocks/reef 50 m

162 Tracks Beach Park 3 5 R+deep reef 1000 m

The H-1 reaches the Leeward coast just north of Kahe Point, with the large electricity substation the first major building on the highway. Two beaches are located in this area (O 161 & 162).
Electric Beach (O-161) takes its name from the substation that is located directly opposite. The beach is a 50 m long wedge of sand located between the raised reef that extend north of Kahe Point, and the first of a 200 m long series of groynes and seawalls that front the substation. The structures are designed to protect the seawater intake and outlet from the substation. The beach has rocks outcropping along the sandy shore, with a mixture of rocks and shallow sandy seafloor extending out in line with the edge the steel seawall that forms the northern boundary, the reefs gradually deepening beyond. There is a small car park on the 5 m bluffs to the south of the beach. The little beach is popular with scuba divers who wade and swim out from the beach to the reefs beyond.
Tracks Beach Park (O-162) commences on the northern side of the substation seawalls and trends to the north-northwest for 1000 m, terminating against a section of large basalt boulders known as Black Point. The beach park is wedged between the highway and the shore and provides a rough car park but no facilities. The beach is steep and narrow and located right below the car park. It is primarily used by surfers and bodyboarders who surf the peaking waves breaking over the inshore reefs.

OAHU 163 NANAKULI BEACH PARK

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

163 Nanakuli Beach Park 4 5 R 300 m

164 Depotz-Ulehawa Beach 4 5 R 1800 m

Nanakuli is the southernmost of the leeward shore communities spreading along the highway for 4 km and extending east into Nanakuli Valley. Two 250-300 m high steep ridges border each end of the town, with the highway running along the shore and around the ridges. There are two beaches fronting Nanakuli (O 163 & 164).
Nanakuli Beach Park (O-163) is located towards the southern end of Nanakuli, with low raised reef headlands bordering each end of the 300 m long steep sandy reflective beach. The beach is located across the drowned valley of Nanakuli Stream, with the channelised stream crossing the southern end of the beach, while the grassy park covers the southern headland, with the Nanakuli Elementary School behind the northern end of the beach and headland. There is a car park and lifeguard tower located at the southern end of the beach, the tower providing a good view the length of the beach. The beach is steep and usually cusped with wave surging up the swash zone and deep-water close inshore. It is fronted by deeper reef and a 100 m wide sandy channel that trends seaward of the central-southern section of beach. This is a popular beach with usually low waves. However once waves exceed 1 m a strong surge develops and a rip beginning to flow out the channel.
Depotz/Ulehawa Beach (O-164) commences on the northern side of the low reef headland and school and trends relatively straight northwest for 1000 m eventually being replaced by raised reef. The beach is initially steep, cusped and sandy, with beachrock and reef increasing in dominance northwards. A drainage canal crosses the low headland at the southern end of the beach, while the concrete jetties of Ulehawa Stream cross towards the northern end. The highway parallels the rear of the beach, with the only car park at the southern end next to the canal where there is a lifeguard tower with a view up the steep sandy beach. This is the section most used by the public. Most of the central and all the northern section is dominated by the low tide beachrock and reefs and generally unsuitable for swimming. Seward of the beach are sloping deeper reefs, with two sandy channels cutting across the reef at the southern end and off the canal. During periods of higher waves rips flow out both channels..

