NORTH SHORE, OAHU

The famous North Shore of Oahu is about an hour’s drive from Honolulu. Here in the country, one can enjoy the fascinating Polynesian Cultural Center, exotic Waimea Falls Park and the Turtle Bay Resort to name a few. Browse through Haleiwa’s charming, unique boutiques, shops, and galleries, or enjoy a wonderful meal at one of the many flavorful restaurants. If you visit in the summer, you’ll be delighted with the crystal clear waters, magical tropical breezes and playful waves, perfect for swimming, snorkeling and other outdoor activities. The picturesque white sandy beaches are tranquil, with unforgettable sunsets. In winter the towering big waves arrive along with the world’s most ambitious surfers in search of the perfect wave. Re-known as “the surfing capital of the world”, the beaches are host to many surf contests.

MALAEKAHANA BAY

Along the full length of the crescent-shaped Malaekahana Bay is a magnificent beach–wide, sandy and long. The swimming is great as is body boarding and surfing. SUNSET MAGAZINE calls Malaekahana one of the best beaches on Oahu. The 44 homes (including ours) on large lots, along Malaekahana Bay, very early became the summer retreat of the well-to-do families of Honolulu. The beach is never crowded. During a weekday you may very well have the whole 3-mile long beach to yourself (except for a few fishermen), whilst on Sundays, there may be a dozen families or so on the beach. At one end of the crescent is Malaekahana State Park with its little Goat Island a couple of hundred yards offshore. (The island can be reached by walking over the coral when the tide is low. Wear something on your feet.) It is a sanctuary for noddy terns who nest in holes in the ground and the island has a lovely white beach, like a south pacific atoll with clear, calm, blue-green water. At the other end of the beach is a coral shelf and a stream in which small children love to play and explore. Children of all ages also love crab-hunting at night.