Category: Hawaii Beaches & Ocean

Hamoa Beach at the far eastern tip of Maui is a stunningly beautiful and popular destination for Valley Isle visitors. It is a way of life for Maui surfers and fishing enthusiasts. It’s south of the storied Road to Hana, which means that getting there is an adventure itself. There are more than 600 hairpin […]

I’m a lifelong Hawaii resident who is not inclined to sign up for a guided Oahu snorkeling tour. I know the best places for exploring the reefs that ring Oahu. Grew up doing it. I certainly wouldn’t pay a stranger to show me around places I’ve been. Much less on a chartered tourist catamaran. But […]

Glutted with an overconsumption of news, local, national, and international, I recently surrendered and retreated to the beach to read a book. It was the perfect salve for a chafed disposition. And it has prompted me to offer some tips about Oahu beach reading. I’ll note first that I greased up properly with reef-safe sunscreen […]

There is nothing on Earth more certain than the fact that the sun will rise. We’ll submit that it is equally certain that Hawaii sunrise views are spectacular, every day. Without exception. Full stop. Rain or shine. What the new day brings, good or ill, always begins with beauty. This is one of the many […]

In the previous HAT Blog, we wrote about the seasons in Hawaii, Fall in particular, and what makes Hawaii’s seasons unique. There’s a fifth season in Hawaii, however, and we’ll talk about it here. North Shore Oahu has its own “big wave season”, which spans the months between October and March. It’s commonly referred to […]

Sea Life Park on Oahu, the beloved marine mammal park, bird sanctuary, and aquarium first opened in 1964. It has since evolved into an institution familiar to most residents of the island. It continues its nearly 60-year tradition of providing education and eliciting wonder in its visitors with the Limu Fest on Saturday, September 24, […]

For many hundreds of years, native Hawaiian fishponds (Loko I’a) have been a vital part of maintaining a balance between the natural resources that are at the heart of the ancient ahupua’a system. It is an approach to managing food and water that integrates resources from the mountains to the ocean. He’eia Fishpond on Oahu’s […]

Surf lessons and beach rentals are a major attraction at Waikiki Beach. There are dozens of companies that cater to thousands of Waikiki beachgoers every day. Waikiki Beach Services stands out among those companies for a variety of reasons, not least of which is its deep connection to the world-famous Waikiki Beach Boys and their […]

It’s been a long time since we’ve written about Oahu’s Rabbit Island Hawaii. Seen from the Makapu’u Lighthouse Lookout, Makapu’u Beach Park, and much of the Windward Side, it’s a familiar sight for residents whether or not they know its history and status.  The improved Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail and increased public parking to accommodate the […]

Several of Oahu’s most popular ocean recreation destinations are also home to a wide variety of marine life and are listed as official Oahu Marine Life Conservation Districts (MLCD) by the Department of Land and Natural Resources Aquatic Resources Division. This makes perfect sense because the beaches that see the most resident and visitor traffic […]

2022 roared into Hawaii under a “Kona low” weather system that darkened skies (and lit them up with lightning) and caused severe flooding in multiple areas throughout the state. For days. But sunny skies have returned, the winds have calmed, and the Aloha State is again enjoying perfect “beach weather”. This is great news for […]

Virtually every Hawaii landmark has an ancient legend about its origin. Every scenic lookout, hiking trail, or famous (or secluded) beach and stretch of coast is home to lavish tales of magic and mayhem, of love and loss. Hanauma Bay at the tip of southeast Oahu is certainly no exception. Hanauma Bay State Park is […]