Makaha Beach Park Reviews

This is a great beach! not too many people, great for surfing, kite surfing, snorkeling, boogy boarding, and swimming. Also, at the very end of the road is the beginning of a GREAT hike to Ka' ena point. Ka'ena has a bird sanctuary at the end of it and Monk seals and great views all the way down

Everyone who has laid like a sardine on Waikiki Beach should take a trip to the Leeward Coast to see Oahu as the locals see and use it.

This beach is nothing short of spectacular. It is long, wide and except on week-ends it is virtually deserted. You can park right at the beach and then you have a 30 second walk to your towel.

The beach is great for surfing, boogie boarding, body surfing, bobbling and snorkelling.

Treat the locals and the beach with respect and you will not have any problems here despite what people like to say about the Leeward Coast being unfriendly towards tourists.

It is a bit more crowed on week-ends, but still nothing like Waikiki and on week-ends there are usually local food vendors and board rentals available.

If you are going to try to surf Makaha, make sure that you are not a rookie. In the winter months they hold surf competitions here so the waves can get quite large and they are tricky to handle.

Even in the winter though, the center of the beach is usually relatively calm and the lifeguards are always more than happy to tell you where you should go in if you are unsure.

We went to Makua Beach which is part of the Makaha Beach Park. Makua is amazing, seriously u have to check it out. We went on a Thursday, the beach is probably 1/2 mile long that curves, there was only one guy fishing from the rocks.
Beach is super clean, water was super clear even for Oahu! Some areas had small rocks under the water some areas all sand. It looks like a movie drop for King Kong or Jurassic Park. My fav on west side.
Don't get all freaked out by the semi rough area u drive thru.
Just don't be a jerk and u will be fine. Makua was 100% great.

The beach is no longer like the one I grew up on.
The sand has eroded a lot, so that there is not as much as compared to what I remember in my youth. Instead of a gradual slope to the water, there is now a drop.
Less people, though. During my youth, there used to be more people at this beach.

Golf Cart Action in Makaha 😂
We have so much fun doing what we do!!
Can you tell? 🤣 🔑🏠⛱️⛳
IG@the_aloha_realtor
Aloha🌺

Maybe I shouldnt review this beach so fewer people will go there. It's a hidden gem! It has beautiful soft sand but beware of ocean changes - it can be calm but then change to rough waters with a severe undertoe within 20 minutes. We saw someone being rescued. There are mountains to the right and to the left adding to the scenery. We had binoculars to whale watch - pretty awesome.

Beautiful beach with high quality sand... Lots of parking, and even on a weekend, it wasn't crowded by any means.... Beautiful views of the Makaha Valley behind.... Not very safe for swimming in moderate and above surf, however....

This is a nice longish sandy beach with a serious slope due to wave action. Quite an undertow. No services nearby, but about 2 miles from Waianae.

This is a great beach with lots of local presence. There are lifeguards and facilities not too far away. The parking is off street and the waves are moderate to small.

too close to the tent city just north of the beach, we would not have stopped at this beach if we had driven a little further before.

This beach is beautiful, especially when you're swimming in crystal blue waters and watch the mountains on the background. There are all the necessary facilities and It's never too crowded.

We stopped to watch the waves from the blue Pacific Ocean crashing in.

They were larger than normal, according to our friends.

On a good day the surf is up and surfing rules and then there were flat days and the snorkeling is ok.
I like this side of the Island...not so busy!

This beach is less crowded than most you will find on the island. In addition to great amount of sandy areas to lay out, there is enough waves for those who surf and for those who don't, simply swim out and you might find yourself swimming alongside some sea turtles.

We had an amazing time here! Would definitely return to this beach the next time we're back!

The water is chilly but the large green turtles love the cool water and they congregate underwater here on the reefs.

If snorkeling with huge green turtles excites you--this is the place to do it. Just make sure you mark the place where you are snorkeling with a boogie board or floating device. Many boats troll into the area and safely is a virtue.

Further off shore are underwater tunnels and caves. I don't dive but I understand it is an amazing adventure to dive this bay.

Compared to one of the Waikiki beaches, Makaha is secluded! While on Oahu, I had the pleasure of jogging to this beach daily and it absolutely looks like a piece of paradise!

Note to all readers: this is FAR from the hustle and bustle of Honolulu...if you're going to this beach, it's usually frequented by locals and surfers; after all, this is the beach that plays host to Buffalo's Big Board Surfing Classic every March. During the winter months (December - March), there can be some absolutely killer waves (15+ feet) that will totally sweep away the novice swimmer. Also, you're likely to see Sea Turtles around this area due to the lack of people.

Warning: because there's not a lot of tourists around here, take extreme caution with your car: lock all car doors and avoid bringing valuables to the beach. It's relatively safe, but because there isn't the crowds, it's much easier for a thief to break in and not be noticed.

Would I recommend this beach? YES.
Would I recommend that someone drive the 40+ mins from Waikiki to bring their famly here? NO.
Because....this is truly a raw beach: sand and waves. It doesn't feature the amenities of more populated ones and unless they're looing for exactly that, they're likely to be disappointed.

This was beach outside our Hawaiian princess condo. Beautiful beach, great snorkeling. This is on far West side of Oahu, but well worth the drive.

Makaha Beach is hard to find, but once you do it's beautiful. The beach is kinda steep, but you can get used to it.

One of our favorite beachside locations in Makaha. Beautiful views and sunsets...we spent several days and evenings during our 2 week vacation. Friendly people and not crowded, especially, during the week in September.

Excellent place to relax on the nice warm sand and to walk around and view the beautiful ocean. Lots of beautiful people on this beach with beautiful scenery.

My wife and I were in Oahu for nine days. We approached the selection of beach each day based on wanting to make sure we visited beaches on the North, West, East and South of Oahu. The well known beach on the Southern side is Waikiki. The well known beaches on the Eastern side are: Waimanalo, Kailua and Lanikai. The super well known beaches on the North Shore are: the Banzai Pipeline, Wiamea, and Sunset. The Western shore of Oahu is the "grittier" side of Oahu. The two well known beaches there are Makaha and Yokahama. Some reviewers warn you to "respect" the locals at these two beaches. When I told the desk clerk at our hotel that we were headed for Makaha, he grimaced and said to be careful and he also said to be sure to "respect" the locals at the beach. He said that that part of the island is the grittier part of the island. Enough said. My wife and I have never caused trouble on a trip and we were not about to start.

So we headed off for a day at Makaha beach and Yokohama beach, which is about as far as you can go on that road. We passed Ko Olina, where the Disney and Marriott properties are. We skipped them as we were more interested in getting a taste of Oahu, and not a a taste of Disney and Marriott.

Please note. When our GPS said we had arrived at Makaha, we had not. The same thing happened when we later went to Yokohama beach. Those were the only two times it happened. I do not know the reason for that.

We lucked out when we got to Makaka beach. There was a local surf competition underway. It is a moderately long beach. The surf was much bigger at the end of the beach near the food and shower facilities, and that is where the competition was. The surf was quite mild where we were. So Makaha is the first beach we saw that had two "levels" of surf, one suitable for competition, and one suitable for swimming.

We befriended a local couple who gave us information on Makaha beach and on finding Yokohama beach. Nice folks. Very willing to talk and give advice. Then we walked up to the area where the competition was occurring, and I asked a guy with a surfboard about the competition. He didn't stop talking for a long time. He moved from California to Oahu a decade ago, and stayed so he could surf. He told us that this was a competition that moves from beach to beach, and that the same surfers tend to show up at most of the competitions. He described how the competition divides the surfers into age groups, and talked about what it takes to get points. Great conversation!!!

There were more locals at this beach than any other beach we had been to on the island. That was what we were looking for. I never saw any potential for trouble. I would highly recommend that you go to Makaha, and get a feel for it.

