Waimanalo Beach
Waimanalo Beach
4.5
About
Located on the windward side of Oahu, this gorgeous and secluded beach has the majestic Koolau Mountains as a backdrop. It's great for sunbathing under the ironwood trees on the soft white sand and swimming in its clear waters—the waters are calmer in the morning and kick up in the afternoon when it’s breezier. The beach is a quiet refuge on weekdays but is a popular spot for locals on the weekend who gather for all-day barbecues and beach fun. You'll also see anglers chartering boats to fish at sea.
Check out this beach on a tour or helicopter ride over Oahu, which often passes by Waimanalo Beach.
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Restaurants
26 within 3 miles
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71 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Travelmom7435 contributionsParadise and SolitudeI would give this beach 100 stars if I could. Hands down my favorite beach on Oahu. Perfect for sunbathing and swimming, with just enough surf to catch some mild boogie boarding waves. Practically deserted every time we go. If you are looking to escape the chaos of Waikiki and find some much needed solitude, then this beach is for you.Visited December 2022Written January 23, 2023
- May_EXLWinnipeg, Canada560 contributionsBeautiful BeachFree entry. Open daily from 7-6 p.m. No shortage of parking here. Bathroom facilities. Lots of trees for shade. Lifeguard tower although we didn’t see one on the day we visited. Fine sandy beach & turquoise water. Be aware on the south end of the beach/parking lot there are many tents setup there.Visited February 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten February 12, 2023
- Nikko GandiaMonterey, California480 contributionsSunrise at Waimanalo BeachI visited here and hiked many trails on 09/11 during my first visit to Hawai'i & posted a vlog! Search "Nikko Gandia Travels" on YT. Beautiful views, watched the sunrise here.Visited September 2022Written March 18, 2023
- TravelwifeTennessee63 contributionsBeautiful beach, but beware of Man-of-War JellyfishBeautiful beach, not too crowded, but beware of jellyfish! Our sons had a great time boogie boarding in the waves while I rested on the beach. However, while we were there, someone pulled a baby Man-of-War jellyfish with about 2 ft long tentacles out of the water. So glad my sons did not get stung.Visited June 2023Written July 6, 2023
- amySan Ramon, California1 contributionBeautiful but...It's absolutely beautiful with fine sand and not crowded... The negatives are that there were quite a few homeless folks, the restrooms are gross, like bloody pads stuck to walls, poop on the floor, etc. It was really windy both days and there were manawars everywhere. We actually went 2x because the waves were bigger and that's what we were after for body surfing.Visited September 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 10, 2023
- dvorac4722 contributionsAmazing eye candy beachAbsolutely one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world; comparable to Pampelonne Beach in St. Tropez but even prettier with softer, whiter sand and no crowded beach clubs. Faces east so shady in the afternoon with nice breezes. Park on north lot away from homeless shelters. Simply beautiful. Risk - people let their dogs off leash here so beware of that risk.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 20, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
749 reviews
Excellent
538
Very good
159
Average
23
Poor
15
Terrible
14
LauraM
Pleasanton, CA20 contributions
Jan 2022
My family and I traveled to a different beach day in our rented car. When we found this one, we returned to it a second time. It is very beautiful, and has a long stretch of beach for a walk, which we always enjoy. During the week, we found it to be sparsely attended, but much more so on the weekend. The aquamarine color of the water, the white sand, and the land masses in the sea make for a lovely spot. Highly recommended.
Written February 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelingFam
Omaha, NE657 contributions
Mar 2021 • Family
This beach must go for miles!!! And would be fun to boogie board the waves. And it was hardly populated. Maybe due to potential man o war stings, which one of our kids got. (There are signs posted of this risk. The Lifeguard said rinse with water an it will go away in 20min. It lasted a bit longer but wasn’t hurting past the hour. Still he didn’t get back in)
Other teens played for almost 2 hours at this beach. If it wasn’t so windy it would have been very relaxing.
(There are about 15-20 tent homes at the entrance to this beach. Signs posted to keep your valuables with you. Restrooms were disgusting and toilets didn’t seem to flush, but at least there is room to change).
Rinsing station and some tables in shaded trees off of the water. Gorgeous blue water even on cloudy day
Other teens played for almost 2 hours at this beach. If it wasn’t so windy it would have been very relaxing.
(There are about 15-20 tent homes at the entrance to this beach. Signs posted to keep your valuables with you. Restrooms were disgusting and toilets didn’t seem to flush, but at least there is room to change).
