Oʻahu photo spots
STOP 1 OF 16
Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) summit trail
Waikīkī & Diamond Head · Paid entry
Waikīkī from the crater rim. Book the first slot.
1.5–2 hours · $5 per person plus $10 per car for non-residents
EThe editors
Oʻahu photo spots
Sixteen views, from Diamond Head’s rim to the sea arch at Lāʻie Point, all reached legally.
16 placesTwo or three daysRead the guide ↓
- 1. Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) summit trailWaikīkī from the crater rim. Book the first slot.Waikīkī & Diamond HeadPaid entry1.5–2 hours$5 per person plus $10 per car for non-residents
2. Lānaʻi LookoutLava ledges and, in winter, whales.East sideFree to visit15 minFree
3. Hanauma BayThe crater bay from the lookout above the entrance.East sidePaid entry2–4 hours$25 non-residents (kids 12 and under free); parking $3 cash
4. Koko Crater Railway TrailThe whole south-east coast from the top of the steps.East sideFree to visit1–1.5 hoursFree
5. Makapuʻu BeachRabbit Island and the cliffs from the lookout pull-off.East sideFree to visit1 hourFree
6. Sherwood Beach (Waimānalo Bay)Ironwoods and empty sand at Waimānalo Bay.East sideFree to visit1–2 hoursFree
7. Lanikai BeachThe Mokulua islands from the sand at sunrise.WindwardFree to visit2–3 hoursFree
8. Lanikai Pillbox (Kaʻiwa Ridge)The classic shot of Lanikai, from above.WindwardFree to visit1–1.5 hoursFree
9. Kailua Beach ParkTurquoise water and kayaks heading for the Mokes.WindwardFree to visit2–4 hoursFree (park in the beach lot)
10. Hoʻomaluhia Botanical GardenThe road into the garden with the Koʻolau cliffs behind.WindwardFree to visit1–2 hoursFree
11. Kaʻaʻawa Beach ParkKualoa’s cliffs straight off the beach.WindwardFree to visit30 minFree
12. Kualoa RanchThe valley from the road, or on a tour.WindwardTour only1.5 hours to a full dayMovie Sites tour about $60; Jurassic Adventure about $150
13. Lāʻie PointA sea arch and big waves off the point.WindwardFree to visit20 minFree
14. Turtle BayKuilima Point at golden hour.North ShoreFree to visit1–2 hoursFree public parking for beach access
15. Laniākea BeachTurtles on the sand. Use a zoom; keep 10 feet back.North ShoreFree to visit20–40 minFree
16. Kaʻena Point TrailThe island’s wild far end.West sideFree to visit3–4 hoursFree
The guide
How to do it: Oʻahu photo spots
These are the views that make Oʻahu famous, with how to reach each one legally. A few viral spots aren’t on the list: the Haʻikū Stairs have been removed, and several cliff edges are closed for good reason.
Light matters more than the spot: east-facing beaches at sunrise, the North Shore at sunset.
- The order to do it in
- South-east coast at sunrise (Diamond Head, Lānaʻi Lookout, Makapuʻu), Lanikai and Kailua mid-morning, the windward coast at midday, the North Shore for sunset.
- When to go
- Winter for whales off the south-east; summer for calm turquoise water.
- Getting there
- A car. Use lookouts and lots; don’t stop on the highway.
- What to bring
- A zoom lens for turtles and whales, a polarizer for the water.
- What it costs
- Free, except Diamond Head ($5 plus $10 per car) and Kualoa tours.
Worth knowing
- Lānaʻi Lookout and Lāʻie Point have unfenced ledges; waves surge over them.
- Drones are banned at Kaʻena Point and Hanauma Bay.
Started from the pins on We Dream of Travel’s Oʻahu photo spots (the map). Places, notes and the guide checked and written by us; prices and opening times change, so check before you go.