4 semicircular lagoons protected from the open ocean. Outstanding snorkeling. Extremely pretty and sunsets from here are fantastic.

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Windward Oahu's premier beach is a 2-mile-long, wide golden strand with dunes

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HIKE

Pele's Chair is a delightful hike and swim. A great free thing to do on Oahu.

It's an easy hike that’s fun for the whole family; a hike to Pele’s Chair trail brings you to a dramatic coastline, legendary rock formations, and one of the best natural seawater pools on the island.

Roundtrip Distance: 1.3mi. Difficulty: Easy. Great for all ages.

Characteristics: Relatively level, smooth terrain until the very end where you can scale a short hill if you wish. This is more walk than hike so you should have no problems.

This is such a mild trail, you almost can’t call it a hike. It’s more like a walk on a trail through the grass.

Follow the map we have in the goodies section. You really can’t miss it. Just look for the unmistakable landmark of Pele’s Chair and walk in that direction. After you park, walk up the paved road. There are two trailheads: the first is marked by two poles and will take you on a lower hike. The second trailhead is further up the paved road and will keep you at a higher elevation. Both trails are fun and you can take the other one back. The one marked in the map is the upper trail.

The upper trail is a little cooler than the lower one but not by much. There are a few shady areas you can stop for a quick rest and drink.  The lower trail takes you through streambeds and depending on conditions might be muddy if there were recent rains.   Many times what we do is take the upper trail to Pele's Chair and then take the lower trail back home. As far as free things to do on Oahu go, this one is a winner.

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JUMP IN THE POOL AT PELE'S CHAIR

This has to be one of the funnest pools on Oahu. For those young at heart, you can “walk the plank” and jump off the flattened telephone poll that acts as a diving board. The water is relatively shallow and has a sandy bottom that gives the place a tropical turqoise look when the sun is out.

You can also get into the water by climbing down the large rocks. Exercise some caution as the rocks can get slippery and the water surges up and down though usually not by a lot. We’ve come here during both rough and calm days but this location is uniquely sheltered by open ocean wave action and is almost always good to swim.

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If you enjoy visiting waterparks, you will love Makapuu; there's just nothing like it on Oahu or perhaps anywhere in the world. There’s something for everyone. In addition to its world-class surfing, the swimming is fantastic when the water is calm, there are nearly endless tide pools and caves to explore, and when combined with good facilities and a secluded location, you’ve got the perfect formula for a fantastic day at the beach.

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Though Makapuu is rarely crowded, there are usually a few people there. This morning was a rare moment: no one on the beach and the surf conditions were outstanding. A rare day indeed!

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TIDEPOOLS

Makapuu has a wonderful collection of tidepools which are located on the left side of the beach as you face the water.

Tucked away in the black lava rock are numerous pools that are really fun to explore. If you’re with kids, they will love climbing over the rocks and discovering little pockets of sea creatures like crabs and tiny fish. If you’re just with a partner, you’ll find this area to be both romantic and interesting to explore as the rocky formations provide numerous secluded areas where no one can see you (just don’t get too intimate, there are families here). Because some of the tide pools are close to the water’s edge, do exercise caution if the surf is large; don’t go too close where a “freak” wave (one that is significantly larger than the day’s average height) can come in and knock you over.