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I've been to Oahu many times throughout my lifetime and I recently found out about spitting caves. This is definitely a hidden gem but it can be a bit of a challenge getting down to the cave especially if the rocks are slippery. Best to wear shoes with some traction. Views are gorgeous once you get down there.
Spitting Caves is definitely a hidden gem off the beaten path--literally. This spot is located all the way in Portlock, at the end of Lumahai St, in Hawaii Kai. It's a residential area with only street parking, which can be limited, especially during sunset as that's the most popular time. You can't see the entrance when cars are parked in front, but look for a yellow sign that says "119 A". The pathway is between houses, and it does look dark, steep, and uninviting. Well, that's the right place! Be prepared for a small "hike" for a few minutes. Be careful as some parts are rocky, slightly steep, and slippery from moist, dead leaves. You may be unsure as you go along, but don't worry, it's there, and it's worth it. When you arrive, you'll find a wide open rock cliff with plenty of space to chill or explore. It's also the perfect place to catch the sunset and look for the green flash! The actual "Spitting Cave" is to your left. It's interesting! But don't want to ever get trapped in there. I'm quite disappointed I've never been here, or made a better effort to figure out how to get here earlier as this is an amazing, calming, tranquil, and relaxing place. You can feel the cool, ocean breeze, hear the sound of waves crashing against the rock cliff, and enjoy the amazing, picturesque scenery. Overall, Spitting Caves is a nice place to visit, to enjoy the scenery, and to "get away" and relax. It can be a little out of the way, and the path getting there can be difficult, but it's worth it.
It's no hidden secret, but this such great spot to check out the waves and even unwind away from city and tourist spots. Find it so peaceful and calming just hear the waves crashing down. I would bring bento and eat out here. There will be a hidden walkway that has lots of leaves rocks, very slippery after raining, so take your time when going down. Street parking along Lumahai st, make sure not block residential houses.
Look for the Emergency Response Location and Do Not Climb Down Here signs to know where to climb down. The narrow, uneven, muddy walk between houses is very slippery, so expect to get muddy. I finally went barefoot. Advantage: grip. Disadvantage: it feels like I was walking through John Goodman's sewer. Rocky layers of nooks and crannies offer lots of spots to lounge and look at the Pacific. If you can, plan for high tide. At high tide, the water pours into the rocks, and the caves spit out water like a whale or drahon. At low tide, the caves swallow.
Perfection! Simply perfection! A coworker of mine suggested that I go check out the spitting caves. When I looked it up on the yelp I realized that it was definitely a must see before leaving the island. Once again yelp gave us where to enter where to park and what not to wear on our feet, flip-flops!! I wore a pair of tennis shoes and I was beyond grateful I did! the trip down isn't hard but you definitely don't wanna do it in flip-flops you can but I wouldn't recommend it. My hubby and I sat down for about 30 minutes and mostly people watched there were these two young men down near the spitting cave doing backflips in front flips and some other sort of twirly thingInto the water. It was pretty entertaining to watch however after the first time the gentleman jumped I couldn't watch anymore I was just so afraid. Watching the sun go down was absolutely beautiful and a must to do with someone you love or a way to show family members the beauty in our island.
Stunning, just completely stunning. If you want a memory of a lifetime - this is the spot. if you want to propose to your girl - this is the spot. If you want to contemplate life - this is the spot. If you simply want to take 20 selfies - this is also your spot......albeit at sunset though and don't drop your engagement ring. The entrance is between million dollar homes but the path down is no where close to being as nice. Wear appropriate shoes and don't slip off, because your potentially fatal mistake will ruin the experience for everyone. The views - awe inspiring. The whales - they are present. Romance - it's in the air. Friendship - further solidified by the experience. Family connections - priceless. I would recommend bringing a bottle a wine but on second thought - scratch that.
Idk what the hype is about. You go down a treacherous walk way in between houses that's hard to see. And you get to some cliffs and watch a little water bounce off the rocks to create a mist. There is Way better use of your time. Elsewhere. Everywhere on the island is better than one minute here.
One of those beautiful hidden gems in Hawai'i Kai, and you can get some really awesome views of Diamond Head in the distance and of course, the Pacific Ocean. And you can see all the waves crashing into the cave, thereby creating this "spitting" effect over time. I do not recommend anyone try to cliff drive into the water as there have been multiple incidents over the years where people have drowned or seriously injured themselves. Make sure you watch your step when going down and back up, and always wear proper footwear. It is very rocky and slippery at times.
