Wawamalu Beach Park

Located along the south-eastern shoreline of the island of Oahu, Wawamalu Beach Park is a park that has a mostly rocky beach with very few sandy parts.  This beach is named Wawamalu Beach.  The rocky portions of the beach in Wawamalu Beach Park are dark brown and black in color - these rocky parts are generally composed of lava.  The area around Wawamalu Beach Park has sand dunes - these sand dunes are sacred to locals as they are believed to contain iwi kupuna (which means “remains of ancestors” in Hawaiian). 

Wawamalu Beach Park does not have lifeguards or any other amenities except nearby grassy areas and bathrooms, so plan accordingly.  Dogs are allowed on the portions of the beach in Wawamalu Beach Park which lies below the high-tide line. 

Wawamalu Beach Park offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, picnicking, fishing, tidepooling, swimming, scuba diving, surfing, bodyboarding, snorkeling, kayaking, canoeing, boating, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, parasailing, and wakeboarding.  If you are planning to swim or surf water near this beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have dangerous rip currents, rogue waves, rocky bottom, and offshore rock formations - all these features make water activities hazardous here.  However, despite the hazardous conditions, surfers often visit this beach as the water here occasionally offers good surfing waves.  Nevertheless, if you are a beginner swimmer, we recommend foregoing water activities here.  Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Wawamalu Beach Park including migrating whales, Hawaiian green sea turtles, and Hawaiian monk seals - Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles are protected under a federal law named the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and harming them can result in a fine up to $25,000 and possible imprisonment.  The beach is ideal for those visitors who are looking for a quiet beach experience as it sees fewer visitors than most other Oahu beaches.  Wawamalu Beach Park is a great fishing spot.  However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Wawamalu Beach Park, we recommend following the local fishing regulations.  If you like tidepooling, you can explore Wawamalu Beach Park’s interesting tidepools during low tide - these tide pools are home to many kinds of wonderful creatures including snails, crabs, small fishes, and sea urchins.

Getting to Wawamalu Beach Park is easy - this park is located along Kalaniana’ole Highway (which is also known as Hawaii Route 72).  Multiple parking lots are also available near the park.

There are many attractions near Wawamalu Beach Park.  Koko Crater Botanical Garden is a 60-acre garden that is set within a volcanic tuff cone named Koko Crater.  This garden has been landscaped using xeriscaping concepts to make it an ideal place for plants requiring little water - the garden has hundreds of types of plant species including native Hawaiian plant varieties, African and Madagascan plants, cacti, succulents, bougainvillea, and plumeria.  Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is 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 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. Additionally, it has a theater and a gift shop.  Koko Head District Park is a large beautifully landscaped park that has many amenities including baseball fields, walking paths, playground, restrooms, picnic areas, benches, and tennis courts.  A hiking trail named Koko Railway Trail (also named Koko Crater Trail) is also present near the park - this uphill trail offers amazing views of the Oahu shoreline and the city of Honolulu.  If you are looking for another attraction near Wawamalu Beach Park, Hawaii Kai Golf Course is an 18-hole golf facility that offers a fun and challenging golfing session.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Wawamalu Beach Park.  Roy’s at Hawaii Kai is an upscale restaurant that offers excellent fusion gourmet dishes with Hawaiian culinary influences including seafood, steaks, lamb, and pastas.  Assaggio Hawaii offers amazing Italian dishes including pasta and chicken alla parmigiana.  The restaurant also serves amazing steaks, salads, seafood, veal, salads, and soups.  Greek Marina Restaurant is a waterfront restaurant that offers amazing Greek dishes for lunch and dinner including gyros, souvlaki, and moussaka, along with sandwiches, soups, salads, and fries.  The restaurant also offers Greek music.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Wawamalu Beach Park, Koa Pancake House offers amazing dishes for lunch and breakfast with Hawaiian culinary influences including burgers, sandwiches, waffles, French toasts, eggs, and loco moco.

If you are looking for a hotel near Wawamalu Beach Park, there are many great nearby options within a 35-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.  A more affordable hotel is the 4-Star Hilton Waikiki Beach which offers many amenities including a pool, a hot tub, two bars, a fitness center, and a contemporary restaurant that has floor-to-ceiling windows.  A more affordable hotel is Waimanalo Beach Cottages which offers many amenities including a garden with a barbecue area, coin-operated laundry facilities,  and nearby convenience stores.  In addition, the area around this hotel offers an amazing hiking experience.  A minimum five-night stay is required for staying at this hotel.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Wawamalu Beach Park, the 2-Star Hawaiian Monarch Hotel offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a pool with a sundeck and sun loungers, a gym, and a coin-operated laundry.