This trail is located on the right side before the start of Makapuu lighthouse trail. Have been here a couple times and usually not very busy compared to the lighthouse trail. There's a few different pathways going toward the ocean, some people like to swim there but it's usually pretty rocky and dangerous waters here so I wouldn't recommend unless you're a strong swimmer. Popular for fishing too. No bathrooms or showers located here. P.S. it is rocky during the first part of the trail so I recommend wearing shoes so you don't twist an ankle or lose your slippa like I've seen others. Otherwise, it's pretty casual nature walk to enjoy on the east side. Enjoy! read more

Kaiwi Shoreline Trail - View - Hiking Near Me

We went here because my 5 year old nephew wanted to see the tide pools. It was a little difficult to find, becasue we didn't see any water when we arrived so we thought we were in the wrong location. There was a free parking lot once we arrived, so no issue with driving there. After you park you have to take the unpaved pathway and walk about 5 -10 minutes and you'll arrive at the tide pools. My nephew really enjoyed seeing all the snails, shells, rocks, and other creatures. Definitely should wear water shoes because a it's a lot of rocks. There is a place you can get in the water where the waves were low, but I would highly recommend not going too far in the water and being careful along the rock edges because the waves looked very very strong. Overall the views were pretty and the experience was nice. read more

Kaiwi Shoreline Trail - Hiking Near Me

We took a short, breezy walk toward the cozy beach by Pele's Chair. Flat and easy, but the rocky trail makes good walking shoes your best friend. As if the views weren't enough, two seals were just vibing in full sunbathing mode. Nature's version of chill. read more

See all

If you are going to hike Makapu'u Lighthouse, you'll see Kaiwi Shoreline Trail on the right side passing the entrance. Easy to spot and visible as it has dry brown trail going down. Obviously it's a dirt trail but clear and visible without any shade in most of your hike. When it's summer it's dry and brown however on rainy season it's chocolatey muddy and a challenge to hike to. Make sure to wear proper shoes and bring flip-flops as possible to wear it when you approach the beach side. Personally, I love this beach trail. Super easy to hike as the terrain is mostly flat. Then you'll arrive to this beach that is not that friendly as big waves tend to crashed on you but there are some spot where you can swim to a cozy mini lagoon. I find this beach also a perfect spot to do fun-shooting. If you decide to take a dip or snorkeling be cautious and don't dive if big waves are on. Mahalo for reading and happy juandering fellow yeeps! read more

See all

Quality/Quantity - How does this get such great reviews? Where are the bathrooms? Very limited parking, and high break in area; yes I am extra cautious since my last SF JapanTown experience, see Yelp. Very easy paved walk. Perfect for beginners. Much more touristy than I expected. Wait, I am so confused, did I hike the wrong trail? Did we do the Makapu'u Lighthouse hike instead? Or Makapu'u point lighthouse trail or??? Or I need to start wearing my glasses??? Atmosphere - Very easy simple paved hike, I believe it was 4 miles round trip...? Service - None. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Hi, please invest a little more $$$ here to make it a more positive experience. read more

See all

Never in my life I will forget this hike. It's where my iphone dropped in 6ft saltwater and was able to retrieved it after more than an hour chilling down with waves crashing on big boulders around it. Until now, I can't believed I moved those big rocks and was able to used the same phone doing this l review here on Yelp. Kaiwi shoreline trail is a pretty easy hike to do mostly dirt and no shade along. My bald head got sunburned the next day coz the sun is shining so bright at that time and it was humid as well. But luckily it was a shoreline trail so at the end of it I was able to cool off myself in a small lagoon we found at the very tip of the hike. Having a huge boulders around helped us protected away from those raging enormous waves crashing on. So it was a sweet awesome spot for me and the fact that only me and my wife are the only human swimming on that spot. On the other side of the beach I've seen a group of folks diving and snorkeling so I guess it's the spot to go snorkeling too? I've seen couples and a family doing picnic here under the shade which give me the idea to come back and bring my poke from Foodland and some refreshments to cool us off next time. A tip from Yarman: Do not ever use your phone while in water coz Goddess Nāmaka might take it out of the blue. Next thing you know, your phone will slip down in between those big boulders and will end up grabbing a can grabber back home! LoL. It was an experienced I cannot ever forget. I enjoyed the hike, the saltwater and above all , I was rejoicing as I retrieved my phone enjoying down in the ocean for a quite awhile. See yah later... read more

See all

Don't want to give away too much as the beauty of this place is the solitude. Suffice to say if you know how to get off the beaten path and pay attention you'll find it. Don't gather here or party...be respectful of unmarked burials and heiau in this area. KAPU! Tread Lightly. Pack it out. Leave no trace. Be quiet and still in this sacred place. Listen and you might hear the guidance you've sought by coming to this unique spot of the gathering isle. read more

