East Oʻahu
Makapu'u Lookout
The pull-off at the island corner, looking down on Makapuu Beach and the offshore islands.
Why go
It is the turn from the dry southeast into the green windward side, and you get both from the same railing.
The catch
A roadside stop rather than a destination. If you want to be up on the headland, that is the lighthouse trail, which is a separate walk.
- How long
- 15 min
- With children
- Yes
- Effort
- Easy
- Cost
- Free
- Parking
- Limited
Before you go
- Not worth it in poor weather
Getting there
Driving times on real roads, from the same data the trip planner routes on — not straight-line distance.
| From Waikīkī | 32 min | 13.9 miles |
|---|---|---|
| From HNL airport | 1 hr | 28.1 miles |
| From Hawai‘i Kai | 13 min | 5.8 miles |
| From Kailua | 23 min | 9.2 miles |
Add traffic. These are free-flowing times, and the H1 through town at eight in the morning is not free-flowing.
More on Makapu'u Lookout: OpenStreetMap
Hours, fees and access rules have not been checked against a primary source for this entry yet. Confirm before you build a day around it.
See it on the map Build a trip around it
What else is close
Nearest by road, which is not the same as nearest on a map — and not the same as sharing a region either.
- Makapuu Lighthouse Trail2 min awayA paved uphill walk to a cliff view over the ocean and a red-roofed lighthouse.
- Sea Life Park2 min awayA marine park on the southeast corner, under the cliffs at Makapuu.
- Halona Blowhole Lookout5 min awayA lava tube that fires seawater up through the rock when the swell is right.
- Koko Head Stairs5 min awayA punishing climb straight up an old railway track. Over a thousand steps.
- Koko Crater Botanical Garden7 min awayA dryland garden on the floor of an old crater, with a plumeria grove in the middle.
- Lanai Lookout7 min awayA pull-off on the southeast coast road where the lava shelf drops straight into the water.