Makaha beach and Yokohama bay are two very beautiful beaches to visit. But I think
people prefer to go places around the North Shore, the windward or Waikiki areas than to leeward side of places. I have no idea why about this but while I was driving
around Oahu, I can feel it. But I think there are many places worth to visit around
leeward side. Makaha beach has ample of beach area, don't even mention about the parking space. During the time I visited in July, the sea is very calm, good to swim.
But maybe I picked the wrong entre point for snorkeling , I did not find it is an interesting place to do snorkeling. By the way, it worth to drive one hour or more to visit.

Located at the west side of Oahu, dry and hot. Enjoy the beach with less people. Bus “C”express is faster than bus#40 because less stops.

A very beautiful quiet beach which is not too crowded. Nice waves for surfing and boogie boarding. The waves are close to the shore for surfing you just have to be mindful of the shore break. The are life guard stations and they are on duty during the day.

Really wide beach with lots of surfing activity. Beautiful area, like most of HI. Great facility with good parking, small restroom area, usually somebody selling great shaved ice here.

We spent the afternoon at Makaha Beach Park, as it was near where we were staying and it was our favourite beach to date. A mix of locals and tourists, quiet, clean, white sand and amazing waves. Many local surfers (who were entertaining to watch) catch the huge waves. The current was quite strong, so probably not the best for kids or poor swimmers (although there was a lifeguard on duty). Would definitely go back to this beach!

This beach did not disappoint - we caught a few nice sunsets on this beach when we were staying nearby. I’ve heard about cars being broken into so we didn’t leave anything in the car, we walked in with what we had. This beach wasn’t crowded during the week.

I would say it's a laid back atmosphere, surf and sand, no amenities, but that's not what you're looking for here. You should be an advanced swimmer if you decide to body surf or grab a board. A lot of people come from around the world just to surf here and the time of year and day makes the difference.

So glad we went off the tourist path and drove to the west side to visit this beach. There was a really cool family surfing contest going on at one side of the beach and the other side was so chill and relaxing. A lot less people than Waikiki, cleaner and much better waves. This really was a beautiful beach. We also had a great view of the sunset from this beach.

Makaha Beach Park is a guarded Beach with beautiful water. The water is clear and clean and the bay has some gentle sloping areas with a sandy bottom. There is also a well known outside surf break and some fun inside waves too! Great beach for boogie boarding! Lifeguards are there on the daily until 5pm.

After visiting almost all the other beaches on Oahu my wife and I decided to take the 40 minute drive up the West coast to visit Makaha. It's a lovely spot. More than enough beach to feel uncrowded. I found it interesting that the surfing (really nice 3-5ft sets) was only up at the north end (near the condos) and the rest of the water was very calm and easily swimable. We spent the day, had no problems with "locals" and stopped at a Japanese food store on the way back. I've heard that this area is changing..getting more upscale with prices going up. Too bad.

Lots of locals on weekend , during the week almost empty...
You can drive bit further and find few more beautiful beaches.
Great for swimming and snorkeling . Lot of fish and turtles around.

We love this beach, and if the waves are not too big, we swim in it daily. A highlight is the monk seals who sun bathe in the sand. Another is seeing the whales with their babies. It is a taste of the true Hawaii.

Makaha Beach Park is beautiful! We stayed very near Makaha for a week the last time we were in Hawaii. This beach has everything: snorkeling, surfing, swimming, and sea turtles! The beach was never crowded, and was in pristine condition. We drove all over Oahu on this trip, and usually felt like we should have just stayed on Makaha.

This has to be among the best beaches in Hawaii. Quiet surf in one area, a bit more waves for boarding in another and then some rolling surf at another end. Big wide beach with plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the sun, good parking available and even bus service that stops at the beach. Clean, fun and the best of Oahu.

While on our visit to O'ahu we drove the entire perimeter roadway around the island. On one late afternoon we drove up the coast from Kapolei to Makaha Beach Park to catch the sunset. The traffic is heavy much of the way up there at this time of day, but it is moving, however slowly.

We pulled off in a designated parking area about 6:00 for the 6:25 sunset. The beach is beautiful and we had many photo/video opportunities here. It's much less crowded than beaches on the North Shore, but the area is a little more run down.

The trip back toward Kapolei was much faster; the traffic was greatly diminished by that time.

If you're looking for a beautiful sunset, this is a good place.

This beach is great! Uncrowded and nice water with life guards. No sign of the homeless population that is often present at other leeward coast beaches.

Perhaps the best part of Oahu, the Beaches are unbelievably nice and the sunsets are even better. The Area is local and full of local flavor. The Homeless problem is under control and the crime is little or none
as it seems to be a different world than 10 years ago. The beaches are now full of church groups, sports activities and families enjoying the nicest beach parks in the islands. What used to be homeless shanty towns are now clean areas full of children and families enjoying the beaches & parks. Stop and enjoy the shrimp trucks and the Mexican restaurant in Waianae and ask for Sea Bass W. browned butter garlic, shrimp Fajitas or the best shrimp cocktail on the islands. Great place and well worth the drive. Yes, you can still see the effects of the past but it appears to be healing ENJOY

We were only able to spend an hour here one Saturday, but the beach is beautiful. It was overcast and not very crowded, but just a scattered assortment of families. The waves weren't too rough, and there seemed to be areas where they were even calmer. My older daughter tried to go out snorkeling, but since I couldn't go out with her, it didn't end up working out. The dropoff into deeper water occurred within a few feet of the break. She did see a few fish close in, and we marveled at being able to see our toes while in water up to our chins. There were quite a few people snorkeling about 25-50 yards out, and so I'm guessing there were interesting things out there. :)

If you have a car, you have to get up to Makaha Beach.. beautiful beach, incredible snorkeling.. but, be prepared to see the difficult part of paradise on the way.

Hawaii, like much of the U.S., struggles with homelessness, and much of the homeless have been pushed from Waikiki up northwest.. and on the way to Makaha, you will see hundreds of tents on beaches where displaced people are making their way.. not soo much the paradise you see on postcards.. however, get yourself to Makaha beach.. great surf if you're into that, and the snorkeling was wonderful. We were there in January and the waves are strong and break big and hard, so you have to be careful.. but, move towards a red bouy, swim out (it's a bit of a trek) and you will not be disappointed.. I counted sea turtles, beautiful coral.. much superior to the Hanauma experience..

BIG CAVEAT! Do not bring valuables.. the economy is difficult for many, particularly in this area, and this translates into a high chance of theft.. we travelled up, left our top down, nothing in the jeep.. keep a credit card, debit card, and driver's licence in my board shorts pocket.. leaving towel, sunscreen, cheep sunglasses, t-shirt and hat on the beach.. and had a great time!

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.

I used to surf here as a youth in the late 50s and early 60s. The beach looks the same but there are changes. The public restrooms have been relocated across the street and is not looked after as it once was when Richard "Buffalo" Keaulana lived above it and cared for it, the beach and lifeguard duties when the building was there on the beach, as I remember. I visited out of nostalgia and brought my family there to enjoy the beach, which they did.
My visits when I surfed in my youth, would always include the requisite greeting to "Buffalo" from my father, as they knew each other as friends. This visit was not the same as times have changed such as multi story buildings and houses and but the structure of the beach appears to remain the same.
They now have diving, both snorkel and scuba, at "caves" out where the reef begins. This is where I remember the big waves would form and break on those great surfing days when there would be the "perfect wave", ones of sufficient size and shape to shoot the curls, before the days of hot dog boards, which have probably been renamed today.
I still have a reel or two of some of the surfing I did there and can view them if I ever make the effort to find an 8mm film viewer and maybe make a DVD from it. Alas things do change.
The beach on a day without big surf is still as beautiful as I remember it, as not all trips out there was a good surfing day and we didn't have the surf reports as there is today. My wife, kids and granddaughter enjoyed the beach on our visit as we also went to the end of the road towards Ka'ena point where Yokohama Bay is, another place I surfed with much difficulty.

Open water soft golden sand and the cliffs of Oahu in the background. Easy access, and parking, and you are transported to most serine and beautiful beach. This is the epitome of Oahu. I highly recommend this state beach at any price which is zero. Thank you Pale for making paradise.

