Address: Mokulua Dr Kailua, HI 96734
Lanikai Beach is located on the windward eastern side of the Island of Oahu. The word Lanikai means “The Heavenly Seas” in Hawaiian. Lanikai Beach is a beautiful, stunning beach on windward Oʻahu, with the famous twin Mokulua Islands, which has an interesting history. The beach is about half a mile long and it’s one of the most scenic stretches of coastline on Oahu. The Lanikai area/community is considered an upscale neighborhood in Hawaii.
We drove for about 40 minutes (16 miles) from our Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel to Lanikai Beach via HI- 61 as we passed through Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, Buzz Steakhouse, Kailua Town, and Kailua Beach. We arrived at the famous Lanikai Beach around 9 am and were lucky enough to find parking in the residential area. There was only limited parking on the street and lots of “No Parking” signs.
It rained for a few minutes when we arrived and the sun came out right after. We grabbed our backpack and packed all the essentials as there are no restrooms or showers available on the beach. We just walked for about 10-15 minutes from the parking to the main entrance which is a residential area. We had to pass through a narrow area and were surprised at the stunning view of Lanikai Beach. The amazing, panoramic view of the clear blue water, cool breeze, and white sand were very relaxing. There was even a coconut tree (good for taking pictures) right in front of the entrance to the beach. We had to set up our beach blanket, beach towels, sunblock, and spam musubi for our snack. The beach sand was very soft and golden. We played in the ocean water and explored the beach including the reef area. My daughter enjoyed swimming in the water with the view of the two islands from afar called “Mokes” while my wife took a few pictures of the fishes near the reef. We only stayed for about 1-2 hours on Lanikai beach as we have to visit other places.
Overall it was a fun experience for us to be able to visit one of the most famous, beautiful beaches in Hawaii with Turquoise clear blue water, soft sand, and a cool breeze. It’s a place to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle lifestyle in the city such as Waikiki. I would highly recommend this place when you visit the Island of Oahu.
Tips: Get to Lanikai Beach as early as possible (before 9:30 am) due to the limited parking spots. Bring everything to the beach (chairs, towels, sunblock, bottled water, snacks or spam musubi and there is no public restroom available. Pay close attention to the “No Parking” signs as they will tow your car. There is also a closer beach called Kailua Beach which is more developed and has public restrooms and picnic tables available. Some people park their car in Kailua Beach and just walk or hike to Lanikai Beach as these two beaches are not connected.
Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Lanikai Beach after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.
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