Aloha ! Kahala Beach is a serene, upscale, and uncrowded beach located in Honolulu, Oahu, offering a peaceful alternative to nearby Waikiki. It's Known for its calm waters, soft sand, and stunning views of Koko Head, this spot is ideal for families, swimming, and relaxing and when I tell you I napped like a newborn baby after swimming in the ocean , mahalo Hawaii , I'll definitely be back . read more

See all

I remembered as a kid, I used to catch the bus with my friend and go to the Kahala Beach Park to swim, & hang out. One of my favorite childhood memories was to go on this wooden platform that was located near the Kahala Hilton, as we used to jump off/dive off the wooden platform. The beach doesn't appeared to have changed much over the years, as I find the beach relatively clean, and not too crowded. There are is a parking lot leading into the beach park, restrooms, & a covered picnic area with picnic tables. The beach park is a great place to hold picnics, as it's not as busy as other beach parks in town. I have to admit, don't come to the Kahala Beach Park as often as I used to, ever since the passing of my beloved Makana, but it's still a very nice place to visit once in a while. read more

See all

Christmas in Hawaii is wonderful! Some of us residents laugh at songs such as "Winter Wonderland" because the only place with snow in our State is on the top of the volcano, Mauna Kea on the Big Island. A few parts of the Aloha State may get hail, but it's rare. There's a misconception that people who live in Hawaii go to the beach often. Gosh... We're too busy working, cleaning our yards, doing chores, and getting errands done to take the time and get some relaxation time. Sad, huh? On Christmas Eve this year, I was near Kahala Beach, so, I brought my takeout lunch here. I parked for free at Waialae Beach Park and walked around. (It was cool when a limousine pulled up and a Japanese couple emerged with their photographers to take wedding photos! The groom was wearing shorts with his dress shoes, tie, and vest!) Note: I usually park at Waialae Beach Park and take my out of town guests for a stroll on this beach to the Kahala Resort and back. Kahala Beach is a small, quiet beach with less tourists. I watch families picnicking at the tables and benches under the vined canopy, while others are playing in the water with their dogs and children. Some people like to go fishing here and some want to sunbathe. Yes - it's a very calm, beautiful, and safe environment... with a convenient restroom, shower, and water fountain! I should visit more often... read more

See all

The snorkeling was not very good, murky, not many fish, a lot of silty mud patches. If you like a quiet beach with no crowds for just swimming, then you will enjoy it. read more

Got coral cut like a mf out in this bit. No wooden platform to jump off as promised too!! I'm hella pressed read more

Kahala Beach - A menace - Beaches Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This is another popular beach with the locals in Kahala. The beach is less crowded than the beaches in Waikiki. There is a covered picnic area, washrooms and outdoor showers, lots of picnic tables and plenty of beach to lay out your towels and relax. You have to get there early in the day to grab one of the limited parking spaces. There is some street parking as well. The water is generally calm for kids to swim and play. The beach is a little rocky in some areas, but picturesque. The water is crystal clear and not too deep. People were snorkeling, fishing and paddle boarding. There is no commercial development (except for an upscale hotel) along this part of the beach. This is a great place to watch the sunrise.....but bring your own coffee. read more

Kahala Beach - Beaches Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Nice quiet small beach near Diamond Head. It's a lot less crowded than Waikiki. Ok for swimming but water not so clear for snorkeling. Park has facilities for picnic and bbq read more

I am a little hesitant to post this because I want to keep this place secret; it seems many reviewers have been reviewing the beach that's really Waialae Beach Park. I stumbled upon this fabulous beach by accident during one of my walks with my friend Pamela P. and decided to bring the family here for a swim and make beach days a regular thing (I mean, we do live in Hawaii!!) This beach is usually not crowded and is very kid-friendly and swimmable. The water is pretty shallow and waves are manageable. It is a bit of a walk from the public parking lot and bathroom amenities at Waialae Beach Park but so worth it. The sand/ocean floor is soft but can be a bit "slimy" coz of the seaweed. We usually park in the neighborhood and walk-- why waste time and wait in the little parking lot for someone to leave? It's only a five-minute walk, maybe ten, but it's with a nice view and weather. Today on our way back to the car we discovered a shoreline access that takes us to the road after the beach so we wouldn't have to cut across the huge families/gatherings that choose to picnic/cookout at the pavilions. #46 read more

