BARBERS POINT WEST
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
153 Barbers Point West 5 6 R+beachrock/reef 2000 ft
Barbers Point lighthouse marks the southwest tip of O’ahu and the beginning of a southwest-facing section of coast, which is relatively straight for the first 6 mi to Nanakuli. This section of shore forms the western boundary of the Barbers Point coastal plain and barrier system. What was once a continuous sandy beach has been lithified into beachrock, forming a continuous beachrock reef with sections of raised reef.
Beach 153, Barbers Point West, begins 300 ft northwest of the lighthouse and trends to the northwest for 2000 ft, after which it is replaced by continuous beachrock. The beach consists of a narrow high tide strip of sand, and is fronted by the beachrock and a 300-600 ft wide shallow fringing reef. Waves break over the reef and average about 1 ft at the shore where they break against the beachrock. There is a 300 ft wide gap in the reef midway along the beach out of which a permanent rip flows. The entire beach is dominated by rock and backed by the Campbell Industrial Park and is not suitable for public recreation.
O’AHU 154-160 KO OLINA-PARADISE COVE
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
154 Ko Olina 4 2 5 R+beachrock reef 600 ft
155 Ko Olina 3 2 5 R+beachrock reef 600 ft
156 Ko Olina 2 2 5 R+beachrock reef 600 ft
157 Ko Olina 1 2 5 R+beachrock reef 600 ft
158 Kaula Bay 3 6 R+beachrock reef 270 ft
159 Anianku Cove 2 5 R+beachrock reef 150 ft
160 Paradise Cove 3 5 R+beachrock reef 300 ft
The northwest section of the Barbers Point coastal plain has been heavily modified by both port and tourist development. The 250 acre Barbers Point Harbor has been excavated through the reef and dredged out of the plain, and now lies sheltered behind the beachrock reef. The harbor includes the Ko Olina Marina along its northern shore, which also marks the southern boundary of the Ko Olina Resort development that occupies the next 1 mi of shore and has also drastically modified the shoreline. For the purpose of providing beaches for the resort, four coves, beaches 154 through 157, have been excavated to the lee of the continuous beachrock reef. Each cove is connected to the sea by shallow sills cut through the beachrock to allow water circulation. The coves are modelled on three natural coves, beaches 158 through 160, located along the northern section of the shore. All the coves are backed by the resort, which is still in the process of being developed.
The four Ko Olina beaches coves are labelled from south to north lagoons 4, 3, 2 and 1, and given the names Fish, Turtle, Dolphin, and Whale, respectively. Each is near identical in shape, consisting of a 600 ft long semi-circular beach formed from crushed coral, linked at either end to the original shore-paralleling beachrock reef. The reef has been excavated in the center to form three shallow channels, with the excavated rocks piled to either side of the channels forming detached groynes. The channels permit waves to break and water to flow into each lagoon and return offshore as permanent rips. All the beaches are edged and backed by manicured grassy lawns and coconut trees, with amenity facilities provided. The beachrock reef is state property and is open to the public. Each beach also has a small public parking lot, and public access and use of the beach and shoreline is permitted. The beaches have generally quiescent conditions, with very small waves and calm conditions at the shore. Water deepens off the beach and is deep against the reef, groynes, and channels. As wave height increases more water flows into each lagoon, resulting in a corresponding increase in return flow through the channels that tends to pulse strongly every 1 to 2 minutes. This return flow is in the form of strong rips and can drag unwary swimmers into the shallow rocky channels and even offshore of the openings. None of the beaches have lifeguards, and care should be taken to stay clear of the reefs and gaps, especially when waves are breaking through the channels.
Beach 154, Ko Olina 4, is the southernmost lagoon and beach, and is backed by the Ko Olina Marina and a larger marina parking lot. The beachrock reef extends 1600 ft south to the boat harbor entrance. Grassy raised parkland borders and backs the beach, with each lagoon separated by 600 ft long sections of natural beachrock reef and backing reserve.
Beach 155, Ko Olina 3, is backed by one of the Marriott resorts and has grassy reserve to either side, with future development planned on the northern side of the beach. Beach 156, Ko Olina 2, has grassy reserves to either side, with no development presently near the beach.
Beach 157, Ko Olina 1, is the most popular of the beaches. The beach has the large Marriott resort on the northern side of the beach, and a small wedding chapel behind the center, with the public parking lot providing access to the southern side where the changing rooms are located.
Beach 158, Kaula Bay, is a 150 ft wide natural bay located 300 ft north of lagoon 1, and has formed to the lee of a natural gap in the beachrock reef. The beach curves in a semicircle to the lee of the gap for 260 ft, with beachrock boulders and debris to either side, and beachrock outcropping on and off the beach. The beach usually receives small waves that surge up the central 50 ft wide section of sandy shore. Larger waves break over the boundary reef and into the bay, with the extra water generating a strong, pulsing rip current through the channel.
