Ke Waena Beach access - Pipeline south in Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii

Hale'iwa Beach Park

Haleiwa, Oahu

On the easternmost edge of Hale'iwa town, off of Kamehameha Highway, you will find this great multi-purpose beach park. The view is stunningly Hawaiian, with Hale'iwa Harbor and breakwaters in the foreground, expansive Waialua Bay stretching out towards the panoramic Waianae Mountain Range, and Kaena Point in the distance. Part green space and part sandy beach, this park is a popular destination for water sports with rental vendors for surfboards and kayaks located right on the beach front. A naturally sheltered waterfront offers favorable conditions for swimming and stand-up paddling. A children's playground, shaded picnic areas, ample parking, and sheltered beach make this park a convenient family spot.

AT A GLANCE:
HIGHLIGHTS: Easily accessible, numerous water sports and activity possibilities. Stunning views and convenient location with restaurants and shops in the vicinity make this beach unique to the North Shore.
ACTIVITIES: Swimming, snorkeling, stand-up paddling, and longboard surfing including surf schools.
LIFEGUARD: NO.
WARNINGS!: There are rocks and reef at various points throughout the bay. Parts of the oceanfront pavilions are damaged along the seawall so be careful.
AMENITIES: Restrooms, showers, picnic benches, basketball courts, ball fields, children's playground, and easy ample parking.

This beach is placed perfectly, with Hale'iwa Harbor break wall and the rocky point on the right protecting the waters from the high surf. It is the safer, more protected ocean access of the two Hale'iwa parks. The sand is not as light as at the other North Shore beaches due to the addition into the mix of sediments from the nearby river mouth. Sometimes river runoff makes the water conditions too cloudy for snorkeling. The main water activities here are board-related, with both stand-up paddling and long surfboard rentals available from several vendors on the beach. Uncle Bryan, a longtime local, sets up next to the prominent war memorial statue. He and his employees are certified lifeguards and the unofficial ambassadors here at the beach. Ask them for helpful information to keep you safe.

The green space of the park is set back from the beach, wedging between the road and the oceanfront. There are picnic benches and a children's playground, as well as a ball field and basketball courts. The close proximity of both Hale'iwa town and the Kamehameha Highway make this a good starting point, stop-over, or an end point on a day's adventure on the North Shore.

Adventure tip:
Driving north from here, traffic conditions become more congested on a two-lane roadway, and there is much less shopping. For food supplies and other shopping you may want to take the short drive to Hale'iwa by taking a right turn out of the park and following the roadway through town to the stores.

Ocean safety Hale'iwa beach link:
http://oceansafety.ancl.hawaii.edu/v/2.0/?bch=haleiwa&shid=1&i=oahu

Closest town: Hale'iwa
Directions:
From the north: Drive west on Kamehameha Highway/route 83 West and follow signs for "Hale'iwa" as get to a right-turn lane and merge onto an extension of Kamehameha Highway. Look for Hale'iwa Beach Park on your right.

From the south: Driving route 99 merge onto Kamehameha Highway/ route 83 East looking for a brown sign saying " Historic Hale'iwa Town" at the traffic light for a small cross extension of Kamehameha Highway turn left. Proceed 100 yards and look for the parks parking area on you right.

Haleiwa Ali'i Beach Park

Haleiwa, Oahu

A hub of activity for beach lovers in Haleiwa town, this park is spacious, covering 19 acres of land along the ocean and adjacent to the Haleiwa Boat Harbor. This beach has is a great panorama of breaking surf in the foreground, and a view of the the Waianae Mountain Range and Kaena Point in the distance. Portions of this park where used for the popular television series "Baywatch: Hawaii" and you can see why, as it truly is picture perfect.

AT A GLANCE:
HIGHLIGHTS: Easily accessible, and variety of beach activities, seasonal surf, great views.
ACTIVITIES: Swimming, snorkeling, surfing, boogie-boarding, stand-up paddling and picnicking.
LIFEGUARD: YES 9 am to 5:30 pm.
WARNINGS!: Lifeguards recommend that visitors check in with them, as currents can be present even on calm-looking days. Orange flags are posted when unstable conditions are present.
AMENITIES: Public restrooms, showers, picnic tables, ample shaded areas, spacious parking. Close to Haleiwa town center, with many shops and restaurants in the area.

