Polo Beach

Located in the town of Mokuleia, Polo Beach is a large and popular beach with light brown sand, many nearby ironwood trees, and a gently sloping incline in northwest Oahu.  This beach is not to be confused with another nearby beach named Makaleha Beach Park - Makaleha Beach Park is often confused with Polo Beach as both these beaches have the same access path. 

Polo Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so please plan accordingly. 

Polo Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, picnicking, wildlife watching, swimming, snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, water-skiing, and boating.  The clear water near Polo Beach usually has manageable waves, which makes it ideal for less-experienced swimmers.  Depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near Polo Beach including sea turtles, migrating whales between December and May, and Hawaiian monk seals.

If you are planning to swim or engage in any other water activity near Polo Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have dangerous currents and strong waves, particularly during the winter season between November and March.  The rocky shoreline around the beach can also cause injuries.  Polo Beach is ideal for visitors looking for a quieter beach experience because this beach sees fewer visitors as compared to other Oahu beaches.  The eastern part of Polo Beach is often used by clothing-optional visitors.  If you are planning a clothing-optional visit to Polo Beach, we recommend being careful because public indecency is punishable by local authorities.  In addition, local residents have also complained about acts of public indecency in Polo Beach in recent years.   Polo Beach is also popular for its LGBTQ-friendly ambiance, and is frequently visited by members of the gay community - LGBTQ members also often use the eastern part of Polo Beach for clothing-optional visits.  If you are planning to fish near Polo Beach, please ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations which can be found on the website of the Division of Aquatic Resources (which is a part of the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources).

Getting to Polo Beach is easy - the access path to the beach is located along Hawaii Route 930 (which is a part of a larger highway named Farrington Highway).  The access path for Polo Beach is located directly across the street from the entrance to a ranch called Dillingham Ranch.  There are very small free dirt parking lots near the start of the access trail to Polo Beach.  Once you park at these lots, you can then walk along this narrow access path which opens up to the western end of Polo Beach.

As an interesting fact, you can also see horses while walking along the access path to Polo Beach.  We recommend wearing footwear while visiting Polo Beach as this beach can have a large amount of debris, sharp twigs, and small sharp pebbles.

There are many attractions near Polo Beach.  Waialua Sugar Mill is a former sugar mill that was in operation between 1865 and 1996 - the mill’s current premises have been converted into an old marketplace that offers a few small shops and restaurants.  The mill also hosts a farmers’ market on Saturdays.  Kaena Point Trail - also called Kaʻena Point Trail - is a hiking trail that has a two-and-a-half-mile section near Polo Beach.  This trail passes through a coastal plain that has nearby reefs and sand dunes and it leads visitors to Ka'ena Point Natural Area Reserve, where you can see many kinds of birds - some of the birds seasonally nest in the reserve and you can also see many native plant varieties here.  In addition, you can also see migrating whales in the water near this reserve between December and May.  If you are looking for another attraction near Polo Beach, Mokuleia Forest Reserve is a reserve that protects a vibrant piece of coastal Oahu landscape - multiple hiking and biking trails pass through this reserve also offer many kinds of activities including camping, hunting, hiking, biking, and wildlife watching.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Polo Beach.  Haleiwa Joe’s is an upscale restaurant that also has a koi pond and a tropical garden.  This restaurant also offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Ko’olau mountain range.  This restaurant is primarily known for serving amazing seafood and steaks. Maya’s Tapas & Wine offers a variety of excellent tapas-style dishes including empanadas, burrata, and seafood.  In addition, it also offers excellent Spanish and Mediterranean-style dishes for lunch and dinner including salads, soups, flatbread, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, lamb, and poultry dishes.  The Smoking Boar & The Coconut offers amazing dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including poke, pupu platters, salads, barbecued meats, crepes, and bagels.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Polo Beach, Cafe Haleiwa offers excellent dishes for breakfast and lunch including pancakes, waffles, eggs, Mexican dishes, seafood, and sandwiches.

If you are looking for a hotel near Polo Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 40-minute drive.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star Turtle Bay Resort offers many amenities including a spa, two pools (including one with a waterslide), two golf courses, seven restaurants and bars, and two hot tubs.  The hotel also offers many other amenities for a resort fee including access to a fitness center, multiple tennis courts, and snorkeling gear loaner facility.  A more affordable hotel is The Inn At Schofield which offers many amenities including barbecue grills, laundry facilities, a deli, a convenience store, and tropical landscaped gardens.  Ke Iki Beach Bungalows is another moderately priced hotel that offers accommodation in beautiful oceanfront cottages.  This hotel offers many amenities including grills, hammocks, picnic areas, showers, a meditation area, gardens, and a nearby biking path.  If you are looking for another good and affordable accommodation option near Polo Beach, Camp Mokule’ia is an Episcopal camp and retreat center which offers accommodation in campsites, cabins, and lodges and it also has many amenities including a pool, a chapel, and campfire sites.  The campground also has a zipline and a ropes course and it also organizes many fun programs and activities including kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, and art & crafts sessions.