OAHU 165-166 MAILI POINT & BEACH

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

165 Maili Point 4 5 R+beachrock/reef 300 m

166 Maipalaoa Beach Park 3 5 R+beachrock/reef 100 m

167 Maili Beach Park 4 5 R+beachrock/reef 2300 m
Maili Beach occupies the mouth of a 3 km wide valley bordered by 260 m high Puuoholu Kai to the south and 220 m high Puumaili’ili Kai to the north, both providing dramatic backdrops to the coast. The highway runs round the base of both ridges and along the rear of the beach. There are three beaches, two located on the southern point (O 165 & 166) and the main beach (O-167).
Maili Point beach (O-165) backs the southern half of the low Maili Point. The beach is 300 m long faces west and consists of a steep high tide sandy beach fronted by shallow reefs flats and rocks that extend 100 m offshore, grading into deeper reef. A small concrete drain crosses the centre of the beach. Waves break heavily on the outer rim of the reef, which is known as Minefields, owing to the amount of rocks littering the reef. The beach is backed by an undeveloped grassy reserve with parking then the highway.
Maipalaoa Beach Park (O-166) is located on a 100 m long area of protruding shore on the north side of Maili Point, with a drainage canal forming its southern boundary. The beach curves round for 100 m to the beachrock tipped sandy point. A continuous ridge of beachrock extends across the beach forming a small lagoon between the ridge and shore, with usually low wave to calm conditions at the shore. Waves however break heavily on the reef, with the Maili Point surf break beyond.
Maili Beach (O-167) is the longest beach on the Leeward coast. The 2200 m long beach commences on the northern side of the small southern point and trends to the north to the 100 m long rock jetty of Maili’ili Stream. In between is a crenulate beach dominated by two sections of beachrock with the sandy beach curving in between. The long Maili Beach Park backs most of the beach, together with a section of houses towards the south then the highway paralleling the shore about 100 m inland. Beach park faculties and lifeguard towers are located in the centre and northern end of the beach. There are a number of breaks on the inner reefs just off the beach including from the south Babyland, Hospitals, Tumble Lands, Slippery Rock, Third Pocket and in the north Green Iguana, During higher waves there are three permanent rips flowing out of rock and reef controlled embayments and against the northern jetty. The beach faces due west exposing it to both north and south swell, which results in substantial sand movement south in winter and north in summer, which both varies the beach width and exposure of beachrock.

OAHU 168-170 POKAI BAY

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

168 Lualualei Beach Park 5 6 R+beachrock/reef 300 m

169 Pokai Beach Park 3 5 R 1000 m

170 Sub Station 3 5 R 80 m
Wai’anae is the main town for the Leeward coast and is bordered in the south by the steep 220 m high Puumaili’ili ridge, with 200 m high Puupahe ehe’e ridge in the centre and the boarder 330 m high Puukamaileunu ridge to the north. The town spreads for 4 km between the ridges and the coast, with three beaches (O 168-169) occupying parts of the rocky shore.
Lualualei Beach Park (O-168) extends south of Kaneila Point, with the highway paralleling the shore 50-100 m inland. The 300 m long beach consists of a high tide sandy beach fronted by continuous low to intertidal beachrock, then deeper inshore reefs. Waves averaging 1 m break heavily on the beachrock only reaching the sand at high tide and during periods of higher waves. There is good access to the park from the highway and two car parks, however it is unsuitable for swimming and primarily used by rock fishers. The Sewers surf break is located out from the rocky shore south of the beach.
Pokai Bay is an 800 m wide west-facing bay located on the northern side of Kaneila Point. It contains a 1000 m long curving sandy beach (O-169). The bay has been modified with the construction of 200 m long attached breakwater that shelters the southern corner of the bay. In addition two rock groynes have been built across the beach and are equally spaced along the shore, the beach terminating against a rock jetty at the mouth of Kaupuni Stream. The southern end of the bay is backed by the Pokai Bay Beach Park, which provides a large shady park covering much of the point, a car park, toilet faculties and two lifeguard towers. The central-northern part of the beach past the first groyne is backed by the Wai’anae Army Rest Camp, a military recreational camp. This section of the each has no lifeguards. Waves are low in the southern corner increasing to about 0.5 m along the centre of the beach where they surge up a moderately steep beach. A 50 m wide small reef lies against the northern 200 m of the beach.
Beach O-170 is an 80 m long pocket of sand located between the northern rock jetty of Kaupuni Stream and the raised reef that borders Waianae Regional Park. The steep beach is partially sheltered by the jetty and a small reef 50 m offshore with waves usually very low to calm at the shore. It is backed by a shelter and parking area, while Wai’anae boat harbour is located 200 m to the north.