This is a nice beach park a little far from the Waikiki and Honolulu craziness. It is a good size beach, and literally had 30-40 people there. We didn't have anyone within 20 feet on either side of us!

There was great surf here, and a real local feel. We grabbed a few beverages, a cooler, and sat out here to watch the sunset. There is a great sunset because it is on the west side of the island. Only interesting thing is that it does involve some driving through very colorful areas of Oahu. However, it really does show you the local flavor!

This wide sandy beach is located quite a ways from Honolulu and that prevents a lot of the tourist traffic coming this far west. Parking is right off the side of the highway. Surf/Body Boarding is more confined to the northern end. This beach is lifeguarded. Well worth stopping by if you drive on out on the west side.

Mahaka Beach is great spot to hang out with locals. Soft sand with many surfers on the right side near the Makaha Shores condos. This is a great beach to body surf ! ! ! Life guards on duty

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki and the tourist traps to the East, the Makaha Beach Park is a gorgeous gem of a beach where local residents enjoy the sun by swimming and surfing away the day. Although it is popular, it never gets as busy as the more touristy beaches near Honolulu, and you can have as much or as little excitement as you want.

You have to be willing to make the trek out of Honolulu, but if you're interested in a gentler and quieter lifestyle, Makaha beach is for you and the drive is definitely worth it. You also get a majestic view of the Waianae mountains right from the beach. Look for places to stay out West and you can spend an extended period of time in paradise. Many people rent rooms or condos in the area, so it can be quite affordable.

this is a long beach with lots of sand and some shade trees further up the beach near the road. Some picnic tables too. Lots of room to spread out.

Can do some boogey boarding or surfing, but the surfline is close to some rocks. There is good snorkeling, if you are a pretty good swimmer, it is about 200 yards out. The lifeguard even took my daughter and friends out to turtle rock, where they saw 5 turtles.

We really enjoyed this beach. It is a big white sand beach with lots of room to play. The water is swimmable most days and is good for boogie boarding. There is a bathroom across the street with showers.

We stayed in this area, so we wanted to check out the nearby beach. This beach-park was really nice and well maintained. It does have a lifeguard on duty, but it was not recommended to swim on the day we were there, due to a high surf warning. There were several people surfing and were being monitored by a jet ski rescue person. The only negative I would say about the beach area, would have been that there seemed to be some garbage in various areas and no litter cans anywhere. I am sure that people would use them if they were available. We took any garbage we had, away with us.

Not to say this is not a gorgeous beach, by all means! However, as it is very long and wide, far from any arboretums, you will feel the full heat of the sun on your skin, unrelenting, unless you hide in the water. The water though becomes deep really fast and is may be unsafe for unexperienced swimmers. Come equipped with plenty of sun screen, a wide brimmed hat, maybe an umbrella too, and definitely some thick-soled flip-flops as the sand is burning hot from the sun, fine and deep, making each step a challenge.

Went to this beach on our July 2018 trip. The beach can get busy later in the day. Not much around so bring supplies. Life guards on the premise. Would visit beach again.

Heard about this beach through word of mouth, and on a weekend it was not crowded at all. Yes, surfers were there but they were to the left. I've read some mixed reviews about this place since you drive though a "sketchy" side of town and about car break ins. We parked next to the lifeguard station and didn't have a problem. I also wouldn't be afraid of the area, but I grew up outside of a city. We also didn't experience the locals as being rude either. Two of them actually directed us where to walk into the water and guided us out to the area called the turtle cleaning station. I've seen a lone turtle here and there throughout my diving experiences, but this place was the first time I have seen five turtles interacting with each other amazing! You know you've come to a good place when you see charter boats dropping tours off around you. You can see the buoys off the shore. Swimming back isn't going to be easy for weak swimmers due to the currents. Always know your limitations and have a buddy. Showers are near the lifeguards and bathrooms are across the street. And be careful in the parking area because there was broken glass scattered around. Terrible!

Nice beach on the Leeward side of Oahu. The sand was soft and the water was a beautiful shade of blue. Plenty of public parking along the street. Unlike most of the beaches along this stretch of Oahu, I didn't detect any homeless camps set up on the beach.

We enjoyed 2 days here. Boys liked boogie boarding, but the waves were crowded at the weekends. Great surf lifesavers, watched them take a small girl who looked like she sustained a serious cervical spine injury only yards from us in the surf. The local kids swim and surf with ease but don't be fooled, it is rough surf. Easy roadside parking. Very quiet on weekdays. Lots of people snorkelling beyond surf.

Beach was beautiful and sunny. If you are looking for waves you can enter one part of the beach, but if you would like to just walk into the water you can do that too. The reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is because the restrooms were not very clean and there were several homeless people living in and around them.

My wife and I stayed at a condo right near this beach park. The beaches at the condo and at the park are amazing. They are not terribly busy and the provide as much fun in the sun as you can handle. The beach is about 45 minutes from Honolulu if the traffic is good (ha!). The beach park has a lifeguard on duty.

Great sand, waves are stong but water is clear and great, terrific snorkelling. Friendly lifeguards. Womderful place to watch surfers and sunsets. Often see turtles and have seen whales offshorehere as well.

My husband and I were led to this beach by the Dolphin Excursions staff. We went on a weekday when there weren't a lot of people. It was our last day in Hawaii. The water was beautiful, the beach was clean and quiet. We stayed all day long and had no problems whatsoever. If you want a beach that is not as touristy and busy- make the trip up the Leeward side and enjoy this little beach. There are bathrooms and outside showers across the street-- make a day of it.

What another beautiful beach park in Hawaii to get magnificent photos. Enjoy the local people as well as tourists. This beach is stunning as is the water. A day at this beach is well worth your time way less crowded than Waikiki Beach.

Beautiful west facing beach. Great for sunsets, boogie boarding (if you are very good in the ocean), surfing on the north side.

Beautiful sandy beach that does not have all of the tourist traffic. There are areas of the beach that we felt like we had the place to ourselves.

This is a fairly large beach area, and is a local surfing area during the high surf season. During the summer months, this is an ideal place for snorkeling and scuba diving. You will see both snorkeling and diver boats about 200-250 yards off shores. This is a local beach, but for visitors who don’t want to take a tour boat to see the attractions, Makaha has easy access to the beach and water.
The two primary attractions for snorkers and divers at Makaha Beach are the ‘Turtle Cleaning Station’ and the ‘The cavern’. This is asnorkeler view of Makaha. To get to the ‘Turtle Station’ or ‘the Cavern’, you must be a real good swimmer and feel comfortable in deep water (20-30ft). Do not attempt if there are swells or heavy current. I went on a weekday (Friday afternoon), and there were less than 20 people on the beach, and maybe 6 or seven people in the water. I saw only one other snorkeler in the water. I wear a snorkel vest (bright yellow) which aid in floatation.
Location of the ‘Turtle cleaning Station’: From an overview map of Makaha Beach, you can see a large deep channel running out from the center of the beach to the ocean with flat lava reef on side. Looking out from the center lifeguard station, out about 150 yards to the left, there is a white buoy. Start out swimming to the white buoy marker from the life guard station. The first 50 yards from shore will be deep and sandy, then you will reach the lava reef, where the depth maybe around 15-20 feet deep. As you continue toward the buoy, you will reach the edge of the lava reef. Follow the edge of the reef on out for about 200 yds off shore. Continue to look for a large Mushroom dome (20 ft diameter) about 15-20 yds to the right of the edge of the reef. There you should see many turtles around this dome, being cleaned by fish. On this occasion, I saw two giant turtles, way over 6 feet in width, and several smaller turtles, which before I would have considered large (3 ft).
The ‘Cavern’ is located about 30-50 yds pass the ‘Turtle Station’.
On the way back in to the shore, a 3-ft turtle was seen just a few feet from the shore next to a swimmer.
Rinsing station and rest rooms are located across the street. There is a rinsing station next to the picnic table on the beach just behind the lifeguard station on the parking strip next to the highway.

