O’ahu Beaches

Police Beach, is a curving, northwest-facing 3300 ft long beach that extends east from Pua’ena Point to a protruding section of beachrock. The shore is a high tide sandy beach and is fronted by continuous exposed beachrock. The beach is unsuitable for swimming at the shoreline due to the dominance of beachrock in the tidal zone. In addition, inadequate reef protection allows waves averaging greater than 3 ft to reach the shore, resulting in a heavy shore break over the beachrock and currents running parallel to the shore, as well as offshore rips.
Papa’iola Beach is separated into eastern and western sections by a protruding sandy foreland that is backed by Papa’iola Road. There is a public access located at the center of the foreland. Beach 23, Papa’iola Beach West, curves to the west for 2600 ft between the two sandy forelands, both of which are tied to and fronted by beachrock at the lower swash zone. The beachrock extends along most of the beach, making it generally unsuitable for shoreline swimming. The fringing reef shoals off the beach, resulting in reduced wave height at the shoreline. Waves break over the reef off the foreland, forming the surf break The Point. Beach 24, Papa’iola Beach East, is located to the east of the foreland and continues for 2600 ft to the next small sandy foreland. The beach has a steep swash zone and is free of beachrock, with the exception of an outcrop located on the western foreland and a 300 ft long section near the center of the beach. Waves break heavily on the reef, 600 ft offshore. The reef deepens towards the east, forming the left hand break of Himalayas along the eastern edge. Beachfront houses back the entire beach.
Beach 25, Laniakea Beach, is a popular, accessible beach with an excellent right hand break located over the reef, 600-1000 ft offshore. The 1000 ft long beach extends from the subtle sandy foreland in the west to a cluster of basalt boulders separating it from Turtle beach in the east. The shore is a continuous, steep sandy beach, with patches of beachrock along the base of the beach and basalt boulders in the east. A channel runs off the beach, with a rip current flowing between the Laniakea and Himalayas surf breaks. A second rip runs out against the eastern point.
Beach 26, Turtle Beach, is a 300 ft long steep sandy beach that receives its name from the frequency of sea turtle sightings at this location. The beach is located between the boulders of Laniakea beach and the basalt boulder point that protrudes 300 ft offshore and extends for 1000 ft east to Chuns Reef beach. The eastern rip generated by the Laniakea break runs out off the beach and along the side of the rocky point. Hultin’s surf break is located off the western end of the rocks (also known as Off the Rocks), while Jacko’s break is located around the point.

O’AHU 27-30 CHUNS REEF-ALLIGATOR ROCK

No. Beach Rating Type Length

27 Chuns Reef 6 8 R+fringing reef 1000 ft

28 Pidley's 5 8 R+fringing reef 2300 ft

29 Leftovers 5 8 R+fringing reef 600 ft

30 Alligator Rock 7 8 R+fringing reef 1000 ft
To the east of Laniakea is a 1000 ft long section of basalt rocks and boulders, located to the lee of Jacko’s break. This is followed by a 1 km long section of irregular beach and rocks that contains four beaches, numbers 27 through 30, including the popular break at Chuns Reef. Kamehameha Highway runs parallel to the shore, with beachfront houses in between. The only public access for this section of shoreline is located at the very western end near Chuns Reef.
Beach 27, Chuns Reef, begins at the eastern side of the Laniakea basalt shoreline and trends to the north for 1000 ft to the center of the prominent sandy foreland formed to the lee of the reef. Adjacent to the shore is a shallow fringing reef that contains the popular right break of Chuns Reef. Water flowing from the left hand break of Jacko’s merges with the water flowing off Chuns Reef to maintain a strong rip that flows out through a deep channel off the western end of the beach, near the highway access. A small fenced beach park is located on the western side of the foreland.
Beach 28, Pidley’s, is a 2300 ft long section of beach that curves to the northeast from the sandy foreland to a cluster of basalt boulders, with boulders also located near the center of the beach. Directly offshore is Pidley’s surf spot, a left break that forms over the eastern side of Chuns reef. The steep beach experiences waves averaging over 3 ft in height, as well as rips at both ends. The rips and shoreline boulders result in hazardous swimming conditions.
Beach 29, Leftovers, is a 600 ft long section of beach that extends from the eastern boulders of Pidley’s beach to the beginning of the next section of basalt rock and boulder shoreline. The surf breaks of Leftovers and Rightovers are located offshore on either side of the 300 ft long section of 3-5 ft high raised reef. The protection of the raised reef causes generally small waves at the shoreline, however during periods of increased wave magnitude water flows over and around the reefs to feed rips at both ends of the beach. In addition, much of the eastern end of the beach is dominated by basalt boulders, resulting in hazardous swimming conditions.
Beach 30, Alligator Rock, is a 1000 ft long section of beach that extends from the eastern basalt rocks to the beginning of the basalt shoreline extending east past Uppers to Waimea Bay. The eastern end is fronted by a 300 ft long partly exposed linear reef, located 500 ft offshore. The entire shoreline is frequented by basalt boulders, both at the shoreline and in the inner surf, and there is a shallow reef extending offshore with deeper reefs beyond. The Alligator Rock break forms on the western side of the reef, while the Marijuana and Uppers breaks are located over the reef to the east of the beach.

