Jaunted

Malaekahana Beach
We almost drove right by Malaekahana Beach on our way to the North Shore while heading up the windward coast. Every few miles on Oahu, it seems, there’s another great-looking beach so it’s hard to stop at them all.

During our visit the surf was fairly calm and Malaekahana offered some great swimming. The beach had plenty of sand but was also dotted with local Ironwood trees that provided some decent shade when we needed an escape from the sun. The trees and other greenery near the shore really made this beach stand out as one of the more unique on Oahu.

The main highlight of Malaekahana is Goat Island; it's right off shore. The island has two great stretches of sand only separated by a rocky point that faces Malaekahana Beach. You can’t really drag the cooler and beach chairs out to it, so you're almost guaranteed peace and quiet once you get there.

Punaluu Beach
Also on the windward side of the island is Punaluu Beach; we just pulled off the highway and were at the beach. Of course, the downside to that is the sound of cars going by while you're trying to relax, but the sound of the waves coming ashore quickly balances things out.

There's plenty of sand here, so it's easy to find a good spot without much effort. Thanks to a sandy bottom, we didn't need our reef shoes, and the bathrooms were a welcome amenity, too.

Ala Moana Beach
This beach is the closest to where we stayed during our trip, and it offers a great alternative to Waikiki. It's within walking distance of some hotels in Honolulu, including the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Ala Moana is pretty much a giant salt-water pool, with curving rock formations off the beach to provide the ultimate protection from any rogue waves. You could come here and splash around even if you didn't know how to swim. The sand is soft and plentiful, too.

There are volleyball courts behind the beach in the park area, so there’s a different way to get sunburn if you’re tired of just laying around. We imagine the place can get pretty busy during weekends or holidays, but it was pretty low-key when we were visiting.

Related Stories:
· Malaekahana State Recreation Area [Official Site]
· Ala Moana Regional Park [Official Site]
· Punaluu Beach Park [Tropical Snorkeling]
· Oahu Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Malaekahana Beach: kjb]