Best Activities on the West Side of Oahu

West Oahu can sometimes be overlooked, but it’s truly a wonderful place to live. West Oahu offers some of the most enchanting places and beautiful beaches. Here are some of our favorite things about living on the West side of Oahu.

Beaches

Electric Beach

Located near Nanakuli, just north of the Ko’olina Resorts, the official name for this beach is Kahe Point Beach Park. Electric Beach is named after the electric power plant located nearby. This is a popular beach for snorkels and scuba divers. Due to its location being close to the power plant, making the water in this area warmer hence it attracts a lot of sea life. Here you can easily spot schools of colorful fishes.

Makaha Beach Park

This white sandy beach is a hidden gem on the west side. The scenery on this beach is truly spectacular. Located in Waianae, Makaha Beach is famous among surfers as it has good surf breaks. It also offers magnificent views of the Waianae Mountains and beautiful sunsets.

Maili Beach

This lovely and quiet beach with clean blue water is located along Farrington Highway. With ample parking, restroom facilities, and outdoor exercise equipment, Maili Beach it a beautiful spot to have a picnic with families or party celebrations.

Mermaid Cave

Thinking about making your childhood mermaid dream to reality? Then you definitely have to visit the Mermaid Cave located in Nanakuli Beach Park. While there is no official map on its whereabouts, making the mermaid cave sort of mysterious and enchanting. Visiting the Mermaid Cave will definitely be a memorable adventure.

Ko’olina Lagoons

Nestled inside of the Ko’olina Resort, there are four man-made lagoons with white sandy beaches. The calm, clear water of the lagoons make it popular for people visiting with children. Although sometimes parking can be challenging during the weekend.

White Plains Beach

Located between Ewa and Kapolei, White Plains Beach is a nice spot for beginner surfer or if you simply want to relax under the sun. They offer surf lessons and water equipment rentals.

Hiking Trails

Ka’ena Point

Ka’ena Point State Park located at the very end of Mokuleia. It is considered to be an easy-moderate trail that stretches about 5.5 miles long with a beautiful view of the ocean throughout. You can usually spot Hawaiian monk seals sunbathing on the rocky beach at the end of the trail. It is recommended to go there early in the morning and bring sunscreen because of the lack of shades on the trail.

Maili Pillbox

Also known as the Pink Pillbox hike, this trail has stunning views and bright pink bunkers on the top that represent breast cancer awareness. The trail is about 2 miles round trip and is pretty accessible for everyone.

Mount Ka’ala Trail

The trail for adventure lovers. It is the highest peak on Oahu. At more than 7 miles and about 5,000 ft of total elevation, this trail is considered to be difficult. As the inclination gets steeper and steeper after the first mile or so, not to mention some rope and rock climbing, this trail can be physically challenging for some people. But once you reach the summit, the view will be totally worth the hard work.

Lifestyle and Entertainment

Ka Makana Ali’i Mall

This 1.4 million-square-foot shopping center was first opened in 2016. Filled with more than 150 shops, restaurants, and a luxury movie theater. The center court on this mall is dedicated to entertainment. They have live music, kids’ yoga on Thursdays, kids’ storytime on the 1^st and 3^rd Friday, farmers’ market every Wednesday and Sundays, and many more. For more information please visit their website at www.kamakanaalii.com.

Kapolei Commons

Another great addition to the West Side of Oahu is Kapolei Commons. With a movie theater, plenty of retail stores, and high-quality restaurants making your shopping experience pleasant and joyful.

Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii

Who doesn’t love going to a waterpark? Voted as the top 10 most visited family attraction on Oahu, Wet ‘n’ Wild is located in Kapolei. It features more than 25 exhilarating attractions suitable for both families and thrill-seekers.

Corepower Yoga

Corepower Yoga is a yoga studio like no other! Their classes combine traditional yoga poses while increasing their intensity to make a powerful workout session. There are different types of yoga classes to choose from ranging from the highest intensity (Yoga Sculpt), which also incorporate dumbbells to the workout, to lower intensity class (Core Restore) that focus on stretching and breathing techniques. They have several locations around the island, and they are opening their brand-new studio in Kapolei this summer. If you’re new, Corepower offers 7 days free for new students!

F45 Training

F45 is a unique systemized workout program. It combines elements of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit training, and functional training. This method of training has been proven effective to burn fat and build lean muscle. And the best part is, each session of the workout is only 45 minutes long. They are opening up their brand-new studio located in Kapolei. They will have their grand opening on Saturday, June 29, 2019.