O’AHU 31 WAIMEA BAY

No. Beach Rating Type Length

31 Waimea Bay 7 10 R-LTT+beachrock 2000 ft

Beach 31, Waimea Bay, is the single most famous beach in Hawaii and the site of the world-renown Waimea Bay surf break. This beach is also the home to the infamous shore break, and the lesser-known Pinballs break during periods of moderate wave height. The bay occupies the drowned mouth of the Waimea River, with the prominent basalt rocks and headland forming its boundaries. The highway runs from headland to headland, providing access to the beach park as well as to the church and tower located at the eastern headland. The beach is part of a sandy barrier that has formed across the mouth of the river, with the river and floodplain extending over 0.5 mi inland into the narrow V-shaped valley. The beach is composed of medium to coarse carbonate sand, which helps maintain a steep, high beach face. The bay has deep water, with reefs only at the headlands, allowing larger waves to reach the shore, contributing to the steep, wide beach profile. Throughout the winter, Waimea Bay experiences periods of increased wave magnitude, causing seasonal erosion on the upper beach and the formation of a bar at the base of the beach. Together with submerged beachrock, this bar forms the bar-ledge upon which the heavy shorebreak pounds.
Under most conditions wave height is largest at the shore against the western ‘jump rock’, and decreases towards the river mouth. During periods of smaller waves (< 3 ft), the wave surge is at the shoreline. As waves height increases the break becomes heavier and further offshore, generating a rip that runs east along the beach. A second, larger rip forms during periods of high wave magnitude when the main break is working. This water flows offshore as a strong rip that begins in the eastern corner off the river mouth, and continues out the center of the bay during west to northwest swells or shifts westward during northerly swells. This rip is used by surfers to paddle out through the bay. Under extreme conditions the bay closes out across this rip.
Waimea Bay beach is an attractive, easily accessible beach backed by a large grassy beach park and parking area. However, it is potentially a very hazardous beach, even under relatively small conditions, due to the intense shorebreak, and can rapidly become deadly during periods of increased wave height. A strong inshore easterly rip forms under moderate wave conditions, feeding into the large strong central bay rip. The Waimea surf break is one of the most challenging and dangerous breaks on the North Shore, and should only be surfed by experienced big wave surfers.

O’AHU 32-33 THREE TABLES-SHARK COVE

No. Beach Rating Type Length

32 Three Tables 5 8 R+reef 300 ft

33 Shark Cove 6 10 R+rock flats 150 ft
Pupukea Beach Park is a narrow beach park that extends east of Waimea Bay and includes the Three Tables and Shark Cove beaches. The parking area and facilities of the park are located near the center, directly off Kamehameha Highway. Three Tables beach is located 300 ft west of parking lot, while Shark Cove lies 600 ft to the east. Most of the park shoreline consists of jagged raised coral reefs, with basalt outcrops in places. Both beaches are popular but potentially very hazardous due to their positions amidst the rocks.
Beach 32, Three Tables, runs along the western side of the outer reef and is named for the three small exposed reefs that lie 150 ft off the beach and shelter the beach. The steep sandy beach is 300 ft long and is backed by the highway and a small parking lot. The beach is bounded on the west by a 150 ft long basalt point, and on the east by a 600 ft long section of raised reef. Under small wave conditions Three Tables is relatively calm and popular for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing, however rips are generated at either end of the ‘tables’ when waves break over the reef. There is a lifeguard stationed on the beach in response to the hazards produced by the concealed rocks and reefs.
Beach 33, Shark Cove, is a deep 150 ft wide cove cut into the 6 ft high raised reef. The reef also forms a 6 ft high rampart extending 300 ft west of the cove, with an intertidal rock platform linking the rampart to the shore, where there is a 150 ft long high tide beach amongst the rocks and reef. Despite the dominance of rocks and jagged surfaces, this is a very popular location due to the deep water offered in the cove. Under calm conditions this cove is used by snorkelers and scuba divers, while the beach and rocks attract sunbathers, fishers, and the general public as a result of the cove’s visible location off the highway. Under calm summer conditions the only hazards are the deep water and the rocks. However, when waves are breaking over the rampart and flowing into the cove this area becomes extremely hazardous due to the water flowing over the rocks, the increase in water depth over the rocks, and the strong rip in the cove generated by the returning water.

