Makapuu Beach Park — Attraction in Oʻahu

When Makapu’u is on, it’s no joke my favorite beach in the world. Having grown up in the Beach Cities of Southern California and having also lived in Hawaii, I have set foot on many a beach. Get to Makapu’u by noon at least, the gorgeous spit of sand is surrounded by mountains and when the sun slips behind them at 3-4 pm it can get chilly. The surf can get enormous here, and it’s very powerful. I prefer to hit Makapu’u on days when other beaches are having small surf, it hits a perfect medium for body surfers and body boarders alike. Soft, dune-like white sand, an old lighthouse perched upon the mountain, overlooking the shredding you’re about to do! Pro Tip: As the main surf break on the far left can become jam packed with locals, tourists, and everyone in between, I recommend hitting the far right, especially if you’re just looking to body surf or play in the waves....

The negatives: waves are VERY dangerous because they break HARD on the sand, or in very shallow water. Beautiful to look at them curl though. Locals call it "Break neck beach". These beaches are plagued with locals and expats with pitt bulls and a penchant for breaking into tourist vehicles . . . do NOT leave anything at all in view. My brother and his family had the misfortune of having a ton of stuff stolen, but fortunately the local police knew who it was, went to his house and recovered nearly everything.The positives: When you come around the corner from Honolulu and see it, you will lose your breath, literally, from the astounding tranquility and beauty before your eyes. Being from a very large city, we especially soaked in the absolute quiet and unheard of wonder of having our own beach. And . . . we left nothing in our vehicle, so we enjoyed it...

Makapu'u Beach, known to locals "Maks" is my favorite beach located on the Eastside of Oahu. Due to personal experiences, I would leave valuables either in the car or closer to the shore. On good days, the water is glassy and swimmable. Some days you can see people over head parasailing, which is cool. The left side of the beach is where the waves are a bit bigger and the current is stronger. If you are going to charge it, be sure to know what you're doing and wear some fins. This side is where the experts bodysurf and body board. Right side of the beach is a little bit calmer and the current isn't as strong. Maks is the perfect kind of water to jump into right after the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail.

Check out my Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail review. Thank you...