Hawaii is a beautiful American state known for it’s seemingly endless array of mind-blowingly gorgeous beaches. There are so many different and unique beaches in Hawaii that sorting through them all can be a bit of a chore for tourists. Thankfully, we’ve done some of that work for you! From peaceful Waikiki Beach on Oahu to the black-sanded Punaluu Beach on Hawaii’s main island, join ViewCation as we attempt to pinpoint the very best beaches in Hawaii.
Waikiki Beach, Oahu
We’ll start off this video with a couple of beaches located on the island of Oahu, which is certainly one of the preeminent islands in all of Hawaii to find beautiful beaches. One of the very best beaches that Oahu has to offer is Waikiki Beach. The beach has come to be a favorite amongst both locals and tourists, particularly during the summer months. Waikiki Beach can get fairly crowded sometimes, with a good deal of resorts nearby, but it’s gentle waves can’t be beat.
Lanikai Beach, Oahu
The next Oahu Beach that we’ll be taking a look at is Lanikai Beach. Lanikai Beach is located on Oahu’s eastern coastline, which is also known as it’s Windward Coast. The beach has become known for it’s deep-blue waters and exceptionally soft sands, which make it a perfect location for laying down and taking in Hawaii’s great scenery.
A unique aspect of Lanikai Beach is the two little islets a short ways off the shore, which are colloquially referred to as “the Mokes”. The Mokes are accessible by kayak. Another fun thing to do around Lanikai Beach is to hike the Lanikai Pillbox Trail, which will give you a taste of the area’s nature.
Poipu Beach, Kauai
Oahu may be one of the preeminent islands in Hawaii for tourists to go beach-visiting, but there are plenty of other beautiful islands with plenty of other stunning beaches! Another beautiful Hawaiian island is Kauai, and a great beach to check out while visiting Kauai is Poipu Beach. Poipu Beach is another relatively calm beach, and it’s diverse sea life makes it a great place to snorkel. Visitors can glimpse sea turtles and monk seals, and there are even some designated tide pools specifically for younger kids.
Poipu Beach is an excellent destination for families to visit thanks to it’s peaceful atmosphere, sea-life-gazing opportunities, and calm tide pools. The beach is also one of the best places on all of Kauai to catch the beautiful Hawaiian sunset.
Hanalei Bay, Kauai
Another great beach location for tourists visiting Kauai to check out is Hanalei Bay, which is a surprisingly long beach with a uniquely crescent-shaped coast. This beautiful beach is located on the northern shore of the island, and goes on for around two miles. This means that it shouldn’t be hard for beach-goers to find some peace and quiet along the shore.
Some of the other unique features of Hanalei Bay, besides it’s crescent-shaped coast, include Hanalei Pier, which has become a beloved structure amongst the locals and stands as a stunning display for tourists. Of course, the area of the bay near the pier tends to be one of the more crowded areas along the beach, but it’s worth facing the crowds to get the opportunity to jump off the pier into the blue waters below!
Kaanapali Beach, Maui
With it’s numerous resorts and plentiful beaches, Maui is another one of the more popular islands in all of Hawaii, particularly for tourists. If you’re visiting Maui, you’ll likely want to check out Kaanapali Beach at least once, especially is you’re staying in one of the numerous resorts nearby. The beach has plenty of amenities, and even has an incredibly accessible cement walkway running parallel to it. This walkway features numerous kiosks, and even a few hammocks that tourists can take a break on to soak in the Hawaiian atmosphere. Kaanapali Beach may not be the best place to go to get away from it all due to it’s numerous man-made amenities, but these same amenities make it a great location to visit for families with younger children.
One of the fun family activities to partake in while visiting Kaanapali Beach is to stay and watch the daily cliff-jumping ceremony that occurs every sunset near a fixture off the beach by the name of Black Rock. This ceremony aims to offer visitors a unique taste of the local Hawaii culture. It can be a ton of fun, and is backdropped by a beautiful sunset!
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Kumimi Beach, Molokai
Located on the beautiful island of Molokai, Kumimi Beach is also sometimes referred to as Murphy’s Beach. Molokai may not be quite as well known of a Hawaiian island as Oahu or Maui, but it should be! The beautiful island is one of Hawaii’s more underrated gems, and Kumimi Beach features what is arguably the most beautiful coastal area the island offers.
