Very beautiful sandy beach but with no shadow and big waves and currents. I recommend bringing an umbrella to hide from the burning sun. Also, when we came, there were big waves and it was literally impossible to go in the water. It wasn't even recommended because the currents were very strong.

There are many great spots to stop when driving along the southeast coast of Oahu and this is one of the best places. Beautiful spot with terrific surrounding scenery. This is a surfing beach. Surf was up when we visited in March, and it was pretty cool to see the locals out doing their thing. There is also a nice vista point along the road just east of here offering a great photo opportunity called the Makapu'u Lookout with plenty of parking.

All 3 generations of our family loved our stop at this beach - playing in these big waves and watching the body surfers was something we'll remember forever. Our favourite stop on the island. It was exhilarating! And a bit dangerous: the grandparents did not come in the water here, and our 12-year-old (who is a competitive swimmer) required constant arms-length supervision and reminders to never turn her back to a wave. We had some good tips from the lifeguard as to where the submerged rocks are located, but even so, I did get a small bleeding nose from the ocean here. There were a couple of folks set up next to the large tidal pools enjoying this beach with wave-free water, but this isn't a beach for small children or those with mobility challenges. There are bathrooms and beach rinse station.