OAHU 171-173 LAHILAHI BEACHES

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

171 Surfside 3 5 R+breakwater 100 m

172 Mauna Lanilahi Beach 4 5 R+reef 500 m

173 Lanilahi Beach 4 5 R 400 m
Lanilahi Point is a prominent 70 m high basalt point with beaches O 171 & 172 located to the south and beach O-173 on the northern side. The beaches and point are located on the southern side of the 2 km wide mouth of the Makaha Valley, with the steep high valley sides providing a dramatic backdrop.
Surfside beach (O-171) is a 100 m long pocket of nourished sand located in front of the Surfside condominiums. Because of beach erosion a 100 m long attached basalt breakwater was built in 2003 part way across the beach. Unfortunately the structure caused the beach to rotate south in lee of the breakwater causing severe erosion of the northern half of the beach. As a result temporary seawall has been built behind the northern corner of the beach, as well as sand added to nourish the beach. Wave flow through a 30 m wide channel between the breakwater and bordering raised reef, with a strong rip flowing out during higher waves. The net result is an eroding hazardous beach.
Mauna Lanilahi Beach (O-172) is located on the southern side of Lanilahi Point and is also known as Coronations Beach. The beach is 500 m long and faces southwest picking up all south swell. It is bordered in the south by raised reef, which continues to outcrop on and just off the beach forming a series of reefs with the beach behind. There are a few small patches of sand and clear water, however much of the e beach is unsuitable for swimming owing to the rocks and reef. The highway parallels the rear of the beach providing easy access to the narrow undeveloped beach park and beach.
Lanilahi Beach (O-173) is located on the northern side of Lanilahi Point. It curves gently to the northwest for 300 m to a low section of raised reef. The beach is steep and reflective and fronted by deeper reef and sandy seafloor which permits wave to reach the shore and surge up the steep cusped beach. During moderate to high waves the shorebreak causes problem for beach users. The Lanilahi surf break runs along the northern side of the point and into the corner of the beach. The beach is backed by two condominiums in the south and houses along the northern half, with a 80 m wide space for public access in the centre.

OAHU 174 MAKAHA BEACH

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

174 Makaha Beach 4 5 R 700 m
Makaha Beach (O-174) is the best known of the Windward Beach. The curving 700 m long beach is bordered by raised reef to the south and on the northern Kepuhi Point. It faces west-southwest out across deeper reefs with a 100 m wide central sandy channel. The beach is composed of medium to coarse sand which combines with the usually low swell to maintain a high steep beach off which waves surge and reflect seaward as the famous backwash. There are three surf breaks over the reefs, the inner northern Blowholes which is surfed during low waves, the famous Makaha Point break on the outer northern reef which begins breaking when waves exceed 2-3 m, and the southern Claummiers over the southern reef. When the surf is running a current flows south along the beach off the northern reef and then seaward in the deep channel as a strong permanent rip.
The beach is backed by the highway and a few houses backing the rocky shore to either end, with a northern car park on the eastern side of the highway, and two lifeguards towers in the centre and north. A usually dry stream flows out of Makaha Valley and crosses the centre of the beach next to the lifeguard tower. The beach also has a canoe club and during low wave sis a popular diving site.