O’AHU 34-36 KEIKI-’EHUKAI BEACH

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

34 Keiki 7 8 R+rocks 1600 ft

35 Rock Pile 7 8 R+rocks/reef 1300 ft

36 ‘Ehukai 7 8 R+reef 4600 ft
The 2.3 mi long section of relatively straight sandy beach between Keiki and Rocky Point hosts the greatest number of famous surf breaks per mile of beach in the world. From west to east along the shore are Log Cabins, Rock Pile, Off the Wall, Backdoor, Pipeline, Gums, Pupukea, Gas Chambers, and the Rocky Point rights: approximately one break for every 800 ft of beach. All the breaks form over inshore reefs and rocks and typically break within 300 ft of the shore, with outer breaks off Log Cabins and Pipeline during periods of higher wave magnitude. The combination of the northwest orientation of the beach into the dominant winter swell, the deep outer reefs allowing large waves to break close to shore, and the medium to coarse beach sand that maintain a steep swash zone, together with the inshore reef and exposed basalt, beachrock, and reef along parts of the shore, also results in the most hazardous section of beach on O’ahu. When these hazards are combined with easy public access at Rock Pile and ‘Ehukai Beach Park and the near continuous strip of beachfront houses and overall fame of the beach, it brings together many surfers and swimmers, both experienced and inexperienced, and results in a very high level of public risk. To help mitigate this risk, lifeguards are based at Rock Pile and ‘Ehukai Beach Park, with a mobile unit patrolling the entire strip.
Beach 34, Keiki Beach, is a straight 1600 ft long wide, steep cusped sandy beach that begins against the raised reef of Shark Cove and extends northeast to a 300 ft long section of swash zone beachrock, which becomes exposed during the winter months. The beach is fronted by deep reefs along this section of beach, allowing relatively large waves to reach the shore and break as an explosive shorebreak once waves exceed 3 ft. The strong swash and backwash usually maintain several steep, widely scaped cusps about 150 ft apart, making them amongst the largest in the world. The heavy shorebreak combined with the steep cusped beach and bordering rocks produce very hazardous conditions. The considerable wave energy is expended over only a few meters, with the backwash converging into the cusp swales and flowing out into the shorebreak. In addition, a rip flows out against the jagged Shark Cove point during northerly waves, and east towards Rock Pile during westerly waves. The beach is backed by private houses and the Keiki cabins, the latter attracting inexperienced and unwary visitors to the shore.
Beach 35, Rock Pile, begins at the beachrock section and continues northeast for 1300 ft to the 150 ft long pile of basalt boulders known as Rock Pile, located just in front of Lifeguard Tower 27 and the North Shore lifeguard headquarters. Houses back the beach, with a small parking lot behind the tower adjacent to mouth of the Kalunawaika’ala Stream, which is usually blocked. The beach remains steep, while inshore reef shoals cause waves over 3 ft to break over the offshore reefs, producing the Log Cabins and Rock Pile surf breaks. While these breaks lower waves at the shoreline, they generate strong longshore currents, which feed into a rip that exits offshore on the eastern side of Rock Pile.
Beach 36, ‘Ehukai Beach, begins at Rock Pile and trends northeast for 1 mi to the raised coral reefs of Rocky Point. The ‘Ehukai Beach Park backs the center of the beach and is the site of Lifeguard Tower 26. The beach widens in the summer and narrows and shifts east in winter, all the while maintaining a steep sandy swash zone and sometimes a berm backed by a runnel filled with water. Once waves exceed 3 ft they begin breaking over inshore reefs, producing several recognized surf breaks along the beach. The inner break has waves of up to 10-13 ft, with larger waves of up to 15 ft breaking at Outside Pipeline. Each break focuses wave breaking and influences the direction of surf zone currents and rip currents, which, depending on wave direction, can shift in location and direction. The most prominent rip currents are those generated by Pipeline in the center and Rocky Point in the east. These currents can also deposit sand bars, which can temporarily produce excellent surf over the bars (e.g. Gums and Pupukea), as well as strong rips flowing out of the channels beside the bars. The combination of very heavy surf close to shore, strong rip currents, and potentially strong swash and backwash produce increasingly hazardous conditions once waves exceed 3 ft. When combined with the high level of beach usage by both experienced surfers and inexperienced visitors and children from the Sunset Beach Elementary School, which backs the beach, the result is a very high level of public risk and perhaps the most hazardous beach on the island.

