HAWAII Beaches | OVERVIEW

THE 9 BEST BEACHES IN HAWAII

We’ve hand-picked the best Hawaiian beaches for any occasion.

BEst Overall | clearest water | Most Unique | For snorkeling | For Volleyball | BEst Beach Bar | Whale Watching | Camping | Avoid The Crowds

Hawaiians often say that anything worth doing can be done on a beach. Well, at least you aren’t the only one who thinks laying on the beach scrolling through Instagram all day is worth doing. If you’re traveling to Hawaii, there’s no doubt that you’ll be spending a significant amount of time on the beach – we’d be concerned if you didn’t, but there are too many beaches to choose from. 

From the energetic beach activities like snorkeling, volleyball, or camping, to the activities that appeal to the more tranquil travelers such as whale watching, tanning, or simply just dodging crowds – it’s important to find the best Hawaiian beach for you. To help, we’ve handpicked 9 of Hawaii’s best beaches for any activity or category that best suits you. 

One of Maui’s signature beaches, Makena couldn’t possibly provide a more stark counterpoint to nearby Wailea. With no resorts or amenities insight, you’ll be invigorated by this more natural beach-going experience. Sure, you may not be able to order Pina Coladas or run back to your hotel room because you forgot your child, but nature will teach you and your child a valuable lesson.

Runner Up: Lanikai Beach - Oahu

Along with the preceding Waimanalo and the succeeding Kailua, Lanikai has some of the cleanest water and sand that the entire island has to offer; if anything this beach gets dirtier just by you being here. As at Waimanalo, you won’t find much commercially, so you’ll need to bring your own gear (towels, chairs, water-powered jetpack, etc). The biggest advantage of this beach though is the ease of access to the next point of interest, the Pillbox hike but we know that once you go jetpack, you never go back.

“Lani Kai” translates to “Heavenly Ocean” – which is a fitting name for this beach, but we’d argue the water here is probably clearer than the clouds of heaven, but luckily, we cannot attest to that. We can, however, attest to the fact that the water is almost transparent when the waves are calm, and you can see right through it, which reveals amazing shades of colors. These shades are visible from above if you make the short trek to Lanikai Pillbox, where the purity of the water is on full display.

Runner Up: Kapalua Bay Beach - Maui

Not really a place for lounging, the Black Sand Beach is nevertheless another noteworthy geological feature of volcanic origin along the Road to Hana. The eponymous sand is created by the persistent battering of waves against the volcanic rock, not that you really care- all you need to know is that it makes for the ideal Instagram fodder. Should you find yourself consumed by the desire to enter the ocean, know that this coast, with its strong rip currents and steep drop-off, will likely consume you, so stick to the pics. The intrepid types will find more to offer in a lengthy coastal hike, with enough bird watching to really start creeping the birds out. The title of most unique beach in Hawaii is highly competitive, but the black sand separates it from the competition unless you prefer the red or green sand beaches further down the coast.

Runner Up: Kaihalulu Red Beach – Maui

Listed among the Top 12 Shores Dives in the World by Scuba Diving Magazine Shark’s Cove would probably be listed higher if it wasn’t called “Shark’s Cove;” you know how this ends - you’ve seen the movies. The unique underwater terrain is caused by the large boulders resting on the shallow seafloor, which creates little caverns for sea creatures to hide - “oh no… don’t you dare go inside there,” someone would scream if they were watching you in the theater. You might get eaten but it’ll definitely be worth it. Consider taking the tour to maximize wildlife encounters. For small children and cowards, you can still have fun in the tide pools.

In the waters at Sharks Cove, you’ll find far less terrifying marine wildlife that won’t have you swimming for your life such as parrotfish, butterflyfish, turtles, eels, and crustaceans. Thanks to the popularity of the cove, these creatures are tolerant of the nosy divers like you, who from their point of view look like Darla, the girl from Finding Nemo who annoyingly taps on the aquarium. Their tolerance allows you to see more turtles, fish, and other sea creatures, which is why many say that Sharks Cove is the best beach to snorkel in Hawaii.

