Lanikai Beach
Lanikai Beach
4.5
About
Also known as Kaʻōhao Beach, Lanikai Beach is widely regarded as one of the best beaches in the world, and is famous for its stunning views of the Mokulua Islands. Book a kayak tour for a chance to see the green sea turtles that inhabit the 'The Mokes'. The beach is also a popular spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing, thanks to consistent and steady winds.
Enjoy the beautiful colors of the sky as the sun rises and sets over the Pacific Ocean and admire the beautiful houses and gardens of the surrounding residential area of Kailu. Come prepared as there are no amenities at this beach.
– Tripadvisor
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Top ways to experience Lanikai Beach
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
132 within 5 kms
Attractions
35 within 10 kms
See what travelers are saying
- JJJC_Family808 contributionsNice little beachWe went straight from Kailua Beach Park to Lanikai. Lanikai is nice, but it’s no Kailua and in the competition for your precious travel time, it’s hard to recommend you spend it here. One other negative is that the beach, at least where we were, was incredibly narrow, practically non-existent. If you were a local and liked variety, I can see coming here. Otherwise, go to Kailua.Visited December 2022Written December 13, 2022
- Y KToronto, Canada360 contributionsHighlight of our trip. MUST GO!!!!No words to really describe the beauty of this beach. We were extremely lucky and went on a weekday and there were barely any people there compared to the ones in Waikiki. Calm, crystal clear waters with beautiful views out into the ocean. The different green blues of the water just take your breath away. The sand is soft and fine, it is perfect. I cannot emphasize how much we loved our time at this beach. We wished we could stay forever. The pictures can't do it justice. Some were paddleboarding and snorkeling and saw turtles. Onto practical bits- we took the bus from Waikiki. About 90 mins but super smooth and easy. Don't let not having a car deter you. If you are driving- Kailua beach park is where you should park. Lanikai is residential and limited (!) Parking. It is only a short walk from Kailua to Lanikai. There are NO bathrooms at Lanikai or food around. Pack snacks and hit the bathroom at Kailua beach (not very clean unfortunately). No lifeguards at this beach, and very minimal shade. Many reviews online prefer Kailua beach which is also very beautiful and maybe more family friendly. But this one was absolutely number 1 for us. We lucked out with weather and crowds. 15/10Visited January 2023Traveled with friendsWritten February 4, 2023
- Melanie KCastro Valley, California41 contributionsPicturesque ParadiseAbsolutely worth the $80-90 Uber from Waikiki. Would do it a million times again. This beach is stunning. Like absolutely breathtaking. So clean and picturesque that it’s hard to believe it’s a real place. If you’re in Honolulu, this is a MUST do.Visited February 2023Traveled with familyWritten February 23, 2023
- Richard SKenner, Louisiana1 contributionOahu Vacation Apr 23We did Pearl Harbor in van tour which was good but only did Arzona Memorial plus the museum displays & movie. Didn’t do Missouri and special additional museum by submarine. Disappointed there was inadequate sitting plus no cafeteria/restaurant. Still a Great experience. Also we did Luau by old lighthouse-show was very entertaining but food mediocre. Rented a car in Waikiki Sunday which may have been a bad choice with traffic vs a Saturday ?? Lanaki Beach was beautiful & relaxing. We stayed two hrs & kinda wish there would have been waves but Great experience! Drove the coastline to see north coast but light rain spoiled it. Mountains looked beautiful with clouds at the top. Stopped at a few beaches to check scenery. Traffic got real hectic heading south. Hawai’i is beautiful but extremely expensive compared to Caribbean resorts which are more practical, closer to us & extremely attractive.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 18, 2023
- MajajingCulver City, California93 contributionsGorgeous but not worth the treakGorgeous but not worth the trek. I was reading through the reviews and other forums that there is no parking in the neighborhoods. I visited during the weekday so I parked at the end of Kailua beach and walked up the paved walkway up the hill. By the time that I reached up the hill and down, I saw cars parked at the side of the street and front of the homes. I was annoyed by this because, I was so tired from the trek that I just entered the first alley way to the beach, instead of going further out for more beach-way. I think the place is overhyped actually. I see it nothing different from the other beaches than the calm and shallow waters. Nice beach but like one review said....if you find parking.Visited June 2023Written July 3, 2023
- VcalsHolbrook, New York748 contributionsGreat placeWant to get away from the overcrowded Waikiki beaches?! Come no further than here. Be sure to arrive early to find a parking space. Bring all beach equipment with you. Make sure you wear beach attire and do your business prior to arriving since there are no restrooms or changing stations at the beach. But it’s all well worth it at this crystal clear blue water.Visited July 2023Traveled with friendsWritten July 24, 2023
- Ajay HNew York City, New York9 contributionsStunning!Lanikai Beach is one of Hawaii’s best. This stunning beach boasts clear, blue waters, pristine, white sand, and beautiful views. Best of all, the beach isn’t very crowded. It also has a calm tide. The only challenge is finding a spot to park. Overall, we greatly enjoyed our time here.Visited July 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 4, 2023