See all

Cool beach and good place to get away from the Waikiki crowds .we always check it out when in town . Can get windy here but if it's not to windy it's nice place to relax at and enjoy just floating around and snorkeling. Not much sea life on the inside of the reef . The only draw back is all the dogs . I love dogs but the smell of dog piss as you walk down the access trails gets my mind thinking there's lots of piss in the sand where I'm putting my towel down . Aside from that thought stuck in my head it's a nice place read more

On a Sunday afternoon, we went here with Sam the jack russell terrier dog. Parking is always full but we were lucky that someone was leaving. Some people are inconsiderate that they park in front of other people's car so that driver has room to get out. At area with tables on left, there are people having picnics. On right side, pass the bridge, there is the grassy area where there are also people with picnics. No one was wearing any face masks. We take the precautionary measures by still wearing our facemasks. I love the breeze and seeing the blue ocean. Sam loves to explore new areas. No other place can compare to Hawaii beaches. Fun in the sun. :) read more

See all

We have come here time and time again because it's just a unique beach due to the small wooden platform you can swim to, dive off of, and just lounge on. It does get crowded like most nice beaches here, but if you come before 9 AM, especially on the weekdays, it is really empty. We have had the beach all to ourselves for over an hour countless times. The sand is quite soft as far as beaches go on this side, the east side. Most beaches are more for fishing or other water sports, not so much for tender and tiny little feet. This is soft enough for my little ones not to complain about it being too scratchy and just beautiful to sit and watch the waves on. There's a hotel nearby with restaurants to eat at so if you get a bit famished after a fun morning at the beach, you can walk over and grab a bite. We love to order the keiki hot chocolate from Plumeria Beach House as we sit and dry off after hours of water play. It's perfectly warm and yummy. read more

See all

This is an expansive beach stretching from residential houses to a Kahala hotel. Small parking lot, but lots of street parking for multiple beach entries through the residential side. The park does have some tree brush covered tables by the restroom area. There is a shower island right outside. The ocean in general is pretty shallow, whether low or high tide. The sandy stretch of beach area can get easily swallowed up by the tide levels. Lots of creatures, people, dogs, weddings, sports, hobbyists and views await. read more

See all

Imagine for moment it's 1961. You are at Honolulu Airport. Your just-discharged Army boyfriend is finally coming home from his tour of duty in Europe. You want to welcome him in style. You get all dolled up, hire three or four Hula dancers to back your play. So there you are, waiting on the tarmac. As the door to the plane swings opens you see your boyfriend standing in the doorway of the airplane. And he's making out with a tall blonde stewardess. That's a scene from the movie Blue Hawaii. Your boyfriend is Elvis Presley. Check out the trailer for the film: https://youtu.be/qf-KSYbBRfQ The scene I described is about 40 seconds into the trailer. In the movie Elvis's rich parents own a big tropical fruit company (totally not Dole) and live in Kahala. They want Elvis to take over the family business. Elvis just wants to surf, sing and chase girls. I saw this movie when I was a little kid. Man, I could totally identify with this Elvis guy. I mean, except for the rich parents. And the surfing. And the singing. And the girls. However scarce the similarities are, you know I had to hit up Kahala when I visited O'ahu. Had to get my Elvis on. We rode the electric bikes we rented from eBikes Hawaii all through the Kahala neighborhood admiring the beautiful estates. We stopped to check the excellent little bike trail map they gave us at the bike shop. A local noticed us looking at the map and came over to chat. He generously shared his recommendations for sights to see in the vicinity. So much aloha! Elsewhere around Honolulu the winds and the seas were calm. But at Kahala there was a bit of a breeze beginning to whip up some waves. We got off the bikes and walked around the park adjoining the beach. I took a few photos. Then it was back on the bikes. All this Elvis reminiscing was making me hungry. I needed to find a bakery. Mikey C says: Well, it's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and go, cat, go! read more