Very nice during the day, a little sketchy at night due to the homeless issues. Parking is great, lots all over up and down the road. Great sand and surf depending on the time of year. Either dont bring valuables or stop on the way and put them in your trunk.

Quick review - not just with Makaha beach, the west coast of Oahu in general is fantastic for its sunsets. Many locals gather to watch the sun go down. The area is shantier which is the only drawback, but stay friendly, keep to yourself and witness the awe! I'll let the pictures do the talking!

If you found this review and/or pictures to be helpful, please indicate so I know where to focus my future efforts!

Spent an afternoon quietly enjoying the beach, we were un obtrusive and respectful, but obviously white and not Hawaiian.. sorry not super tan!! Sad to find a note on our car indicating Locals Only were welcome at this beach. Left a bad taste in my mouth. Didn't feel good about spending money on "their Island" or supporting their local economy. I also live in a tourist community and recognize the contribution and welcome visitors to my city- maybe anyone but Hawaiians now!

Great location to watch either sunrise or sunset. Gorgeous views either way! Bring towels and sunscreen!

Staying here for 5 nights in between north shore/east side adventures for our honeymoon.

2nd surf out at Makaha, local drops in on me, I accept out of respect and go to pull out. As I’m doin so, he cuts back and is coming right toward me. In fairness, I totally kooked it, should’ve gone straight and pin dropped. Instead, had to bail and our boards hit a bit.

I’ve surfed all over the world, and seen this type of thing happen time and time again. Where I’m from (south west Aus), this would at very worst result in a talking to. In any case, when I popped up, I had 2 massive Hawaiian dudes paddling for me. One of them smacked me hard in the face, the other told me to get the **** out, fast, all while I was sincerely apologising for an honest mistake.

Aloha, bros!

The beach was very different from other beaches. Especially Waikiki. Much quieter and less manacured. Just a few feet from where the water starts, there is a big drop, making harder to swim there. The waves there are bigger and better for surfing. Makaha beach is known for the surf competitions held there. If you want to go to a quiet beach, I would recommend this beach. However it doesn't have the same feel as Waikiki.

Awesome beach to watch surfers, snorkel or swim when conditions allow (often)...white soft sand, plenty of space and definitely uncrowded. Don't miss it! Support local businesses too - like Mountain Mike Shaved Ice.

We were here in the winter so was some big surf. Watched them ride some big waves here, Lots of great pictures too.

Like a lot of places in Hawaii, the view is what it’s all about.

Not crowded at all.

Quite serene. Killer sunsets.

Worth the drive up to see if you have time to kill.

Not a must see location though.

This beach is right off the main road, but with the waves, you wont even notice. Behind you are picturesque hills/mountains, and in front of you is the beach sandy teal beach. There is a life guard on duty, maybe not the best place to swim for little kids, but good for teens and older. From what I understand this is the warmer/dryer side of the island, blue sky, no rain, very warm! There were a few other small groups of people there, but all spaced out by 50ft or more. Nice beach, would definitely come here again. Great for floating on the waves :)

Oh, there were two different parking areas, the one that was further north was on the rockier/surfing area, and the one further south was the sandy beach area. There was a public bathroom across the road from the North parking lot, but it's pretty gross. Just don't touch anything.

Check the surge conditions before you go to save on disappointment. This place is about an hour from Waikiki by car to the North West.

We went to go scuba diving mid Feb, but the surf was definitely up so scratch that idea. The waves were pounding in prohibiting snorkel or scuba activities from shore. You might have better luck on a calmer day or on a boat charter. If you need a scuba spot try Electric Beach 15 miles south of here.

This place is actually home of the Big Board Classic. We went thru that day and it was a complete Gong Show. It's definitely a locals beach.

There were full facilities, as well as a lifeguard. Nice secluded beach.

Don't miss the cave about 3 miles north of here at kaneana if you're in the area. Why not? You've come this far anyway.

Thanks for reading and if you found something in here useful , please click helpful below. Godspeed!

This is a nice beach for swimming, sunbathing and picnicing. At the north end is great for surfing, or just watching the surfers. Very few people on the beachduring the week.

This is an area of locals and a lot of them do not take kindly to other races being there. Lots of homeless and people living in tents, tons of trash. If you can find a quiet place to stop to take a few pictures, great, but have a lookout to watch your back.

Wonderful beach with scenic views. Soft sand. Great for snorkeling, but make sure you do it on a day when the waves aren’t too strong.

It was our last day on Oahu and a big storm system was coming in. We decided we would drive west in search of some sun. We stopped for a bit at Electric beach, which was nice, but we decided to go further. We found Makaha beach and spent the rest of the day there. Lots of parking, as well as showers, restrooms and two lifeguards. There are a few resorts and vacation rentals overlooking the beach. On the far right side there is a surf break and you can easily watch the surfers catching some waves. Long expanse of soft white sand, clear green water and steep shorebreak. It was fairly calm so people were able to swim, but there are rip current warnings posted. We saw sea turtles and a massive whale breach. Fairly exposed but there are a few trees and picnic tables closer to the road. No homeless encampments, if you are worried about that. Highly recommend if you want to escape the crowds of Waikiki.

This beach is the cradle of young surfers (9-18 years old)....What a magnificent spectacle, sunset and beach. We have been several times.

Nice beach with showers & bathrooms right across the street along with snow ice & quesadillas that are amazing. Great area to snorkel at. We saw lots of sea turtles. We also saw whales jumping in the morning which was amazing. Great spot to watch sunset too.

This beach was amazing and not very crowded. I was happy they had a life guard station there; the current was strong and the waves got pretty big. Great place to watch body boarding!

I liked the easy access. Lifeguards are happy to give info. Toilets across the street and not much traffic. The water gets deep pretty quick so you really need to be comfortable swimming in deeper water.

Watch for surfers on the right side. If snorkeling you can just stay near the beach but if you head out past and to the right of the surfers in front the the white apartment building and brown hose you will see lots of fishes. Many schools of smaller fish. Better to snorkel in the morning and tradewinds pick up during the afternoon and it can get too rough.

The 100 Hawaiian experience! Beautiful sand, turquoise water, palm trees and the stunning mountains in the back. The only cons is lack of infrastructure: no showers nor toilets.

I was heading to Yokohama beach then came cross this wonderful beach which offers both good waves for suffers and flat area for kids. I can not wait to take my two daughters there next time.

Stopped here after doing a hike in the area. Lots of beaches along this stretch of the highway, but this one was large and not very busy - just a handful of people/groups spread out down the long sandy beach, most either surfing or watching the surfers. Water was a bit choppy, but in spots was calm enough to swim. Very relaxed vibe here, more locals than we saw other places.

We stopped here for a short time and watched surfers while we ate breakfast on the beach. It is lovely and the local people are very friendly.

I love the people of Hawai'i, more so the small community of Wai'anae where you'll find Makaha Beach Park. The area is considered to have one of the highest concentration of native Hawaiians in the world, it is also a bedroom community, with most battling traffic in the morning and evening to and from work in Honolulu five days a week. Suffice to say when it comes to play, they play hard. You'll get a knucklehead every now and then that makes the place look bad, so travel safe and keep all valuables out of your car.

If you want to experience a legendary surf spot and beautiful beach, you'll be at the beginning of the road. Snorkeling should best be saved for Makua or Keawaula Bay (Yokohama Bay) 10 minutes away.

Beautiful crystal clear water, beautiful sand, water was the perfect temp. It was march so the waves were great for surfing, tough for floating around, but I was able to take quick dips between sets and hubs (an avid swimmer) had fun in the push/pull of the waves. Flawless sunsets too! Bathrooms and shower available. Was the most amazing beach we experienced on Oahu. Not great for little kids to play in the water in the winter.

This beach is absolutely wonderful. We stayed at the Makaha Bamboo Plantation in December of 2014 and found this to be one of the best beaches on the Island. Sometimes the undercurrents were strong, but as long as you respect the ocean and watch the little ones, you should be fine. Lifeguards on duty also. Beautiful, sandy beach with wonderful waves to play in! Just a note: Bathrooms/changing rooms are pretty awful, so wear shoes in that area!