What an unbelievable sight of the caves and water. This is a natural phenomenon of the waves crashing into a cave and therefore "spitting" out the water from the hole. You can park in the residential area before the dead end. There's a small opening with a narrow pathway leading to the cave. The differences in the heights of the steps are quite high so take your time, but it can certainly be done with flip-flops. You can do Spitting cave, China walls, and Hanauma Bay (best snorkeling spot on the island, needs reservation!) altogether.
Came out to catch the sunset. This is a pretty chill place to come and spend some time at. The path is right in between some houses but is hard to miss seeing as they have the state trash cans right at the entrance. This is simply a beautiful view and well worth the experience. There is really no other way to describe it.
So stoked to have found this picturesque spot just minutes from my house in Hawaii Kai. Residential parking at the end of a cul de sac at the top of Portlock leads you to a narrow access walkway as you traverse an easy descent down to the rocks. Wide open views of the pacific ocean as well as Maunalua Bay to the right. I went to catch the sunset one day and was not disappointed. Fellow golden hour seekers included friends on a picnic, amateur photographers, families, locals, and a couple getting engaged in front of friends & family. Highly recommend this spot for epic sunrise / sunset pictures or just to meditate and chill.
Be careful going down! It's almost like a hidden area but super nice when you get down there! It was so nice and a pretty area to watch the sunset!
5 years ago
It's a very short hike but some high steps and footing is harder for elderly. They may have to take breaks. Have to hold on to the fence too. Don't bring anything but camera and gym shoes. May catch people doing foto shoots too. This is worth the effort for sure. My mom and sister made it and it was gorgeous! Moms 78, bad knees and balance, just hang on and help them! So pretty! Rate that up to the Grand Canyon views. My son thought it was pretty, just hold on to little ones as it's a drop! Look for brown sign between two houses. Don't leave anything in your cars we were told. read more
8 years ago
Awesome hidden gem. It's between 2 houses. Find a blue sign that says "danger" and make your way down a somewhat sketchy trail. Not too difficult to get down but definitely be careful and take your time as it can be slippery. Nice lava rock formations And blue water make for excellent pictures. Do this on your way to or from Hanauma or sandy beach. See pics below! I give it four starts because it's free and cool. read more
Spitting Caves is a great place to watch the sunset! I stopped by for the first time last night to catch the last sunset of the year. It was a great choice made by a dear friend. I'm so happy that it was recommended to me and it was a good first experience. Even though there were a few dozen people at Spitting Caves, parking was not bad. There were many stalls open which were located on the street in the residential neighborhood. Getting down to the spitting caves took a short hike. It was a decline on dirt and rocks and took us about 5 minutes. Once there, there were many places to sit. I especially liked the patterns etched into the rocks. It sort of looked like erosion from water. After the sunset, the hike back up was a little strenuous. I did not find it too bad, but some people struggled a bit to get back up. read more
7 years ago
What's not to love!! Stunning caves, crashing waves and amazing selfie spot :D Don't come climbing down in your flip flops because you will cut your feet. Ouch! But it's on my favorite loop. Free parking is there. Even if it's full, you can wait for it. People stop by here to take in that stunning view. You are not technically supposed to jump the wall but do it at your own risk. Once you are over the wall, you can walk down to the caves. It's even prettier. Sit there, enjoy the view. Or if you don't want to deal with the whole slip and sliding on the rocks: enjoy it from the other side. Eat lunch in your car. If you are lucky, you might see a honu or two! Get your camera ready! read more
5 years ago
Great spot for a nice lookout. Would be perfect for a sunrise or sun set. I came here with the family and our dog and we all enjoyed it. Coming down can be a bit slippery with limited areas to hand onto. But we, including my 5 head old daughter and puppy, made it down pretty fine. Once the quick climb down is over, you're hit immediately with 185 degrees of pure beauty. This was a perfect opportunity to use my new iPhone 7 plus camera. A must visit if you're in the area. read more
12 years ago
4 years ago
Follow Victoria A.'s directions. Easy parking along Hanapepe loop. Safe upscale area, wasn't worried about my car being broken into. It was a short walk to the beach park at the end of a cul da sac. Bring a sack lunch or your costco pizza and enjoy the surfers, outrigger boats and parasailing. It was really peaceful and a beautiful setting to zone out on the water. The surf break is called China wall named because of how the wave comes along the rock wall perfectly. The spitting caves was amazing! I would never want to end up anywhere near the opening. Some days the surf is bigger thus creating a bigger spray/spit from the cave. Respect the ocean and never go above your abilities when surfing, swimming, or cliff jumping. read more