See all

I initially wanted to hike up Makapu'u Lighthouse. But then I noticed the crowd of dogs, children, and tourists, that made me rethink my decision. I then proceeded to head down the mountain to Kaiwi Trailhead. Its rocky and has the potential for mud after it rains, so definitely wear shoes. It's very peaceful, aside from the sound of barking and groans coming from the Makapuu trail in the distance, lol. I ran into a few people, a couple fishermen, and beachgoers. I stopped and took pictures every chance I got, walking at my own pace. I even sat down by the shore and listened to the breaking waves. I wish I brought my coffee and book! Next time for sure! Solo adventures read more

See all

This is the trail goes downwards at Makapuu Light House Trail, which leads to Pele's chair. Once you get to the beach, there are few small pathes to get you on top of the rocks. Although the trail is fairly easy, make sure to wear sneakers....the road is pretty rocky and steep on some parts. It is nice people leave leis on Pele's chair to honor the Goddess. It is definitely gorgeous power spot with a nice view of the ocean. read more

I hardly am on this side of the island when I am not traveling, but when I do, I enjoy coming to this side of the island. It's quite secluded, but far enough away to enjoy yourself from Waikiki. I found myself here on this trail on the way to Makapu'u Beach Park and Sea Life Park. Since I haven't this one before, I decided to do some social distancing on the east side of the island on a Saturday in March 2019. The distance to the shoreline isn't long at all, nor is it a hike, although it can be strenuous due to the nature . Just gotta stay on the observed trails and you'll be fine. I gotta say that the scenery is very beautiful. Unfortunately for me, there was more people out here than I would have liked, but It was nice to be out here. There is two main pathways that leads to the ocean. One path is the Makapu'u Trail, which leads to a lookout and the lighthouse. The other, the Kaiwi Shoreline trail, leads to a quiet, scenic spot that most tourists usually miss on any given day. The two trails are connected with a parking lot that's off of Kalanianaole Highway. I spent about 2 1/2 hours here doing the trails and checking things out before heading to Makapu'u. It was very nice getting out of my comfort zone here. The fresh air and the change of scenery did me a lot of good. Sometimes, it's like that. Experiencing the nature all around us helps us spiritually and keeps our minds and soul healthy. At least half of the trail involves dry brush and grassy areas. Further down the trails, the landscape turns rather rocky and lush at the same time. When you get to the lighthouse and the lookout point, you will see a rock formation known as Pele's Chair. Pele is the Hawaiian goddess of Volcanoes, fire, and the creator of these Hawaiian Islands. The overall experience here at the Kaiwi Shoreline trail was very nice. It was nice and scenic and definitely worth a shot to come over and experience. The walk itself was about 1.25 miles one way and 2.5 miles round trip. I found myself wandering around for a bit before hanging out at the water's edge, just to reflect at this pandemic that has gripped the world in 2020. The trail itself is clean and maintained. It was a nice walk though and away from the urban jungle that is Honolulu. I didn't expect it to be not hilly, but it has its bits of ups and downs, although you may not feel it. If you're in the area, consider coming here for a nice scenic walk. It's a hidden gem that's not far from Haunama Bay. The overall experience here at the Kaiwi Shoreline trail was theraputic, spiritual, active, and something to do while out and about on the eastern side of the island. The experience here also enlightened my mood and outlook on life, as most outings to parks, the beach, and other places do. Like all community parks, coming here to the Kaiwi shoreline trail is absolutely free. No money needed to enter and enjoy this scenic oasis. Best bet would be to come here early enough to beat the morning sun. I hope that viewing the sunrise would be spectacular, although a return trip would be warranted at some point or another, if I am near the area. There's a generous helping of parking here, so you'd want to come here before it gets crowded. If you are like me, only 2 routes that come to mind that pass through the area, namely route 22 and 23 from Kahala Mall area. You can also ride route 67 and 69 from Kailua / Kaneohe area and stop at Sea Life Park, but you'd have to get to the area, which is about 4-5miles from Sea Life Park. For the most part though, it is nice to be here, even if it was for 2 hours or so. Make the best of a challenging situation. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+ read more

This trip to Hawaii has been geared around exploring off the beaten path. We've successfully avoided the touristy locations as we did those on our first trip. This was our 1st hike of the trip. This hike is to the most westerly point of Oahu. It was rated as easy!?!?!?! Ok have to disagree with that one. Probably more an upper moderate. It may have just been the recent weather conditions rendering it hard to traverse. Elevation gain is 226ft over a 5 mile round trip. The ground is rocky, frequently muddy and the tip is sandy. I recommend something with ankle support because of the unevenness of the terrain. All that aside there was some great scenery. To include albatross mating dances and some nice up close shots. We were lucky enough to have one resting 6-10 ft away from us. We managed to get some good pics of that one. There are ropes to designate the trail and you are admonished against going off the trail and/or harassing the animals. In addition the nesting area is fenced and gated to keep the mongooses out. There are plenty of bait traps, they're well marked so leave those alone too. This is not a dog friendly venue - leave them at home. Take water - 2 qts is recommended. We have camel baks so no issues there. We found 3 monk seals sitting in a tide pool at the point. But no whales on this trip either. Hard trek but worth the walk. read more