This beach is the westernmost lifeguarded beach of the North Shore region of Oahu. While many North Shore beaches are very rugged, without many amenities, this beach is full of possibilities for comfort. The park is sprawling and filled with large monkeypod trees for shade, some with picnic tables under them. The beach itself is just off the parking area near the lifeguard tower, and it looks out at beautiful Waialua bay. Stand-up paddlers, surfers, Hawaiian outrigger canoes, and other types of boating can be observed on most days, making this site very entertaining, a great vantage-point for people-watching, with a great mix of local residents and visitors utilizing the area.

A central two-story building houses the "John K. Kalili Haleiwa Surf Center" which provides local children from all over Oahu with the opportunity to practice and learn surfing. The second story of the building was the base of operations during the filming of the t.v. series "Baywatch Hawaii" so you may recognize it if you have seen the show.

Swimming safety here is mixed and conditional, so please be aware of any posted warning signs with orange flags atop them. These indicate what hazards you might want to be aware of during your visit. A second Haleiwa park across the bay to the north has more sheltered swim area for days when Ali'i beach seems rough or not hospitable. That beach is referred to as "Haleiwa Beach Park" and is a 5-minute drive away, but has no lifeguard.

Adventure tip:
If traveling to the North Shore for the day, this park is a great start or finish to your adventure, as the town of Haleiwa is a gateway community and hub for services such as gas, food and other supplies. It is about 45-minute drive from Honolulu via highway through towns of Mililani and Wahiawa. Both towns also have food and supplies. Some traffic congestion is possible so plan accordingly. If you ever wanted to try stand-up paddling or long-board surfing, check out equipment rental companies and surf schools at the nearby Haleiwa Beach Park.

Ocean safety link for Ali'i Beach Park:
http://oceansafety.ancl.hawaii.edu/v/2.0/?bch=alii&shid=1&i=oahu

Closest town: Haleiwa
Directions:
From south side: head north on Kamehameha Highway/route 80 and proceed to a traffic circle. Enter circle and proceed to the 2nd exit onto HI-82/Waialua Beach Road for 0.8 mile looking for a right-hand turn onto Haleiwa Road. Proceed 1.3 miles, then turn left on Nalimu Road looking for park entrance with a sign, on your left.

From the north: head south on Kamehameha Highway/route 83 W and follow signs for "Haleiwa" to get to a right-turn lane and merge onto an extension of Kamehameha Highway. Drive past Haleiwa Beach Park, cross the historic bridge, and look for the first street on your right, Haleiwa road. Follow the road past the harbor entrances and look for park entrance ahead on your right.

Shark's Cove - Pupukea Tide Pools

Haleiwa, Oahu

Shark's Cove / Pupukea Tide Pools
An amazing snorkel and dive spot on Oahu's North Shore, this area offers variety of ways to interact with the ocean when calmer conditions prevail. The tide pool section is well-protected shallow ocean water tidal basin teaming with smaller sea life. Surrounded by lava rock, the bay gradually grows in depth revealing underwater caves hosting corals and larger sea life. For the experienced snorkeler the bay opening to the right of the pools is a great swimming and diving spot with interesting underwater topography and great variety of species.
Schools of fish, manta rays and turtles are frequent visitors to the Cove.

AT A GLANCE:
HIGHLIGHTS: Abundant underwater snorkeling terrain of volcanic rock formations worn away by time and ocean erosion, caves and coral-covered reef, and a full of variety of tropical fish.
ACTIVITIES:Swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving
LIFEGUARD: NO
WARNINGS!: Be very aware of the conditions of the day of your visit. You should avoid swimming on days with large northern (or north-west / north-east) surf as rogue waves can wash up unpredictably high up onto the rocks. Visitors have been swept off the barrier rocks before and were injured against the sharp lava edges. The tidal action and currents in the bay can be intense and very dangerous with waves. Avoid walking on or rubbing up against the lava rocks as they are sharp.