O’AHU 37-39 SUNEST BEACH-VELZYLAND

No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

37 Sunset Beach 5 8 R+fringing reef 4600 ft

38 Backyards 4 8 R+beachrock/reef 1000 ft

39 Velzyland 5 8 R+fringing reef 1600 ft
Rocky Point is a raised coral reef that is exposed on the beach and extends out into the surf to form the famous surf break. To the east of the point, the sandy shoreline curves into two larger bays that make up the next 2 mi of the shore, the first bay being occupied by Sunset Beach, and the second by Velzyland. The curving shoreline is the result of the Rocky Point reefs and fringing reefs that extend 1000 ft off Sunset Beach to form the main Sunset surf break, and up to 1300 ft off Velzyland to produce the Backyards and Velzyland breaks. Beachfront homes back Rocky Point, Sunset Point, and much of Velzyland, with the best public access from the highway found at the center of Sunset Beach and via beach access paths on Sunset Point.
Beach 37, Sunset Beach, is a curving 1 mi long beach that begins at Rocky Point and curves in to meet the highway at the beach’s center, before then curving out towards Sunset Point. Raised coral and fringing reef extend 600-1000 ft offshore and east of Rocky Point, and produce the Rocky Point lefts, Monster Mush, and Kammies surf breaks. A deep, sand-filled channel, part of the drowned Paumalu Stream, winds out off the center of the beach, with inner beachrock and fringing reefs extending 1000-1300 ft off the eastern side of the beach to form the famous Sunset Beach break. The extensive reefs and resulting breaks tend to lower waves at the shore to generally less than 3 ft. However, the water flowing off the reefs flows laterally along both sides of the beach to converge in the center before then flowing offshore out the channel as a permanent rip, which increases in velocity with increasing wave height. The main hazards at the shoreline are the deeper water in the channel, the rip-feeder currents, and the rip. The beachrock reef on the eastern side of the beach forms a narrow lagoon between the reef and shore, which during calm conditions is popular with mothers and children, and therefore known as Mothers. However, when waves are breaking they feed into the rip-feeder and rip current. The lifeguard tower is located next to the highway at the center of the beach overlooking the rip, just east of the stream mouth.
Beach 38, Backyards, occupies the western side and tip of Sunset Point and consists of a more sheltered beach that is fronted by continuous beachrock outcrops, reef, and shallow fringing reef extending 1000-1300 ft offshore that produce the right hand Backyards surf break. The name refers to the yards of the beachfront houses that occupy Sunset Point. While waves are relatively low at the shore, offshore of the beach is a zone of breaking waves located over shallow reefs, as well as surf zone currents.
Beach 38, Velzyland (Kaunala), extends from the eastern side of Sunset Point, curving round for 0.7 mi to the next prominent sandy foreland. Both forelands are formed to the lee of shallow fringing reefs that extend 1000-1300 ft offshore, with a wide, deep channel off the center of the beach. The Backyards break forms over the western reefs, with the Velzyland break over the eastern reefs. The breaks, from the shore out, include Freddyland, Velzyland, Revelations, and the outer big wave break of Phantoms. Waves break heavily across the reefs resulting in smaller waves at the shore and a relatively steep reflective sandy beach. However, water flows across both reefs and towards the shore, where it then turns to flow alongshore to converge in the center forming a permanent rip, with velocity and distance of flow offshore increasing with wave height. The beach is backed entirely by private houses and is difficult to access. Kaunala Stream and a second smaller stream are located on either side of the embayment.
O’AHU 40-42 WAIALE’E-KAWELA
No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

