Kuliouou Beach Park(Kuliouou Mouth)

Located near the residential community of Hawaii Kai, Kuliouou Beach Park - also known as Kuli’ou’ou Beach Park - is a popular recreational park with a long and narrow beach with light brown sand and many nearby palm trees. This beach is known as Kuliouou Beach and Kuli’ou’ou Beach. Kuliouou Beach Park’s name means “sounding knee” in Hawaiian - this name is likely interpreted as a reference to piniu, which is a small Hawaiian drum that is tied to the knee and is used during local hula ceremonies. 

Although Kuliouou Beach Park does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including restrooms, picnic tables, a grassy area, showers, and a basketball field. Leashed dogs are allowed in portions of the beach in Kuliouou Beach Park below the high tide line. 

Kuliouou Beach Park offers many fun activities, including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, picnicking, fishing, basketball, swimming, surfing, paddleboarding, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and surf-skiing. The water near Kuliouou Beach is shallow and fairly calm, making it ideal for beginner swimmers, paddleboarders, and canoers. However, if you are planning to swim in the water near Kuliouou Beach Park, we recommend being careful as the water is known to be extremely murky and it also has unpredictable rip currents - the primary reason behind the water’s murkiness here is a nearby sediment-rich stream which flows into the Pacific Ocean near this beach. The water near Kuliouou Beach Park also has reefs, which make aquatic recreational activities difficult here. Despite the calm nature of the water near Kuliouou Beach Park, surfers launch their surfboards from this park to paddle to locally famous surf spots situated on the outer edge of the reefs - these surf spots include Manatan’s (which is also known as Turtles) and Tunas. Kuliouou Beach Park is popular among local fishermen as it is a great fishing spot and you can catch lots of fish and mussels here. If you plan to fish in the water near Kuliouou Beach Park, we recommend following the local fishing regulations. Kuliouou Beach offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of a nearby lagoon named Paiko Lagoon, a volcanic crater named Koko Head, the Kuliouou Ridge, the Pacific Ocean, and the rugged south-eastern Oahu shoreline, especially during sunsets. 

Kuliouou Beach Park hosts an annual fun festival named the Midsummer Festival- this festival is organized by The Scandinavian Club of Hawaii. This festival sees many fun events being held in the park, including traditional Swedish maypole dances and traditional Scandinavian music. You can visit The Scandinavian Club of Hawaii website for more information regarding the festival’s timings and rules

Getting to Kuliouou Beach Park is easy - the park is located near 100 Bay Street, and there’s a parking lot near this park. We recommend visiting this beach early during weekends as it can get crowded quickly during this time. 

There are many attractions near Kuliouou Beach Park. Kuli’ou’ou Ridge Trail is a steep trail offering a challenging yet fun hiking experience. This trail also provides a unique insight into Oahu’s vibrant landscape and biodiversity and it also offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Hawaiian shoreline. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is 15 minutes away by car and set in a bay named Hanauma Bay - this bay is an extremely popular snorkeling spot and you can view many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including sea turtles, octopus, migrating whales, and more than 400 kinds of fish including reef triggerfish (which is also the state fish of Hawaii), eels, and yellowfin goatfish. Hanauma Bay also has a beach named Hanauma Bay Beach that offers amazing Instagram-worthy photos of the Hawaiian shoreline and the Pacific Ocean and it also has a Marine Education Center which offers interesting exhibits on the local biodiversity, and it also has a theater and a gift shop. If you are looking for another attraction near Kuliouou Beach Park, Lanai Lookout is a popular observation area that offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and the south-eastern Oahu shoreline.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Kuliouou Beach Park. Hoku’s At The Kahala is an upscale restaurant that offers a variety of amazing gourmet Hawaiian-inspired dishes. This restaurant has been awarded a four-diamond rating from the AAA and it has also been awarded Wine Spectator Magazine’s Award of Excellence and Honolulu Magazine’s Hale ‘Aina Award’s Silver Prize for the most romantic restaurant in 2019.  Gyotaku Japanese Restaurant - Niu Valley offers outstanding Japanese dishes (including a variety of dishes including tempura, Japanese curry, and sushi. The restaurant also serves fantastic Hawaiian dishes, salads, and steaks. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Kuliouou Beach Park, Pieology Pizzeria AinaHaina offers amazing pizzas.

If you are looking for a hotel near Kuliouou Beach Park, there are many great nearby options within a 20-minute drive. The 5-Star Kahala Hotel & Resort offers many amenities including complimentary surfing and paddleboarding lessons, a complimentary local shuttle service, bike and beach towel rental facilities, five restaurants, a fitness center, a spa, and a private lagoon that has dolphins. Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort which offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a bar, a spa, a pool, and a 24/7 fitness center. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Ala Moana Honolulu by Mantra offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a cafe, a nightclub, a pool with a sundeck, a gym, a steam room, and a sauna.  Aloha Guest House is another moderately priced bed-and-breakfast that offers many amenities including complimentary breakfast and multiple common lanais (meaning verandas in Hawaiian) - the hotel’s lanais offer amazing ocean and forest views. This bed-and-breakfast is also set within a five-acre splendid organic fruit farm. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Kuliouou Beach Park, the 2-Star Waikiki Grand Hotel offers many amenities including a restaurant, a nightclub, grocery delivery service (available for a fee), a pool, and a sundeck.