Kaiwi Shoreline Trail - An albatross next to the trail. - Hiking Near Me

Walking up the concrete path, a trail map display of what didn't look like the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail caught my eye. It's been years since I first hiked the lighthouse trail, but the thought of walking along the breezy shoreline of Ka'iwi Shoreline Trail seemed more refreshing than seeing a lighthouse, so I found myself making my way between the two wooden posts & down the rocky terrain. The ground levels out to a dirt path surrounded by a field of golden leaves of grass glinting in the wind. It was a peculiar sight knowing that you're in Hawaii walking in the dry desert of an African safari scene. After a while, the path leads to a secluded beach cove slightly obstructed by outstretched branches where you'll start asking yourself if this is the end of the trail. If you want to swim, then yes, it's the end. I'm not a beach person so I lugged on, taking a right before the beach. Apparently, it was a wrong turn because it seemed like it took me further into the middle of the field & I immediately sought out a path that looked like it led to the tide pools. If you walked through the beach, it'd take you to the shoreline (which is the right path anyway). From here, you'd see the other sandy beach which is where you want to go. Keep in mind that there'll be two paths in front of you at some points, but use trail markers like Pele's chair, which is the rock formation on the tip of the mountain where the lighthouse trail is, or the other mountain, which happens to be Koko Head Crater, to determine where you are. Or you can just follow any ol' dirt path you see. It doesn't really matter because the paths just loop around & are easy to follow. In this trail, I traveled through African-like fields, Hawaiian shorelines caked with glittering lava rocks & now a mangrove swamp. I couldn't help but skip rocks into this picture perfect scene. Aside from the scenery, there isn't much else to this hike. It's more of a walk that should be supplemented by doing the lighthouse trail if you have approximately an hour to kill or if you want to take a dip in an uncrowded beach. I got hungry so the lighthouse trail's for next time. read more

See all

How does one rate a trail on Yelp? The only reason I'm going with a 1 star deduction is that it's not overly clear at the trailhead which "trail" to take. Don't get me wrong, it's not hard to figure out and if you do take the wrong "trail" it's not like your gonna get lost. 1) it's an island 2) the ocean is before you, the road behind you, the paved trail is to Makapu light house 3) that leaves just about any of the other not so well marked "trails" the Kaiwi Shoreline Trail, right? Of course, right! As you might have guessed, not knowing any better, we took the first paved trail that appeared to be the "low road" going toward the ocean. Wrong. It heads back toward the road, parallels it and if you take a rabbit trail / gully wash back across you can link back up with the "main" trail. Phew. Not that it was hard. But you do feel a little stupid at first. The trail you should take veers to the right as you start up the paved trail to Makapu light house. It's just past the informational kiosk and you'll see two "goal posts" sort of saying: "Over here, Dummy. This way!" The rocky terrain is not conducive to anyone with weak ankles or knees, but once in the "valley" it levels out into a pretty nice path. Again, no signs. Just follow the foot prints and path to the ocean. Where the trail forks? Pick your poison. You'll still get there. The reward is a rocky shoreline with waves crashing and a thunderous roar you can actually feel vibrating your bones! Be sure to explore the little estuary and mangrove swamp. This place is surreal in that it's so arid but your steps away from the surf. You're in Hawaii but feel like it could be the African Savannah. I expected to see a wildebeest or giraffe amongst the trees. It's a hot little hike. Pack in, pack out. We saw trash cans only in the parking lot. Follow up with a shave ice at Uncle Clay's House of Aloha. read more

See all

The Kaiwi Shoreline Trail is the lower trail at the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail. The area was once home to both sweet potato farming and cattle ranching, as indicated by the sign at the trail head. This trail leads to the ocean via a hot dirty path and then continues on along the shoreline. There is a beach area that is mostly empty and secluded, even on the weekends. While we were there, there were also a few people fishing off of the beach/rocky area along the trail. This is a very easy and mostly flat hike, but there is little shade or cover so pack some sunblock. It is also VERY hot in the middle of the afternoon, so plan accordingly. If you want to spend some time at a secluded beach, this is the best trail for it. It is also great for pets! read more

