Oahu Island: Paradise for Beach Lovers

Oahu Island is home to numerous beaches and if you happen to be a beach bum then Oahu is the place you have to visit at least once in your lifetime. Oahu has a lot to offer, read on if you don't already know what beaches to visit.

Oahu Island, third largest island in the Hawaii state of the U.S, is commonly referred to as 'The Gathering Place', owing to its high population density compared to other Hawaii islands. The island of Oahu offers choice of more than 125 beaches, there is a beach that fits the taste of everyone, from a sunbathing visitor to the more athletic windsurfers. Let’s have a look at some of the beaches located in the island.

Waikiki Beach
Located on the south shore, Waikiki beach has to be the most famous Oahu beach. It is 1.5 miles long and is divided into several sections. These sections are interconnected by boardwalks. Visitors flock this beach all-round the year, as it offers good swimming and surfing experience to go with other fun tourist activities. This world famous beach tends to get overcrowded, to save you from getting lost in crowd, tourists are encouraged to visit the final segment of Waikiki beach known as Kapiolani beach.

Ala Moana Beach Park
Ala Moana Beach Park offers good swimming experience to visitors; this is the most jaunted beach among locals. Visitors of this beach will never find a dull moment during weekends, holidays or summers as the 76-acre park located adjacent to the beach is constantly bustling with joggers, large groups of picnickers and kite flyers among others.

Sandy Beach
Sandy beach is located on the west Shore of Oahu Island. It is one of the premier spots for body surfing and boogie boarding. It has a 1,200 feet long beach line, with sea bed abruptly dropping to 8 to 10 feet immediately offshore. When ocean is calm, some sections of this beach offer good swimming experience.

Hanauma Bay
If you are a fan of snorkeling then this is the place to visit. Hanauma Bay, located on west shore has to be Hawaii's most famous snorkeling destination. Made famous in the Elvis Presley movie, Blue Hawaii, the white sandy beach line of Hanauma Bay stretches for 2000 feet and is lined with coconut trees. It is closed to public access on Tuesday, opening rest of the week from 6am to 6pm. Night snorkeling can be done once in a month as bay is open till 10 pm on given dates.

Kailua Beach
Voted number one by Dr Beach in 1998 among beaches in the U.S, this east shore beach is perfect for family fun. The mid-section of this beach is considered to be one of the Hawaii's finest and is scarcely crowded compared to 30-acre public park section that offers countless ways to spend your day at the beach. Kailua beach also offers better boogie boarding experience than most beaches in Oahu.

Sunset Beach
Located in north shore, Sunset beach is famous around the world for its huge surf. From September through April, waves reach massive 15-20 feet suitable for expert surfers only. During summers, this beautiful 2 miles long beach is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Doesn't matter what time of the year it is, Sunset beach always attracts visitors both local and international. Sunset beach is often featured in movies and considered to be the highlight of Oahu island tour.

The author of this article is professionally associated with Royal Hawaiian Tour, a leading private taxi cab company, offering packaged tours of Pearl Harbor, Oahu Island and Honolulu City among other.