Beach 159, Anianiku Cove, consists of a 150 ft long sheltered sandy beach, located to the lee of a near continuous section of beachrock reef that has been eroded and partly lowered in the center, allowing waves to cross and form the beach. The moderately sloping 30 ft wide beach is backed by a seawall and the dense coconut palms of the resort. The beach has a 100 ft wide lagoon between the shore and inner reef that is usually calm. 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.
Beach 160, Paradise Cove, is located immediately to the north and shares a section of boundary beachrock reef. The cove has formed to the lee of a 150 ft long section of eroded reef, with a few gaps in among the boulders. The beach curves for 300 ft, with a lagoon up to 150 ft wide between the shore and reef. The beach is moderately steep with a wide sandy berm that is popular with resort guests and the public. Waves break over the reef or flow through the central gap, resulting in small waves at the shore and a permanent pulsing flow of water back out through the gap, with the flow increasing with larger waves. The beach is backed by a dense stand of coconut trees followed by the resort cabins. A public parking lot provides access to both Paradise and Anianiku coves.
O’AHU 161-162 TRACKS BEACH PARK
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
161 Electric Beach 3 5 R+rocks/reef 150 ft
162 Tracks Beach Park 3 5 R+deep reef 3300 ft
The H-1 reaches the Leeward coast just north of Kahe Point, with the large electricity substation being the first major building on the highway. Two beaches are located in this area, numbers 161 and 162.
Beach 161, Electric Beach, takes its name from the substation that is located directly across from it. The beach is a 150 ft long wedge of sand between the raised reef that extends north of Kahe Point and the first of a 600 ft long series of groynes and seawalls that front the substation. The structures are designed to control the seawater intake and outlet of the substation. The beach has rocks outcropping along the sandy shore and a mixture of rocks and shallow sandy seafloor extending out in line with the edge of the steel seawall that forms the northern boundary, with the reefs gradually deepening beyond. There is a small parking lot on the 15 ft bluffs to the south of the beach. The little beach is popular with scuba divers who wade out from the beach to the reefs beyond.
Beach 162, Tracks Beach Park, begins on the northern side of the substation seawalls and trends to the north-northwest for 1000 mi, ending at 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 parking lot but no facilities. The beach is steep and narrow and located directly below the parking lot. The beach is primarily used by surfers and bodyboarders who surf the peaking waves that break over the inshore reefs.
O’AHU 163 NANAKULI BEACH PARK
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
163 Nanakuli Beach Park 4 5 R 1000 ft
164 Depotz-Ulehawa Beach 4 5 R 5900 ft
Nanakuli is the southernmost of the leeward shore communities and spreads along the highway for 2.5 mi, extending east into Nanakuli Valley. Two 800-1000 ft 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, numbers 163 and 164.
Beach 163, Nanakuli Beach Park, is located towards the southern end of Nanakuli, with low raised reef headlands bordering each end of the 1000 ft long steep, sandy reflective beach. The beach is located across the drowned valley of Nanakuli Stream, with the channelized stream crossing the southern end of the beach. The grassy park covers the southern headland, while the Nanakuli Elementary School backs the northern end of the beach and headland. There is a parking lot and lifeguard tower located at the southern end of the beach, with the tower providing a good view the length of the beach. The beach is steep and usually cusped, with waves surging up the swash zone and deep-water close inshore. The beach is fronted by deeper reef and a 300 ft wide sandy channel that trends offshore of the central-southern section of beach. This popular beach has generally small waves at the shore, however, once waves exceed 1 mi, a strong surge develops and a rip begins to flow out the channel.
Beach 164, Depotz/Ulehawa Beach, begins on the northern side of the low reef headland near Nanakuli Elementary School and trends relatively straight northwest for 3300 ft before eventually being replaced by raised reef. The beach is initially steep, cusped, and sandy, with beachrock and reef increasing in dominance to the north. A drainage channel 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 parking lot at the southern end next to the channel where there is a lifeguard tower with a view up the steep sandy beach. This is the section of the beach that is most used by the public. Most of the central and all of the northern section of the beach is dominated by the low tide beachrock and reefs, and is generally unsuitable for swimming. Offshore are sloping deeper reefs, with two sandy channels cutting across the reef, at the southern end and off the channel. During periods of larger waves rips flow out both channels..
O’AHU 165-166 MA’ILI POINT & BEACH
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
165 Ma’ili Point 4 5 R+beachrock/reef 1000 ft
166 Maipalaoa Beach Park3 5 R+beachrock/reef 300 ft
167 Ma’ili Beach Park 4 5 R+beachrock/reef 260 ft
Ma’ili Beach occupies the mouth of a 2 mi wide valley bordered by the 850 ft high Pu’uoholu Kai to the south and the 700 ft high Pu’uma’ili’ili Kai to the north, both providing dramatic backdrops to the coast. The highway runs around the base of both ridges and along the rear of the beach. There are three beaches, numbers 165 and 166 located on the southern point, while beach 167 is the main beach.
