A long, reef-protected stretch of North Shore sand between Kīlauea and Princeville, also called Wanini. The big fringing reef calms much of the lagoon, which makes it a favorite for beginner snorkelers, families and windsurfers. Picnic pavilions, restrooms and showers sit along the grassy beach park.
Why we love it
It’s the calmest-feeling water on the North Shore, with a shady lawn for the rest of the family. As of October 2026 there’s also a staffed lifeguard tower.
Current conditions: Not on the County’s Oct. 19, 2026 park-closure list. A county Water Conservation Notice for ʻAnini customers remained in effect.
What to expect
Expect a narrow, golden beach backed by ironwood shade and a quiet, shallow lagoon inside the reef, best on calm mornings before the trade winds pick up. That reef doesn’t make the whole beach safe. The county warns that the Back Channel has strong currents and a history of drownings, and on big winter swell days rescuers have pulled snorkelers from 12-foot surf here. Swim near the new Wanini tower and ask where to enter. Clarity varies where the stream feeds the bay. Afternoon trades bring kitesurfers out.
Know before you go
- Lifeguards
- A new county tower at Wanini Beach was installed in October 2026 and is staffed daily 8 a.m.–6 p.m., replacing roving patrols.
- Hazard
- Stay out of the Back Channel, which has strong currents and a history of drownings. Don’t snorkel during a High Surf Warning.
- Facilities
- Restrooms, showers, pavilions and picnic tables near the parking areas.
- Water notice
- A county Water Conservation Notice remains in effect for ʻAnini water customers (Oct. 2026). Bring your own drinking water.
- Parking
- Free roadside and lot parking along Anini Road.
Illustrative photo — not taken at Anini Beach Park.
Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Caracas1830 assumed (based on copyright cla via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5