You really can't go wrong with pretty much any beach on the beautiful island of Oahu, but Kahala Beach is one of my faves for getting some vitamin D. It's rare to see waves of any kind, so this is really a beach for sun bathing, walking dogs, and the occasional fisherman or metal detector. There's usually parking along Kahala Avenue, but it can get busy depending on the time and day. Gorgeous views all the way to Hawai'i Kai and Koko Head. Just sit back, relax, and remember why we pay the extra high cost of living and make way too little money to be in Hawaii! read more

See all

Beautiful beach, calm waves, but very windy. Not crowded at all. It's super chilly here and the water get cold. We couldn't swim in the water because of the cold temperature. Still beautiful though and easy to find parking. read more

I love Kahala Beach - very beautiful, nice views, and for the most part, it's always been pretty quiet when I've gone - just gotta head to the beach from the residential area, not the resort part. Just like Crista mentions, it is pretty rocky here on the sand, so it can be hard to walk around, but swimming is good. ALSO, if you go to the right section of the beach, if you find it, there are a couple of black pipes extending from the beachfront out into the water (lined underneath the sand). Not sure what those pipes are for, but if you find the right one, there is a certain specific pipe that is wide enough for you to walk on. If you walk on the pipe, you can walk out into the ocean hundreds of feet (I'll try and post a picture sometime soon). Overall, very nice beach. Just make sure if you come at night, don't get caught up for anything you're not supposed to be doing! =X (such as drinking on the beach). read more

See all

Kahala beach is a great beach off the beaten path. I like going because it is never really as crowded as Waikiki and you can usually get a parking spot. The lot is safe and the bathrooms are relatively clean for a public space! This beach is located in the wealthy Kahala area, kind of behind the Whole Foods Plaza. I always make a stop at Whole Foods before to get some beach snacks and drinks and then make my way to the beach. There are several great restaurants and bars there in case you are looking for a place to stop after your beach day! Kahala beach has great views of Koko Head and Hawaii Kai. The water is usually clear, although they have been dredging the area lately so during construction times, the water is cloudy. turn around and go to Waikiki if you see construction! The water is calm so it's a good place for paddle boarding! There is an awesome covered area in front of the beach that you can go for shade too! It is also a dog friendly beach- but be sure to pick up after your pet! read more

See all

We used to party at Kahala Beach back in the day. During our summer trips we would go here with the kids versus the crowded Waikiki or Ala Moana. The beach is nice, quiet, great sand, you have a great view of the ocean and to the left is Aina Haina, Koko Head, and Portlock area. and there would be no one around. Unfortunately, I experienced the worst this past September. I walked through the beach trail and saw a graffiti laced wall. A few coats of paint could take of that but the people that were partying there is a different story. There was a family of about 20-25 people to the right of the trail having a picnic or a party. The homes on both sides of the trail are vacant and are either being remodeled or demolished, but the people would walk right on property and just pee like it was their own personal toilet. About 10 minutes later they start to gather up their stuff and are leaving, but they left bottles, cans, trash, and cig butts every where. That was sad. I chat up a local fisherman and he tells me, "they always leave a mess but we make sure to clean up their trash." How is that considered OK? Its a good thing we have great people in Hawaii who respect their aina (land). Besides the trash and the litter they left behind...its still one of the nicest and secluded beaches. You would have no idea where it is, unless you were a local or read revieww on yelp hahaha I recommend this beach to people who don't do well with crowds, but remember to pick up your trash. Aloha read more