Beach 165, Ma’ili Point, backs the southern half of the low Ma’ili Point. The beach is 1000 ft long and faces west, and consists of a steep, high tide sandy beach fronted by shallow reefs flats and rocks that extend 300 ft offshore, grading into deeper reef. A small concrete drain crosses the center of the beach. Waves break heavily on the outer rim of the reef due to the amount of rocks littering the reef, forming the surfbreak of Minefields. The beach is backed by an undeveloped grassy reserve with parking, followed by the highway.
Beach 166, Maipalaoa Beach Park, is located on a 300 ft long section of protruding shore on the north side of Ma’ili Point, with a drainage canal forming its southern boundary. The beach curves for 300 ft up 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 generally small waves and calm conditions at the shore. Waves break heavily on the reef, with the Ma’ili Point surf break located beyond.
Beach 167, Ma’ili Beach Park, is the longest beach on the Leeward coast. The 2600 ft long beach begins on the northern side of the small southern point and trends to the north up until the 300 ft long rock jetty of Ma’ili’ili Stream. The shore is a crenulate beach dominated by two sections of beachrock, with sandy beach curving in between. The long Ma’ili Beach Park backs most of the beach, together with a section of houses towards the south, followed by the highway paralleling the shore about 300 ft inland. Beach park facilities and lifeguard towers are located in the center and at the northern end of the beach. There are a number of breaks over the inner reefs just off the beach, including, from south to north, Babyland, Hospitals, Tumble Lands, Slippery Rock, Third Pocket, and Green Iguana. During periods of larger waves there are three permanent rips flowing out through rock and reef-controlled embayments and against the northern jetty. The beach faces due west exposing it to both north and south swells, which results in substantial sand movement south in the winter and north in the summer, varying the beach width and exposure of beachrock.
O’AHU 168-170 POKA’I BAY
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
168 Lualualei Beach Park 5 6 R+beachrock/reef 1000 ft
169 Poka’i Beach Park 3 5 R 3300 ft
170 Sub Station 3 5 R 260 ft
Wai’anae is the main town of the Leeward coast and is bordered to the south by the steep 700 ft high Pu’uma’ili’ili ridge, with the 600 ft high Pu’upahe’ehe’e ridge in the center and the broader 1100 ft high Pu’ukamaile’unu ridge to the north. The town spreads for 2.5 mi between the ridges and the coast, with three beaches, numbers 168 through 170, occupying parts of the rocky shore.
Beach 168, Lualualei Beach Park, extends south of Kane’ilio Point, with the highway paralleling the shore 150-300 ft inland. The 1000 ft long beach consists of a high tide sandy beach fronted by continuous low to intertidal beachrock, followed by deeper inshore reefs. Waves averaging 3 ft break heavily on the beachrock, only reaching the sand at high tide and during periods of larger waves. There is good access to the park from the highway and two parking lots, however, the beach is unsuitable for swimming and is primarily used by rock fishers. The Sewers surf break is located off the rocky shore south of the beach.
Beach 169, Poka’i Beach Park, is a 0.5 mi long curving sandy beach found inside the 2600 ft wide west-facing bay located on the northern side of Kane’ilio Point. The bay has been modified by the construction of a 600 ft long attached breakwater, which shelters the southern corner of the bay. In addition, two rock groynes have been built across the beach equally spaced along the shore, with the beach ending against a rock jetty at the mouth of the Kaupuni Stream. The southern end of the bay is backed by the Poka’i Bay Beach Park, which provides a large shady park covering much of the point, a parking lot, bathroom facilities, 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 beach has no lifeguards. Waves are small in the southern corner, increasing to about 1 ft along the center of the beach where they surge up the moderately steep beach. A 150 ft wide small reef lies against the northern 600 ft of the beach.
Beach 170, Substation, is a 260 ft long pocket of sand located between the northern rock jetty of the Kaupuni Stream and the raised reef that borders the Wai’anae Regional Park. The steep beach is partially sheltered by the jetty and a small reef 150 ft offshore, with waves usually very small and calm conditions at the shore. The beach is backed by a shelter and parking area, while the Wai’anae boat harbor is located 600 ft to the north.
O’AHU 171-173 LAHILAHI BEACHES
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
171 Surfside 3 5 R+breakwater 300 ft
172 Mauna Lahilahi Beach4 5 R+reef 1600 ft
173 Lahilahi Beach 4 5 R 1300 ft
Lahilahi Point is a prominent 600 ft high basalt point with beaches 171 and 172 located to the south and beach 173 on its the northern side. The beaches and point are located on the southern side of the 1 mi wide mouth of the Makaha Valley, with the steep, high valley sides providing a dramatic backdrop.