OAHU 175-177 KEAAU BEACH PARK

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

175 Keaau Beach Park 4 5 R 400 m

176 Waikomo 4 5 R 800 m

177 Ohikilolo Beach 5 6 R+beachrock 200 m
Keaau Beach Park commences on the northern side of Keuphi Point and extends along the raised reef and sandy shore for 1.5 km and includes two beaches (O 175 & 176). The highway parallels the park, with steep slopes rising to 390 m high Kapuhi New behind the point, and 300 m high Maku behind beach O-177.
Keaau Beach Park has an initial 500 m long section of raised reef, with the grassy park running north between the highway and shore. Keaau Beach (O-175) is located at the northern end of the reef section and trends due north for 400 m to a slight sandy foreland formed to the lee of a section of beachrock. The beach is steep and reflective with raised reef and the developed beach park backing the southern end, the beachrock section the northern end, and with some patches of inner reef, then deeper reef offshore. The beach park continues behind the beach as an undeveloped section of degraded dunes, with the highway 50 m to the east.
Waikomo beach (O-176) commences at the beachrock tipped sandy foreland and trends to the north for another 800 m, past another section of beachrock to the next section of raised reef. The beach has two clear steep sandy sections, with beachrock in the south and centre and the reef to the north. During higher waves rips run out of each sandy embayment. The highway parallels the rear of the beach with the degraded dunes in between used from informal camping. The Ranch surf break is located off the rocky shore 1 km north of the beach.
Ohokilolo Beach (O-177) is located 2 km further north at the base of the 300 m high Makua ridge ands opposite the Makua Cave. The beach extends for 200 m between a southern protruding section of raised reef and a northern reef, with continuous beachrock fringing the lower beach and making it unsuitable for swimming. The beach is backed by a narrow vegetated sand dune then the highway. The dune is crossed by walking tracks and used for informal camping.

OAHU 178 MAKUA BEACH

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

178 Makua Beach 4 5 R 1400 m
Makua Beach (O-178) is located at the mouth of Makua Valley, with the Makua and Punapohaku streams draining out of the valley and across the southern and central part of the 1400 m long beach. The beach is bordered by raised reef in the south and the lower basalt slopes of a steep 230 m high ridge in the north. The highway parallels the rear of the beach 100 m inland, then runs along the base of the ridge. The beach faces due west in the south curving slightly round in the north. It is a continuous steep sandy beach, apart from a small beachrock outcrop towards the northern end. The beach is fronted by a few patches of reef and beachrock with a largely deeper sandy seafloor beyond. Waves tend to break heavily on the shore, with the longshore current flowing north in summer and south in winter. The Pray for Sex surf break runs off the southern point, while the I Don’t Know break forms off the northern beachrock outcrop. Large basalt boulders and some raised reef extend north of the beach, with the highwat just behind.
There are informal car parks at either end of the beach, which the centre has public access only on weekend. During the week it is closed, as the backing valley is used as a military firing range. Vehicle traffic is however permitted along the highway in between.

OAHU 179 YOKOHAMA BEACH

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

179 Yokohama Beach 4 5 R+rocks 1400 m
Yokohama Beach (O-179) is the last and northernmost beach on the Windward coast, and also marks the end of the highway, with a walking track continuing north of the beach along the old railway line for 5 km to Kaena Point, the northwest tip of the island. The 1400 m long sandy beach is located across the mouth of a shallow valley, with steep slopes rising to over 400 m behind and to the north. The beach faces southwest and receives both south and west swells. It is a continuous steep sandy beach, bordered in the south by raised reef, with a 50 m long section of beachrock 100 m to the north, then a central section of shallow reef in front of the lifeguard tower, which is also the site of the main Yokohama surf break just off the beach. The northern half of the beach is dominated by beachrock and reef, with the Second Dip and Third Dip breaks located over reef close to the shore, adjacent to drainage dips in the backing road.
Raised reef continues north of the beach to the Moi Hole, a popular fishing spot, gradually grading into the basalt that forms the base of the ridge all the way to Kaena Point.