Growing up Makaha was synonymous with surfing and big waves. While we were here there was surfing but the waves were not that big. But it was nice to be able to say yes I have been to Makaha and watched the surfing. Good photo ops and I can imagine if the waves were bigger how much better they would be.

We stumbled on Mākaha beach by accident while exploring the west side of the island.
There was plenty of parking and the beach was very quiet, not crowded at all like Waikiki, Kailua or Lanikai.
I believe there is a toilet and shower block over the road however we didn't use these facilities and there were a few small vendors selling basic refreshments.
Not a snorkelling beach but great to just pull out the beach chairs, put the umbrella up (not any shade otherwise) and have a paddle.
As some of the previous reviews have mentioned, the trip there certainly isn't pretty at times - groups of tents on the side of the road, rubbish, cars that people are living in, bars on shop windows.... the beach is certainly the light at the end of the tunnel and well worth the trip if you want some space and peace!

Close parking, life guards, awesome sand!!! not like rocky beaches of waikiki which are over rated and overcrowded. Keep yer senses about you as the ocean is, well, the ocean. Dangerous conditions can exist so pay attention to the signage and to the life guards. This applies to EVERYWHERE in Hawaii....majority of our problems here are people thinking warning signs don't mean them! WRONG ANSWER!!

But come, enjoy Makaha, REAL Hawaii!

This was our third trip to Oahu, to celebrate our 10th anniversary and renew our vows. We opted to rent lodging via VRBO and reent a car for the two weeks. We stayed in a place on Makaha beach. The beach was lively with mostly locals, and a great place for surfing, SUP, boogie boarding, and snorkeling ( a lot of fish at the right time ). This is certainly not a location to stay for touring as it adds 30 minutes to your drive. The locals will party until 1 AM or later, playing loud music and setting off fireworks (not on a holiday). I recommend the location for day visit for active ocean fun, but not location to stay. There is a good shave ice joint a mile away. If you have a DoD ID you can eat at the Beach House restaurant at the Army Recenter called Pililau, which is a fantastic spot with good food and music on weekends.

Very mellow beach. Warm waters on soft sand. watched the sunset almost every night we were in Hawaii.

Every beach park on Oahu is lovely and well maintained ... but this is special because it is quiet, somewhat isolated and you really get the feeling of aloha! The wonderful thing about the parks in the Hawaiian Islands is that the locals really use them ... it is not unusual for long tables for luaus to be set up early in the morning ... with families celebrating throughout the day. It is a beautiful place and I highly recommend it!

We stopped at Makaha Beach on the way back from Kaena Point. Makaha Beach is a lovely, long and wide beach on the west coast of Oahu. We saw quite a large number of local people enjoying the beach, and when we visited (at the end of September) the waves were pretty huge and beautiful. There was a big contingent of shuffle board surfers enjoying the waves. Parking is next to the highway curb, but parking space was available. This was a nice stop to spend a little time strolling on the beach.

A nice beach along the West coast away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki. You will find many local surfers and swimmers. Does not seem to interesting for snorkeling.

This place is the original surfing spot in Oahu. It has remained the same for years, and the community wanted it that way. Parking is right to the highway, restroom is somewhat clean, place is somewhat safe. Be careful, don't be flashy, take care of the aina and aloha everyone.

We were lucky to find a portion of the beach not many people were on. Went several different times and each time was the same. Not a lot of people , plenty of room to stretch out and the beautiful ocean view

We just love this beach, we have been coming here for the last few years. Hire a car and travel to different spots, it amazing what you find. Clear water, plenty of turtles and fish for snorkelling. Large non packed beaches. Just beautiful.

This is an awesome beach for surfing or boogie boarding. WE stayed right there at Makaha Shores and would watch the surfers who were there from first thing at the morning until sunset. If you surf, or even just want to watch surfers, 5 stars.

Facilities wise, there's toilets with a changing area and a shower across the street, in line with most beach parks. Not much else, no BBQ's or picnic tables. There are some trees at the edge of the beach, but limited shade.

I marked it down for 2 main reasons:
- the breakers hitting the beach can be quite fierce along with the swell. It's not a good beach for swimming and although bigger kids will love the waves, little kids will require supervision.
- it's a locals beach. Invariably most days as 'da boyz' have finished their sets, they'll retire to the back of their pickup truck and blast their music for everyone else to hear. I've been sitting 100 feet away with my earphones in and on full volume and still had to get up and move.

Overall I still think you have to see it, but beware my 2 caveats.

I lived in Hawaii in the early 70's - (token haole boy) used to camp out at Makaha, dive off the shelf for puka shells - punched em, strung em, & sold em in Waikiki - At the time, there were only about 5 of us doing this - myself, (Skip) Dave White, Dave Graham, Bob Schmidt, Russell Ouimet, & don't forget our best bud, local Ernie Udo! We used to camp under the trees for days at a time, and I went back in the winter of 2011, for the first time in 37 years, to find it's EXACTLY the same! When I eventually move back, that's the paradise I'm going for! Only two places that are paradise - (Lake Tahoe in the summer / West shore (the best shore!) of Oahu)

Hardly a soul in sight, sunsets to yourself, and world class right hand point breaks roll by unridden all day.

Husband and I are staying in Waikiki and wanted to get away from it all for the day. This is a beautiful, quiet beach with mild current and gorgeous views. As it is August, there are no waves suitable for surfing of any kind. The sand is hot, hot, hot! We should have brought our aqua shoes! No amenities or lifeguard at this secluded beach so BYO food, drink and shelter if you want. Overall a great beach experience.

LOCATION - This beach park was literally down the road from where we were staying so it was very convenient. It is on the side of a fairly busy road/highway, so it can get a little hectic trying to turn in/out of the parking lot. There are some fast food restaurants nearby as well as gas stations, 7/11 and a local supermarket isn't too far down the road.

ATMOSPHERE - This beach was very busy on the weekends. Families come down with their tents/canopy/umbrellas and set up for the day, so the good spots fill up pretty quickly. During the week it is a little less busy, and there is more parking available. I would say this beach is appropriate for families with young or older kids and couples/groups of adults. There are restrooms for public use as well.

TIPS - Arrive early on weekends for good parking and spots on the beach. Bring an umbrella/tent there is no shade on the beach area, but there is in the grassy park area.

Compared to other side of island this place was quiet. It was easy to park and you could choose freely where to have your picnic. Water was clear and beach was clean. You could find anything you need from here to spend a nice relaxed day at the beach.

My dad took me here while I was visiting them….I didn’t get to go into the water because the coral? Was right by the shore and the waves were strong… the next day we went to eat at the Army Recreational facility down the road and they had a wonderful beach…wish he’d taken me there instead but by then I was out of time

Beautiful beach that however does not allow easy bathing because of the strong waves and currents... too bad! Moreover, the area in which it is located is certainly the most exclusive on the island and is quite degraded with homeless tent cities not far away.

Near enough to Honolulu, but far enough away to de stress if that is what you are looking for. Nice little town with just enough of the touristy things to participate in.

Relative to the beaches we had visited on Oahu's east, north and south sides, we found Makaha to be dirty and unpleasant by comparison. Yes -- pop cans and cigarette butts and even broken glass in the sand. Plus several extinguished camp fires. I will probably come back for the snorkelling, but I'd leave the kids at home. The current can be pretty strong. Also, the beach's restrooms/change rooms across the street are pretty gross and sketchy. Heck, I'm not even sure if this particular beach had a sign, because we sure couldn't find one. Also, lots of road construction in the area. Unless you have a particular agenda such as surf or snorkel, I'd give this beach a pass.

We stayed a week at Makaha Valley Towers. This beach is right down the road. It was always pleasant, quiets and not busy at all. If you snorkel you could swim out and snorkel right off the beach. Spinner dolphins would sometimes be out there and also there was a turtle "cleaning station" where the turns were and the fish can in to eat off of them. We saw a sea lion that was on the beach sunning herself while we were there.
If I was in Waikiki and had a car I would choose to drive to this beach for the day just for the peace and quiet.