Beach 171, Surfside, is a 300 ft long pocket of nourished sand located in front of the Surfside condominiums. Due to beach erosion a 300 ft long attached basalt breakwater has been constructed partway across the beach. Unfortunately the structure has caused the beach to travel south to the lee of the breakwater, causing severe erosion of the northern half of the beach. As a result, a temporary seawall has been built behind the northern corner of the beach and sand has been added to nourish the beach. Waves flow through a 100 ft wide channel between the breakwater and bordering raised reef, with a strong rip flowing out during periods of larger waves. The net result is an eroding and hazardous beach.
Beach 172, Mauna Lahilahi Beach, is located on the southern side of Lahilahi Point and is also known as Coronations Beach. The beach is 1600 ft long and faces southwest, picking up all south swells. The beach 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 beach is unsuitable for swimming due to the rocks and reef. The highway parallels the rear of the beach providing easy access to the narrow undeveloped beach park and beach.
Beach 173, Lahilahi Beach, is located on the northern side of Lahilahi Point. The beach curves gently to the northwest for 1000 ft up to a low section of raised reef. The beach is steep and reflective and fronted by deeper reef and sandy seafloor, which permit waves to reach the shore and surge up the steep cusped beach. During moderate to high waves the shorebreak causes problems for beach users. The Lahilahi 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 800 ft wide space for public access in the center.
O’AHU 174 MAKAHA BEACH
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
174 Makaha Beach 4 5 R 2300 ft
Beach 174, Makaha Beach, is the best known of the Leeward beaches. The curving 2300 ft long beach is bordered by raised reef to the south and Kepuhi Point to the north. The beach faces west-southwest out across deeper reefs, with a 300 ft 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 offshore 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 5-10 ft, and the southern Claummiers over the southern reef. When the surf is running, a current flows south along the beach off the northern reef, before turning offshore into 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 parking lot on the eastern side of the highway, and two lifeguard towers, one in the center and one to the north. A stream that is usually dry flows out of Makaha Valley and crosses the center of the beach next to the lifeguard tower. The beach also has a canoe club, and during periods of smaller waves is a popular diving site.
O’AHU 175-177 KEA’AU BEACH PARK
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
175 Kea’au Beach Park 4 5 R 1300 ft
176 Waikomo 4 5 R 2600 ft
177 ‘Ohikilolo Beach 5 6 R+beachrock 600 ft
Kea’au Beach Park begins on the northern side of Kepuhi Point and extends along the raised reef and sandy shore for 1 mi, and includes two beaches, 175 and 176. The highway parallels the park, with steep slopes rising to more than 1000 ft behind the point and beach.
Beach 175, Kea’au Beach Park, has an initial 1600 ft long section of raised reef and a grassy park running north between the highway and shore. Kea’au Beach is located at the northern end of the reef section and trends due north for 1300 ft to a slight, sandy foreland formed to the lee of a section of beachrock. The beach is steep and reflective and is backed in the south by a raised reef and the developed beach park, with a beachrock section to the north, and some patches of inner reef, followed by deeper reef offshore. The beach park continues behind the beach as an undeveloped section of degraded dunes, with the highway 150 ft to the east.
Beach 176, Waikomo, begins at the beachrock tipped sandy foreland and trends to the north for another 2600 ft 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 center and the reef to the north. During period of larger 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, 0.5 mi north of the beach.
Beach 177, ‘Ohikilolo Beach, is located 1 mi further north at the base of the 1000 ft high Makua ridge, opposite the Makua Cave. The beach extends for 600 ft between a southern protruding section of raised reef and a northern reef, with continuous beachrock fringing the lower beach, making it unsuitable for swimming. The beach is backed by a narrow, vegetated sand dune, followed by the highway. The dune is crossed by footpaths and is used for informal camping.
O’AHU 178 MAKUA BEACH
No. Beach Rating Type Length
Shore Outer
178 Makua Beach 4 5 R 4500 ft
Beach 178, Makua Beach, 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 sections of the 4500 ft long beach. The beach is bordered by raised reef in the south and the lower basalt slopes of a steep 700 ft high ridge in the north. The highway parallels the rear of the beach 300 ft inland and runs along the base of the ridge. The beach faces due west in the south, curving slightly in the north, and is a continuous steep sandy beach, with the exception of 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 reefs extend north of the beach, with the highway just behind.
There are informal parking lots at either end of the beach, but the center has public access only on weekends. During the week it is closed, since the backing valley is used as a military firing range. Vehicle traffic is, however, permitted along the highway in between.
O’AHU 179
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