Oʻahu · Beaches
Oʻahu Beaches
Waikīkī’s gentle surf, Kailua’s long white sand, the reef at Hanauma Bay, and North Shore bays that are calm in summer and huge in winter.
Beaches
Snorkel Spots
Reefs you can swim to from shore — turtles, butterflyfish, and clear water.
Snorkel SpotsEast Oahu
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
It’s the easiest place on Oʻahu to float over a healthy reef with schools of fish, and the strict rules are the reason it looks this good.
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Snorkel SpotsNorth Shore
Sharks Cove (Pūpūkea Beach Park)
On a flat summer morning the cove is full of fish, turtles and lava arches, and the food trucks across the road make an easy lunch.
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Swimming Beaches
Long, sandy, and swimmable on calm days — the family-friendly picks.
Swimming BeachesWaikiki
Waikīkī Beach
It’s still one of the best places in Hawaiʻi to stand up on a surfboard for the first time, and you can walk back to your room for lunch.
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Swimming BeachesHonolulu
Ala Moana Beach Park
This is where Honolulu actually swims: calm water, family picnics on the lawn and sunset over the harbor, all a short walk from Waikīkī.
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Swimming BeachesWindward Oahu
Kailua Beach Park
The water color is unreal, the sand is fine and the morning swim before the wind comes up is one of Oʻahu’s simple joys.
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Swimming BeachesEast Oahu
Waimānalo Bay Beach Park
It has Lanikai’s water color with room to spread out, real parking and a lifeguard, and it rarely feels crowded on a weekday.
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Swimming BeachesNorth Shore
Waimea Bay Beach Park
In summer it’s the North Shore’s best swimming beach; in winter you can sit on the sand and watch some of the biggest rideable waves on Earth.
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Swimming BeachesWest Oahu
Ko Olina Lagoons
It’s the calmest, easiest swimming on Oʻahu for small kids, with west-side sun and sunset views.
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Secluded Beaches
Hike-in and off-the-highway coves for when the resorts feel crowded.
Secluded BeachesWindward Oahu
Lanikai Beach
Sunrise over the Mokulua islets from this sand is one of the most beautiful sights on the island, and the water is usually gentle.
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Secluded BeachesEast Oahu
Makapuʻu Beach Park
The setting is wild and gorgeous, especially at sunrise, and it pairs naturally with the Makapuʻu Point lighthouse trail nearby.
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Secluded BeachesWindward Oahu
Mālaekahana State Recreation Area
It feels like old-time Oʻahu: a long walk of sand with few people, ironwood shade and a view of the islet instead of hotels.
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Tours that pair well
Getting around
You’ll want a rental car.
Public transit is limited and the best sights are hours apart. Pick up at Honolulu (HNL) and compare every major company in one search.