AMENITIES: Restroom facilities, drinking fountain, and roadside parking area. Food vendors and a grocery store are found across the street.

This location is popular, particularly during the calmer summer months. On a good day parking lot may fill up by 11 am. Upon arriving here, if no one is entering the water be careful. A good practice for any new diving spot is to spend a few minutes watching the ocean, and the flow of people entering and exiting the water. Don't be afraid to ask swimmers exiting the water " how are the conditions, and where the best entrance point can be found?". With the razor-sharp rocks that ring the bay and tide pools, an ounce of prevention is certainly worth more then a pound of cure. There is no lifeguard station here, but they do a mobile patrol several times a day and will post conditions signs at the beach fronting the shallow western end of the tide pools.

The shallow tide pools showcase multitude of easily observed smaller varieties of marine life. Bring aqua socks if you have them, as the volcanic rocks and edges surrounding the pools are sharp. The depth of tidal pools will change drastically around the cycle of the tides. Information about the tides in Hawaii is readily available on-line. Here is an Oahu daily tide link: http://www.hawaiitides.com/OahuTides.asp

For the more experienced divers the bay offers a deeper channel in the center that allows you to access rock caves and shelves. These abound with hiding places for different species and often lead to amazing discoveries. Tidal surge varies according to conditions, so pace yourself and feel for currents as you go.

Here is a video of the pools and cove taken on a calm summer day:
http://youtu.be/_I5FDcC6Ztc

Closest town: Pupukea / Haleiwa

Directions:
From the south side: Take Kamehameha Highway/HI-route 83 East past Hale'iwa town, then east past Waimea Bay, Valley and the bridge, past the 6 mile marker, and look for Pupukea Road traffic light intersection. Drive 150 yards past the traffic light, and parking lot entrance is on the left.
From the north: Take Kamehameha Highway/HI-route 83 West past mile marker 7, look for parking area on the right past the ocean front houses, and Puula Road which is on the left. There is more parking along a parallel side road that stretches down to Pupukea Road through the park.

Pupukea Beach Park

Haleiwa, Oahu

A sweet little beach and snorkel area that is often overlooked as it sits between two much more popular parks on Oahu's North Shore. Pupukea is also referred to as "Three Tables" because of the 3 flat rock formations a short distance out in the ocean. This beach is seldom crowded due to the larger and more popular beaches of the North Shore drawing the crowds.

AT A GLANCE:
HIGHLIGHTS: Lesser known and not very crowded beach, with great snorkeling during the calmer summer months.
ACTIVITIES: Swimming, snorkeling, and beach lounging
LIFEGUARD: NO, but it is patrolled by the North Shore lifeguards from nearby Ke Waena beach. They post signs when conditions are known to be hazardous.
WARNINGS!: Observe waves carefully for a few minutes when entering the ocean. Low rocks and reef begin about 10 feet past the water's edge. Avoid swimming during high surf, usually October through April.
AMENITIES: 2 small parking areas, restroom.

This beach is set back from the road, reached by taking a short walk from convenient parking area. The trees lining the edge of the beach provide some shade, and the low dunes covered by vegetation give it a much more remote and rustic feel. Though smaller then some of the expansive North Shore beaches, this one has very a charming character. Lava rock surrounds the small bay fronting the beach, and some outcroppings stretch out under the surface of the water , creating great habitat for fish and coral. Snorkeling is usually very good here in the summer, but is not recommended during northern and winter surf, as a rule.

This area is near the famed and often crowded "Shark's Cove" which is about 200 yards further northeast along the shoreline. Many visitors crowd the parking there, so it is possible to park at Pupukea and choose to walk to the Shark's Cove and snorkel, then return to this beach for some rest and relaxation away from the crowd.

Adventure tip:
Make this beach the perfect rest stop in your North Shore day, duck into the local grocery a block away at the traffic light, and bring a picnic to the beach. You can easily stretch out and pause here, and decide what other stops you might like to make next.

