Makapu’u Beach

on Jan 10 in Slider by David

Makapu’u Beach is one of our favorite places to go and relax, unwind, watch the surf, and just be so glad you are in Hawaii. It is one of those places on Oahu that is enchanting. It is enchanting to look at, it is enchanting to be at. Hollywood could do no better than what God put together here.

I will be purposely shorter on words this time, because the pictures tell the story of Makapu’u a thousand times better than my words ever could.

Makapu’u is almost magical. It lies on the east side of the island of Oahu, only about 20 minutes east of Honolulu (only about 10 minutes from our home). As you stand on Makapu’u Beach, to your back is the towering lush green Koolau Mountains. Immediately behind you is Sea Life Park, right at the feet of the Koolau Mountains. These mountains are unreal. They tower practically straight up from sea levelto over 4,000 feet… and are covered with lush green vegetation. Oftentimes you will find them shrouded with newly birthed clouds that send a constant small drizzle down the sides.

Much of the area on the more northern part of the beach is not so much beach, but black lava rock. It makes a beautiful contrast with the different hues of blue in the sea, mixed with the almost always blue sky right above. We often count seven or eight different blue colors standing right there on the shore. Its unreal.

Just slightly south of the lava rock shoreline is the beautiful sanded beach, a perfect crescent shaped inlet towards the mountains. The waves get quite large here year round, so you will always see surfers and boogie boarders giving it the ‘whatfor’. Directly above the surfers you will find almost as frequently those who surf the wind. Parasailers here have a constant wind supply and updrafts coming from the tradewinds meeting the towering Koolau Mountains.

Just south of the beach juts out a large cliff, and if you will look closely you will see the Makapu’u Lighthouse. It really wraps up the whole beautiful scenery thing here… kind of like a cherry on top of the ice cream sundae. The lighthouse just ‘fits’ real nicely in the middle of all of this.

When the day comes that you head to Hawaii and you spend time on Oahu, Makapu’u Beach is a must-see. Its not crowded with tourists at all. Its mostly locals either fishing, surfing, parasailing or just enjoying life.