The North Shore of Oahu is home to some of the most famous and beautiful beaches in the world. About an hour’s drive from Honolulu, the North Shore is also more relaxed and less congested than Hawaii’s biggest city. It truly has a hang-loose island vibe to it. Spend a week or even a day there and you will feel like you’ve gotten away from the madding crowd and done something special. Most special of all are these three dream North Shore beaches eminently worth visiting:
Waimea Bay
Waimea Bay is the locals’ beach where native Hawaiians and longtime residents go to catch some rays in summer and roll around in the warm and gorgeous turquoise waters. It is, as its name says, a small bay, with the sand forming a lovely curving shape along the water. To the left as you look out towards the Pacific, there is a bulky rock formation tall enough and big enough to jump off safely into the surf. For many travelers the rock jump at Waimea has become an item on their bucket list, an experience they must have at least once.
There are picnic tables and a grassy area with restrooms and outdoor showers. Parking is tight. Likely you will find a spot for your car on the Kamehameha Highway that runs alongside the beach. Very close by is Waimea Valley with its botanical gardens full of rare and exotic tropical plants. Follow a pathway up through the gardens and in less than a mile you will reach a waterfall and fresh water pond where you can swim.
Copyright © 2014 by A Luxury Travel Blog. This article was written by Kevin Nelson and originally published on aluxurytravelblog.com
*Image of Hawaiian beach paradise Shutterstock