You will need a car to get here but once you arrive, it is pure quiet and clean crystal looking waters beach. Recommended for a relaxation day or for a family outing and enjoy together. Usually you only see locals here.

Be sure you like local people and pidgen. Smile a lot and don't get roudy with the local folks. Bring lots of sun screen.. Enjoy the beach but don't get burnt. Be sure to try a Cadilac dog from Tony and tell him sharpy said hi.

Aloha;

Tommy

This beach is the best in the west ! Beeee careful of currents
If posted. Great place to snorkel, swim, watch surfers or just kick back & relax under an umbrella !!

We stayed at the condos right off of Makaha beach. We enjoyed watching the surfers everyday. From our condo we saw dolphins and turtles. We toured the entire island and ended up snorkeling at several beaches and had the most amazing experience right here.

Huge schools of every fish kind, an eagle ray over 10 encounters with sea turtles. See picture below. I surpassed my expectations and it was on a great beach. The beach was never crowded and a great spot that locals would go to. Even though parts of the water had bigger waves you could still snorkel very far out and be safe. Wasn't 100% clear but very clear, depends on the waves.

If you want to see sea turtles this is the place to go!!!

Shower on the beach and restrooms across the road.

We happened upon this beach after being unable to find parking at the lagoons in Ko Olina. There was ample parking and the beach and water looked beautiful. We set up shop and enjoyed the view. When we ventured in to the water to snorkel, we didn't find a lot of fish, but we did find a sea turtle drifting along the shoreline. That turtle made a half dozen passes over the course of the afternoon we spent here. It might have been time of year or just odd weather patterns, but this was also the warmest water temperature we found. I'd definitely recommend a visit.

My wife and I enjoyed this beach on a few different days for our honeymoon. It's a gorgeous beach with boogey board type waves, great sand, warm water and life guards there as well. Some of the locals are not fond of 'tourist' or outsiders enjoying 'their' beach. You can get some unfriendly stares and a little bit of lip . Going on weekends forget about it! Locals go to beach for entire weekend! During weekdays this beach is a gem, hardly anyone there, quiet, and for most part friendly. We enjoyed beach a lot just some of locals can be rough around edges :)

The west shore offer some really nice beaches that are less frequented but might not have restrooms or showers. This beach is pretty with white sand but there are rocks so step carefully. The surf was nice the day we went but could be bad if the winds are stronger. Also as always on the west side never leave valuables in your car or on the beach, crime is always worse on this side of the island.

...off the beaten path! It's 200% worth the extended drive & a possibility of getting stuck in traffic. From Waikiki, it took us about an hour and a half to get there. The beach is very local, much cleaner and larger than Waikiki, and you can spearfish there!!! It was so fun! After about an hour of swimming around with a local friend, I only managed to catch lots of water. Clearly, need to practice more!! (Never venture out alone: they do have friendly tiger sharks in the vicinity who may say aloha to a lone swimmer.) Also dolphins. and coral fish. And turtles!!!! While we didn't see any dolphins, we saw a big turtle hanging out by underwater rocks! AWESOME.

It is a long drive from anywhere to get to this beach. It is beautiful along that leeward shore but also very run down and not very pleasant to visit. If you need to get away from it all and bring your own picnic I'm sure you would have a lovely day. Beware- there are many squatter villages and homeless people there.

Beautiful beach, never crowded. Usually surfers when the surf is up. I have seen stingrays in the surf.

What a great beach. Not very crowded and excellent for boogie boarding. Tons of marine wildlife around.

Not crowded and wonderful snorkeling surfing. Mountains behind you as you enjoy the surf. Lifeguards are super friendly but be careful of strong current

Beautiful waves and sunsets at this uncrowded beach in Makaha. Some undertow so you need to be careful. Enjoy the Buffalo Bill surfing competition held here.

We have lived here for a year and a half and have finally made it here, I would recommend this to anyone who wants some nice fine sand and a great place to spend the afternoon!

We swam with sea turtles and dolphins for free. Awesome beach very clear water and lots of active reef systems. We swam with a pod of about 30 dolphins for several minutes and watched fish cleaning 6 turtles.

Be sure to rent a car on Oahu. If not, you'll be stuck in Waikiki with all the tourists. In the summer things can get pretty soupy down there. We spent an afternoon up on the West Side after hitting the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet in the morning. A stop at Foodland in Kapolei for beer, water, and snacks, and we were all set for a day away from the other tourists. The water was heavenly. We floated for hours, sunned on the non-crowded sand, and even spent time chatting with the bus driver who drives the country express. She says it's her favorite route on the island, because it's so beautiful. BTW, Makaha generally has bigger waves in the winter, but you never know until you get up there. There is a surf report you can call (ask your concierge), if you are looking for flat swimming water, like we were.

This is the perfect spot to relax and watch the waves. Wow!!!!!
The ocean is just wonderful and clean.
And everyday we got the chance to swim with a sea turtle! Amazing!!!!

Nice vibe in the line up. Was crowded but surfers were mellow. Excellent place to surf and Waianae is a great town to base as it is off the tourist trail and has great local places to eat and good breaks.

Loved the clear, gorgeous, calm water and all the sea turtles we found! We even got to see some star fish and octopus. We went on the Dolphin Excursion tour and it was incredible!

Lovely beach but like all of the Leeward Shore beaches, you have to be very careful of the undertow and high waves. But nice, clean and oh so beautiful views.

Great sand, sunset, canoe club, big, roomy, clean, cool wave break over rock ledge at shore. Park by Lifeguards...

Makaha Beach is wide and sandy with great snorkeling (including lots of sea turtles), a wave break that's surfable year-round, lots of room/peace & quiet, beautiful water, and two lifeguard shacks. Leeward locals are friendly if you are friendly to them. Snooty Oahu suburbanites and tourists who think that Hawaii = Waikiki just don't get out there. We've been there dozens of time. Everyone we've introduced to Makaha Beach has thanked us profusely. Oahu gets much drier the further west you go along the Leeward Coast, so during many of those days with intermittent rain in Honolulu are sunny in Makaha. For day-long vegetating with a beach chair and umbrella -- with occasional dips in the shoreline waves or snorkeling forays -- it can't be beat.

What you should know:

-- There's lots of roadside parking, but the sand can be deep. So front-wheel drive cars should be backed in.
-- The wide beach and sunny conditions can make for sand that might be hotter than you'd expect if you are a seasoned barefooter.
-- The middle of the beach is where to play in the waves because it's sandy underwater (no coral or urchins) and the currents are milder.
-- Summer waves are relatively calm, but there are days in winter when waves and/or currents are much stronger. The lifeguards will give you the skinny, but they leave at 5.
-- For an extended stay, we recommend the Makaha Valley Towers condos. The complex is a mile up the valley from the beach. Fabulous views, a comfortably heated pool and excellent security. Units are easy to find on the web. Inga's Realty manages several.
-- At most of the world's rural parks -- beach and otherwise -- locals commonly gather after dark. Time for everyone else to be gone.

This is a beautiful beach on the west side of Oahu (or what I call the less touristy side). Oh what a find to have a beach virtually to ourselves on the weekdays. Much better than other places where you are fighting for space on the sand. I would caution against getting in the water in the wintertime unless you are a decent swimmer.

We parked it on the beach and watched the youth surfing competition. It was a fabulous beach with local food vendors on site!

Take a nice slow drive down the west side is Oahu. The beaches here are way less crowded but not any less beautiful! Nice sand and waves for boogie boards. Keep on going to the end of the road and then head back. A nice place to stop on the way.

Beautiful beach! Great snorkeling or if just want to play in the ocean. High recommend for any age. Make sure to bring shade as not much provided.

We love the quiet, less crowded west side of Oahu for many reasons but swimming in the ocean here is our favorite memory of a great vacation. You don't have to go out on a expensive dive trip to see fish, just put on a mask and swim out! The surfing is decent at times so bring your board. Don't worry about the sketchy looking locals who frequent the beach, they are harmless and the neighbors are very friendly. Can't wait to go back.

