Hawaii Beaches Offer Plenty of Sun, Sand and Fun
If you like water sports and/or love to people watch, the beach you’ll want to check out is Kaanapali Beach on West Maui. You can swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear aqua water; surf, dive, parasail and kayak in gentle waves, then stretch out for a nap in the warm sun on soft white sand that seemingly goes on forever. This is not your isolated, quiet Hawaii beach experience. On the contrary, Kaanapali Beach is bustling with activity because it’s surrounded by luxury resorts, restaurants and shopping centers. So while there’s not much solitude to be found at this lifeguard-protected beach, there is miles and miles of sandy fun.
Two of Mauis better family-friendly beaches are Kapalua Bay and Wailea. Kapalua is a beautiful golden stretch of sand along the west coast of the Keanae Peninsula, with spectacular views of Molokai, swaying palm trees, and a tranquil surf that’s ideal for small children, novice swimmers, snorkelers and scuba divers. On South Maui, Wailea is a wide beach with a shallow shore that drops off slowly to deeper waters. It offers good swimming and snorkeling in calm waters, and bodysurfing on a gentle shore break. Lack of public parking nearby is the biggest drawback for both of these beaches.
It’s a given that many, many Hawaii beaches offer phenomenal sunset viewing, but one of the best is at the Polihale State Beach Park on the western coast of Kauai. From your comfortable vantage point on the sand you’ll ooh and awe as the brilliant orange rays of the fading sun shimmer off the waves and the cliffs that jut out into the water. To the north is the powerful Polihale heiau, a sacred site where the souls of the dead purportedly departed into the setting sun. If there’s a downside to Polihale beach, it’s the long drive on dirt roads to get there, but the sunset and the solitude are well worth the effort.
On Kauai’s south shore, Poipu Beach is probably the most popular, especially among families with small children. Lava borders create a sheltered pool-like area where tots can safely swim and snorkel in shallow water, and beyond that, there are ideal wave conditions year-round for surfers and bodyboarders. Equally appealing is the well-maintained picnic areas, covered pavilion, and shower facilities. The beach itself is a lovely curve of white side with plenty of room for sandcastle building and sunbathing. Endangered monk seals often play on these shores, occasionally coming up to join sunbathers for a snooze.
My pick for the most interesting beach on the island of Lanai would have to be the wild and beautiful Shipwreck Beach. It’s a beachcomber’s delight, with plentiful shells, beach glass, bits of driftwood and other treasures awaiting discovery among the lava rock and sand. Shipwreck is not safe for swimming, but it’s a great spot for sunbathing, picnicking, and exploring. Visitors to this eight-mile-long beach will enjoy spectacular views of nearby Molokai, Maui and the petroglyphs, and the abandoned hull of the World War II Liberty Ship (purposely sunk) is still visible on the reefs. If you prefer to swim and snorkel instead of hunt for treasures, your best bet on Lanai is the crescent-shaped Hulopoe Bay Beach.
Waikiki Beach on Oahu is considered by many to be the heart of the island, and just might be the most famous stretch of sand in the entire world. Waikiki Beach has 4-million+ visitors every year, due in large part to the gentle waters that are ideal for beginning surfers. You can rent boogie boards, canoes, kayaks, snorkels and umbrellas to enhance your beachgoing experience, and the legions of tanned bodies are a people-watcher’s delight. Down the shore from Waikiki Beach is the extinct volcano crater known as Diamond Head, which is one of the Hawaii’s most recognizable landmarks.
Pick the Hawaii beach that captures your fancy, and get set for a wonderful day of sun, sand and fun.
