The Westside of Oahu. A place I was afraid of already. I was cautious – but luckily had my brother who lives on the island, to guide us.
We went to Makua Beach, and swam with dolphins! They come early in the morning around 7 am – 8 am, and all the tours with people were out there. Hilarious to watch the people jumping into the water and being dropped off by their tour guides. And then picked back up, and dropped elsewhere. If you don’t mind competing with the boats – you can swim out there on your own without paying the $100 tour fee.
Makua Beach is a nice, long beach with beautiful views of the local mountains.
There’s certainly a different vibe on the West side, and not one I was entirely prepared for. Be safe, respect the local area and beach, and enjoy!
Mermaid Caves at Nanakuli Beach Park
A short drive down the coast from Makua Beach is Nanakuli Beach Park and the Mermaid Caves.
The Mermaid Caves are amazing! But be careful. Watch where you step! Closed-toed shoes are safest as it’s easy to cut up your feet here.
These are lava flows that have hardened and left these amazing caves underneath, where your imagination brings up memories of the Little Mermaid and Peter Pan. For a moment, I was a mermaid. Best to go when the tied is lower and safe, but you’ll find many caves with the water lapping up onto hidden beaches and sandy knolls.
Although a little sketchy – someone had left a ladder going down into one of the caves, and you can crawl down at your own risk. The rocks are very, very sharp – so again, be careful.
