Lanikai beach -------------The most scenic beach of Oahu

Panoramic View from Lanikai Marker

Lanikai Beach

Lanikai means”heavenly sea" in the Hawaiian language. It is postcard perfect beach with crystal azure water, fine white sand and gentle breeze that keeps the temperature cool! 

It is one of Hawaii’s best swimming beaches and frequently ranked among the world’s nicest beaches! In fact it was on number 8, among the list of top ten beaches in the world for the year 2014. And it was also ranked as US top beach in the same year!

Mokuluas Islands

It also boasts to be a popular photo spot and has lured many models and photographers over the years. No surprise considering the breathtaking scenery and surreal surroundings that the beach has to offer.

A  bride doing her photo-shoot

Once on the Lanikai beach, you see two small islands in the sea, these are twin islands of Mokuluas located offshore on Oahu’s windward coast. They are called as ‘Na Mokulua’ which in Hawaiian means The Two Islands.

Kayakers  going to Mokuluas Islands

Wind surfing at Lanikai

On any given day, schools of kayakers make the trip from either Lanikai Beach or the neighboring Kailua Beach Park, to “Mokes,” the name that the two islands are affectionately referenced to by locals.

Of the two Mokes, the northern Island i.e. the larger one is open to the public during the day, whereas the smaller or southern Island is prohibited to the public. This is because the southern strip of land in the sea is a bird reservation. So, it’s made a safe haven for all of the different and unique species of birds.

The islands can easily be reached by renting a kayak on nearby Kailua Beach and paddling about one mile (1.6 km) offshore (which takes about 45 min. to 2 hours depending on the experience of the kayaker and the ocean conditions).

Lanikai Beach is just past Kailua Beach. Take Kawailo Rd to Aalapapa Dr. Thee two major streets in Lanikai area are one way streets and form a loop. Aalapapa Dr leads into Lanikai and Mokulua Dr leads out of Lanikai. Many small streets connect these two, so it’s not difficult to navigate. Both the major streets also have bike lanes. 

Sunset over the Kailua mountains

To get to Lanikai Beach find parking along Mokulua Dr or one of its many side streets. On Mokulua Dr there are many public access points to the beach.

Lanikai Marker

Lanikai Marker: There is a stone monument built at the entrance to Lanikai at the junction of Mokulua Dr. and A'alapapa Dr.

The Lanikai Monument is a simple pillar located on a narrow strip of land that is a high point next to the road; it's there to mark the boundary and entry point of the subdivision and golf course. It is still in its original location and its original design remains almost intact.

The tapered concrete base structure is 40-feet in circumference and 56 inches high. The pillar is made of concrete and stone.

The 16 foot tall pillar has a gentle taper from its 5-foot-diameter lower portion to a slightly narrower and rounded concrete top that is capped with a conical concrete cap. Two curved metal plates near the top bear the name, "Lanikai."  (NPS)
Also known as Alala Point Coast Guard Marker, it was built in 1924 by the developers of the Lanikai housing subdivision on the rise overlooking the eastern end of Kailua Beach Park.

This spot is popular with locals and visitors alike because it sits adjacent to the Kailua Beach Park bike path and affords picturesque views of Kailua Bay, Mokapu Peninsula, and Popoi'a (Flat Island). 

View of Kailua bay from Lanikai Marker

View of Kailua bay from Lanikai Marker

NGS brass survey marker #TU1072 (N 21° 23.745 W 157° 43.221) has also been placed at the base of Lanikai Marker as a benchmark (no cache).

Many years ago, this region was a windswept plain filled with native grasses and overlooked by treeless mountains. The Hawaiians called it "Ka'ohao" which means tying or joining together. (Lanikai is a nonsensical word meaning "sea heaven" created by someone unfamiliar with the Hawaiian language.) The ancient Hawaiians used the mountain tops between Alala Point (near the stone monument at the entrance to Lanikai) and Wailea Point (near Bellows) to watch for fish.

The Hill top house

The Hilltop House:  This historical house is perched up on the hilltop overlooking Lanikai and Kailua Bay; offer 360 degree views. Built by Arthur and Anne Powlison in the 1920’s, this special home was constructed without removing or destroying any of the rocks.  Parts of the walls, floor and furniture are the rocks. “We can truthfully say that we have not chipped, chiseled, or thrown away any of the rocks…only added a bit of compatible stone” Anne Powlison, Sharing Hilltop Living 1976. For three years during WW2, the military used this home as a training center and vantage point.
Anne Powlison was affectionately known by hundreds of children as the “Bird Lady”, visiting classrooms to teach about Hawai’is bird life, in the 1960’s.  This home is now a private residence and is not open to the public for tours or visits.


Lanikai ‘Pillboxes’: One of the favorite spots for Kailuans is the view from atop Ka Iwi Ridge behind Lanikai. The short, steep hike to the “pillboxes” offers breathtaking views of the Mokulua Islands and Koolua Mountains.   While it is unclear how many were actually constructed, we do know that both the Lanikai and Diamond Head pillboxes were part of the island’s defensive system. They reportedly were observation posts built between World Wars I and II, which could alert shore artillery batteries to any approaching enemy ships. Eventually they were stripped out and left abandoned by the military.

References:
http://www.kailuachamber.com/historicallandmarks
http://www.lanikaiassociation.com/history
http://www.aloha-hawaii.com/oahu/beaches/lanikai/
http://getbustours.com/blog/lanikai-beach-a-place-that-you-wont-ever-forget/