ALOHA!

Some of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii are on the east side of Oahu.

I’ve been to a bunch of beaches on this side of the island, and here’s what you need to know!

 

best east side of oahu beaches

 

1. Hanauma Bay

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Hanauma Bay. Hawaii travel blog

 

Hanauma Bay is located at the southeastern point of Oahu.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Hanauma Bay. Best snorkeling spots on windward Oahu on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

This is one of the most popular spots for snorkeling on Oahu, so if you want to get some good snorkeling in when you’re in Hawaii, this is one spot to consider.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Hanauma Bay. Best snorkeling spots on windward Oahu on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Hanauma Bay. Best snorkeling spots on windward Oahu on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

It’s a pretty easy drive to get here from Waikiki.

There used to be a direct bus to Hanauma Bay.

You can still get from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay by bus if you don’t mind a lot of walking with your beach gear. It’s a 20 minute walk from the bus stop to Hanauma Bay.

But there’s local food near the bus stop to make up for your effort!

The bus stop you’ll get off for Hanauma Bay is near Koko Marina Center, which is where you can find local food like malasadas at the Leonard’s Bakery food truck or a Hawaiian plate lunch at Fatboy’s. (map)

 

IMPORTANT!!! You need a reservation to go to Hanauma Bay.

 

 

Things to do near Hanauma Bay

If you’re looking for a good workout in which you’ll be rewarded with stunning views…

DON’T miss the Koko Head Hike!

 

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Things to do near Hanauma Bay. Hanauma Bay to Koko Head Hike. Hawaii travel blog

 

This hiking trail has also been called nature’s stairmaster because the hike is basically a whole bunch of stairs to reach the summit of Koko Crater.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Hanauma Bay. Koko Head hike - koko crater. Hawaii travel blog

 

But there are amazing views waiting for you at the top which could make it worth your effort!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Hanauma Bay. Koko Head hike - koko crater. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Hanauma Bay. Koko Head hike - koko crater. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Hanauma Bay. Koko Head hike - koko crater. Hawaii travel blog

 

This crater is basically right across the street from Hanauma Bay.

So, it could be perfect to go to for the hike that’s sure to get you sweating, and then cool off with a nice recovery of swimming and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay!

 

 

2. Lanikai Beach

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Lanikai Beach. Hawaii travel blog

 

For picture perfect beach views, Lanikai Beach can be one of the best beaches on Oahu!

Beach access is located in the residential neighborhood of Lanikai, and you can also make it a fun activity by looking for the different beach paths!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Lanikai Beach. walking path from parking. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Lanikai Beach. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

This is also where you can go to see the famous twin islands of Oahu, aka the Mokulua islands aka the Mokes.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Lanikai Beach. mokulua islands, the mokes. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

One of the negative parts of going to this beach though is that parking can be a struggle.

So if you don’t mind a little extra activity…

You might consider parking at Kailua Beach and walking over to Lanikai Beach

Or you might consider renting a bike in Kailua and then biking over to Lanikai Beach.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Getting to Lanikai Beach - difficult parking so biking from Kailua to Lanikai with Kailua bicycle rental. Hawaii travel blog

 

Another down side of Lanikai Beach is that there are no proper beach facilities here.

 

 

Things to do near Lanikai Beach

Once again if you like working for stunning views…

DON’T miss the Lanikai Pillbox Hike!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Lanikai Beach. Lanikai pillbox hike - mokulua islands aka the mokes. Hawaii travel blog

 

You can make this into a longer hike or a shorter hike.

For the longer hike, it can be a point-to-point hike basically making this a ridge trail as you walk along the mountain range. (Of course, you can also make it an out-and-back hike!) You can consider this the full Kaiwa Ridge Trail.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Lanikai Beach. Lanikai pillbox hike - kaiwa ridge trail. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Lanikai Beach. Lanikai pillbox hike - mokulua islands aka the mokes. Hawaii travel blog

 

But more popular is to do the short version, starting on the beach/coastal side, and then going a short distance up to the pillboxes, and then going back down.

Either way, you’ll get those amazing views of the Mokulua Islands from above!

 

 

🌴

 



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3. Kailua Beach

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Kailua Beach. Hawaii travel blog

 

Another one of the things to do near Lanikai Beach is to go to Kailua Beach!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Kailua Beach park. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

Kailua Beach might be a bit more convenient than Lanikai Beach in many ways, because of the parking situation and beach facilities.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Kailua Beach park. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

As a proper beach park, Kailua Beach has a parking lot, bathrooms, showers, and lifeguards on duty too.

 

 

Things to do near Kailua Beach

If you’re looking for a more adventurous way to see the famous twin islands…

DON’T miss kayaking to the Mokulua Islands!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Kailua Beach. Kailua kayak rental or tour guide. Hawaii travel blog

 

It’s possible to go kayaking from Kailua Beach as a guided kayaking tour, or you can rent the kayaks and head to the Mokes on your own.

And then you’re looking to be a little active without having to be too active…

DON’T miss renting a bicycle in Kailua!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Kailua Beach. Kailua bicycle rental. Hawaii travel blog

 

Getting around Kailua town by bicycle can be a fun little thing to do!

You can also take the bikes and head to Lanikai Beach, too!

 

 

4. Waimanalo Beach

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Waimanalo Beach. Hawaii travel blog

 

This is a beach that doesn’t get as many tourists as some of the other beaches on Oahu.