Kahala Beach - Kahala beach - Beaches Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Nestled in the rich and privileged neighborhood of Kahala, Kahala Beach is one of those public beaches that can be considered secluded, but not always picture perfect as it may seem. Nearby this beach is the Waialae Country Club, a golfing destination for some and The Kahala, a grand hotel in Kahala that tries to be grand and exclusive, but yet, it fails short to be one of the club - like the Grand Hyatt on Kauai or the Grand Wailea on Maui. The Kahala Beach has a private parking lot and a generous smattering of prime beach front to enjoy on a nice end to the work day or to soak in for the weekend, when work seems to be the furthest from your mind. There is a functioning bathroom facility here, but random homeless people come through here, so that can be a turnoff for some others. There is a lingering smell of sewage too, so that's a point of contention for some as well. I did like the open spaces within the beach area for picnics and the simple joy of just going to the beach. I miss that so much, since I'm always doing something or eating somewhere and just pass by here on some nights running and training on Kahala Ave towards Waikiki. Its a nice place to take your kids. Don't get me wrong. Quite exclusive versus nearby Waikiki Beach, where it's inundated with tourists and the hotels who cater to the industry. If you have a chance to visit this beach, then you should come here and give it a try. The waves call and soothe the soul. I should come here more often. It's always good for some soul searching, people watching, and just puts life and the meaning thereof in some perspective. It taught me some stuff by just sitting on the beach with my own thoughts. Crazy how nature can do that. Just like walking on trails and watching sunrises and sunsets. Support nature! A+ read more

So this isn't so much for the beach, but the beach access located between the residential homes on Kahala Ave. OMG. Really? These beach access are amazing! The sand is perfect and not a lot of people around (mostly local people). The beach isn't big, but there's enough room to layout and relax. read more

Gorgeous walk for early in the morning or at an evening sunset. Usually quiet and the ocean is pristine. Great for romantics. Beach Restroom available. read more

See all

Kahala Beach is really nice sometimes and not others. The beach is narrow and at high tide there's no beach. If its windy you can get pitted by the sand with no place for shelter. If you visit after heavy rain the drainage canals leave the beach and near shore water toxic with trash. The water is very shallow so swimming can mean coral cuts if you're not careful. In the early morning and late afternoon lots of dogs both on and off leash. Parking is limited to one side of the street in this residential neighborhood. All this being said, it can be beautiful. There are several beach accesses at quarter mile intervals including the Waialae Beach Park. Some beach accesses are through private driveways that have C&C Parks Department PEDESTRIAN easements. Sadly, these are being abused by beach goers on very noisy mopeds who are using these driveways as though they are roadways and parking lots passing and parking within a few feet of residences. This behavior is very disrespectful and robs those who live there of quiet enjoyment of their homes! Where's the aloha? read more

I love the local scene and the paradisal palm trees. It was windy and there was crap (as in too much seaweed, shells, rocks, etc) in the sand. This beach is also one of the few beaches that dogs are allowed off-leash (?), so umm, yeah sometimes I had to take double takes at what my kids were playing with. Swimming wasn't really fun as I HATE feeling rocks and seaweed on the bottom (gives me the heebee jeebies). The water was cloudy as well. There were also too many sand flies in the parking lot. Gross. I HATE flies as much as flies LOVE shit, so maybe I should rate it a two. However, I love how quiet the beach is without a lot of action. read more

See all

Very nice beach (no amenities, but that's okay). Narrow beach but it doesn't get too crowded. It's beautiful -- too bad the water is so shallow and murky. But for just hangin' on the beach, Kahala is hard to beat on the southwest shore. read more

