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    Ko'Olina Lagoon

    4.2 (281 reviews)

    Ko'Olina Lagoon Photos

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    Ray B.

    If you're on the west side of Oahu then this is the best family friendly beach around. With 4 man made lagoons to choose from, calm waters for paddleboarding, swimming, and snorkeling this place has it all. There's a 2 mile jogging path that goes around the resort areas and the grounds are well maintained. Parking can get tricky as the few lagoon spots fill out fairly quickly. The large parking area at he end of lagoon 4 might be your best chance.

    Christina H.

    Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Waikīkī but still want to go to a beach and relax? This is the spot for you! First time going and it was amazing. Arrived at 10am found a spot right away with sun & shade and very close to the beach. The bathrooms and rinse off stations are close by also are restaurants if you didn't bring food or drinks. Highly recommend you pack your own food & drinks and stay for 4-5hrs. It's so beautiful it looks like a postcard. Only downside ...parking is limited make sure you arrive early or be prepared to walk.

    Morning walk
    Victoria A.

    Word is out. What was once one of the best kept secrets on the west side of Oahu is now common knowledge to locals and tourists alike. Parking is horrendous. Don't even try visiting the lagoons (written sarcastically). The sunsets here are the same as all over the west side of Oahu (written sarcastically). Too many rules (true story). You can't barbecue. You can't pitch a tent or umbrella. You can't tailgate at the lot. Paid parking is expensive. Free parking is overrated if you have to wait an hour to get into the lot in hopes of finding an empty stall. Best yet, just stay away from the lagoons and go elsewhere to enjoy the wonders that is Koolina.

    Andrea L.

    SO beautiful! If you're looking for a calm and relaxing spot, this is definitely it. The water was super blue, the sun was bright, sand white, and the palm trees added that perfect serene touch. I love that the lagoon was family friendly, and you didn't have to worry about big waves crashing into you. We were visiting from Aulani, so we grabbed some drinks and some foods and explored the area. There are plenty of rental beach chairs and accessories if you want to spend a day relaxing. I have heard that parking is a bit rough to find and that you have to arrive early if you want a spot. Other than that I think it's the perfect place to relax and sip a pina colada!

    Aerial View
    karen k.

    The lagoons are why we come here to visit. It's open ocean swimming while being protected and with minimal waves.

    Tae Kyung Y.

    I see that there are 4 different types of Ko'Olina Lagoon, which I did not know about... but looking at the photos, this was the one that looks like the one I stayed at so I shall leave my review here. A beach day at the Ko'Olina Lagoons is an absolute must. It's a peaceful escape from the busy city life of Waikiki and Honolulu, and there are resorts here that make me reminisce Maui a little bit. The parking for this lagoon is connected to a bunch of hotels and resorts and parking CAN get limited and tight, so make sure to plan accordingly. The lagoon is so peaceful and the waves are not strong because it's a lagoon so it's the perfect way to relax. I didn't get into the waters -- I ended up taking a nap in the shade and did some sun tanning but that itself did justice to explain how great my day was here. Once I have the time (and the money), I would love to take my family here for a resort trip. None of that touristy stuff, but just to solely relax and I guess check out the other three lagoons that they have here... but overall -- we had a great stop here!

    Me and my sister at the lagoons
    Jill M.

    Who doesn't absolutely love the Ko'olina Lagoons? I love coming here to relax and swim, and it's a perfect family-friendly destination. There are a few drawbacks that prevent us from coming here ALL the time, and I'm sure they are all over the Yelp reviews -- parking is difficult, especially on weekends. You can't use your own umbrella/tent/shade (which is weird to me, but I think they want you to rent an umbrella/beach chair from the resort), you can't fly a kite, and there' not a whole lot of shade. However, if you go on a weekday, get there early, get lucky with parking and find a spot in the shade, you will have a perfect day at the beach. The water is calm and inviting. You can snorkel and see a fair amount of colorful tropical fish. It's protected from the open ocean, so you don't have to worry about getting swept away. It's a truly idyllic setting. I've been here by myself, with my husband, with friends, family members, and we all enjoy our time here every time. When we have extra time and aren't in a rush, we like to stop by the gift shops on the drive out. They have cute boutiques, ice cream shops, etc. Enjoy your time at the lagoons! If you can't get parking, don't give up. Either come back later, wait, or try another time. You won't be disappointed!

    Sandhya M.

    Lagoon 1b Great picturesque beach views, grass or sand areas for laying on the beach without being overly crowded. Parking is limited but if you're lucky, you can get a parking spot if someone is leaving. The lagoon is shallow and calm so it's not that big of a risk but, there is no lifeguard on duty so swim at your own experience level. Most of the tourists are at this lagoon so it is usually more crowded (but not "Waikiki crowded") than the others. Here, you can also rent kayaks and other beach equipment. Overall, the lagoons are great for a nice relaxing beach day.

