WINDWARD OAHU IS LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
For the one of the dreamiest tropical views in Hawaii, head south from Waikiki, past the snorkeling Mecca of Hanauma Bay, to the southern tip of the island at Makapu’u Point. From here, looking north, is Windward Oahu, where the jagged green spine of the Ko’olau Range drops steeply to sandy beaches and coves, with small islands floating offshore: pure eye candy.
With eyes thus sated, it’s time to treat the body to a short hike down to a tiny beach with a sexy reputation. Just below the Halona Blowhole Lookout (where nature sends foaming whitewater skyward in bursts though an opening in the reef) is Eternity Beach. Even those who don’t remember Pearl Harbor are likely to have seen Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr lying in a lover’s embrace on the wet sand as waves overcome them in the Oscar-winning movie, From Here to Eternity.
Nearby Halona is where the young and the restless from metro Oahu come together for passionate romps in the wave machine that is Sandy Beach. Skillful surfers skitter on short boards like schools of dolphins, car stereos trumpet a soundtrack. The place is normally jumping, but when competitions take place, the scene amps to da max.
A second happening surfer scene is around the point heading north, at Makapu’u Beach Park. The first-ever body surfing championships began here in the 1950s. A big boulder sticks out in the middle of the beach, providing the perfect grandstand. Rabbit Island is kayaking distance offshore. For a quieter stroll, head up the coast from the beach, passing picnic tables, and continuing past Kaupo Beach Park to the Makai Research Pier. The pier is home to the University of Hawaii’s yellow submarine, which charts the offshore seabed—you can walk out and take a look.
But the cool tip at Makai is the snorkeling along the pier, one of the best places to form a relationship with turtles and other aquatic creatures. Not many tourists know about this spot—the end to a perfect date.
Oahu Trailblazer has more details on other scenically romantic places to schedule a play date on the island, from Waikiki Beach to the North Shore.