After you’re done tormenting the fish, take a load off and relax on the lava-rock beach.

Check out this article for more information about snorkeling at Shark Cove https://www.snorkeling-report.com/spot/snorkeling-sharks-cove-oahu-hawaii/

Runner Up: Poolenalena Beach – Maui

You can play volleyball at most beaches in Hawaii, but it is important to find a beach with the right vibe, so you don’t annoy the Instagram models trying to have a photoshoot. Ala Moana Beach is the ideal mix of relaxation and the hustle and bustle of life in Honolulu. The beach offers multiple courts where a welcoming group typically plays on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. The competition here won’t be Olympic caliber volleyball, but this is Hawaii, so you better bring your A-game – or your net when they inevitably kick you off the court for playing poorly.

Runner Up: Fort Derussy Beach – Honolulu

We all know that the pinnacle of a beach vacation is sipping a Mai Tai with sand in your feet as you look out across the ocean at the setting sun.  Located near Lae Nani Beach in Kauai, Lava Lava Beach Club makes this ideal vacation a reality. Surprisingly, a beach bar that is actually on the beach is difficult to find, but Lava Lava’s back patio is right on the sand, yards from the ocean. While you wait for your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, stay entertained with beach games and live music. 

Runner Up: Beach Tree Bar - Big Island

In accordance with its name, the water of this beach belongs to Lea, the goddess of canoe makers - a participation trophy as far as divinity is concerned. Fortunately, Lea is more than willing to share her waters, as evidenced by the plethora of visitors coming from the two adjacent resorts. But navigating the crowds and the occasional whale is a small price to pay for a beach so perfect.

Every year, from November through May, thousands of North Pacific Humpback whales make the trip to the warm waters of Hawaii to fulfill the annual contract they have with Hawaii’s tourism department. Well, perhaps the real reason they decide to migrate to Hawaii is to mate and raise their calves in a safe (and warm) environment. 

Just like you, hump whales are very playful, weigh around 30 tons, and have made a remarkably long journey to visit Hawaii – however, unlike you, these whales are surprisingly acrobatic and are incredible singers. To see a whale from the shores, you’ll need some luck and some patience. If neither of those things is your forte, we suggest a whale-watching boat tour. 

Learn more about whale watching in Maui: https://mauiinn.com/blog/maui-whale-season/

Runner Up: Poipu Beach – Kaua’i

We’ve often heard that the best way to truly enjoy a beach is to spend the night on it. Actually, we may have been the first to say that, but we’re not wrong. Spending the night on Polihale Beach immerses you in the westernmost point of Kauai in ways that aren’t possible on a day trip. The pristine white shores stretch 15 miles along the coast until they run into the towering cliffs of Na Pali, which are the perfect backdrop for you to pitch a tent. Polihale is the longest stretch of beach in Hawaii, so there is plenty of room to relocate to if your camping neighbor is snoring. 

Campers will need to obtain a permit at ehawaii and should prepare supplies ahead of time since the nearest town is 35+ minutes away. 

Runner Up: Kalalau Beach - Kaua’i

Known as Three Mile Beach, Popohaku offers three miles of uninterrupted white sands – who would’ve thought? Here, you’ll find untouched sand dunes rolling into the tropical brush above the shore, but you won’t find many other people. 

Molokai is one of the least visited islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, so it’s only logical that you’ll have unparalleled privacy at this beach. On a busy weekend, you’d be surprised to see 10 people on the beach at a time, quite the contrast to beaches on Oahu where you can find 10 people per square foot. In fact, Oahu was so jealous of this beach, that large amounts of its sand have been used to replenish the shrinking beaches in Waikiki. 

We wouldn’t consider this a swimming beach. It’s more like a ‘Finish your 300 pg book in one sitting’ - beach, ‘You’re sick of other human beings and need time alone’ - beach, or ‘If Tom Hanks visits, he’ll have flashbacks to Cast Away’ – beach. Papohaku is strictly meant for leisurely activities, and we won’t blame you if you don’t tell your friends about this gem to keep it a secret.  

Runner Up: Secret Beach – Oahu

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