See all

According to the blue book (my husband's go-to source, "Oahu Revealed"), we were to park in a residential area (don't remember the streets), but not marked with red on the curb. We were to find a public access lane in between the homes, to the beach. Like going to Lanikai Beach (minus the one-way road), the access was not marked with a sign, and it was something you could find more easily while on foot, rather than when driving in a car. We found it, and at the end of the lane, there was a trash can. Walk down the steps, through the water (yes, there are little fish and crabs in this area), over to the narrow strip of sand and beach. There was little trash, but we did spot a water shoe. Basically, this is semi-secluded with million dollar plus homes. You can see Black Point on your right, and "the whale" on your left. The water is very warm and shallow, though it was overcast and windy the day we visited. We did enjoy being the only ones here, but didn't get to swim much. My husband tried snorkeling and was surprised by a red ink shoot from an octopus nearby. As for serenity and scenery, it was very nice and relaxing. My husband liked photographing the area, and put the zoom on the tiny sand crab, and was able to get a close-up of the camouflaged crustacean. I was also able to find some beach glass (to make for jewelry) in the area. read more

This place is perfect to unwind and chill. I came here on a Friday at noon at the very far right of the strip of beach and it was serene with only a few other people. Compared to Waikiki, this place is so calm and secluded. There are rocks in the water like a lot of reviewers have said, but there's this awesome path that lets you literally walk on water about 40 yards into the ocean . Perfect spot to relax, listen to the water, and be grateful that you're in Hawaii #blessed. read more

Kahala Beach - Kahala beach, looking east. - Beaches Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

I have been to this beach numerous times over the years. I went fishing my very first time here when I was a kid. It was fun trying to catch one, but when I finally hooked one and reeled it up, the fish terrified me! I had no idea that fish were so slimy and slippery! More recent visits here include my friend's wedding ceremony about a year ago and tonight to watch the meteor shower! My friends and I took full advantage of the new moon and relatively clear skies. I was able to see five shooting stars while they saw at least ten. During the day, this beach is pleasant. Only a moderate amount of people visit so it is not overly crowded like Waikiki Beach. Convenient restrooms and showers are available along with a small parking lot. If you don't mind walking a little, there are trees that provide shade so that your risk of sunburn is lessened. read more

Went here for a little dip on Veterans day with a friend and her kid. This is one of the few beaches that I like to introduce to visitors or friends because of the spectacular views of the East side. LOCATION & PARKING: Kahala beach is located on Kahala avenue close to Koloa street, although when I went the last time, the Koloa street sign is now missing. If you can find Koloa street, you can find the beach entrance, emergency location 133C. Walk down the beach access and you are automatically transformed into a sudden private beach paradise. THiS is one of my favorite beaches because its pretty flat on most days, and of course CLEAN. This beach is also kid friendly due to ample amounts of shoreline and sand, and its flat waves, the currents are too strong either, just keep your kids close to shore. This place was also where my boyfriend and his friends would go free-diving or to catch tako, but thats deeper off shore. NEGATIVE: No public restrooms or showers, and not too much shade for you to hide if you are like me and don't like too much Vitamin D on your already tan skin :) read more

This beach was once known for it's soft and fine white sand beach and beautiful blue water. Now it's a muddy mess of brown water and clunky pebbles between your toes. You can't even see your feet when the water washes up on the beach. Sand from who knows where was brought in to fill the eroding beach so that the million dollar homes are not put in jeopardy of washing out to sea. All at the cost of our beautiful beaches.... really??? Hope one day we can go back and enjoy the beauty of this place the way it used to be. KEEP KAHALA KAHALA! read more

This is my favorite beach on the town side. It's usually pretty empty, calm and relaxing. Parking is usually easy to find, especially if you go earlier in the day. Swimming is ok here. You'll have to find certain "pockets" otherwise you're barely grazing over coral and seaweed. There's always lots of older couples/people walking their dogs who have always been extra friendly and down to have a nice chat. Although I do enjoy kahala beach, it just isn't like any beach you can find in my hometown Waianae. West coast beaches have always just been utterly amazing, majestic and humbling. I can't seem to find a beach that gives that same feel here in town :( read more

