Calm beaches in Hilo, Kona, Maui, or Honolulu?

[Aquaticdreams]

Our ship will be Hawaii the first week in November. We are visiting Hilo, Kona, Maui, and Honolulu. We would like to do one scenic beach day, probably a half day. I can’t swim so we’re looking for a beach with calm shallow waters. I know a lot of the beaches in Hawaii have high surfing waves and rough waters. Does anyone have any recommendations for a tamer beach on any of these islands? My preference is to find one for the Hilo or Honolulu days because we’re interested in excursions in the other ports but I’m open to changing plans.

[cccole]

Onekahakaha Beach Park  is like a big lagoon.  It has a lifeguard and trees for shade.  There is also a walking path that goes along the shoreline where there are other coves, some more rocky.  There is no food available at this park so you would need to bring food and beverage.  It is not too far from the cruise port but you would need to arrange a taxi.  And...if you don't swim be sure to take an inflatable tube or raft .  Hope you have a good time, Cherie

[Astro Flyer]

The Wailea beaches in South Maui are sandy beaches on a series of crescent shaped coves & usually has calm conditions...Ulua being my favorite one.

 

However there’s no beach that is good everyday of the year so check conditions...Maui beaches have signs saying “when in doubt, don’t go out”.  Sadly too money people ignore that statement & suffer the consequences.

 

Here are the Wailea beaches & we daily walk that paved oceanfront walkway.

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Astro Flyer

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Go to the coves at Ko Olina on Oahu, maybe Kamehameha Beach in Waikiki.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

If you rent a car in Honolulu you can take a wonderful drive to the North Shore, eat at a shrimp truck and spend some time at the beach at Turtle Bay (fees for parking).  While the North Shore is known for giant surfing waves in the winter the beach at Turtle Bay Resort is protected and usually calm.  Good for snorkeling, too. Even if the weather conditions are not good for the beach the drive to the North Shore is wonderful with many scenic and historic sights.  Enjoy!

 

Edited March 5, 2019 by Sunny AZ Girl

[pink845]

Our two favorites are Lanikai and Kailua Beach on Oahu.  Wonderful sand, calm, beautiful blue water so scenic and not very crowded.   You need to rent a car however to get to them. They are past Hanauma Bay on the East Coast.  Hanauma Bay is also fabulous for snorkelling.  We will be hitting these beaches in fact all the beaches on the East Coast of Oahu prior to boarding the Radiance in May.   Turtle Bay we find not as nice as Lanikai and Kailua Beach.  We have stayed at the resort (which used to to be a Hilton) but is now something else on three separate vacations and would never spend any time at the Turtle Bay Beach.   We do not like Waikiki Beach at all and find the sand nasty and pebbly so even though we have again stayed many times at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, we never used the Waikiki Beach.   

[KeepCalmBearOn]

Hanauma Bay isn't a great "beach" IMHO. It is great snorkeling, but not as a beach for lots of reasons. I also wouldn't go North in November.

 

Besides Ko Olina, most of Kuhio Beach (in Waikiki) is behind a seawall, it is like a giant sea water pool.

[turtleko]

These are beaches I went to when growing up in Hawaii and took my child to swim at when she was little and more of a splasher than a swimmer. You will need a car, taxi or bus to get to them from the cruise port.

 

In Honolulu, Magic Island at the east end of Ala Moana beach park and Kaimana/San Souci east of Waikiki are protected by sea walls and have shallow, calm water with sandy bottoms. Both have restrooms and showers to rinse off. Kuhio Beach, as scottca075 said, is also calm. Kailua beach is beautiful but can have good, strong waves and has super fine sand that will get everywhere, especially when the waves pound it into your swimsuit!

 

In Kona, Keiki beach is at the Old Airport and very calm and shallow. The problem with Kona beaches is they are not completely sand so you will find rocks with sea urchins on the bottom. Restrooms are a walk from the beach.

 

Hawaii does get box jellyfish, not a reason to skip the beach but something to be aware of before heading out. The Waikiki Aquarium has a calendar you can check and info on beach conditions for Oahu: http://www.waikikiaquarium.org/interact/box-jellyfish-calendar/

 

[Aquaticdreams]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sadly, our Road to Hana excursion was cancelled. We booked tours in the other ports so now we’re focusing on doing a half day at the beach in either Maui or O’ahu. We’re not renting a car so it will need to be a cab ride away. So it looks like in Oahu it might have to be somewhere near the Waikiki stretch. In Maui maybe Kapalua, Napili, or Kaanapali? 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

18 hours ago, Aquaticdreams said:

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sadly, our Road to Hana excursion was cancelled. We booked tours in the other ports so now we’re focusing on doing a half day at the beach in either Maui or O’ahu. We’re not renting a car so it will need to be a cab ride away. So it looks like in Oahu it might have to be somewhere near the Waikiki stretch. In Maui maybe Kapalua, Napili, or Kaanapali? 

 

In Waikiki, look at Kuhio Beach (inside a seawall) and Kahanamoku Beach at the Hilton, protected by a reef. Click on the names to see pics.

 

There is nothing like them on Maui.

 

 

[princeton123211]

My vote on Maui is Kaanapali. Wonderful beach and a lot of amenities even if you aren't staying in a hotel-- Whalers Village has some fun restaurants and shopping. Major advantage over Wailea is you have an easy excuse to visit Lahaina on your way in or our which is a wonderfully charming town.