- Yeraldin S7 contributionsBeautiful, calm, but no shore for the littles and no bathroomsBeautiful beach to go. Clear water, barely any waves, and calm waters. It’s definitely a very pretty beach to go to but there no bathroom to go to, stores and restaurants are far, it’s a neighborhood beach so you have to find parking in the streets, and although the water is ver calm with barely any waves, it rapidly become steep. There’s very little shore for the little ones to play in because it’s about 5 feet max before there’s a step from calf height, to knee and then chest very rapidly. Beautiful but I’m sure there’s plenty others a little more kid friendly because my oldest is 5Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 24, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
3,086 reviews
Excellent
2,298
Very good
580
Average
109
Poor
35
Terrible
64
Yeraldin S
7 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
Beautiful beach to go. Clear water, barely any waves, and calm waters. It’s definitely a very pretty beach to go to but there no bathroom to go to, stores and restaurants are far, it’s a neighborhood beach so you have to find parking in the streets, and although the water is ver calm with barely any waves, it rapidly become steep. There’s very little shore for the little ones to play in because it’s about 5 feet max before there’s a step from calf height, to knee and then chest very rapidly. Beautiful but I’m sure there’s plenty others a little more kid friendly because my oldest is 5
Written 24 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ca K
9 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
Amazing views, no rocks just pure soft sand and clear water. Great for families. Also, turtles swim by near the shore.
Written 15 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ajay H
New York City, NY9 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Lanikai Beach is one of Hawaii’s best. This stunning beach boasts clear, blue waters, pristine, white sand, and beautiful views. Best of all, the beach isn’t very crowded. It also has a calm tide. The only challenge is finding a spot to park. Overall, we greatly enjoyed our time here.
Written 4 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
islandlovingtwosome
Lake Forest, CA88 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
There must be something wrong with me. I simply was not blown away by this beach like I thought I would be after reading all the hype online and in books. First of all...I must be color blind...the sand didn't look white to me. I've been to many white sand beaches in the Caribbean and South Pacific, and this sand was not white. It was golden, but it was very soft and fine. The water too was pretty but not the clearest or bluest I've ever seen. Don't get me wrong...it's a very nice beach, just not worthy of all the accolades it's been given.
We did not snorkel cuz it became very overcast so we decided to skip it. The worst part was that a local family of 10-12 people plopped themselves along with all their tents, chairs and all their other gear right in front of us...so rude. We made sure not to do that to anyone else and it seemed like everyone was aware that you do not cut off the view from others.
It's a nice beach, just not deserving of the high praise bestowed upon it.
We did not snorkel cuz it became very overcast so we decided to skip it. The worst part was that a local family of 10-12 people plopped themselves along with all their tents, chairs and all their other gear right in front of us...so rude. We made sure not to do that to anyone else and it seemed like everyone was aware that you do not cut off the view from others.
It's a nice beach, just not deserving of the high praise bestowed upon it.
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CourtneyGabriel
Snohomish, WA47 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
After so many reviews, I had to check it out.
Pluses:
Calm waters
Clear water
Beautiful
Snorkeling
Cons:
Crowded
Street parking you have to fight for
Sand is grainier than I expected
Kailua beach is a mile down the road and better…but no snorkeling and not as calm
Pluses:
Calm waters
Clear water
Beautiful
Snorkeling
Cons:
Crowded
Street parking you have to fight for
Sand is grainier than I expected
Kailua beach is a mile down the road and better…but no snorkeling and not as calm
Written 18 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vcals
Holbrook, NY748 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
Want to get away from the overcrowded Waikiki beaches?! Come no further than here. Be sure to arrive early to find a parking space. Bring all beach equipment with you. Make sure you wear beach attire and do your business prior to arriving since there are no restrooms or changing stations at the beach. But it’s all well worth it at this crystal clear blue water.
Written 24 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jack_and_jillNz
NZ12 contributions
Jul 2023
Thought this beach was a little over rated, we'd read so many amazing reviews but I'm just not sure it lived up to them all. Parking is an absolute mission, lost count of how many blocks we went around until we found a park. It was super busy and was the only beach we found bluebottle jellyfish at. Water was nice and calm the day we went, no bathrooms which doesn't encourage good beach habits so it was just ok.
Written 18 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kree
Los Angeles, CA13 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
Lanikai is one of my favorite beaches. Its so beautiful and clean. The water is also pretty calm to. They do not have bathrooms, showers, beach equipment, or any food spots, so make sure to bring your own beach stuff.
Written 16 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
May_EXL
Winnipeg, Canada560 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
Lanikai Beach is the next beach to south of Kailua Beach on the east side of the island. You will have to drive through a residential area to get there and find the path to the beach…I’m not sure if there’s more than one access path. No designated parking lot or any other amenities. It’s more of a local neighbourhood beach meaning a lot less busy than Kailua Beach Park. It’s a long, wide beach and the water looked inviting but it was a super windy day in February when we went so we didn’t go in. Definitely a good spot to check out during the warmer sunny calm days.