Nice serene beach next to the Kahala Mandarin. You can park in the lot next to the waialae golf course and then walk over. You kinda share the beach with the guests of the hotel...and if you're sneaky you can prob use their lounge chairs like we did. You can't go wrong with this beach....wish I could go back. read more

Went here last Sunday and had a nice relaxing, quiet day in the sun. I hardly ever come to this beach mostly because my husband and I surf so if it don't got waves, we're probably not there. However, this Sunday (where there was just no surf anywhere but break your neck Sandy's) we decided to come here. Super relaxing. Definely I agree with Tiffany W & Crista Y....the further away from the resort & park area you go, the more secluded and quiet your strip of paradise will be. Seems the area we chose is a favorite amongst dog owners since EVERYBODY there or who was walking through had their dog with them. Which was fine because these pooches were very used to the environment it seemed. And yes, sadly, there are no fish around there. Went snorkeling and at ouf the entire area we canvassed, we found about a 5 ft wide crevice that had a few angels, moorish idols and wrasses. But the nice thing was that you know people hardly come to this beach or swim out that far because the few fish around were freaking out when they saw us! Not like the fish at Hanauma, looking for hand outs. lol. So to recap: Pros: -Quiet, nice sand to stretch out -Shady areas so no need to bring an umbrella if you don't want -Not crowded if you head more towards the residential outlets; just look for a "beach access" path and walk it in! Cons: -Rocky on the sand and in the water. pretty shallow because of the reef but the currents are strong when trying to snorkel back in. -The water isn't as clear or clean as I like, but there's no "oil slicks" in it like Waikiki, and doesn't make you itch like areas of Ala Moana. read more

Beautiful beach, gorgeous views, but sometimes too many tourists on the resort side of the beach. You got to go to the cutty area where there are less haoles. That's where you can see locals free dive for fish. It's mostly coral in the area so it's tough on the feet to go out walking, so just swim. Beware of the drop off when you hit the end of the coral. It's sad that most of the coral in the area is dying. A clear indication that there is too much pollution hittin' my beloved Hawai'i. If you get a chance to go keep it clean. read more

I love Kahala beach! You can always get into the water there's never a lot of people and parking is easy to find. The beach is located behind these amazingly beautiful big houses and it continues for at least a mile. There's grass areas along he beach that you can set up on which is nice. It stays sunny till at least 5 so if you want to avoid lots of tourists this is the place to go ! read more

This was a small, but lovely beach. The water was very cold and it was rocky underneath so we didn't stay in for too long. It was also very windy, and the sand stung a bit! The coolest part of this beach was the fact that it wasn't packed with people. read more

People were very friendly, even to children and dogs. (Not all beach-goers are accepting of over-friendly children and/or dogs.) We could relax and fully enjoy ourselves here! read more

Kahala Beach - Beaches Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Nice local beach - not touristy at all. Lots of dogs, so if dogs aren't your thing stay away. We live dogs and the owners were all great with them. It's a little rocky, so would suggest water shoes, however if you don't have them, don't worry. We were out there just for a couple hours until about 515pm. Water was wonderful ! read more

See all

Nice, low key beach, not glamours but perfect for a picnic. read more

See all

This is a great clean beach right next to the Kahala. The Kahala sets out pool lounges for it's guests, but locals can snag some too if they want the drink service (alcoholic or nonalcoholic). There is a platform that kids and teens enjoy swimming to and relaxing. The beach can get packed so it might be hard to find shade or lounges. Dogs frequent this beach, but I don't know if that is illegal or not. Each side has rock edges that keep the wave calmer inside and a nice sitting spot on the left. Warm sand beach that extends out quite a distance and coral snorkeling area a small swim out. Great for kids to play or adults to relax. Overall great beach, except the business. read more

Kahala Beach - Enjoying some sun at the Kahala beach with the warm sand and ocean - Beaches Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

See all

Great spot for barbecues, beautiful beach with some decent shelling, really beautiful scenery and overlooking kokohead. Why don't I come here more often? read more