Makapu’u Beach Park is great for body surfing and boogie boarding. Look for marine life in rock pools and enjoy calm waves and a sandy ocean floor. The easternmost beach on O’ahu is 30 minutes by car from Honolulu.
While the waves here are calmer than the North Shore, always be on the lookout for rips and big waves that can come in with bad weather. Bring waterproof shoes to cross the rocks that lead to the beach.
Walk up to the nearby Makapu’u Lighthouse to gaze back across the shore. There is no access to the top of the working lighthouse but there are panoramic vistas from its base 180 metres (600 feet) above the ocean. The 2-hour hike along a 3-kilometre (2-mile) trail is paved and suitable for strollers. There are no bathrooms or kiosks along the way so bring water and snacks. Stop to take in the coastal views and bring binoculars to spot humpback whales between November and April. On a fine day, see as far as Moloka’i, a Hawaiian Island southeast of O’ahu. Come pre-dawn to watch the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean.
From the start of the lighthouse trail, it’s just a short walk to Pele’s Chair and Alan Davis Beach, both along the Ka Iwi State Scenic Shoreline. The “chair” is a lava formation and a popular landmark. Go for a dip in the natural ocean “swimming pool” here, which is often packed with locals. Sometimes a telephone pole is used as a jumping board by teenagers, but visitors are warned that the water is too shallow to dive and the pool is not monitored by life guards.
Makapu’u Beach Park is less crowded than Waikiki and many visitors choose to come here for a peaceful alternative to the popular surfing beaches. It’s a 27-kilometre (17-mile) drive from Honolulu.
