Hawaii has beaches of white, black, green and even orange sand, and they are distributed unevenly across the islands. Choosing where to stay largely determines what kind of coast you will get.
Oahu
Waikiki is a city beach with the calmest water and the most infrastructure. The North Shore is the opposite: Waimea Bay and Banzai Pipeline are gentle in summer and produce waves over six metres between November and February, when they host the surf competitions. Lanikai and Kailua on the windward side have the finest sand on the island and almost no facilities.
Maui
The long resort beaches of Kaanapali and Wailea are the postcard. Makena, called Big Beach, is undeveloped and has powerful shore break. The road to Hana on the eastern side passes Waianapanapa, a black-sand beach in a lava cove that now requires a reservation to enter.
The Big Island
Because the island is young, much of its coast is raw lava rather than sand. What sand exists is unusual: Punaluu is black, Papakolea is one of only a handful of green-sand beaches in the world and requires a long hike, and Hapuna on the Kohala Coast is a wide classic white crescent.
Kauai
The oldest main island, and the most eroded, which means the best beaches. Hanalei Bay is a two-mile crescent under green mountains. Poipu on the drier south shore is the most reliable for sun. The Na Pali coast has beaches reachable only by boat or a hard eleven-mile trail.
Safety, which matters here
- Currents kill visitors every year. Swim at lifeguarded beaches and take posted warnings literally.
- North-facing shores are dangerous in winter, south-facing in summer — the swell switches with the season.
- Reef-toxic sunscreen is banned in Hawaii; buy mineral-based formulas locally.
- Every beach in Hawaii is public by law, including in front of resorts, though parking may not be.
- Do not touch or approach turtles and monk seals — it carries a substantial fine.
Getting between the islands
There are no ferries between the main Hawaiian islands except the short Maui–Lanai run, so island hopping means flying. Inter-island flights take twenty to fifty minutes and go frequently, but each one costs a half day once you account for airports and car rental. Two islands in a week is comfortable; three is rushed and four is a mistake.