Top 10 Hawaiian Beaches - Travel Channel's List

[RSWBADGER]

I thought I would share this with you, this program just aired on the Travel Channel. I was suprised by some of the results, any beaches left off this list?

 

10. Waikiki Beach - Oahu

9. Honaunau Bay - Big Island

8. Kaanapali Beach - Maui

7. Kauna'oa Beach - Big Island

6. Poipu Beach - Kauai

5. Lahaina Beach - Maui

4. Hookipa Beach - Maui

3. Punaalu'u Beach - Big Island

2. North Shore - Oahu

1. Lanikai Beach - Oahu

 

What are your favorites?

[crusader]

DK Fleming Beach in Maui was voted last year the best beach in America. I don't see that on the list. It is located near Kannapali .

[DALSAL]

DK Fleming Beach in Maui was voted last year the best beach in America. I don't see that on the list. It is located near Kannapali .

 

Thats funny...the revealed book for Maui has the best 15 beaches in Maui listed,and D.T. Flemming is NOT one of those....It does mention that it use to be part of the Oneloa Beach until the Volcano split the bay in two.Oneloa gets a "real gem" rating in the Revealed book...

[beachchick]

This has got to be a joke:

 

5. Lahaina Beach - Maui

 

There's no beach called "Lahaina Beach" for one thing. They've got to be talking about either Baby Beach (I know it has another, official, name, but it's not Lahaina Beach) or the beach south of the harbor, which is a strip of sand that is fine for a walk, but not for much else. It fronts houses and some of the Front St. properties. I wouldn't put either of these anywhere near my top ten list.

 

As always, JMHO.

 

beachchick

[DALSAL]

I who knows NOTHING other than what Im reading in my Maui Revealed book...:) Under Beaches,it has Lahaina listed...and to quote the first line ..."Lahaina is good for a lot of things,but beach-going aint one of them!" "The waters off this busy town are murky and not suitable for swimming."

 

It also has baby beach or Pu'unoa Beach listed under Lahaina along with Kamehameha Iki Park where it says you could slip into the water,but why would you want to? West Maui has better beaches elsewhere....

 

Dot

[kapoho2]

How about Hapuna Beach...Big Island? This was the #1 beach on one of these shows a few years ago.

[DALSAL]

5. Lahaina Beach

Location: Maui, Hawaii

What's Cool: Celebrate your nuptials Hawaiian-style at the Old Lahaina sea wall.

 

I took that from the TC website...sounds like their suggestion here is for a wedding...

[Spikesgirl]

They left out Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. Easiest access is through Waikoloan (used to be the Sheraton - not sure who owns it now) it's got a nice area for the kids to swim and if you walk about 1/2 a mile up the beach (towards Kona), the snorkeling is very nice. We've swum with turtles many times and frequently are the only ones in the water. It's nice if you want to get away from the more crowded beaches. There are also really nice facilities (showers, restrooms) on the public side of the beach.

 

It's our favorite beach in Hawai'i

 

Charlie

[RSWBADGER]

They left out Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. Easiest access is through Waikoloan (used to be the Sheraton - not sure who owns it now) it's got a nice area for the kids to swim and if you walk about 1/2 a mile up the beach (towards Kona), the snorkeling is very nice. We've swum with turtles many times and frequently are the only ones in the water. It's nice if you want to get away from the more crowded beaches. There are also really nice facilities (showers, restrooms) on the public side of the beach.

 

It's our favorite beach in Hawai'i

 

Charlie

 

The Marriott owns the property now, we have stayed there when it was the Royal Waikoloan, Outrigger Waikoloa and now the Marriott Wailoloa.

Great snorkeling if you walk to left all the way on the point, many sea turtles.

 

[Spikesgirl]

Just couldn't remember what it was being called this month (small joke). We've stayed there since it opened in '82 and it has undergone so many name changes and looks, but we still love A bay .

 

Thanks for the photo!

 

Charlie

[Hawaii4me]

Just returned from Hapuna Beach State Park on the Big Island. Outstanding beach with all ammenities: rentals, food, life quards. Beautiful white sand, sea turtles and awesome waves! Not exactly a best kept secret though.

[RSWBADGER]

Just returned from Hapuna Beach State Park on the Big Island. Outstanding beach with all ammenities: rentals, food, life quards. Beautiful white sand, sea turtles and awesome waves! Not exactly a best kept secret though.