Go down the short but steep dirt trail at the cul-de-sac of Lumahai Road and you're there. Dazzling coastline of layered rocks, the dramatic result of a volcanic past. It's my favorite spot on the whole island. The blue waters can be loud and violent, but there's something so tranquil and relaxing here. It feels like you're at the edge of the world. The best time to come is late afternoons in the summertime when the sky is vibrant and the weather, comfortable. One of the best (and most overlooked) photo-ops on Oahu. read more
This is a very cool place. I have been here 3 different times and each time my heart beats a little faster than normal because of the dangerous aspect of the place. Last week I brought my 5 nieces/nephews with me to see the place. I made sure everyone was very careful and did not get to close to the edge. I was nervous the whole time but I wanted them to see the beauty of the place. There is nothing like this in SoCal. My 11 year old niece said "I'm so surprised there is no fencing or anything to keep people from falling in the ocean, they would never allow this in CA"!! So true!! We took some pictures and looked at the great view. On the way out my niece noticed a plaque in the rock that had been placed there as a memorial for someone that had died there. She took the flower out of her hair and left it at the plaque. It was very moving. What an awesome little girl! Respect the place and don't trip. read more
Easily the best and most dangerous scenic spot La Chica and I visited while on Oahu! This is way off the beaten path traveled by the mainlanders who take pics at the lookout points of Kam Highway. For this one, you've got to make your way past the vacationers and head into the residential neighborhood of Kawaihoa Point. Once in the hood, head over to Lumahai St. and go all the way down, nearly to the end of the cul-de-sac. Look over on the right, and you will see the narrow path between two houses that leads down to the water. If you go, shoes are recommended, not flip flops. While out here, we saw many whales, but they were just out of zoom range on our cameras. One guys texted me a pic he snapped right as we were coming down the path. So I would say this is an excellent spot for whale watching. What a hidden gem! read more
6 years ago
Gorgeous. As you walk down you are almost transported to another world! The rolling clif sides are shown nearly instantly as you walk down the steep path. Be careful because if it rains it will be very very slippery at the end (My son fell on his butt LOL), so be sure to hang left on the way down and grab the ropes/ branches. The sheer drop of the cliff is spectacular and you can often see whales and turtles from the top. Many people jump off of it including my son, so if you are a thrill seeker that is here too! All and all, this is one of the best views and easiest places to get too. read more
Paid this place a visit again esp after seen the 3 doctors jump from the ledge in abc's new show OFF THE MAP, which i later found out that they were stunt professional divers and they were low on the cliff. while taking pictures a man and his wife came by to take in the view and in speaking to them i found out that he was working on LOST and also is working on OFF THE MAP. we were talking about this location and its popularity in films. The view is amazing and it really feels like you could be on some remote island. i have yet to see anyone jump from the ledge but then again i dont know if i would want to see that. they possibilities of it going wrong are so great. read more
It was a typical Saturday afternoon with my friends. We were all bored people hanging out together because being bored together was better than being bored alone. "What do you wanna do?" "Idk... what do you wanna do?" "Idk....whatever you wanna do" AHHH!! I know it was impossible for us to have done everything there is to do on this island and we couldn't have gone everywhere there is to go! "Wanna go to Spitting Cave?" "What's that??" I thought. Spitting. Cave. Interesting...caves that spit..... Do I want to be spit on?.... We go for a drive into Hawaii Kai and at the top of the road at the deadend we park. Look for an empty lot towards the sea and you'll see a little alleyway and slowly make your way down the hill. There's a lot of dry leaves and loose dirt that leads down to Spitting Caves so be careful! Once you reach your destination it'll just be completely breathtaking. The rocks are layered and make it easy for you to walk around so you don't have to worry too much about taking a wrong step. However, like any outdoorsy thing...ALWAYS BE CAREFUL! There's a lot of glass shards from beer bottles and what not that could easily cut you if you're not careful or wearing the proper footwear. There's no shade and the rocks get full blast of sun so it'll be hot, footwear suggested! Careful around the edge... looks like a long, painful fall. Please don't jump off either. It doesn't look fun and the currents are very strong. Other than that. Spitting Caves is one of my favorite places on this island. It's very peaceful and there's hardly anyone around to bother you. I'd come here just to find some peace and quiet and do nothing. :) Yelp 011/365 read more
4 years ago
13 years ago
13 years ago
Kind of crazy to find but worth it when you do! Beautiful, and you can see some cool stuff in the water (honu, they find me whereever I go) I am more of an in the water person than a perched-dangerously-atop-cliffs-overlooking-water person, so I was kind of staying away from the edge... Always beautiful, morning, sunset, guys camping here too..with their dog, my dog would have hurled himself over the edge trying to eat the waves! Very unexpected, very awesome!! read more