So there might be a better chance that you can get a little bit more of a quieter beach experience if you go to Waimanalo Beach.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Waimanalo Beach park. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Waimanalo Beach park. white sand beach on east side of Oahu. Hawaii travel blog

 

If you’ll be driving to Kailua or Lanikai, you can make Waimanalo be on the way from Waikiki if you make it a drive along the coast (as opposed to an inland drive). So you could stop to check it out along the way!

 

 

5. Makapuu Beach

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Makapuu Beach. Hawaii travel blog

 

Makapuu Beach is another beach that doesn’t get as many tourist visits as other beaches on Oahu.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Makapuu Beach park. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Makapuu Beach park. Hawaii travel blog

 

This beach might have a bit rougher waves as it can also be considered a good beach for boogie boarding.

You can buy boogie boards in Waikiki at the ABC convenience stores for like $20.

The rougher waves also means that you’ll want to be careful a bit more here!

 

Things to do near Makapuu Beach

If you’re looking for more stunning coastal views…

DON’T miss Makapuu Lighthouse Trail!

 

Windward Oahu beaches on east Oahu - Things to do near Makapuu Beach. Makapuu Beach to Makapuu Lighthouse Trail hike. Hawaii travel blog

 

This is a paved coastal trail that will offer you stunning views nearly the entire way!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Makapuu Beach. Makapuu lighthouse trail hike - paved trail. Hawaii travel blog

 

If you’ll be on Oahu during whale season, it could be a good place to try your luck for spotting whales from far away.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Makapuu Beach. Makapuu lighthouse trail hike - whale watching season photo spots. Hawaii travel blog

 

There are binoculars on the trail for you to attempt to spot whales.

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Makapuu Beach. Makapuu lighthouse trail hike - whale watching season binoculars. Hawaii travel blog

 

Generally speaking the best time for whales on Oahu is considered to be January through March, although the season in which whales visit Hawaii are said to be from November to May.

But even if you won’t be on Oahu during whale season, the ocean views will always be there!

 

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Makapuu Beach. Makapuu lighthouse trail hike. Hawaii travel blog

Windward east Oahu beaches - Things to do near Makapuu Beach. Makapuu lighthouse trail hike. Hawaii travel blog

 

 

Waikiki to the east side of Oahu

Windward east Oahu beaches - How to get from Waikiki to east Oahu. to hanauma bay. to makapuu. to waimanalo. to kailua. to lanikai. Hawaii travel blog

 

Because Waikiki is a bit of a distance from the east side of Oahu, going by car can be the most convenient.

Driving time from Waikiki, although always dependent on traffic, will generally be:

  • To Hanauma Bay – 20-30 minutes
  • To Makapuu area – 30 minutes
  • To Waimanalo area – 30-40 minutes
  • To Kailua area – 30-40 minutes

 

But even if you won’t be driving when you’re on Oahu, you can find a bus to go to that side of the island.

You will just want to make sure you have time and patience though, because the buses aren’t as frequent.

Google Maps is good for giving you a general timetable for buses on Oahu – just type in the starting point and destination, and then select public transportation as your method of travel!

See more about taking a bus from Waikiki.

 

 

RECAP!

Here is your quick list of the best beaches on the east side of Oahu!

 

1. Hanauma Bay

Windward Oahu beaches - Best beaches on east Oahu - Hanauma Bay snorkeling spot. Best things to do on windward east Oahu. Hawaii travel blog
Go here for possibly the most popular snorkeling spot on Oahu.

 

 

2. Lanikai Beach

Windward Oahu beaches - Best beaches on east Oahu - Lanikai Beach with Mokulua Islands aka the mokes. Best things to do on windward east Oahu. Hawaii travel blog
Go here for a picture perfect white sand beach, along with views of the famous twin islands… the Mokes!

 

3. Kailua Beach

Windward Oahu beaches - Best beaches on east Oahu - Kailua Beach. Best things to do on windward east Oahu. Hawaii travel blog
Go here for one of the best beaches on the east side of Oahu with beach facilities.

 

4. Waimanalo Beach

Windward Oahu beaches - Best beaches on east Oahu - Waimanalo Beach. Best things to do on windward east Oahu. Hawaii travel blog
Go here for a white sand beach on Oahu that gets less tourist visitors. 

 

5. Makapuu Beach

Windward Oahu beaches - Best beaches on east Oahu - Makapuu Beach boogie boarding. Best things to do on windward east Oahu. Hawaii travel blog
Go here for boogie boarding and to visit another beach that gets less tourists.

 

And those are some of the best beaches on the east side of Oahu to consider making a part of your trip to Hawaii!

 

Also see more of the best beaches on Oahu.

And also the best hikes on Oahu.

 

HAPPY EAST OAHU BEACH TIME!

 

Best beaches on windward east Oahu Hawaii. Best things to do on east side of Oahu. Best places to visit in Oahu. Backpacking Hawaii travel blog

Best beaches on windward east Oahu Hawaii. Best things to do on east side of Oahu as day trip from Waikiki. Backpacking Hawaii travel blog

Best beaches on windward east Oahu Hawaii. Best things to do on east side of Oahu as day trip from Waikiki. Backpacking Hawaii travel blog

Best beaches on windward coast east side Oahu Hawaii. Best things to do on east side of Oahu. Best places to visit in Oahu. Backpacking Hawaii travel blog

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Plan your day on Oahu!


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I also don't go snorkeling in Hawaii without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.

Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.

There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.