Best time for Hawaiian Beaches:
Hawaii
beaches get busiest in winter [Dec - Feb], mainly because of the
weather elsewhere. June to October is the hottest beach weather,
December to March the wettest.
The average temperatures are more or less the same winter and summer.
Hotel prices are highest mid-December to the end of March.
If you're into surfing, winter months are the best, especially the
Christmas season at Oahu's North Shore, otherwise the summer [July-August]
has the best water condition for swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing
and scuba diving.
Beware that some beaches have seasonal high surf in summer.
Oahu island
Hanauma
Bay Nature Preserve, Oahu [swimming,
snorkeling, scuba diving]
Hanauma Bay, situated in the crater of a volcano, is one of the
Hawaii's most beautiful bays, with terrific, safe snorkelling and scuba
diving for both amateurs and experienced divers onto a flourishing coral reef.
The beach is large, sandy, palm-shaded, with calm waters due to the protective arms of the bay's rocky outcrops and a couple of spectacular hiking trails on the ridge behind.
Hanauma is a marine life conservation area, so has strict rules such as no
smoking, no pets, no booze, no fishing and
only 2,000 visitor per day, so go early in the busy season. It's closed on Tuesdays at present.
Facilities: restrooms, showers, picnic areas, concession stands, locker rental, snorkelling gear rentals.
Hanauma is at 7455 Kalaniana'ole Highway, Southeast O'ahu, about 10 miles east of Waikiki.
Lanikai
Beach, Oahu
[swimming, windsurfing, kayaking]
Lanikai Beach, along Mokulua Drive, is regarded as Hawaii's best
swimming beach by Oahu's residents, and once voted as the America's
best beach by famous Dr. Beach. This mile long golden beach is clean,
usually surf-free, and pretty with palm trees and offshore islands
across the water, just like a postcard. The offshore Mokulua islands
have small beaches where you can land and swim.
Lanikai is at Kailua Road, Kailua - East O'ahu.
Sunset
Beach, Pipeline, Waimea Bay, North Shore Oahu [surfing in winter,
swimming in summer]
Winter: Oahu's North Shore is the mecca of big wave surfing during the winter. Sunset,
Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay, and Haleiwa Beach Park are among the
world's most famous surfing spots. From October-May waves at all these beaches can
reach up to 15-20 feet [4-6m] high, generating very dangerous water conditions,
so at that time the area is for expert surfers only.
Sunset Beach is one of the best sites and is also the home of major
professional events such as the World Surfing Cup.
Summer: During the calmer summer
months the beaches become excellent swimming places with light brown sand, calm seas, lifeguards, restrooms, showers and picnic areas.
Kamehameha Highway, North O'ahu.
Kailua Beach is 3 miles of soft light golden coloured sands scattered with useful shade trees and sporting superb 360 degree views of islands and the dramatic Kooloau mountain range; Kailua is often mentioned as having the 'world's best view'.
This is a premium wind surfing site for pros and amateurs alike, with gear rentals and lessons available. Other popular activities are kayaking, body boarding and of course swimming. Kailua has all the usual facilities - lifeguard, restrooms, showers and picnic areas.
June - September does see visits from the occasional Australian bluebottle, the Portugese Man-of-War jellyfish [not very venemous] and a stinging seaweed called limu.
Kailua is at 450 Kawailoa Road, East O'ahu.
Maui island
Maui is the second biggest Hawaiian island but many think it's the best, offering numerous waterfalls, freshwater pools, spectcular viewpoints, a couple of museums and archeological artefacts, endless activities from the obvious marine stuff to hiking, horse riding, zipline action, golf, dolphin encounters, whale watching, kayak rentals and tours, glass-bottom boats, sumarine trips
Kaanapali
Beach, Maui [swimming,
snorkelling, body surfing, surfing, kayaking, scuba diving]
Kaanapali beach and its soft brown sand is located in front of the Kaanapali Resort, extending
nearly 3 miles from Kahekili Beach in the north to Hanakaoo Beach
[Canoe Beach] in the south. The beach is lined by a concrete walkway, hotels, restaurants
and activity centres and is one of the best place for watersports
and activities in Hawaii. During no or low surf seasons, snorkeling
and scuba diving are fantastic around Black Rock [a volcanic cinder
cone on the north end of the Kaanapali Beach, known as Airport Beach].
Surfing is good to the south near the Marriot Hotel.
Kaanapali has
outstanding views across the Auau Channel and has been voted 'Beach with
the Best Sunset' by the Hawaii Magazine.
The beach has lifeguards, restrooms and showwers but can get overcrowded
and thefts occur.
Kaanapali is off Highway 30, West Maui.
Wailea
Beach, Maui [swimming, snorkeling, body surfing, windsurfing,
scuba diving]
One of the better family beaches, Wailea beach is wide, with shade,
soft, light brown sand, good snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and sailing.
However, parking nearby is difficult to find and offshore currents
can be strong in the afternoon because of the Trade Winds. There
are occasional jellyfish on the beach or in the water - don't touch
the blue bubbles! The Four Seasons Hotel, one of the best beach
resorts in Hawaii, is located at this beach and there is a shopping
village nearby.
Whales sometimes appear in winter months. The beach
is safe except during periods of high surf or Kona storms [severe
winds from west].
Palauea
Beach, Maui [swimming,
snorkeling, body surfing, scuba diving]
If you like more secluded Hawaii beaches, go to Palauea ['lazy']
Beach south of Polo Beach in Wailea. This excellent swimming beach
is one of the last undeveloped area on the Wailea-Makena coastline.
Ideal for families with young children because it is sheltered from
the winds and the water is shallow.
At the
south end of the beach there are underwater rock formations that
make interesting diving and snorkelling.
There are no facilities, nor lifeguards
[the nearest food is at the Kea Lani Beach Hotel]. Do not leave
anything in your car, break-ins are problem here! High winter surf
and winds may occasionally cause dangerous water conditions.
Kapalua
Beach Park, Maui
[swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving]
Kapalua Beach is a beautiful golden stretch along the west coast
of the Keanae Peninsula, with a spectacular view of Molokai, and
one of the prettiest and safest beaches on Maui - once voted the
best beach in the world by Condé Nast Magazine. It has an
exclusive beach resort called Kapalua Bay.
Inside the bay is well-protected
from big waves by offshore reefs and by lava outcrops on the both
sides, making this a superb swimming beach for families with small
children. It is also a good place to watch whales, during the whale
season. If you drive, beware that public parking and beach access
is not easy to find, and it's a bit of a walk to the beach.
Hamoa Beach, near tiny Hana town in easteren Maui, is a picturesque, beige sand, public beach in a tranquil, tree-lined bay overlooking the little palm-topped island of Alaui; one of Hawaii's favourite beaches though there is no lifeguard and sea conditions vary from no surf to occasional big surf as there is no barrier reef. There are restrooms and picnic facilities
Get there via the Hana Highway, a serpentine, 52 mile road along Maui's north shore.
Getting
around:
Flights: domestic flights operate frequently between Honolulu [Oahu]
and Lihue [Kauai], Kahului [Maui], Kona and Hilo [Big Island].
Ferries: there are also inter-island ferries between Lahaina [Maui]
and Manele [Lanai], and Lahaina and Kaunakakai [Molokai].
Hawaii Beaches 2 - Kuai,
Big Island, Lanai, Molokai | Pacific
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