7 years ago
A hole in the wall spot with beautiful views. Park on the street and climb down a public access between two houses which opens up to a spot of your very own. read more
11 years ago
Jumping off Spitting Caves was the trip highlight. We did that the second day and started the trip off with a splash! It was the biggest adrenaline rush I had in awhile and a great bonding experience with the boyfriend. We put the locals to shame who were all hesitating before the jump. We took one look off the edge and jumped into the beautiful ocean water. This is a dangerous activity, but it made it even more worthwhile. My boyfriend used to be a cliff diver back in the Azores, so this was a great nostalgic jump for him. Another highlight about this experience included the mission to find the place! It is difficult to locate the trail in between residents' homes in a courtyard at the end of a long road. read more
6 years ago
Gorgeous view of the coastline!!! The water is deep blue and the waters can get pretty loud. There is a cave that spits out water when the tide comes in. It's nice and breezy and it made me think of how amazing mother nature is. It's seriously worth it. It's a nice natural layered rock backdrop for a photo shoot. read more
7 years ago
8 years ago
Nice hidden gem. The entrance is really hard to find, it's behind a big dumpster... slippers don't work here read more
9 years ago
Getting to the location is quite a ways off the tourist path. Deep into the residential neighborhoods is a unsuspected marked path that leads down a rigid and sometimes slippery unimproved slope. Park on the street, but respect the neighbors and venture down the path to a spectacular vista of ocean front adventure. Don't expect to swim, but open your eyes and you may be pleasantly surprised to see multiple sea turtles, and even a whale or two. read more
16 years ago
If you are able to make it here.....you should! It's really quite remarkable! It's not easy to get to but totally worth it. The pathway to get down to the spitting cave is tucked in a neighborhood and can be difficult to get too.......On top of that the walk down there can be tricky too. It's steep and the ground is uneven so it's not safe for everyone. Once out onto the rocks you will be greeted with stunning rock formations and the sound of waves crashing. The layered rock is so gorgeous! This is not the place for any one who is scared of heights......take caution! read more
8 years ago
Hard to find the entrance because hidden away in residential neighborhoods. The beautiful layer stones like a small Grand Canyon. Be carful for wearing shoes and find a good pair of shoes for the sands and the rocks because the sands make people feel slippery when they step on the stones. Then, the place is good for people when they like to see the sunset. read more
11 years ago
This place was awesome! Super cool off-the-grid place I would recommend for for anyone. But if you have small children it would be difficult because there are no railings or restraints. Originally I was looking for a place to go cliff jumping when I found this place. I went there with the impress that I could and it definitely wasn't a safe place to do it that day at least. The tide was high and surf was strong. Definitely a cool place to check out! read more
10 years ago
Nice spot to relax and enjoy the views of the ocean without being surrounded by tourists. t's a short, steep hike down to the cliff area. If you're lucky, you'll spot a honu (green sea turtle) or a Hawaiian Monk seal swimming in front of the cave. read more
One word that can express this place, GORGEOUS!!! It wasn't hard to find either, just a quick 5 minute hiking trip. We had our dog with us so it made it a little hard going down those rocks but we made it and it was worth it. All the open water made it all the while worth it, it was just a place to go to to relax and enjoy the view, BREATHTAKING, I would go there again and again, I've seen some amazing places but this one tops it. We took a million pictures, I wish we would of gotten a lot closer to the water but we had our dog with us who is 4 months old and was kind of scared lol next time we'll go all the way down the rocks, that should be fun. I definitely recommend this place to visit, when you get there you won't won't to leave, guaranteed, love it read more
11 years ago
You'll reach a code-de-sac and see a sign that warns you of no sandy beach. Proceed beyond carefully as the decline is steep and narrow. Once you reach the rocks, the view is breathtaking. A short maybe 1 minute decline results in a beautiful reward. My friends and I probably stayed for an hour. Saw a squad of dolphins in the ocean and probably like 5 turtles. I highly recommend! read more
16 years ago
This is a beautiful place with a amazing view and not known by most tourists. The entrance is hidden in a residential neighborhood and is easy to drive right by and the trail down is a challenge but short it might be a 100 yards. Directions From Kalanianaole Hwy, turn onto Lunalilo Home Rd towards the ocean. Turn left onto Poipu Drive. Go up the hill. Turn left on Lumahai. Follow it and park along the road at the end. You will see the path between houses on your right. The walk down is a bit steep but worth the effort. This is a great place to take pictures so bring your camera! read more
More info about Spitting Caves
7 Lumahai St
Honolulu, HI 96825
Hawaii Kai
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