    Brian M.

    Repeat after me, "there are no private beaches on Oahu". While there are super expensive resorts right here you can go and enjoy the beach/lagoon. Expect parking to be full fast and early in the morning. You will pay for that. Expect lots of tourists visiting and staying at the resorts. There is a walking path connecting the 4 "numbered" lagoons that goes along the back of the resorts and lagoons. You will undoubtedly will see a wedding or two on the green grass field of one resort, by the chapel, or see a bride and groom taking pictures by the small lagoon just past the Four Seasons. The water is calm and there is a couple of options for a bite to eat from average priced across the street to extremely pricey at Four Seasons.

    Arleen S.

    This place is awesome! It's right next to Aulani and it's free! Perfect for families to enjoy or even perfect for couples to just relax and swim in calm waters. The sand is a little hard because it's man-made but wear some water shoes and you're good to go. My fiancé snuck into Aulani and bought us some ice creams to enjoy! I loved our experience here. My only complaint is parking can be tough. There's only about 10-15 parking stalls.

    Lagoon 1 - Four Seasons & Aulani
    Daniel O.

    By far one of my favorite and most convenient places to "Go Beach". I love bringing my toddler here every weekend. This resort area definitely gives off great paradise vibes. The best part of this resort is the Resort Association's support of locals also utilizing the amenities of the resort and lagoon. "Ko'Olina encompasses 642 acres with sweeping ocean and mountain views and a string of jewel-like lagoons connected by more than a mile and a half of seaside pathways. The resort is edged to the north by the pristine nature preserve of Lanikuhonua ("where heaven meets the earth") and to the south by four lovely beach coves. Ko Olina continues to set new standards for luxury vacation resorts with its mix of like-minded resort partners that include Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa; Four Seasons Resort O'ahu at Ko Olina; Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club; and the Beach Villas at Ko Olina." Location: Nestled at the forefront of the Wai'anae Coast, this resort is a great "E Komo Mai" to the Westside. If you're coming from the East, take one exit to enter the Ko'olina Resort. This area is full of green grass, gorgeous palms, well-executed landscaping, and plenty of Aloha! There are 4 lagoons with 5 public parking lots. Each lagoon is surrounded by 2 hotels which offer different amenities and experiences. Typically the 3rd and 4th lagoon don't impede Beach access with beach chairs. Parking: Typically, I would encourage tourists to avoid parking in the lagoons to leave space for locals. If you could avoid parking your rental and take an Uber or Lyft, that would show great aloha to the people who call Hawai'i home. Each lagoon has a parking lot at the end of each cross-street. There is no timer or access card required. The parking entrance is secured by a arm gate that opens when a parking stall becomes available. Security: Another awesome benefit is the sense of security you feel while being here. You can find peace and comfort knowing you're vehicle is less likely to get vandalized. As well as, peace knowing there are plenty of workers from each hotel along with the resorts security. Beach: The lagoons themselves are not considered public Beach property since they were built inward and don't fall under the right to beach access (HRS §115-5, HRS §205A-1). However the resort and hotels are pretty supportive of allowing the public to use their beach. YOU CANNOT use umbrellas or tents, unless you use one of the hotels. All the hotels and the exits have bathrooms and showers to rinse off after swimming. Visit http://koolina.com/destination/location/ for an interactive map of Ko'olina.

    Joyce A.

    March 18,2021 Relaxing place to be. Good for couple and family. Came here because Waikiki has a rainy weather and this side is sunny. This place is never a disappointment. Clean place. Well maintained area. Guard in bikes to monitor swimmers. Not really ideal for snorkeling. But, you can still find minimal fish. Not enough parking, but it's a come and go location. Just need to be patient in finding one.

    Diva G.

    We enjoy coming to the lagoons at Ko'Olina. I believe there are 4 open to the public. But lagoon 1 has 1A and 1B parking lots I think. Although parking is the only downside. The stalls fill up fast and early so you're there just waiting outside the new installed gate until someone leaves. Or you can pay for parking at a resort nearby or pay at the boat harbor parking lot. Lagoon 4 has the most stalls. It's a very family friendly beach with calm waters and scattered shady areas. There are restrooms and showers. No soap, shampoo or conditioner use allowed. The showers are timed so it turns off quickly but you just have to keep pressing the button until your fully rinsed off. Early bird gets the worm for parking or you just might get lucky throughout the day.

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    Such a beautiful place, I love going here and swimming. Definitely recommend for family's and kids!

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    Ko'Olina Lagoon Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Ko'Olina Lagoon

    Anyone know if the lagoons are open? We went 3-4 weeks ago and they were all closed. Mahalo for any info!🤙🏾

    Yup they were open today

    Does anyone know if fishing is allowed anywhere near this area? Specifically the rocky areas near the ocean side of the lagoons away from the swimmers.

