Makapuu Point Lighthouse | Go Hawaii

Makapuʻu Point

Scroll to Continue

Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse

What: A moderately easy hike to a scenic viewpoint
Where: Eastern most point of Oʻahu overlooking the Windward Coast
More Info: Parking lot, no restroom facilities
 
On the eastern most point of Oʻahu sits the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse, a shining beacon built in 1909 on a 600-foot sea cliff overlooking Makapuʻu Beach—a stretch of sand known as one of Oʻahu’s best bodysurfing beaches—and family-friendly Sea Life Park.
 
Fifteen minutes past Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and beyond Sandy Beach (another popular local beach) you’ll find the large parking lot that leads to the 2-mile paved trail overlooking the lighthouse. Renovations were recently made to the lighthouse and the trail was recently repaved and additional lookout points were added. This moderately easy hike pays off with breathtaking views of the indigo ocean and Oʻahu’s eastern, or Windward Coast. You can even see the island of Molokaʻi in the distance. Two other smaller islands, Mānana (the larger of the two, also known as Rabbit Island) and Kāohikaipu are also visible just offshore.
 
The Molokaʻi Channel runs right past the Makapuʻu Lighthouse, so this is also a great place to spot whales using on-site telescopes during whale watching season between December and May.  The Makapuʻu Tide Pools, including a small blowhole, are quite popular and can be found just down from the first set of whale information signs. A word of warning: never go out past the tide pools near the ocean, be careful of big surf crashing into the tide pools, and don’t visit if there are strong winds. If you’re looking to swim, Alan Davis Beach over by Pele’s Chair is a beautiful swimming area with a small secluded beach that is almost always safe for swimming and diving.