40 Waiale’e 4 8 R+beachrock/fringing reef 1600 ft

41 Waiale’e Beach Park 4 8 R+beachrock/fringing reef 700 ft

42 Pahipahi’alua 6 8 R+beachrock/fringing reef 2000 ft

43 West Kawela 5 8 R+beachrock/fringing reef 1000 ft

Waiale’e Beach extends for 1.2 mi east of the foreland located to the lee of the Velzyland reef, to the beach park, and then along a section of beachrock-dominated shoreline to the western side of Kawela Bay. This stretch contains four beach sections, each separated by prominent beachrock outcrops, with variable beachrock and fringing coral reef extending up to 1600 ft offshore. Due to the width of the reef, waves are generally small at the shoreline. The only public access is in the west via a gravel road that runs past the University of Hawaii Agricultural Station, and in the center, at Waiale’e Beach Park, a small undeveloped park. Beachfront houses and private property back the eastern half of the shore.
Beach 40, Waiale’e Beach, begins at the sandy beachrock-tipped foreland and curves gently to the northeast for 0.7 mi to a small foreland of beachrock and sand formed to the lee of Kuka’imanini Island, a small islet of raised reef. The beach is backed on the foreland by a few old houses accessible from the highway and a large informal parking area, followed by the University station occupying much of the Kalou Marsh, and finally a grove of tall casuarina trees that extend to the point. Waves break over fringing reefs extending 1600 ft off either end of the beach, with a continuous shallow 300 ft wide reef in between. As a result, waves are small at the sandy shoreline, which has outcrops of beachrock.
Beach 41, Waiale’e Beach Park, is a small undeveloped park located off the highway, providing roadside parking but no facilities. The park beach extends from the small foreland to the lee of Kuka’imanini Island east for 1000 ft, to the beginning of a section of continuous beachrock. Waves break over the reef, which extends up to 1600 ft offshore, and then over an inner raised reef, which extends east of the island 150-300 ft offshore. As a result, waves are generally small at the shore, which has a near-continuous outcrop of beachrock at the base of the sandy high tide beach, with scattered casuarina trees backing the parking lot. As a result of its easy access, this beach is popular with sunbathers, fishers, and snorkelers.
Beach 42, Pahipahi’alua, extends east of the beach park for 2000 ft as a continuous strip of beachrock, backed by in places and to the east by a small high tide beach. Fringing reefs separated by a deep central channel extend 500-2000 ft offshore, resulting in small waves at the shore. During periods of increased wave height a rip current flows out through the outer channel, however waves and currents are usually minimal along the shore. Due to the presence of beachrock, inner rocks, and the reef, the beach is unsuitable for swimming. Most of the beach is backed by beachfront houses, with the only public access being from the adjacent beach park. This beach is primarily used by rock fishers who embed their rod holders in the beachrock.
Beach 43, West Kawela, extends east for 1000 ft past the end of the beachrock to the western point of Kawela Bay. The beach begins to the lee of a 300 ft long section of beachrock that protrudes offshore, with shallow reefs narrowing from 1600 ft in the west to 600 ft off the eastern tip of the beach, where a small reef islet is located 150 ft offshore. Waves break heavily across the reef resulting in generally small waves at the shore. The sandy beach has outcrops of beachrock and a shallow inshore reef, making it generally unsuitable for swimming. However, there are surf breaks on the point. The beach is backed by continuous beachfront houses and lacks direct public access.
O’AHU 44-47 KAWELA BAY & TURTLE BAY
No. Beach Rating Type Length

Shore Outer

44 Kawela Bay 3 6 R 2600 ft

45 Turtle Bay West 5 7 R+fringing reef 2000 ft

46 Turtle Bay 5 7 R+fringing reef 1300 ft

47 Turtle Bay East 5 7 R+beachrock/reef 1300 ft

Kawela Bay and Turtle Bay are two adjacent bays, both bordered by low points of protruding raised reefs. Kawela Bay is backed entirely by beachfront houses and lacks public access, while Turtle Bay has an undeveloped western point, followed the Turtle Bay golf course, with part of the Turtle Bay resort backing the eastern half of the bay.
Beach 44,