Waimea Bay
Beach · Haleiwa, Hawaii
A crescent-shaped bay at the mouth of the Waimea River in Haleiwa on Oahu's North Shore, widely known for big wave surfing. Waimea means reddish water in Hawaiian, a reference to the river running out of the valley behind it. In summer the bay is flat, clear and one of the best swimming beaches on the island; in winter it takes some of the largest rideable surf in the world, and the difference between the two is not a matter of degree.
Kamehameha Highway, Haleiwa, Hawaii, 96712, United States
Open at all times and FREE, with lifeguards on posted daylight hours. ⚠ THE BAY IS TWO DIFFERENT PLACES BY SEASON: calm and swimmable roughly May to September, and one of the great big-wave arenas from November to February. The car park has a small capacity and closes when full on busy days, which happens early on any good swell and on summer weekends alike.