If you’re looking for a trail with stunning coastal views that will get your lungs burning a bit, but that’s still really accessible, the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail on Oahu is a must do.

This popular hike on Oahu’s southeastern coastline is not only accessible to hikers of all skill levels but also offers breathtaking panoramas and a chance to spot SO MANY WHALES in the winter. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

Hiking the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail on Oahu

The Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back hike. This is just the kind of hike I like. It’s short and sweet with a big payoff of great views at the top. 

From the top, you’ll see Makapu’u Lighthouse down below and spectacular views of the Waimanolo coastline and offshore islands. 

Yes, it’s only a mile to the top and it’s completely paved, but it is fairly steep so I recommend wearing sneakers or strap on sandals. 

Also, there is NO SHADE on this hike so go early in the day and take plenty of water and wear sunscreen. 

Located on the southeastern side of the island, you’ll find the trailhead on the right (ocean) side of the road after you pass Sandy Beach Park and come around the point. The road you turn off on is usually lined with cars and there’s a small parking lot at the bottom. If you come to the Sea Life Park you’ve gone too far.

Last time I did this hike in January, I saw soooo many spouts and whales breaching in the ocean below so be sure to keep an eye out. 

There are plenty of places along the path to stop and take in the view so don’t be in too big of a hurry to make it to the top.

And once you do make it to the top, be sure to go to all of the viewing platforms because they all have different angles. 

The one at the very top is where you’ll look down and see the lighthouse. 

This is a great hike to pair with snorkeling at Hanauma Bay or the Halona Blowhole or even a drive up the windward coast past Kailua and Kaneohe. 

Also, if you need a treat after the hike, there’s a Leonard’s Malasadas truck in the parking lot of the Koko Head Marina nearby. 

P.S. One of the reasons I’m able to travel to Hawaii so often is by using credit card points. And right now my go to travel card has a GREAT limited time sign up offer.

If you sign up for this Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll get 100K bonus points to use on travel. 

These are my favorite kind of travel points because they’re so flexible. You could…

Transfer them to Southwest or United to book round trip tickets to Hawaii.

Transfer them to Hyatt to book a stay at the Andaz Maui (such a great luxury resort!)

Transfer them to Marriott for a stay at one of my favorites like the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Royal Hawaiian, or Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay. 

Or book a hotel through the Chase travel portal with a cash value of $1250. 
The 100K bonus point offer is just for a limited time, so if you’re looking for the best travel card, sign up >> here.

P.P.S. Here’s one more really important thing you need to know before your Hawaii trip…

You’ve got your airfare, hotel, rental car and your big activities booked, so you should be good to go, right? Wrong!

Travel is BOOMING in Hawaii and a lot of state and national parks have instituted reservation systems at some of the island’s most popular spots to help manage the crowds and make things a little more sustainable. 

That means that there are now over half a dozen sites (beaches, trailheads, etc.) that require advance reservations. And some sell out well before you arrive on the island so you really need to have some sort of a plan. 

I recently saw somebody in a Hawaii travel group post in a panic that they didn’t know they had to make reservations for things in advance…they thought they could just show up and “go with the flow.” I was tempted to say, well, “as long as the flow doesn’t take you somewhere that requires reservations, you can!” ; )

But I don’t want YOU to be that person, so I’ve pulled together a list of all the places you need to reserve entry in advance (plus all the details on booking windows, price, links, etc.) and a handful of popular tourist hotspots that book out really far in advance too. 
Get that info >> HERE