    Can fish anywhere. just not in the marina and not in any of the lagoons. Das when you going get trouble.

    June 2020 is the Koolina public parking lots open?

    Not yet open and probably won't open for a while. Four Seasons looks to be taking reservations for August only, and if the hotels open then the parking is supposed to open as well. In reality, Ko'olina would probably keep it closed to the public… Read more

    Is there bathrooms?

    Yes, there were public RR. I was at the lagoon located by the marina.

    Can You bring dogs?

    We didn't see any signage that says pet are not allowed, but be mindful that these lagoons are privately owned even though they're opened to the public. I think it's best not to bring your dog(s) to these lagoons.

    Can someone suggest what time to arrive on a non-holiday weekday, in order to get free parking? Does…

    We were there on a Monday. You should get there early morning bc by the time we got there at 10a, lot was already full and we got lucky with one parking space opening up right when we arrived. The lot did not empty out in the afternoon. When we left… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Ko'Olina Lagoon

    My favorite lagoon is still the last lagoon, but the one in front of Aulani is the popular (and crowded) one.

    Mentioned in 23 reviews

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    Secret Beach - One of the most loved public destination Wedding Photography location. Photo by Gentle Blossom Snaps

    Secret Beach

    4.1(46 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    Guess this isn't so secret anymore :-)…read more Very safe and peaceful lagoon to snorkel in with lots of fish and an occasional sea turtle or seal sighting. Parking is tough here as the only official parking lot is small. Thankfully we were staying close by and was able to walk here. The lagoon has lots of tropical fish and is fairly shallow where you can stand in most of the spots. Decent amount of beach sand area to lay out your towels and catch some sun.

    We spent our last day with coming here to catch a glimpse of green turtles and possibly the…read moreHawaiian monk seal. Prior to walking over from the Marriott I did my homework on social media regarding the route. Many said the lagoon was nestled between Disney Aulani and the Four Seasons. Wrong. It's actually between the Lanikuhonua Institute and Paradise Cove Luau. We were walking along the public promenade adjacent to the public access lagoons. Came to a dead end by the Four Seasons resort property. I asked a stranger was he looking for the Secret Beach. It turned out he's a local. He gave me very good directions. That's how we found the Secret Beach. Once we were there we saw two Hawaiian monk seals beached. With a sign posted - keep 10 foot distance. As for turtles I spotted one in the lagoon swimming. It didn't come ashore. This was about 10:30am. There were plenty of folks in the water. So maybe we were the only ones who were challenged in locating the beach. If it weren't for the seals I thought the beach wasn't as enticing as the the area by the resorts. This is a very small footprint. Here there's no public restrooms. And for trash receptacles there are three heavy duty plastic trash bags taped to the the metal chain fence near the beach entrance. Interested in going? If you're on foot coming from the Marriott - walk on Ali'i Nui Dr past the Aulani entrance driveway and the four way street signal lights. Keep walking on the main drag until you see a small parking lot on the left. Make a left and head up to the parking lot. Walk toward Paradise Cove Luau. You'll see a very small entrance. Walk through the entrance and voila. You've arrived.

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    Secret Beach - My little family photo shoot

    My little family photo shoot

    Secret Beach - One of the most loved public destination Wedding Photography location. Photo by Gentle Blossom Snaps

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    Mermaid Caves

    Mermaid Caves

    4.1(16 reviews)
    2.6 mi

    Very interesting- and scary. You have to climb down into the cave .a d you get into the water and…read moreswim your way out.. dangerous as f.... Don't ever go alone and make sure you have help getting out.. you better be a strong simmer.. this is not a joke and not for beginners.. there were people to help me out of the water . My first time - I did it and don't need to go back... it's not a bright idea and dangerous as can be.. just look with your eyes.. don't do it .

    Mermaid Caves is almost a secret place hidden in the middle of nowhere, right in front of a private…read moreproperty. I did the research before I go and even my friend who live in Hawaii never come to this cave. You have to find the entrance that is not noticeable. Luckily my friends and I met some local and they point it out for us. The hole to get down is very small and when I got there the water had coming up if you get there in the morning it should be better, and we can go deeper to the cave but in the afternoon, it is too dangerous to deal with the wave. Even that inside the cave is very beautiful with reflection of the sun and water to the ceiling of the cave. WARNING! you shouldn't go alone. It must be group of friends to go together for a safety purpose unless you can't clam up and someone can help you. Since I try to visit a site of nature, it is something need to be considered, some place and be dangerous and must have company to go with.

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    Mermaid Caves - # g r a t e f u l Bruce hensley  (Ohana Family ) Beach clean-up

    # g r a t e f u l Bruce hensley (Ohana Family ) Beach clean-up

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    Ko'Olina Lagoon - beaches - Updated May 2026

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