Waimea BayNorth Shore, Oʻahu, HI

Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.

Getting in

Shore access, walk in off the sand

Snorkeling

Snorkelable from the beach

Best conditions

Roughly May through October, when DLNR calls the water generally calm, though surges are possible, and the beach-safety program's page for the bay described the summer beach as a popular swimming, snorkeling and fishing site. Winter belongs to big-wave surf, and DLNR calls winter current and wave conditions extremely dangerous across the district.

Parking

Free county beach park lot at 61-031 Kamehameha Highway. DLNR notes parking is available at both Waimea Bay and Pupukea beach parks.

Protection

Pupukea Marine Life Conservation District, expanded in 2002 to take in the bay; its boundary runs to the Wananapaoa Islets on the south side of the bay. Taking, injuring or removing marine life is prohibited, with the rules' stated exceptions: hand harvest of up to two pounds of limu with the holdfast left in place and carrying a knife apply district-wide, and within Waimea Bay hook-and-line fishing from shore (up to two poles per person, one line per pole, two hooks per line) plus legal net take of ʻōpelu in August and September and akule in November and December.

On site

restrooms, rinse showers, lifeguard on duty, parking lot

Watch for

DLNR states current and wave conditions become extremely dangerous in the winter months, and warns against entering the water during any period of high surf on the North Shore, Dangerous shorebreak, rip currents and strong currents, all flagged by the state and county beach safety program, Sharp coral and jellyfish, also flagged by the program, Jump Rock, a 20 to 40 ft outcrop on the bay, is a popular cliff-jumping spot

Checked 2026-08-27. Sources: Safe Beach Day (formerly Hawaii Beach Safety): Waimea Bay Beach Park, Safe Beach Day: about the state and county ocean safety program, Hawaii Beach Safety, archived Waimea Bay page, Hawaii DLNR Division of Aquatic Resources, Oʻahu – Pupukea MLCD overview, Hawaii DLNR, Pupukea MLCD rules, City and County of Honolulu Ocean Safety: lifeguard tower locations.