My favorite beach to hang and do some snorkeling. Fine in the middle of the day but I wouldn't go to the area at night.

Uncrowded beach and clean white sand. Be careful of the waves and current though, not good for very young children. Beautiful sunsets!

Large, sandy beach with rolling waves and soft sand. Left side is the swimming beach and right side is the popular and famous surfing beach. Go here to snorkel in the deep, clear water or get some sun and watch the surfers. You can also lay on this beach at night and get a great view of the stars.

The locals are interesting...they liked me and my friend because we're friendly and we cleaned up our trash

Located @45 minutes west of Honolulu by car, this quiet beach is stunning and relaxing. We went on a weekday in late April, a time of the year when the water along this coast gets calmer. The sea was blissfully inviting the day we visited. The sand here is a soft powder and the sea bottom is sandy as well. There is no shade here, so bring your own. There were no facilities here, so be aware. Bring a cooler with snacks and drinks and enjoy a great quiet beach day along this seldomly visited coastline of western Oahu.

We went to this beach twice during our stay. Both times we were able to park under a big tree and have some shade to escape the sun! The first trip, the water was very nice and the waves were not too big, but there were some on the other side from us where people were surfing. Great place to grill, take the dogs out to the beach. The second trip, the waves were HUGE. You could barely get in the water without getting knocked over. This made hanging out in the water tough, but to body surf and boogie board was awesome!!

I appreciated that the beach was right off of our back patio. The beach was clean, quiet, and just a ll around amazing.

One of my favorite beaches on Oahu. My partner and I have done quite a few shore dives at Makaha. There's usually an abundance of sea turtles in the area. We've seen the turtles in the water, rather than the beach. Out in the water a bit, there's a turtle cleaning station. Boat tours come here to allow their snorkelers the chance to watch the turtles get cleaned. If you scuba, you can shore dive this location and see the magic up close and personal. Whether you scuba or snorkel, here's always and abundance of sea life to see, like eels, cornet fish, wrasse, file fish, etc. Depending on the waves, this is a surf spot, as well. There's ample parking, trees for shade, rinse off stations, and bathroom across the street. People are friendly. There's lots of space to hang out on the beach. Friendly advice: Bring your own wipes/toilet paper, as this is Oahu, be thankful there is a bathroom! Also, watch out for scorpions- I've found one in the bathroom stall before. If someone asks you for cigarettes or a dollar, be kind and share. We never had a problem with our car or our stuff.

Mostly I think I like this beach because it is at the end of my street, but really the lifeguards are great and snorkeling always leads to seeing beautiful sea turtles.

Beautiful beach with crystal clear water. Not crowded on a Saturday. Hot hot, burn your feet sand. Good parking. No picnic tables. Lifeguard on duty. Shower to rinse off. Good experience, except burned feet.

This beach did not disappoint. A note about the location - I was convinced in my head that this beach was at the end of Makaha Valley Rd so I almost went to that beach park there, but it was the WRONG one - that beach park may be cute/nice but it was not Makaha Beach Park. We drove north and accidentally found the right one and were SO thrilled. It is at the "end" of Kili road, which leads to Makaha Valley Plantation and Makaha Valley Tower complex so easy to get to if you're staying there. West side of Oahu is not as touristy as the city or the north shore. We saw and heard warning signs everywhere to be careful of theft and not to leave valuables in cars or be negligent with our things. I was "worried" about this the whole time, but we didn't experience any theft personally. Makaha Beach Park was 5-star worthy...beautiful sand, gentle waves (in early Mar). If you want to snorkel, go to the area between the two lifeguard towers and swim straight out. You'll find a reef/rocky area there and can see a lot of fish. Hubby saw two sea turtles and a manta ray while snorkeling as well. It was a great beach for kids with so few people to compete for space with, and relatively gentle water for them to splash around in. Be cautious of strong currents - while we didn't experience these ourselves in early March, I read in other reviews that this can be an issue at some times of year.

This beach is about an hour's drive from Honolulu, but it is well worth the trip. The water is so clear you can see the ocean floor, the waves are respectable but not overwhelming, and the sand is all natural. They have a bathroom (located across the road) and showers. The view is awesome! Mountain on one side of the road, ocean on the other. We liked it so much that we went twice during our one week stay in Honolulu.

This place has a lot of potential. It has been a popular surf area in Hawaii back in the 80s but seems neglected by the government. As downtown Waikiki is getting all the budget, this place is left behind. Nevertheless it still is a great place to visit. Non-crowded and ample parking. Locals are nice, just be careful with valuables.

Beautiful beach with mountainous backdrop. The sand was very soft, waves were mild. We visited on the last weekend of April and it wasnt crowded at all. Very friendly locals out there swimming, surfing and boogie boarding. Overall an amazing beach, quiet, the scenery was amazing. Great beach for swimming even for the kids. Not crowded and plenty of room to spread out. Highly recommended.

If you're looking for a quiet beach with beautiful views and crystal clear water, this is it. On a Saturday afternoon there couldn't have been more than 20 people there. One was walking in with SCUBA gear.

great for surfing. Has public bathrooms. Has life guards.
Bring a meal and make a day out of it. Wonderful sunsets

When it rains on the rest of Oahu or when it is too windy on the Windward side of the island, Makaha will be dry and balmy. This is our favourite beach with Waimanalo and Bellows. The sand is golden and the sea is clean. In winter the waves can be very dangerous and swimming impossible--look up the beach conditions on the website to avoid disappointment. Parking facilities, showers and toilets. Never gets very crowded on week days. Very few tourists.

The beach was nice and there is a good section over towards the point where you can surf or boogie board but I found the constant strong current to be a bit hard as it constantly drew you down the beach.

also has a lot of homeless People camping on the beach. This coast is populated mostly by Hawaians and a lot of houses are old, not taken care of, and generally run down. Derelict cars on every street. There is only one street in and one street out of the west side. If you want to visit the rest of the Island you are guaranteed a 1 hour drive at Minimum. I would not recommend this part of Oahu to families. If you are looking for a bargain accomodation this is your place, just bring a tent.

Having stayed in Makaha, this beach was the closest & most convenient to get to. It was also beautiful & quiet with a good mixture of surf for the kids to play in and calmer parts to wade/swim. There were surfers on the North end and snorkelers farther out. A Life guard was on duty when we were there. Being on the West side, should be great for sunsets but we only managed to catch one.

Crystal clear water, yellow sand, no currents/rips, no throngs of tourists, a nice beginner to intermediate-friendly wave for surfers (on the day I was there) on the northern end of the beach, ample parking where your car is in view. This beach gets a big tick from me on many levels. For families with youngens, the water gets deep quickly, so supervision is a must. No food within walking distance so pack a lunch or buy it on the road on the way.

Best surfing and sun bathing beach on the Waianae Coast. Many surf contests and professional surfers hail from Makaha.

Beautiful beach with great waves for surfing a little farther our or just jumping in on the shore. Clean and clear water we even saw a turtle sunning on the beach!

As a Haole I have never been 'warned' about local places but 'advised.' That is, if you extend some gratitude toward locals for their grace in sharing their island this usually makes things nicer. This is the aloha spirit and it has to come first from the Haole. Usually, a Haole who shares this gratitude is accepted graciously, but if it goes differently just continue to be friendly but apart.

This place is great. If you’re looking to snorkel, there are fish everywhere and it won’t be very hard to find sea turtles swimming around underwater. If you’re into surfing, there are waves on the right side of the beach, just make sure not to go too far to the rocks. If you just want to go swimming, it gets deep really quickly and the current is fairly strong. Finally, there is a shave ice wagon nearby and the guy behind the counter is really nice, but hard to understand. Don’t recommend going to the bathrooms, they look very unsanitary and it doesn’t look like they are cleaned.