Kumimi Beach is a particularly great beach to visit for those who like to go snorkeling. The waters that can be found along the beach are not only particularly crystal-clear, but are also incredibly calm. However, these incredibly calm waters turn rough fairly quickly once you venture outside of the reef. The area features plentiful sea life, and this sea life can become even more plentiful when the tide is high.
The sands of Kumimi Beach are a vivid gold, and the plentiful fish in the water make it a great location for visitors who would like to try their hand at some Hawaiian fishing. There is a lot to enjoy about Kumimi Beach, and the comparatively secluded nature of Molokai in relation to Hawaii’s other islands make it a very peaceful location.
Waimea Bay, Oahu
Back on Oahu, Waimea Bay stands as one of the most beautiful beaches on the venerated island’s North Shore. Waimea Bay is particularly popular amongst surfers, with the island having become a global destination for fans of the sport over the years. During the winter, the waves found around Waimea Bay can cap out at around 30 feet, meaning that the surfing opportunities can be both incredible and incredibly frightening! The waters tend to be a good deal calmer around Waimea Bay during the summer months, when you can even find some visitors snorkeling.
Not far off from Waimea Bay is a small area by the name of Waimea Valley, which tourists will certainly want to check out. There is a botanical garden, allowing visitors the chance to see some of Hawaii’s lush and diverse fauna. Those who are looking to stretch their legs can take the short hike around Waimea Falls Park, during which they’ll be taken to the base of one of the most beautiful waterfalls in all of Oahu. Visitors to Waimea Bay can also get a taste of Hawaii culture by visiting the Pu’u o Mahuka Heiau State Historic Site, containing the largest and most finely preserved heiau ruins on all of Oahu. For those who don’t know, heiau were ancient temples where Hawaiians would come to worship.
Oneloa Beach, Maui
Oneloa Beach is another beach located on the immensely popular Hawaiian island of Maui. Compared to the many other beaches located on the beautiful island, Oneloa Beach is one of the more secluded. The water off the beach offers some great snorkeling, though things can get a little bit sketchy when the tide is high. One of the more popular activities to do around this beach is boogie boarding.
Mauna Kea Beach, Big Island
Of all the beaches located on Hawaii’s main and biggest island, Mauna Kea Beach is arguably the most notable! The beach is a particularly picture-perfect one, emblematic of what someone who has yet to visit the state of Hawaii might picture when they close their eyes and imagine vacationing there. The beach offers some unique activities, including a nightly show that allows visitors the chance to view wild manta rays from a designated viewpoint along the beach.
Punaluu Beach, Big Island
Punaluu Beach is another notable beach located on the main and biggest island of Hawaii, which is often referred to as “Big Island”. The most unique thing about Punaluu Beach is it’s striking black sand, which comes as a result of ancient lava flow around the area. The juxtaposition of the black sand and the blue waters creates a beautiful image that visitors to Hawaii’s main island won’t want to miss out on!
Besides the beautiful black sand leftover from ages of lava flow, Punaluu Beach is also known for it’s many green sea turtles, which come out onto the sands when the time is right. These marvelous creatures are endangered, so be sure to show them the respect that they deserve! There are many beaches around Hawaii where you may get the chance to catch a glimpse of an endangered green sea turtle, but your best chances may be on Punaluu Beach.
Napili Bay, Maui
Heading back to the island of Maui, Napili Bay is another beach location that offers visitors a good possibility of catching a glimpse of one of Hawaii’s rare green sea turtles. Even if you don’t see one, the beach still offers plenty of gorgeous scenery with it’s stunningly clear waters, shimmering golden sands, and particularly dense coral reefs.
Lydgate Beach, Kauai
Finally, let’s take a look at Lydgate Beach, which is located back on the island of Kauai. Of all of the many beaches located in the state of Hawaii, Lydgate Beach is one of the more kid-friendly locations. While this certainly won’t make the beach a popular location with thrill-seeking tourists, the beach has become one of the best places in all of Hawaii for those visiting the state with younger children. Lydgate Beach features several amenities that make it a great beach for kids, including a double-sectioned pool that’s fed with water from the ocean. There’s also the Kamalani Playground, which is an elaborate playground just off the beach.
There are many great beaches to choose from in the state of Hawaii! Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that Pu’u o Mahuka Heiau State Historic Site contains the largest and most finely preserved heiau ruins in all of Oahu, and that Punaluu Beach on Hawaii’s Big Island features stunning black sand leftover from ancient lava flow? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more informative ViewCation videos are on their way!