Wailua Beach
Wailua, HI
Wailua Beach runs alongside the highway just north of the Wailua River mouth, a long, open stretch of sand popular with surfers working the beach break and joggers using the path that parallels it. There's no reef here to calm things down, so the shorebreak stays lively most of the year.
A dependable surf beach that locals use year round, but the open shorebreak and lack of a lifeguard keep it from being a casual family swim spot.
How we score beachesPark near the river mouth end for easier beginner waves, and save the northern stretch, which gets more consistent size, for anyone more comfortable in bigger surf.
Roadside parking runs along Kuhio Highway for the length of the beach, with a small lot near the river mouth that fills first.
Sand starts right at the roadside shoulder, a short, flat walk, though there's no paved path onto the beach itself.
Winter's bigger, more consistent surf draws more surfers, while summer's smaller swell makes for easier swimming, though a beach break current runs here in both seasons.
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