Written 10 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Majajing
Culver City, CA93 contributions
Jun 2023
Gorgeous but not worth the trek. I was reading through the reviews and other forums that there is no parking in the neighborhoods. I visited during the weekday so I parked at the end of Kailua beach and walked up the paved walkway up the hill. By the time that I reached up the hill and down, I saw cars parked at the side of the street and front of the homes. I was annoyed by this because, I was so tired from the trek that I just entered the first alley way to the beach, instead of going further out for more beach-way.
I think the place is overhyped actually. I see it nothing different from the other beaches than the calm and shallow waters. Nice beach but like one review said....if you find parking.
I think the place is overhyped actually. I see it nothing different from the other beaches than the calm and shallow waters. Nice beach but like one review said....if you find parking.
Written 4 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian M
1 contribution
What is the recommended time to arrive during this time? Is is only open on the weekends which I have confirmed. We are heading there this week and trying to figure out best way to best the crowds
dilyamatus
Otsego, MN60 contributions
We went on the weekdays and had no problem going there
Katie W
47 contributions
Is the water warm in April?
AStriefler
Calgary, Canada1,312 contributions
All water around Hawaii is always swimable and warm
Annie W
Mountain View, CA2 contributions
which way is the more beautiful way to drive back to Waikiki from Lanakai? on the 61? or the 72? thanks!
Jerri L
Johnston, IA2,148 contributions
Both routes are quite scenic depending on what you want to see. 72 will take you around the outside with views of ocean, beaches and small islands on the eastern and southeastern shores while also catching glimpses of mountain ranges and highlands to the west with scenic overlooks and stops along the way. 61 will take you through the mountains and more forest areas with glimpses of waterfalls down rock walls and also offers lookouts and stops.
All-of-Creation
Monroe, NC776 contributions
Can you rent Kayaks at this beach, or only at Kailua?
Brooklynite_Abroad
New York City, NY3,014 contributions
We did see people kayaking right off Lanikai, they prebooked a kayak tour and their guide had their kayaks ready to go on Lanikai Beach. You may have to do some research online.
AshleyMessner
Gaylord, MN31 contributions
Hey, is there any kind of shelling on this beach? We're headed there over the holidays and that's our kids' favorite thing to do. If not, anyone know a better shelling beach on Oahu?
Jen M
Blacklick, OH68 contributions
Didn’t really encounter shells just soft white sand. Absolutely beautiful but not for shelling.
howardlouis
Philadelphia, PA
What’s the best time to arrive in the morning to beat the crowds?
Nbertuol
Londrina, PR3 contributions
It will not be any problem with that. You can go easy on yourself
howardlouis
Philadelphia, PA
What’s the best time to arrive in the morning to beat the crowds?
anna_mercedess
Graz, Austria20 contributions
We have been there at around 10am and at 2pm on another day during the week and I would say there have been a few more people later but it made no big difference and you will enjoy the beach at every hour :-)
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Claim your listingLANIKAI BEACH: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Lanikai Beach
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Lanikai Beach:
- Royal Crown of Oahu - 60 Min Helicopter Tour - Doors Off or On (From ₱21,881.23)
- Isle Sights Unseen - 45 Min Helicopter Tour from Honolulu - Doors Off or On (From ₱19,111.46)
- #1 eFoil, wing foil, windsurf or kiteboard lesson in Kailua, Oahu (From ₱9,694.22)
- Surf, Kayak or Standup Paddle board in Lanikai, Kailua, Oahu (From ₱4,099.27)
- East Oahu Shoreline Drive Audio Tour (From ₱1,107.36)
- Hotels near Lanikai Beach:
- (0.14 km) Hale Maluhia Lanikai - Special On Beautiful Lanikai Home!
- (0.15 km) Lanikai Beach Front-Lic #90/TVU-0042 - Views, Beach, Legal Short-term Rental
- (0.46 km) Lanikai Hillside Cozy Cottage with Spectacular Ocean View with Mokulua Islands.
- (0.82 km) Lanikai Beach Rentals LLC
- (0.55 km) Newly REMODELED AND the best access to sandy Lanikai Beach! NUC # 90/TVU-0031
- Restaurants near Lanikai Beach:
- (1.11 km) Buzz's Original Steak House
- (1.59 km) Island Snow
- (2.78 km) Over Easy
- (2.66 km) Le Crepe Cafe Kailua
- (1.51 km) Kalapawai Market - Kailua Beach
- Attractions near Lanikai Beach:
- (0.43 km) Pillbox Hike
- (0.80 km) Kailua Beach Park
- (1.05 km) We Go! Island Canoe
- (1.17 km) Kailua Ocean Adventures
- (1.59 km) Kailua Beach Adventures