Malaekahana State Recreation Area - Beaches On Oahu Laie, Hawaii

Malaekahana State Recreation Area is managed by the Hawaii department of land and natural resources. It's one of the largest state run recreational areas on Oahu. The park, which is enjoyed by locals, is located beside the long Malaekahana Beach and has plenty of parking, restrooms, bbq pits, wide open shady areas for picnicking, as well as a large grassy open area for Frisbee, soccer, or other field games.

This is a beach park you could easily enjoy with the family all day. The beach in front of the parking lot has a semi inward curve and is accessed via some concrete steps. at the top of the stairs are showers to rinse off before heading down to the picnicking area. Visiting during the week is your best bet since it tends to get busy on weekends.

The picnic area is covered with shady trees and has several picnic benches and garbage cans. However, by any given Sunday afternoon the trash cans can be maxed out with trash overflowing and next to the cans. Perhaps the park should put in a few more garbage cans or schedule more frequent pickups? The place has a country feel with chickens clucking around the parking lot which is pretty cute.

During the winter months, Malaekahana Beach will have strong currents and crashing waves. It's not recommended to enter the water during large surf and there are signs posted warning about the strong currents. Note that there are no lifeguards here, so swim at your own risk.

An unfortunate part of Malaekahana Beach is that a lot ocean waste gets washed up on the shore due to the way currents flow here. After large surf, tree branches and trash wash up on the beach shoreline. A sad consequence of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch which adversely impacts the picturesque scenery of the beach.

During the Summer months it's another story. Kite surfers enjoy it here because there is a nice offshore breeze. Kayakers love it as well since it is a protected, crescent shaped cove beach. It's not a wide beach, but there's plenty of room on the sloped, white sandy surface to lay out and catch some rays. Don't forget the sunscreen to Protect Yourself From Sunburn & Skin Cancer.

In Hawaii, the search for shaded parking is an ongoing struggle, so we love the that the parking area is covered with shady trees.

So, what's the bottom line? This is a good local beach for camping out, and if you want to splash around in the water when things are calm. The beach is fun for the family, often has gentle waves, and offers long stretches of sandy beach for walking beside the ocean.

• Facilities: Bathrooms	• Facilities: BBQ Grills	• Facilities: Picnic Tables	• Facilities: Showers	• Facilities: Sports Field
• Type: No Dogs Allowed	• Type: Shady	• Sand Type: White	• Parking: Good / Plenty	• Good For: Whale Sightings