Keawaʻula Beach
Waianae, HI
Keawaʻula Beach sits at the very end of Farrington Highway, the last stretch of sand before the road gives out entirely at Kaʻena Point. Older locals still call it Yokohama Bay, after the Japanese fishermen who used to come out this far on the old rail line. It's wide, wild, and mostly empty, backed by dry, dramatic cliffs instead of houses.
The end of the road feel and the dramatic, undeveloped coastline are hard to match anywhere else on Oahu, but there's no shade and the water turns genuinely dangerous with any real swell.
How we score beachesThere's zero shade past the lot, so bring your own if you're staying more than an hour, and skip swimming entirely when the surf's up. The shorebreak and currents here are unpredictable.
A free lot sits at the very end of Farrington Highway, rarely full given how far out it is.
Flat sand leads from the lot to the beach, no stairs, though there's no shade or facilities beyond a restroom.
Calmer, safer swimming in summer, while winter swells and strong currents make it a lookout beach more than a swim spot.
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