Makaha Beach Park

Not many people know of this little slice of heaven. Quiet and the waves won’t disappoint… Be careful if you are a novice… Monk seals, whales, turtles and fish abound. A quiet walk or a brisk swim… You’ll leave happy and relaxed!!!’

Wanted to get in a quick snorkel before I flew home.
This beach was pristine. Calm and pretty local.
The turtle cleaning station which someone was kind enough to take us out to didn’t disappoint, I found 4 Honu at once trying to get their shells clean
Enjoy a lovely day at the beach

One of the best beaches on Oahu. My family has always come to this beach over the years. The water is beautifully clear and it offers a great place for people who just want to swim and surfers to catch waves that are distinct and separate. If you head way out on the north side of the beach you can see turtles and fish that are swimming around the reef. There is also an extinct lava tube out in that direction as well.
The sunset is beautiful on the beach and you can literally stay out there all day, it’s beautiful and there is enough space on the beach that it doesn’t feel like you’re «crowded» with others enjoying their time there. One warning though the sand gets SUPER hot on the beach, so I recommend setting up a canopy tent to keep your chairs and shoes under. Also keep a good eye on the tide so that your items are not potentially «washed» away while you’re hanging out in the ocean.
Before heading out to this beach pay attention to the surf advisory, the current is very strong and I do not recommend heading into the water unless you’re a strong swimmer and have a good understanding of how the waves break, you may get overwhelmed if you’ve never been in the ocean before.

Very clean water
If you want to swim, enter the ocean in the middle section of the beach where there is no reef. Surfers usually prefer the northern end of the beach because this is where the waves break on the reef (near the hotel). However, it’s only recommended for experienced surfers. Especially during low tide the reef is close to the water’s surface and it

Beautiful beach!!! Big waves and very clean. The kids had so much that four hours were not enough.

This place gets a bad rep because people say it’s not safe. However, I have been 3 times and never had any issues. No one even pays me any mind, in fact they are usually nice if anything. The beach is pretty, and a great place to surf or body board, or just to watch everyone else! I personally like the Waianae coast, and find it charming and beautiful.

Makaha beach is really one of the best beaches on Oahu. The sand is golden and the sea covers all the shades of blue. If you’re lucky turtles swim right pass you and dolphins can sometimes be seen far out near the horizon. Hawaiian monk seals are also a frequent visitor the shores but don’t get close there’s a law of being 100ft away or something.
There are tons of parking but it does fill up along side of the road so you might have to park in the parking lot across the street where the bathrooms are.
I’ve been going to Makaha beach for years and grew up here so I know the safe parts of the beach, which is usually the middle, the left side is rougher and right side near the buildings is more rocky and usually where surfers swim out from. However Mother Nature is always unpredictable so be careful, if it looks choppy or if you’re doubtful of your swimming skills don’t go out for the day.
Just a note in general, Hawaii beaches usually have a pretty strong undertow that I’m not sure visitors are aware of. Things can also look pretty calm above the surface but below undertows are responsible for pulling people under and/​or pulling them out to sea. Check with the lifeguards if you’re not sure, Makaha beach has some pretty awesome ones that patrol and are alert.
With that said please respect the beaches and don’t litter or touch the sea turtles and remember sharks only bite when you touch their private parts.

Stopped by these beach on our drive up the west coast. It has a lot of space so even if it has a lot of people on it you don’t feel crowded. The water is crystal clear and it has excellent waves if you’re into surfing. Great view of the Waianae Mountain range from the water.

Love this beach! Always something going down at this place. Busy on weekends especially Saturday and Sunday, if there’s a open spot during this time then your in luck (: will be very worth it! Awesome place to just chill and admire the beauty of it and inhale fresh air! I highly recommend this beach to whoever hasn’t been here.

It’s another of the many great Leeward Side beaches. Nice waves and spectacular any time of the day or year. Makaha Beach Park is about an hour’s drive from Waikiki, however, so do plan ahead of time. Great views of the ocean and mountains.
Parking is right off the Farrington Highway, at the start of the beach itself. There are a few palm trees nearby for shade, but they happen to be right next to an apartment complex.

3.5
We were looking up beaches for snorkeling and this one stood out on the list so we gave this place a try. It’s 45 minutes drive from Waikiki but I didn’t mind the drive, esp along the ocean at one point.
This town is fairly small so not many great restaurants to eat beside food chain like KFC, Mcdonald etc.
The beach is quite nice with the gorgeous view from behind. It IS good for snorkeling apparently cause a lot of people came with their snorkel gears… EXCEPT we did not see much fish. Very fewwwwwwww.
This beach is not good for kids or family to play in because of how deep it is. So better know how to swim or play around the area with lifeguard! I guess if you want somewhere quiet and more of locals, then this is a good spot.
We did discover a good and safe spot after the swim but we didn’t go in. Look for Kai BBQ and it’s on Waianane Valley Rd. There’s a park in there and it has this one section where the rocks block the strong waves so good for people who are not confident with water.

