Kailua Beach vs Lanikai Beach: Which Is Better? Oahu, Hawaii | USA

If you book a trip to Hawaii, there’s a high chance that you’ve obviously got beaches on your mind and there are certainly plenty to choose from! My week in Oahu felt a bit like a beach crawl, jumping in for a swim at every given opportunity! In this post, I share with you which I think is better: Lanikai vs Kailua Beach?

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Kailua vs Lanikai

Kailua Beach | Lanikai Beach

I mainly stayed on the Windward side of the Island. Ironically, I say that Oahu is one of my favourite places in the world, yet I really wasn’t a fan of Waikiki Beach. It was crazy busy and I found a lot of the tourists rude, but just a 30 minute drive from the airport, on the other side of the mountains, paradise can be found! Both Kailua and Lanikai Beach are absolutely beautiful!

Kailua Beach

• 🚙Parking: Yes, large car park
• 🚾Facilities: Toilets & showers, picnic benches
• 🍔Food & Drink: shops with food and drink nearby (walking distance)
• 🏄🏼‍♀️Rentals: Nearby (walking distance)

Kailua was my base in Oahu so it was in walking distance from my accommodation (there aren’t many hotels on this side of the Island, I stayed at Pillows in Paradise which is an Airbnb type rental).

It had always been my Mum’s dream to see ‘white sand and blue sea’ and I thought she was going to cry the first time she saw Kailua Beach! My sister hates swimming but even she couldn’t resist going in the water here, so that must say something!!! I could quite easily live in the town of Kailua, they even decorate their mailboxes!

In my opinion, Kailua is the most ‘visitor friendly’. There’s a large parking area, toilets, plenty of beach space, shady trees with picnic beaches and there was even a rope swing when I was there!

No ‘commercial activity’ is allowed at Kailua Beach, and chances are as a tourist to the island, you may not have your own equipment. If you want a deck chair or an umbrella, you’ll have to rent them from Kailua Beach Adventures and walk them across the street. I rented a stand up paddle board from here and they even give you wheels so you can pull it to the beach!

There was more than enough space to paddle it around and not have to worry about hitting any swimmers or people getting in the way. If you are looking to surf, the northern beaches or Waikiki would be a better option as Kailua is often quite ‘flat’…which is great for paddle boarding but not for surfing!

If you feel like going on a little adventure, you can even buy a pass that lets you paddle out and ‘land’ on Popoi’a Island and Moku Nui, (no passes are issued on a Sunday). Along with SUP boards, they also have bike rentals, kayaks, snorkelling equipment, as well as SUP lessons and kayak tours.

The best place to go for food and drink is Kalapawai Market, literally a 2 minute walk from the beach. It’s a grocery store with a deli and sandwich counter which offers takeaway food. Other restaurant options are in the town.

Lanikai Beach

• 🚙Parking: No, mostly private parking. It’s best to park and walk from Kailua
• 🚾Facilities: None
• 🍔Food: Nearest are in Kailua
• 🏄🏼‍♀️Rentals: Nearest are in Kailua

Lanikai Beach has been named one of the best beaches in the USA and even in the world! It’s not hard to see why. The water is bright blue, crystal clear (good for snorkelling) and the sand is as soft as powder! We found it to be calmer than what it was at Kailua. The beach was also much quieter in comparison.

However, it is a right pain to get to! It’s in a rather posh residential area of Kailua and finding a spot to park is a nightmare. I would suggest doing like we did and parking at Kailua Beach Park and then WALK the rest of the way to Lanikai…yes that will mean dragging all of your beach gear there! It is around a 2 mile (40 minute) walk though.

The Kailua Beach Boat Ramp car park is the closest. It has quite small parking area but it has toilet facilities too.

There is a LOT of beachfront property along Lanikai Beach, it IS a public beach but the only access is along paths between the houses. There are no toilet facilities (the nearest being at Kailua Beach), so bear that in mind if you are planning a trip!

Just like Kailua, there no commercial activity is allowed, but you can take the chair and umbrella rentals from Kailua Beach Adventures, and use them there too. This may be a good idea as there is no shade or tree/park area unlike Kailua.

Being in a more residential area, there isn’t anywhere nearby to get food or drinks. It’s best to stock up in Kailua and then bring snacks and drinks to Lanikai.

Kailua Beach vs Lanikai Beach FAQ

So which is better? Lanikai Beach is the better looking of the two beaches. It feels like a desert island beach, probably because it’s not the most convenient to reach! However for the ease and facilities available, I think Kailua is the better option if planning a day trip.

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Last Updated on May 23, 2025