Oahu condos on East Oahu for a fabulous dream vacation!
April 7th, 2008
East Oahu ‘ away from the madding crowds. Oahu condos on east Oahu bring you the fabulous vacation of your dreams. Hanauma Bay — Oahu’s most popular snorkeling spot is this volcanic crater with a broken sea wall; its small, curved, 2,000-foot gold-sand beach is packed elbow-to-elbow with people year-round. The bay’s shallow shoreline water and abundant marine life are the main attractions, but this good-looking beach is also popular for sunbathing and people-watching. Serious divers shoot “the slot” (a passage through the reef) to gain Witch’s Brew, a turbulent cove, and then brave strong currents in 70-foot depths at the bay mouth to see coral gardens, turtles, and — that’s right — sharks. In 2004, a new $13 million Marine Education Center opened with exhibits and a 7-minute video orienting visitors on this marine life sanctuary. The 10,000-square-foot center includes a training room, gift shop, public restrooms, snack bar, and staging area for the motorized tram, which will take you down the steep road to the beach (tram fees are 50¢ down to the beach, $1 up from the beach to the parking lot, or $2 all-day rides up and down). Facilities include parking, restrooms, a pavilion, a grass volleyball court, lifeguards, barbecues, picnic tables, and food concessions. Alcohol is prohibited in the park; no smoking past the visitor center. Expect to pay $1 per vehicle to park and a $3 per person entrance fee (children 12 and under are free). If you’re driving, take Kalanianaole Highway to Koko Head Regional Park. Avoid the crowds by going early, about 8am, on a weekday morning; once the parking lot’s full, you’re out of luck. Or, take TheBus to escape the parking problem: The Hanauma Bay Shuttle runs from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay every half hour from 8:45am to 1pm; you can catch it at the Ala Moana Hotel, the Ilikai Hotel, or any city bus stop. It returns every hour from noon to 4:30pm. Hanauma Bay is closed on Tuesdays so the fish can have a day off.
Sandy Beach ‘ Check out Oahu condos on Sandy Beach, which is one of the best bodysurfing beaches on Oahu. It’s also one of the most dangerous. It’s better to just stand and watch the daredevils literally risk their necks at this 1,200-foot-long gold-sand beach that’s pounded by wild waves and haunted by a dangerous shore break and strong backwash. Weak swimmers and children should definitely stay out of the water here; Sandy Beach’s heroic lifeguards make more rescues in a year than those at any other beach on Oahu. Facilities include restrooms and parking. Go weekdays to avoid the crowds, weekends to catch the bodysurfers in action.
Makapuu Beach Park — Makapuu Beach, the most famous bodysurfing beach in Hawaii, is a beautiful 1,000-foot-long gold-sand beach cupped in the stark black Koolau cliffs on Oahu’s easternmost point. Even if you never venture into the water, it’s worth a visit just to enjoy the great natural beauty of this classic Hawaiian beach. You’ve probably already seen it in countless TV shows, from Hawaii Five-O to Magnum, P.I. In summer, the ocean here is as gentle as a Jacuzzi, and swimming and diving are perfect; come winter, however, Makapuu is hit with big, pounding waves that are ideal for expert bodysurfers, but too dangerous for regular swimmers.