Love this beach. Water is a little rough but the view is breathtaking. Love how it’s not busy.

One of the best beaches on the island. It’s pretty much hidden. If you just want to lay out in the sun and be away from tourists, this is the place to go. There are a lot of locals and getting here is a bit of a pain but, if you can manage the 30mph roads to get here than it’s definitely worth the trip.

Something about Makaha Beach that I like. shorebreaks, parking next to your beach spot, nice sand, and people selling bbq in the parking lot??? I just don’t know why but this beach calls to me. Bathrooms across the street with parking when the street is full also helps. And the bus stops tight there if you are being adventurous and wanting to travel west. Just be nice, respect the locals, and leave before sunset and you should have lots of fun. You might even see a turtle or a chicken! no joke.

Wonderful place to snorkel. We went on a dolphins and you deal and saw lots of jumping-​backflipping spinner dolphins, chill sea turtles and colorful fish.
There’s lots to see and do here from snorkeling, kayaking and paddle boarding. The view is amazing here on the beach with clean white sands and lots of life in the ocean. I would love to come here again.

This beach is spectacular at any time of the day, every day. If it’s calm and flat, it’s a great place to snorkel. If there are waves, it’s a great place to surf. The surf can get pretty big on the west side under a few circumstances, but typically it’s usually 2 – 3 feet, which is perfect for beginnings and youngins.
Lots of people paddle board and dive here as well. It’s a huge stretch of a beach and there’s plenty to see. It’s usually only crowded when there’s waves. So if you head to the area when the surf’s up, just know parking gets pretty scarce. Sometimes people even get blocked in.
Last tip, don’t forget your sunscreen. It really doesn’t matter how much melanin you have, the west side is just way too scorching hot for anyone to leave without a burn. So bring lots of sunscreen and lots of water and enjoy :)

This is somewhat of a drive if you’re coming up here from Waikiki but it’s definitely worth it and definitely different from what you will find in town. This is a beautiful big white sandy beach and one of my favorite beaches on the Island because of its soft white sand and great swimmable Beach. Sometimes the waves can get pretty big here but there are lifeguards and you need to use good judgement. Surfers will love it here and they are to be seen every single day catching the waves along with boogie borders from sunrise to sunset. The beach can get a little crowded on the weekends with families. Restroom facilities are across the street and many times you will find a lunch truck parking nearby.

Beautiful beach. Crystal clear water. Ample parking. Surfers out. Friendly life guards. Lots of space to spread out and not be bothered.
My husband and I love to spend our day’s at the beach. When we want to get away from the crowded beaches in town, we’ll venture out to the West Side and spend a day playing under the sun.
Pack a cooler with lots of water, snacks and a picnic. Umbrella tents are a must as their isn’t much shaded areas.
It’s a great beach but always be aware of your surroundings. this is the west side after all.

This is a nice wide beach with good boogie boarding and body surfing if you have your fins. Im pretty sure this is the last beach with a life guard. Beyond this your on your own.
If your not familiar with this current when got waves, you will find your view of the shoreline getting smaller very quick. You need to pay attention and constantly correct your position so the guy with the red shorts doesn’t have to jump in and save you.
Restrooms and showers are across the street. The restroom was pretty bad but not as bad as Yokohama. I guess there’s no escaping this. Gotta do what you gotta do.

I was on the hunt for a good snorkeling spot, and Makaha Beach delivered the good snorkeling and more! The drive wasn’t the shortest from town. It was all the way up Farrington Hwy past Waianae, but exploring new areas that I don’t normally go to made this beach park seem extra special.
The beach itself is very wide with lots of soft, fine sand. It was big enough that even if a lot of people showed up, there was still enough room to avoid people sitting on top of each other like Waikiki Beach. There was lots of parking on the side of the road right next to the sand since I arrived early in the day. This parking area filled up throughout the day as a constant flow of beach goers trickled in.
Having made the trek up to this beach specifically for the snorkeling, I was happy with the quality of the coral and wildlife present in the water. The water itself was calm in the middle of the beach. The rougher conditions were to the right side of the beach and this is where the surfers and paddle boarders occupied the water. The water was warm and clear which made for the perfect viewing conditions. Overall, this beach was very good for snorkeling. It also was a great beach to hang out at if the water isn’t your thing.