BEACH

ALA MOANA 46

ALLIGATOR ROCK 10

ANIANIKU COVE 53

ARMY BEACH (W) 3

AWEOWEO BEACH PARK 5

BACKYARDS 14

BARBERS POINT BEACH PARK 51

BARBERS POINT WEST 50, 51

BELLOWS FIELD 34

CAMP ERDMAN 2

CAMP ERDMAN (W) 2

CHUNS REEF 9

CROZIER DRIVE 5

CROZIER DRIVE (W) 5

DEPOTZ BEACH 55

DIAMOND HEAD 41

EHUKAI 13

ELECTRIC BEACH 54

EWA BEACH 49

FLAT ISLAND 33

FORT DURESSY BEACH 45

FORT HASE 31

GRAYS BEACH 44

HALE'IWA BEACH PARK 7

HALE'IWA HARBOUR 2 7

HALONA COVE 37

HANAKA'ILIO WEST 19

HANAUMA BAY 37

HAUULA 24

HAUULA BEACH PARK 23

HILLTOP 30

HUILA POND 26

IROQUOIS POINT 48

KA'A'AWA 26

KA'ALAWAI BEACH 41

KAHALA HILTON 40

KAHALUU 29

KAHANAMOKU BEACH 45

KAHUKU 20

KAHUKU POINT 19

KAIHALULU 17

KAIHALULU EAST 17

KAIHALULU WEST 17

KAILUA BEACH 32

KAILUA BEACH SOUTH 32

KAILUANA PLACE 31

KALAE O'IO 27

KALAELOA 50

KALAEUILA 19

KALANAI POINT 21

KALUAHOLE 20

KALUANUI 24

KALUHOLE BEACH 42

KANAHA BAY 25

KANEOHE 29

KAOIA POINT 27

KAPALIOKAMOA 36

KAPIOLANI BEACH PARK 43

KAPOHI POINT 31

KAULA BAY 53

KAUPO 35

KAWELA BAY 16

KE ILI 12

KEAAU BEACH PARK 58

KEEHI LAGOON 47

KILA CHANNEL 23

KO OLINA 1 (WHALE) 53

KO OLINA 2 (DOLPHIN) 52

KO OLINA 4 (FISH) 52

KOKOLOLIO BEACH PARK 23

KOKOLOLIO SOUTH 23

KOLEA POINT (W) 4

KUALOA POINT 28

KUALOA SPIT 28

KUHIO BEACH PARK 44

KUILEI CLIFFS 41

KUILIMA COVE 17

KULA AHUILI 25

KW'AWA'AWALOA 19

LAHILAHI 57

LAIE BAY 21

LAIE BAY SOUTH 22

LAIE BEACH PARK 22

LANIAKEA 8

LANIKAI 33

LANILOA 22

LEANANI 29

LEFTOVERS 10

LUALUALEI BEACH PARK 56

MAGIC ISLAND 46

MAILI BEACH PARK 55

MAILI POINT 55

MAIPALAOA BEACH PARK 55

MAKAHA BEACH 58

MAKAHOA POINT 20

MAKALEHA BEACH 4

MAKAO 24

MAKAPUU 35

MAKAUA 26

MALAEKAHANA BAY 21

MAUNA LAHILAHI BEACH PARK 57

MILO TREE 45

MOKILUA ISLAND 33

MOKULEIA BEACH (E) 3

MOKULEIA BEACH PARK 3

MOLI 28

NANAKULI BEACH PARK 54

NIMITZ 50

NORTH BEACH 30

OHOKILOLO 58

ONEULA BEACH PARK 49

PAHIPAHI'ALUA 15

PANAULU'U 25

PAPA'IOLA (W) 8

PARADISE COVE 53

PIDLEY'S 9

POKAI BAY BEACH PARK 56

POLICE BEACH 8

PUA'ENA 7

PUANUI 19

PUNALU'U BEACH PARK 25

PUUIKI BEACH 5

PYRAMID ROCK 30

QUEENS BEACH 43

ROCK PILE 12

SAND ISLAND BEACH 47

SAND ISLAND LAGOON 47

SANDY BEACH 37

SHARK COVE 11

SUB STATION 56

SUGAR MILL 27

SUNSET BEACH 14

SURFSIDE 57

SWABBY 50

THE COVE 31

THREE TABLES 11

TIGER POINT 3

TRACKS BEACH PARK 54

TURTLE 9

TURTLE BAY 16

TURTLE BAY EAST 16

TURTLE BAY WEST 16

VELZYLAND 14

WAIAHOLE 29

WAIALAE 41

WAIALAE COUNTRY CLUB 40

WAIALE'E 15

WAIALE'E BEACH PARK 15

WAIKIKI 44

WAIKOMO 58

WAILUPE 40

WAIMANALO 34

WAIMEA BAY 10

WAWAMALU 36

WEST KAWELA 15

WHITE PLAINS 49

YOKOHAMA BEACH 60

beach park

Pupukea 11

San Souci 42

surf

Haleíiwa 7

Hammerheads 6

Walls 6

xxxxss

5/2/18 A D Short