We never thought we find a beach as beautiful as this and be the only ones there to enjoy it. Well worth the drive to the North Shore from Waikiki. It offered amazing views, sand and very clean. Polo Beach was a amazing find.

We spent a whole day here at Makaha, after finding it just by driving by while on vacation.

This beach had THE best waves for bodyboarding and surfing intermediates, no dangerous shore breaks like other beaches in the area.

If you want a nice relaxing day on a not so crowded beach and if you have children even better, this is the place!

I've been to Hawaii on the West Coast twice now (2years in a row) and that beach is simply the best. Not many know if you stayed there until late, you can actually watch the sun set and its just a beautiful sight. Long stretch of white sandy beach where you can watch locals surfing all day, swim in the clear water and just get you're tan on. There is are 2 showers located on each end of the beach plus toilet facilites across the road. The locals are friendly with lifeguards operating until 5pm. Highly recommend.

This was the best Beach on the west side. Lots of Waves, good parking, not many People so you dont go in a crowd, long Beach, We loved it!

Quiet, secluded, friendly, cool residents "locals". Beautiful sandy beach, calm water, yet anyone could go further down and surf! Don't just stay in Waikiki, yes visit the North Shore, but definitely make the trip to Makaha! We have live in O'ahu for years now, love it!!! The west side offers many amenities from whale watching to snorkeling! Suneset Beach, awesome seafood,Tacos and More makes a great margarita, of course North Shore Cholos is the best Mexican food on this island. And Makaha also has a 18 hole golf course with a club house for breakfast and lunch. I have to say nothing beats Makaha Shores (One step onto a sandy beach, 20 to the ocean!!!) Life is good!!! Also Mountains behind us - great for hiking! Totallying relaxing and safe (use common sense). The West Side: "Flip Flops, relax, no worries.

This is great if you're swimming and tanning mostly. If you're trying to get out of the sun, bring an umbrella or pop up tent because it's very hot here.

I love Makaha for a feeling of non-tourist Hawaii. Watching the locals carve up the waves is a thing of beauty. It is a world class surfing beach with good snokelng also. The strand is wide white and uncrowded with full facilities including lifeguards. They need to be there, as the current is very strong.

Great beach with awesome mountains right next to it. Also the west side of Oahu is definitely the driest so if it rains everywhere else on the island - this is your best bet! The current is quite strong so beware.

Lots of warm, white sand. Few tourists, a few trees near the road. The only problem was the bathrooms were across the highway. We gladly moved our spots on the beach so a local kids canoe club could come straight down the beach to the water.

Still the same. Not easy to park when you use google maps. Other beaches are easier. Dont mess with the locals. A bad place to get caught solo.

Awesome soft sand, clear blue waters and awesome waves. Great for boogie boarding and surfing. Beach was beautiful!

This is a popular surf beach for the EXPERIENCED surfer. Wide and sandy and uncrowded.

Waters are tough for swimming with a shore break (make sure kids have lifevests or floatation devices as the undertow can be very strong) We saw turtles swimming in the waves just off shore and whales further out. Combination of reef and sand. Stunning sunset!

One of the highlights of our trip! The view will take your breath away! The homeless beach campers did make us a little uneasy.

The beach next to Makaha Shores condos is amazing! In the center is a great sand channel for swimming and on either side it's a drop right after a few feet and you're in amazing coral reefs! Wear reef safe sunscreen and keep this place pristine ❤️ I saw puffer, octopus, turtle, and all the other reef fish you'd expect. Wonderful way to spend a morning.

We checked out a number of beaches and this one was by far the best. It had great views, people were snorkeling, and it wasn’t overpopulated. Very nice and clean.

Most people who come to Oahu never get this far west of Honolulu but it's worth the drive and the traffic. There is a larger homeless population out this way but they don't bother you if you don't bother them. Come out and watch the sunsets over the ocean, stop along the way and grab yourself a "plate lunch" to enjoy.

Happened to find this beautiful, peaceful beach while driving around the island. What a find!!!!!! It was uncrowded but most of all it was absolutely gorgeous. The water was clear and being that it was not filled with hundreds of people, we could actually lie on it and enjoy it's beauty. We felt like we were on a deserted island. If you should be lucky enough to find this place, don't forget to bring sunscreen and water. You will be tempted to stay the whole day and you will be glad you did. I would definitely recommend this beach. It doesn't get better than this!

Nice beach, nice view of the water, through the week it is a nice quiet beach to visit, on weekends it gets a little cray.

Great beach, like it's not crowded; well known for its high waves and surfing. Not for families with small children.

Cool! We had fun watching the surfing. Pulled up at the side of the road and just watched from the car for a while. We could've gone down to the beach but didn't...

We live close by and this is our beach of choice on the Leeward side. Lifeguards are awesome, saved my brother's life one day. RESPECT the ocean at all times but esp here. Never turn your back to it! Gorgeous views, lots of local talented surfers!

We stayed in Hawaii for just over 2 months and this was our "Go To" beach. We really enjoyed the fact that it has the course sand which was great as I have come to think that it's the powdery sand that usually has the sand fleas/lice which result in lots of bites :-( This beach had none of that so I was happy to spend time there. We walked there almost every day. We were there from mid January to end of March and for the most part the waves that crashed on the shores were big and pulled you into the water (saw a few people falling from the waves). We also had days where the small waves (1-3ft) made it a pleasure to walk into the water and float about. I took a noodle and was very happy with it. There was a turtle swimming in the water each time we were there. We also saw whales jumping and spouting in the distance. Some people were snorkeling and swam quite far out while others had taken a tour to be dropped off at the same spot but I think they continued to other spots as well. There are lots of surfers/boogie boarders to watch. We saw little kids as young as 4 splashing about on the shores. Active Life guards are also there. We like the less crowds so this was perfect for us, we will return :-)

You really get almost to see both sides of the Hawaii story here. On the one hand you have an amazing beach, fantastic surfing (experienced surfers) and great snorkeling, on the other you have to share the north end with Hawaii;s homeless. It really opens your eyes to the other side of living in paradise

I want to write a review about the Makaha Valley area. When planning our trip to that location I couldn’t find any current 2020-2021 information. Most everything I read said it was not a good area to vacation for first time Oahu visitors. I also had visions of having to run a gauntlet of homeless people just to get to the beach.

We stayed at Makaha Valley plantation for two weeks. We traveled all over the island from that location. We planned our trips according to traffic and the longest it took us to get from Honolulu to Makaha was one hour 15 minutes during the busiest time of the day.

I was very thankful that we had stayed on the dry side of the island. While we were there they had torrential rains throughout the Hawaiian islands and the North Shore area while more scenic, was flooded.

All the locals treated us very well. The exception was one drunk boy hitting the side of our van with his fist. He was angry with his girlfriend. That took place on a Friday evening at Makaha Beach as we were leaving.

There were several great dining options. We really loved the Countryside Café for breakfast and lunch. For a nice dinner experience Beach House 604 was great. We were told that #1 Chinese BBQ was excellent but didn’t get by there to try their food.

I would recommend the Makaha area to anyone looking for a quiet alternative to Honolulu.

I set my 86 year old aunt in a lawn chair on the grass while me nieces and I strolled the beach! The girls and I had a lovely time! We arrived to find my aunt also enjoying herself! There was a birthday party going on for a senior gentleman and were playing all the old time music, which my aunt thoroughly enjoyed! One of the birthday boys grandsons came over and chatted with her for awhile which I thought was so nice! Very nice people!

I would travel a bit further down.....there are many beaches for surfing and a nice little beach in Makaha between the Hawaiin Princess and the shorter towers next door....

If you swim about 150-200 yards out on the north side of the reef, you'll most likely run into the turtle cleaning station. Beware that it IS a fair swim and if you run out of steam while you're out there, the swim back will be extremely difficult as you'll be swimming against the current. But oh so worth it.

Not many tourists. Plenty of turtles; when we snorkelles, we saw some moray eels. We even had a sea lion visitng the beach.

This is one of few beaches where one can fish from beach in Oahu.

It is located in the Makaha valley and the air is dry thus not too hot.