Spending time on the beach is one of the top pursuits on Oahu. No wonder: the island has a beach suited for all tastes and activities. Here are five of the best beaches for swimming, snorkeling, surfing, sunbathing, and star-gazing.
Best Beach on Oahu for Star-gazing
Waikiki Beach is where the action is and where the rich and famous hang out (and the paparazzi star-gaze.) The 1.5-mile stretch of sand is a series of connecting beaches, running from the Diamond Head crater to Ala Wai Yacht Harbor. It’s flanked by high-rise hotels, outfitters, and street vendors, and towel-to-towel sunbathers. This is the place to rent an outrigger or sailboat, learn to surf, swim, snorkel, and play.
Best Beach on Oahu for Sunbathing
Kailua Beach Park has a wide swath of soft sand that stretches more than a mile. Creature comforts add to the experience; there’s a concession stand, restrooms, showers and picnic areas under stands of swaying palms. The beach is located on the windward side of the island, with plenty of free parking.
Best Beach on Oahu for Swimming
Lanikai Beach is consistently ranked as one of the top beaches in the U.S. for good reason. It’s postcard-pretty with aqua-blue waters, sugar-white sand, and a palm-fringed buffer. The beach is a mile long so there’s plenty of room to spread out. It's a favorite with families vacationing on Oahu, with some of the calmest, safest waters on the island. Beach-goers can rent kayaks here for a paddle to the nearby islands of Mokumanu and Mokulua.
Best Beach on Oahu for Surfing
The seven-mile string of beaches on Oahu’s northern coastline is renowned worldwide for their big waves. This is why Oahu is considered the surfing capital of the world. It’s said that the waters off Oahu’s North Shore, especially during the winter months, feature more than 600 different types of surf breaks. This is the place to surf or to watch as others ride the waves. Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay are two of the most popular surfing venues on the North Shore, but drive along the coast and pull over wherever you see a crowd. Want to give it a try? Surfing legend Hans Hedemann runs The Hans Hedemann Surf School and offers classes in several locations on Oahu, including the North Shore.
Best Beach on Oahu for Snorkeling
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, a designated State Underwater Park and Conservation District, is one of the finest beaches in Hawaii and a fabulous place to snorkel. The horseshoe-shaped reef attracts more than 150 species of fish. Go early in the morning because the park limits the number of guests who can enter each day, and it sells out fast. Masks, fins, and snorkels are available for rent at the visitor center.
From a bustling, big-city beach, to world-class surfing venues and pristine, postcard-pretty swaths of sand – Oahu is a paradise for beach-goers.
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