Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park(Mauna Lahilahi Beach)

Located to the north of the town of Waianae on the island of Oahu, Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park – also called Mauna Lahilahi Beach – is a beach with light brown sand, some rocky parts, a nearby reef, clear blue water, and a few nearby vacation rental condominiums in northwest Oahu. 

Although Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic areas, and nearby grassy areas.  Dogs on leash are allowed in portions of the beach that are below the high tide line. 

Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park offers many fun activities including sunbathing, surfing, bodysurfing, beachcombing, fishing, picnicking, paddleboarding, jet-skiing, water-skiing, wakeboarding, boating, swimming, surf-skiing, kayaking, canoeing, and wildlife watching. 

The southern portion of this beach has three coves – one of these coves is protected from rough waves by a nearby artificial rock wall.  This cove offers the best swimming conditions here because it has calm water.  If you are an expert swimmer, you can also swim in another part of this beach – this part is located near the intersection between Farrington Highway and Makaha Valley Road.  Water activities are considerably more difficult near other parts of this beach because of the nearby reef.  In addition, the water here also has dangerous rip currents and hazardous waves.

If you like taking pictures and beautiful views, Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park offers excellent Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and the western Oahu shoreline.

Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park does not offer wheelchair access to visitors with disabilities.

Getting to Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park is easy – this beach is located along Hawaii Route 93 (which is a part of Farrington Highway), near its intersection with Makaha Valley Road.  You can park in the free parking lot at a nearby convenience store and then you can easily walk to the beach.  In addition, there are also a few free street parking spaces near the beach.  Please note that Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park can occasionally get noisy because it is near an active highway.  It is also important to note that this beach also has kiawe trees – these trees have sharp thorns that can occasionally fall on the ground and cause injuries to visitors.

Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park received its name because of a nearby 230-feet tall mountain named Mauna Lahilahi – this mountain’s name means “thin mountain” in the Hawaiian language.  This mountain also has interesting Native Hawaiian cultural sites including remnants of a Hawaiian temple, shrines, and petroglyph carvings on rocks.  In addition – according to Native Hawaiian legends – a Hawaiian god named Ai’ai also used to fish near Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park.

There are many attractions near Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park within a 20-minute-drive.  Mt. Kaala Trail is a long, strenuous, and considerably unsafe hiking trail that will lead you to the peak of Mt. Kaala, which is one of the highest mountain peaks in Oahu.  Mt. Kaala’s peak offers amazing views of Oahu during clear weather.  Kaena Point Trail–also called Kaʻena Point Trail – is a hiking trail that passes through a coastal plain and this trail leads visitors to Ka'ena Point Natural Area Reserve, where you can see many kinds of migratory and resident birds – you can also see many native plant varieties here.  Pililaau Community Park is a recreational park which has many amenities including a playground, picnic areas, baseball fields, tennis courts, a skating rink, benches, and basketball courts.  Kaneana Cave is an interesting natural cave that is 450 feet deep and 150,000 years old.  This cave has been carved through erosion by the Pacific Ocean’s waves – in addition, this cave is a prominent part of Hawaiian mythology and it was believed by the Ancient Hawaiians to be the site where mankind was born.  If you are looking for another attraction near the beach, Makaha Valley Country Club is a club which has a beautiful 18-hole golf course.  This course was designed by William F. Bell and it offers a fun golfing session.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants near Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park.  Coquito’s Latin Cuisine offers many amazing Latin American-inspired dishes including Argentinian steak, mofongo, and Cuban dishes.  The Beach House by 604 is a waterfront restaurant that offers fusion cuisine with mainland American and local Hawaiian culinary influences including seafood, pastas, pizza, pork dishes, burgers, and sandwiches.  Aloha Poke is known for serving amazing poke, along with a variety of other dishes including rice bowls, fries, stew, and seafood.  Golden House Chinese Cuisine serves excellent Asian-style dishes including gau gee, wonton, noodles, Asian-style seafood, and chow fun.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Barbecue Kai offers delicious sandwiches, burgers, lunch platters, steaks, poultry dishes, pork dishes, Asian dishes, and seafood.     

If you are looking for a hotel near Mauna Lahilahi Beach Park, there are many great nearby options within a 35-minute drive.  The 5-Star Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a private beach area, a fitness center, kids’ clubs, and a spa.  The hotel also offers many fun activities including yoga classes and watersports.  The 4.5-Star Aulani – also called Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa – is another upscale hotel that offers many amenities including multiple pools, a spa, and 10 bars and restaurants – the hotel also offers kids’ entertainment performances, movie nights, and pool parties and breakfasts with Disney characters including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy.  Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star Embassy Suites by Hilton Oahu Kapolei that offers many amenities including a hot tub, a pool with a sun deck, and a casual poolside bar/lounge, a gym, a restaurant,  complimentary breakfast, and evening drinks.  A more affordable hotel is the Hawaiian Princess at Makaha which offers many amenities including barbecues, a hot tub, a recreation room, tennis courts, and an outdoor pool.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-Star Residence Inn by Marriott Oahu Kapolei is a 20-minute-drive away and offers many amenities including a restaurant, a convenience store, a pool, and a barbecue area.