Oahu's North Shore and Leeward Coast - Hidden Treasures of Hawaii
This past weekend I packed my swimsuit and camera and took a mini-vacation of my own from Kailua to the beautiful North Shore and Leeward Coast of the island.
The drive from the windward side of the island up along the coast to the North Shore is an adventure of its own - an hour of passing by white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and small country towns speckled with fresh fruit stands and shrimp shacks.
My first stop was Sunset Beach. During the winter months, world class surfers from all over come to this mecca of Big Wave surfing to ride the 15 to 25 foot swells. During the summer, however, when the ocean is calm and the water is crystal clear, this beach is perfect for snorkeling, swimming, collecting shells in the tide pools, or maybe even witnessing a monk seal take a nap on the sand (as I did yesterday - see the picture below).
Continuing on the highway, the next stop is Waimea. Similar to Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay is known for the largest, most dangerous, and most spectacular surf during the winter, and favorable swimming conditions during the summer. Waimea Falls Park is located here, a 1,800-acre nature park in the lush green Waimea Valley. The 45-foot Waimea Falls are the highlight of the park, but there are also hula performances, music demonstrations, nature tours, and archeological sites to explore.
One of the highlights of my day was my time spent in Old Haleiwa Town. I parked my car and took a leisurely stroll down the town's charming and rustic main street, lined with restaurants, cafes, shops, boutiques and art galleries. Haleiwa is an art-lover's dream, offering everything from hand-blown glass, jewelry, and pottery to paintings in every medium, mostly made by local artists with an island-style theme.
From the North Shore, I drove through pineapple fields and rows of fruit trees to the leeward side of the island.
My tour ended in Makaha, just in time to see a fleet of outrigger canoes coming in after a 20-mile race around the northern coast of the island. This is the last town before you reach the end of the road on the leeward side of the island. Many tour companies offer dolphin encounter cruises in these waters because of the large population of spinner dolphins that play in the water here.
If you're coming to Oahu, I highly recommend spending at least one or two days exploring the North Shore and Leeward Coast. You'll fall in love with the island!
The only resort on the North Shore is Turtle Bay Resort, a wonderful 4-star hotel with world class golfing and more activities than you could imagine. All of the other accommodations are vacation rentals and Bed & Breakfasts rented by private owners.
The drive from the windward side of the island up along the coast to the North Shore is an adventure of its own - an hour of passing by white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and small country towns speckled with fresh fruit stands and shrimp shacks.
My first stop was Sunset Beach. During the winter months, world class surfers from all over come to this mecca of Big Wave surfing to ride the 15 to 25 foot swells. During the summer, however, when the ocean is calm and the water is crystal clear, this beach is perfect for snorkeling, swimming, collecting shells in the tide pools, or maybe even witnessing a monk seal take a nap on the sand (as I did yesterday - see the picture below).
Continuing on the highway, the next stop is Waimea. Similar to Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay is known for the largest, most dangerous, and most spectacular surf during the winter, and favorable swimming conditions during the summer. Waimea Falls Park is located here, a 1,800-acre nature park in the lush green Waimea Valley. The 45-foot Waimea Falls are the highlight of the park, but there are also hula performances, music demonstrations, nature tours, and archeological sites to explore.
One of the highlights of my day was my time spent in Old Haleiwa Town. I parked my car and took a leisurely stroll down the town's charming and rustic main street, lined with restaurants, cafes, shops, boutiques and art galleries. Haleiwa is an art-lover's dream, offering everything from hand-blown glass, jewelry, and pottery to paintings in every medium, mostly made by local artists with an island-style theme.
From the North Shore, I drove through pineapple fields and rows of fruit trees to the leeward side of the island.
My tour ended in Makaha, just in time to see a fleet of outrigger canoes coming in after a 20-mile race around the northern coast of the island. This is the last town before you reach the end of the road on the leeward side of the island. Many tour companies offer dolphin encounter cruises in these waters because of the large population of spinner dolphins that play in the water here.
If you're coming to Oahu, I highly recommend spending at least one or two days exploring the North Shore and Leeward Coast. You'll fall in love with the island!
The only resort on the North Shore is Turtle Bay Resort, a wonderful 4-star hotel with world class golfing and more activities than you could imagine. All of the other accommodations are vacation rentals and Bed & Breakfasts rented by private owners.
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