Rinsing station and some tables in shaded trees off of the water. Gorgeous blue water even on cloudy day
Written March 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike H
Phoenix, AZ2,077 contributions
Feb 2020
We stopped here to look around and to use the facilities. The beach is a nice sandy expanse with lots of parking. The water is beautiful greenish blue with Rabbit Island in the background. Not too crowded when we were there.
Written March 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wdl
Sunnyvale, CA545 contributions
Aug 2021
So you want a beautiful white sand beach with turquoise water in Hawaii, and think that Waikiki is too crowded, or that you can't find parking Kailua/Lanikai and that the North Shore is too far?
The beach is really great and is not too far of a drive to Honolulu/Waikiki. There are restrooms and parking on the premises.
Only issue of the day we went is that it was a bit windy, and a surf was a bit too strong. But other than that, we had a delightful day. It was worth the drive.
The beach is really great and is not too far of a drive to Honolulu/Waikiki. There are restrooms and parking on the premises.
Only issue of the day we went is that it was a bit windy, and a surf was a bit too strong. But other than that, we had a delightful day. It was worth the drive.
Written January 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jerseymariner
Rio Grande, NJ703 contributions
Jan 2020
Stopped here on our way to other attractions, just to walk the beach and take in the view. Very windy and cool that day, so the beach wasn't crowded, but there were quite a few wind surfers out. There is plenty of free parking and several restroom/changing stations along the beach, and they were in reasonably good condition. There seemed to be less of a homeless population here than we encountered other place on Oahu too.
Written January 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HillaryDawn
Paphos, Cyprus48 contributions
Jan 2020
Hard to rate this one. It was the most beautiful of all the beaches we visited, but we did not feel very safe here. We stayed at a spot on the beach where we could still see the car, and one of us always sat with our stuff on the sand. This beach had the biggest homeless population of all the beaches we went to. I refused to use the toilets as my husband came out of them looking ill. It's really a shame as this end of the island was so stunning in its natural beauty, but looked run down and a bit scary once you lowered your eyes to the streets.
Written January 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saskalta
Lloydminster, Canada76 contributions
Jan 2020
During our stay we hit a number of beaches just to see how they compare to Waikiki. Waimanalo is very nice and like most Oahu beaches, any of them are extremely awesome..
We found that this beach was quiet and there were a few homeless around, but those folks didnt cause any issues. The beach is nice, but not as busy as Lanikai or Waikiki.. but worth a visit if you want to get to a quieter beach and perhaps enjoy a cold one while hanging out on a beautiful piece of paradise!!
We found that this beach was quiet and there were a few homeless around, but those folks didnt cause any issues. The beach is nice, but not as busy as Lanikai or Waikiki.. but worth a visit if you want to get to a quieter beach and perhaps enjoy a cold one while hanging out on a beautiful piece of paradise!!
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phim B
Columbus, OH130 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
I find Waimanalo Beach a great place to relax, what with it’s fine white sand, but only almost as splendid as the beaches in Bohol, Philippines where I grew up!
This however is one of the best beaches in Oahu, Hawaii. There are portions however, where the terrain of the beach suddenly deepens, probably because of the big waves that hit the shore from time to time. Locals say that this is one of the beaches best for bodyboarding as the waves are usually not that high.
No restaurants/business establishment within the area. Shower and restrooms are free as with the other beaches.
From the Waimanalo Beach, you can get a good view of rabbit island, an uninhabited island which used to be inhabited by rabbits before, this the name. Its is presently a bird sanctuary, according to locals, and the Pacific Ocean too.
Also a good place to take a hike from one end of the beach to the other. More crowded in the afternoons than in the morning!
This however is one of the best beaches in Oahu, Hawaii. There are portions however, where the terrain of the beach suddenly deepens, probably because of the big waves that hit the shore from time to time. Locals say that this is one of the beaches best for bodyboarding as the waves are usually not that high.
No restaurants/business establishment within the area. Shower and restrooms are free as with the other beaches.
From the Waimanalo Beach, you can get a good view of rabbit island, an uninhabited island which used to be inhabited by rabbits before, this the name. Its is presently a bird sanctuary, according to locals, and the Pacific Ocean too.
Also a good place to take a hike from one end of the beach to the other. More crowded in the afternoons than in the morning!
Written February 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sightseer779040
268 contributions
Oct 2022
We found this during my research of beaches to stop at on a drive around the island. It has a very large parking lot so there was no issue there. The sand is soft and the beach extends a fair distance. There were many families here enjoying a picnic, boogie boarding, or throwing footballs. We walked up and down the beach as it has really scenic views looking up and down the beach both ways. We wish we had more time to spend here.