 

We enjoyed "Big Beach" in Maui on our recent trip, as the name says the beach is big and long, very festive. I am suprised that it is not on the list.

 

]

[Bucky3]

I would forget that list and go with what you read in the Revealed Books. IMO, they left out some really good ones, and listed some I wouldn't bother to go to.

[Carolyn R]

Honaunau Bay beach? What beach are they talking about? I don't recall any good beach in that area. The little beach at Kealakekua Bay is nothing to rave about. Kauna'oa, Hapuna and Anaeho'omalu Bay all get my vote for the Big Island. However, there are many off the beaten path beaches that are wonderful too. I think there is a book detailing all the beaches on the Big Island and how to get to them.

[CruisinMK]

it looks like a list written by a travel editor who had 5 minutes to write the story and got slipped a $20 by a friend who owns property in Lanikai. :) OK lanikai is pretty nice with the view of the mokolua islands, it's not really a place tourists go and much of the sand got washed away years ago. Some property owners built seawalls which just accelerated the sand loss. :) Alright it is a really nice place but i hope you people think it sucks so it doesn't get swamped

[RSWBADGER]

Honaunau Bay beach? What beach are they talking about? I don't recall any good beach in that area. The little beach at Kealakekua Bay is nothing to rave about. Kauna'oa, Hapuna and Anaeho'omalu Bay all get my vote for the Big Island. However, there are many off the beaten path beaches that are wonderful too. I think there is a book detailing all the beaches on the Big Island and how to get to them.

 

http://travel.discovery.com/ideas/best-beaches/guides/honaunau-bay.html

 

[beachchick]

5. Lahaina Beach

Location: Maui, Hawaii

What's Cool: Celebrate your nuptials Hawaiian-style at the Old Lahaina sea wall.

 

I took that from the TC website...sounds like their suggestion here is for a wedding...

 

Yeah, we watched it when they ran it again last night. Yep, it's all about the OLL. That's fine and all because OLL is supposed to be wonderful. (DH and I don't go to commercial luaus, so I have no first-hand experience with it.) However, it does not belong on a "best beaches" show. The segment had nothing to do with the beach and everything to do with OLL.

 

They left out Anaeho'omalu Bay on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island. Easiest access is through Waikoloan (used to be the Sheraton - not sure who owns it now) it's got a nice area for the kids to swim and if you walk about 1/2 a mile up the beach (towards Kona), the snorkeling is very nice. We've swum with turtles many times and frequently are the only ones in the water. It's nice if you want to get away from the more crowded beaches. There are also really nice facilities (showers, restrooms) on the public side of the beach.

 

It's our favorite beach in Hawai'i

 

Charlie

 

Right on! DH and I finally managed to visit A-Bay on our December trip. Fabulous. We will definitely be back.

 

 

it looks like a list written by a travel editor who had 5 minutes to write the story and got slipped a $20 by a friend who owns property in Lanikai. :) OK lanikai is pretty nice with the view of the mokolua islands, it's not really a place tourists go and much of the sand got washed away years ago. Some property owners built seawalls which just accelerated the sand loss. :) Alright it is a really nice place but i hope you people think it sucks so it doesn't get swamped

 

Bingo! That's exactly what I thought. It's like it was a commercial for "things to do" and not a "best actual beaches for people" show.

 

And you might as well add that visitors (even those of us who've been to Hawaii many times) can have a hard time finding the actual public access for Lanikai--never mind trying to find a place to park in the neighborhood! We finally said "the heck with it" (again) and spent time at Kailua (as you know, a fave of ours).:D

 

So, don't worry it's unlikely that DH and I will be "cluttering" up Lanikai.;)

 

beachchick

[CruisinMK]

Yeah Kailua is great. A little windy at times but very nice for swimming (or windsurfing) and really nice beach. Waimanalo is just as good, whole nother long stretch of beach. The military base part is great too, they open it to the public on weekends. Very popular for camping

[crusader]

When I went to DK Fleming last September the park had it posted outside that they were voted the best beach in America. Checked it out on this site when we returmed. It was a real lovely beach.

 

 

http://www.drbeach.org/drbeach/best_beach_list.htm

[Bucky3]

Great site. Thanks for posting. Now THOSE beaches I can agree on. We've been to most of them.