Kaupo Beach Park

Located in the small town of Waimanalo, Kaupo Beach Park has a long, narrow, and rocky beige-colored sand beach situated in front of the Sea Life Park Hawaii.  Kaupo in Hawaiian means ‘night landing’ and the park was named after a fishing village making it a great fising spot.  Kaupo Beach Park is also known as Baby Makapu’u, Kumu Cove, and Cockroach Bay – and is popular among surfers, divers, and snorkelers. The beach at Kaupo Beach Park is onshore from two small islands – Rabbit Island and Kaohika’ipu which are seabird sanctuaries and you must have a permit to visit here. 

Although Kaupo Beach Park does not have lifeguards, the beach offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and tide pools. 

There are many fun activities at Poka’i Bay Beach Park including surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, tidepooling, picnicking, and beach walking.  If you are looking for additional activities, you can walk 10 minutes south to Makai Research Pier – an awesome destination for photography.  Please note that Kaupo Beach Park remains open from 7 am to 7 pm on all days.

Getting to Poka’i Bay Beach Park is very easy – the beach’s free parking lot is located at 85 Bayview Street and provides easy access to the beach.

If you are looking for attractions near Kaupo Beach Park, you can drive 40 minutes to Makua Kea’au Forest Reserve - it is an awesome spot for hunting, hiking, and is home to many plants, birds, and animals including Ohia, Koa, feral pigs, and feral goats. Stars Above Hawaii features star shows using giant computerized telescopes and camera telescopes.  In addition, Stars Above Hawaii also offers bonus activities including dolphin excursions, paddleboarding, and surfing - and has an online bookstore featuring star and Hawaiian-themed products.  If you like surfing, The Dream Ride Hawaii is a surfing school that provides surfing lessons to both beginners and advanced surfers.  Another great attraction near Kaupo Beach Park is the Tropic Lightning Museum, a historical museum in the small town of Schofield Barracks that collects, preserves, and exhibits the artifacts related to the history of the town, the 25th Infantry Division, and Wheeler Army Airfield.

If you get hungry, you can drive 15 minutes to many restaurants near Kaupo Beach Park. The Korean restaurant Spoon Korean Kitchen has a nice menu including bulgogi, japchae, bibimbap, hoeddeok, and kimchi. If you like Thai food, Bangkok Chef serves Pad Thai noodles, satay, and curries along with drinks and ice cream.  The Puerto Rican restaurant Titahz Cocina offers mofongo, tripleta, quesitos, lechon asado, and pina coladas.  Another good restaurant near Kaupo Beach Park is Ewa Pointe Chinese Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant featuring orange chicken, beef with broccoli, Kung Pao chicken, Peking duck, spring rolls, noodles, dim sums, and soups.

If you are looking for a hotel near Kaupo Beach Park, you can drive 35 minutes to the upscale 4-Star hotel Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club that offers a poolside bar, spa, sauna, gym, a steak and seafood restaurant, and three pools. Embassy Suites by Hilton Oahu Kapolei is a nice 4-Star hotel featuring a pool, poolside bar, lounge, restaurant, and gym. The 3-Star Residence Inn by Marriott Oahu Kapolei welcomes pets and has a pool, bar, and restaurant. If you are looking for a budget-friendly hotel near Kaupo Beach Park, Pacific Marina Inn is a nice 2-star hotel with a pool, lounge, and Chinese restaurant.