Written November 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LauraA339
Michigan213 contributions
Dec 2021 • Family
We visited 8-10 beaches all around Oahu and we both enjoyed this one the most. The surf is not too crazy so you can get wet and the best part is few people so you can have your own space. Tons of shade if needed too plus restrooms and parking was not a problem. There is a homeless camp out front but we did not see any homeless on the beach or have any issues. Pack a lunch or grab takeout from the local place Onos and sit and enjoy rhe view. It is worth the trip!
Written December 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian M
1 contribution
What is the recommended time to arrive during this time? We are heading there this week and trying to figure out best way to best the crowds
rherstein5
London, UK
Is there parking at Waimanalo Beach?
Vintorix
84 contributions
Yes, but beaches can get very busy depending on the day and time of day with designated parking filling fast.
Waimanalo kind of fits this description but parking places seem to open up on a regular basis.
As long as you are not blocking a road or driveway, police are pretty lenient.
Jason G
Montreal, Canada1 contribution
We plan on camping in waimanalo beach and have read reviews about homeless and dirty bathrooms, can anyone confirm if the bathrooms are acutally clean?
Karen M
Saint Louis, MO50 contributions
We stayed in a home on Waimanalo Beach down from the camping area in March 2017. There were some homeless people staying more along the beachline in makeshift tents but they were harmless and very nice. They mostly kept to themselves. Most were not locals - we met a couple from the US actually that purposely went to Hawaii homeless. There are homeless all over the Island just like in the US. They mostly stayed in their shelters until evening and we saw them fishing and at times going through trash for recyclables. They were always very polite and friendly. We stayed 8 days and never felt like we were in any danger. We walked around at night to the few restaurants and went to the beach to watch the moonrise. I used the public restrooms once and found them usable - not extremely clean but not disgusting either. Waimanalo is a gorgeous beach - very private and we've even seen it in commercials after we returned home. It is used mainly by locals who are all very friendly and welcoming. If you walk down the beach towards the south, you will come to a huge reef filled with colorful fish and sea turtles that you can snorkle with. I would go back tomorrow if I could :)
Oracai
Victoria, Canada40 contributions
For those of you who reviewed the Beach in 2017, are there still homeless tents and/or encampments and crime issues?
bobster4u
Aiea, HI31 contributions
I visits in November 2016 and some individuals were living in makeshift housing towards the Makapu'u side of the beach area. We walked down the beach towards the Bellows Beach side and felt safe. The presence of a manned Life Guard station was reassuring.
Can you grill here
Cant recall seeing any BBQ's but there is a toilet block and camp area, so its possible.
destiny111
Auckland, New Zealand
Hi Kololi family,
my family and I are looking at coming to Niue in April of 2015.
I have used your accommodation when we last visited the island in 2011 and found it very comfortable. We used your chalet then.
Because there are a few more of us can you please tell me how much it would cost to hire the main house out for a week please and would it be available at that date?
Could you possibly check for the following week as well just in case we stay longer than the 1 week.
Kind regards
Paula Kingi
The date we will be looking at is April the 3rd, we leave NZ on Saturday the 4th.
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Claim your listingWaimanalo Beach - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Waimanalo Beach
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Waimanalo Beach:
- Oahu Circle Island - North Shore Snorkeling Tour (Dole & Temple) (From $108.00)
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- Open-Door Helicopter Tour over Oahu (From $350.00)
- Beautiful Colors of Hawaii Photo Tour (From $94.99)
- Hotels near Waimanalo Beach:
- (0.02 mi) Great Price! 3500sf Huge Gated House Steps from Waimanalo Beach
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- (0.31 mi) Waimanalo Beach Family Home, 2 Bed, 2 Bath, Steps to Beach
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- (0.57 mi) Beautiful Island Beach Home, Steps To Beach. Make memories!
- Restaurants near Waimanalo Beach:
- (0.06 mi) McDonald's
- (0.08 mi) Dominican Kitchen
- (0.73 mi) Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack
- (0.72 mi) Ono Steak and Shrimp
- (0.68 mi) Hawaiian Island Cafe
- Attractions near Waimanalo Beach:
- (0.27 mi) Honolulu Polo Club
- (0.32 mi) Sherwood Beach
- (0.81 mi) Bellows Field Beach Park
- (0.32 mi) Makapuu Lighthouse
- (8.36 mi) ‪Diamond Head State Monument
Waimanalo Beach Information
Excellent Reviews | 538 |
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Very Good Reviews | 159 |
Waimanalo Beach Photos | 771 |