Makapuu, or Makapuu Point as it is sometimes referred to, is on the southern tip of Oahu's Windward Coast. It is largely undeveloped with much of the land devoted to the protected Makapuu Point State Wayside. The Makapuu Point Lighthouse, built in 1909, overlooks one of the best beaches for bodysurfing on Oahu, Hawaii. The winds can be fierce in this area and it is not uncommon to see hang-gliders on a slow decent from the mountains to the beach below. Hotels and other types of accommodations are available in nearby towns.
The ultra-posh Kahala Hotel & Resort is the closest hotel to Makapuu. It is roughly 10 miles and less than a 20-minute drive to the east. Hotel giant Conrad Hilton built his creation on a sandy beach in the middle of the exclusive Kahala district. Within a few years of its 1964 opening, movie stars and other celebrities were flocking to this secluded property, eager to be unseen. Today the twin towers hold 306 rooms and 32 suites all with top-of-the-line furnishings and amenities. The on-site Kahala Spa offers pampering in one of its 10 treatment rooms or in the privacy of your room. Swim in the free-form oceanfront pool or relax in the adjacent hot tub. Atlantic bottlenose dolphins swim in a 26,000-square-foot salt water lagoon. You can learn about these animals at one of the Kahala's dolphin interaction presentations. Restaurants on the property include the casual Seaside Grill fronting the beach; Tokyo Tokyo, serving authentic Japanese cuisine; and Hoku's, the Kahala's signature fine-dining restaurant. The Waialae Country Club and Golf Course are right next door.
Waimanalo is the closest town to Makapuu, sitting only five miles away. The ride to Waimanalo is via the coast hugging Route 72, taking you past Sea Life Park, Kaupo Beach Park and the offshore Manana and Kaohikaipu islands, both protected seabird sanctuaries. In Waimanalo you are just as likely to see residents riding their ponies to the beach rather than hopping in their cars. Accommodations reflect this more rural, laid-back lifestyle and do not fit into the typical hotel category. Hale Nalo is a beach vacation rental offering two garden suites and one room called the Zen Treehouse. The Tibetan-styled loft room is surrounded by trees and the abundance of windows and the 14-foot-high gabled ceiling gives the illusion that you are sleeping amid the branches. A portion of your stay at Hale Nalo goes to support Habitat for Humanity. Another option is the Waimanalo Beach Cottages, offering an assortment of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom rentals all within steps of the sand.
Most of the hotels in Waikiki are within a 25-minute drive of Makapuu. The ones near Kapiolani Park are the closest. Drive a block or two to Kapahulu Avenue, make a left and you are on your way to Interstate Highway 1. Once there, take eastbound on-ramp towards Makapuu. A Waikiki original, The Queen Kapiolani is moderately priced, right across the street from Kapiolani Park and is only two blocks from Waikiki Beach. Another is the Park Shore Waikiki at the corner of Kapahulu and Kalakaua Avenues, right across from both the beach and the park. Accommodations at this hotel run from budget city view rooms to oceanfront Diamond Head suites. If you are looking for a condo-style property with the perks of a hotel, the Aston Waikiki Sunset is only a block from Kapahulu. Offering one- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens, amenities here include a recreation deck with lighted tennis courts, heated swimming pool, barbecue grills and picnic areas. Each condo offers a furnished lanai and floor to ceiling windows facing the mountains or towards the Pacific. The Waikiki Sunset is three blocks from Waikiki Beach.
Driving times on the island of Oahu, particularly anywhere near Waikiki, Honolulu or any major residential area are significantly increased during the morning and afternoon weekday commute. Try and avoid being on the road between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Fridays, traffic may start to back up a bit earlier during the evening commute. The interstates and the surface roads are equally jammed. You can easily double your driving time to just about anywhere on Oahu if you try to get from point A to point B during the commute.
