Lanikai Beach Tours and Activities

While we can’t exactly claim it as fact, there’s a good chance that at some point in time Lanikai Beach was a finalist for a Corona commercial. With sand as white as the clouds above and water which is a welcoming and rich shade of turquoise, this tranquil beach on Oahu’s windward shore is the Hawaii you’ve always dreamed of.

Because it’s on the island’s eastern shore, Lanikai is often graced with gentle tradewinds which cool you just to the point of comfort. Afternoons in the summer months can get a little blustery, although kitesurfers and windsurfers who have launched from Kailua Bay opt to make the most of the wind and zip across the turquoise waters which are capped in flecks of white.

Since Lanikai is set in a private neighborhood the beach is accessed by simple footpaths and isn’t too visible from the road, and while this semi-isolation thins out the crowds, it also means there aren’t any facilities and parking can come at a premium.

Nevertheless, Lanikai is the perfect place for a comfortable chair, a good book, and the view looking out at the Mokulua islands graces the cover of many Oahu postcards. The white sand of Lanikai is the perfect place to spend the morning, or, if you happen to time it right, watch the full moon rise over the eastern horizon and as illuminates the cliffs of the Ko’olau Mountains.

While nowhere near as developed as Waikiki Beach or as family-friendly as Kailua Bay, Lanikai Beach is a place you come if you simply want to the put the world on pause for a while. It’s as idyllic a stretch of shore of you could ever hope to find, and it’s no wonder why Lanikai consistently ranks as one of the nicest beaches in the world.