See all

EVERYBODY knows about Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail. EVERYBODY parks their car and walks up the paved path. BUT does everybody know about Kaiwi Shoreline Trail? The trailhead is right before Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail and is family friendly, though not stroller friendly. Instead of walking up the paved path like everybody else, make a right turn onto the dirt path. The path is dry crumbly dirt and rather boring. But just keep trekking and you'll soon find yourself a beautiful fork in the road: Veer to the left and then go up the hill to Pele's Chair or veer to the right for an amazing secluded beach. This isn't a hike but I strongly recommend you wear proper footwear, especially if you plan to climb Pele's Chair. We wore all weather sandals (Teva's and Keens) and our swimsuits under our clothes. read more

See all

My 7 year old recently has been interested in hiking so I decided to take her and her lil' bro on an easy hike. I originally wanted to take the kiddos up the Makapuu Lighthouse however, saw the map and decided to deviate. Most people headed up the paved trail but we veered right on a rocky path. The walk down the rocky path up to the shoreline took about 15-20 minutes. This hike is not stroller friendly. When we reached the shore my kids played in the water. They also enjoyed climbing on the rocks. We did not make it to Pele's chair but we definitely will next time. It was a small beach/cove and safe swim area. There also is a beautiful pool made with rocks. Next time, I want to bring swim gear, some shade, and snacks so that I can spend the afternoon there with the kids! FYI- no facilities to shower or pee. read more

This is the trail that leads you to Alan Davis Beach! To start, simply start walking up the Makapu`u Lighthouse Trail. Right when you begin, on the right hand side, there will be the beginning of the Kaiwi Shoreline Trail. Take this and shortly later you will be at the beach. Just take the right path when the trail splits. The Kaiwi Shoreline Trail is a bit dry, sunny, and hot during the day. There is not much shade. I'd recommend staying away from plants that are prospering and are green because there are a lot of bees flying around them. Parking is shared with the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail parking lot. It's gets pretty busy on weekends and you may need to park on the shoulder of the road or in the second parking lot a short walk down by the Makapu`u Lookout. read more

More of a pretty stroll along the beach than a hike. Not crowded if you go on a weekday, but it gets more popular on weekends. This area can be windy and/or hot. Bring sunscreen (if you are human). read more

See all

I highly recommend the hike! Generally it is a better trail than Makapuu Trail. It is free and it's about a 2.5 miles round walk. If you are lucky enough, like us, you'll have a beautiful day. I recommend to start early cause it can get crowded later in the day and bring water for there lots of sun and hardly any shade. Anyone who been there knows it's a very nice trail, and I'm sure most people will enjoy Ka'iwi and will appreciat its quietness. The trail starts right next at the end of the parking lot just before the Makapuu Lighthouse hike take unpaved road to the right hand side. read more

Did this trail to get down to the secluded beaches. Kids loved it. The trail was easy enough. More of a nature walk than a hike for sure. No facilities or anything, so be prepared for that. And take some water. While there are a few trees here and there, the trail starts out in a field and ends on the shore. So you're pretty exposed most of the day. The little coves are good for swimming, but with rocky bottoms, so wear or bring shoes that can get wet! read more

Not so much my idea of a "trail" but a nice stroll. Great to view the sunset from and it gets really breezy up there! Nice view of the Makapuu lighthouse if you go far enough up. read more

Super easy hike. Not to be confused with it's super easy neighbor, Makapuu. Don't take the paved path to the left if you want the easier hike it's this one on the right. Bring a hat and sunscreen! read more

Kaiwi Shoreline Trail - Map showing the two trails - Hiking Near Me

See all

Nice and easy (and dog friendly) paved trail with beautiful panoramic views. Went up today for the first time. Plenty of people on the trail on the weekend. I assume it isnt as crowded through the week. Great for whale watching this time of year. We saw quite a few of them. Will be back again. read more

It's about a 1.5 mile hike to the top so 3 miles round trip. paved the whole way. bring water if you do it in the afternoon.

Nice easy walk and end at Pele chair and a nice little beach area. The kids loved it (7yrs, 5yrs, 1yr) and the water was bath water warm and very calm. Not a lot of people there and so beautiful! U can easily bring a cooler down there and spend a whole day there . lots of good spots for pictures but not a lot of shade. You just park at the lighthouse parking lot and walk on the path leading down instead of up. It is also dog friendly and there is a green trash can on the way back up to the parking lot right after u get out of the beach area keep it clean :) read more

A lovely short hike to a couple of tidepool rich areas & quiet beaches. You go down to the right when you enter the trailhead, & Pele's Chair can be seen from the trail. Nice! read more

Ka'iwi Shoreline Trail is a wonderful trail that takes a nice scenic look at ponds and the ocean. I took my son and daughter there because the water is very calm. But there are a few issues that cannot be overlooked. First, the parking. The Ka'iwi Shoreline Scenic Trail also takes you to the lighthouse. There is limited parking so most people park on the side of the road and that can get quite tight. Second, there is no bathroom. Third, the beach is reall, really, tiny. read more