Closest town: Haleiwa

Directions:
Off of Kamehameha Highway/ route 83, at Pupukea Road traffic light intersection.

Ehu Kai Beach Park - Banzai Pipeline

Haleiwa, Oahu

One of the world's most famous big wave surfing locations, this beach park is a mile of light sandy beach connecting to 1.2 acres of grass lands. This mecca of surfing is the center of activity during large northern swells that reach the area generally October through April. In the summer the ocean here calms, and you may snorkel out and view the very same reefs that sculpt and catapult the waves into such powerful breaks. Besides being legendary powerful, the ocean and beach here are equally beautiful and worth visiting during both surf and calm times.

AT A GLANCE:
HIGHLIGHTS: A mile of white sand beach in either direction, with world-class surfing during north and northwest ocean swells, calm and swimmable during summer months, with amazing sunsets.
ACTIVITIES: Swimming, body surfing, body boarding, expert surfing, fishing, walking, jogging, sunbathing, surf watching.
LIFEGUARD: YES 9am to 5:30 pm, 7 days a week.
WARNINGS!: Surf and current conditions here can be deadly during big wave episodes. Look for warning flags posted on the beach, and if in doubt please check in with the lifeguards regarding the day's conditions.
AMENITIES: Parking, public restrooms, picnic tables, and showers. Several local food trucks are parked across and along Kamehameha Highway.

There are actually six different and distinct surf breaks along the long interconnected beach fronting the park. This is due to the large complex structure of the reefs stretching from near-shore far out into the ocean. Wave faces and shape are determined by direction of the swell and the amount of sand covering the reef. If you are facing the ocean, break to your left is world-famous "Banzai Pipeline" or "Pipe", one of the three breaks comprising the Triple Crown of Surfing competition locations (its Billabong Pipe Masters (Board Surfing) part). It hosts several other top surfing competitions including the Volcom Pipe Pro, the IBA Pipeline Pro (Bodyboarding), and the Pipeline Bodysurfing Classic.

This area is packed when surf's up and the waves are large, leading to much traffic congestion and limited parking. In case you are stuck in slow-moving traffic approaching this park, access to the beach is possible at several locations south of the Ehu Kai entrance. Parking along Kamehameha Highway on the oceanside of the road is permitted as long as you do not see "no parking" signs. Shoreline access is marked by blue signs with white lettering stating "beach access". This is often not more than a sandy pathway between beachfront homes, but can be easily located by watching people going to and from the beach.

To truly appreciate the power of this ocean playground, take a look at this great video of "Pipeline" breaking big and being surfed by experts.
http://youtu.be/KRf6KtGUCTg

During the summer the area is much less congested, and is a great place for swimming on mellow surf days or simply basking in the sun on this world-famous stretch of sand. This video shows the summer conditions : http://youtu.be/vlosW1GyJQk

If making the trip from the other parts of the island, "Pipe" has several webcams. You can check the conditions and weather in advance. Here is a link to one: http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/hawaii-pipeline-cam

Ocean Safety Ehu Kai link:
http://oceansafety.ancl.hawaii.edu/v/2.0/?bch=ehukai&shid=1&i=oahu

Adventure tip:
If choosing to come up to this area for the high surf days, start out early in the day to have a more relaxing drive and easier parking time when you get here. A good idea is to pack your supplies for the day so you can stay parked and relaxed once you reach your destination.

Closest town: Pupukea/Haleiwa

Directions:
Heading in from the north: go south on Kamehameha Highway aka HI-83, past Sunset Beach, then past mile marker 8, and look for the Sunset Beach Elementary School on the left, beach access and parking lot for the park is on the right just past the school entrance.
Heading from the south: go north on Kamehameha Highway aka HI-83 past 7 mile marker and then look for the Sunset Beach Elementary School yard on the right side of the road. The entrance to the park is on the left across from the school's tennis courts. If congested on a high surf day, look for roadside parking before you reach the park, after you pass a street and lifeguard tower named Ke Waena on the left.

Address for school across the street if using gps:
59-360 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa, HI 96712