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Welcome to
Hawaii's North Shore!
Know What the Locals and Surfers Know in Oahu
The natural
beauty of the North Shore is evident everywhere.
Famous as a surfer's paradise - for good
reason – Oahu's North Shore is a laid-back land of old-island culture.
It swells in winter with big waves and big-wave hunters yet it shines
throughout the year as a calm alternative to the activity and action
of Waikiki.
The North Shore does not present itself as a first-time visitor might
imagine. There is no major town and the beach is not lined with resorts,
condos, upscale shops and restaurants. Instead, it's a simple, almost
spiritual place where long-time locals hang loose and hard-core surfers
gather to ride the waves.
 That
is evident the moment one arrives into the North Shore area. About the
only sign of recognizable civilization of the outside world is a McDonald's.
But even at that sight, the senses shift immediately to the other side
of Kamemameha Highway where graffiti-covered trucks serve shrimp and
Thai food right out of their side windows.
There's more on these vendors and other food spots in our Dining
and Drinks section later in this article. First, enjoy this scenic
and informative virtual tour of the beaches and sites of the North Shore.
Arriving and
Driving in the North Shore
The two-lane Kamehameha Highway takes motorists thru the North Shore.
Some information sources and even maps
may indicate that the North Shore is just an hour's drive from Honolulu.
Technically, perhaps, but there's always traffic getting out of Honolulu
(and Waikiki in particular) and the two-lane roads are full of commercial
vans, dump trucks and other slow-moving vehicles. The main road, the
Kamehameha Highway, moves at the slow pace of those traversing it.
Plus, there's no single spot in the North Shore to hop out and excitedly
announce: "We're here!" Instead, there are several stops –
Waimea Bay, the Banzai Pipeline, snorkeling at Shark's Cove, the North
Shore Market Place – that together make up the area. The lone
town, Haleiwa Town, is the size of a postage stamp, at least when compared
to Honolulu. So plan on a trip to the North Shore taking a full day
and perhaps even into the evening if hanging around for dinner is on
the travel menu.
Beyond this small park are the awesome waves of the Banzai Pipeline.
Most spots are not well marked, if even marked at all. For instance,
there's no huge THIS IS THE BANZAI PIPELINE sign with tacky t-shirt
and souvenir shops marking the place like a Florida amusement park.
The North Shore is civilized because it's uncivilized. It's remarkably
undeveloped and unrefined and the people who live and play here are
a product of this environment.
From November thru February, the world's top wave riders come here
to hang loose, catch monster waves and compete for surfing titles. It's
worth a warning that waves and currents are very dangerous in these
months, so look for lifeguards, locals or anyone else with knowledge
of the area before even thinking of entering the water. By contrast,
the North Shore is invitingly docile the rest of the year.
Coming from Honolulu, the North Shore reveals itself this way: Haleiwa,
followed by Waimea Bay, Pipeline and Sunset Beach.
North Shore Beaches,
Surf and Stop Spots
 s
Surf's up, but not at Shark's Cove, a snorkeling and shore dive paradise.
In the North Shore, the water invites
investigation and visitors don't have to be surfers to enjoy it. There's
more than meets the surface; in fact, there's quite a bit below the
surface.
And the place to see it is Shark's Cove.
So called because sharks used to mate in the cove ("used to"
being the key words, which is a good thing for snorkelers), Shark's
Cove it THE snorkeling spot in the North Shore. There's no spiny sea
urchins either; instead, parrotfish, turtles, triggerfish and eels are
among the aquatic creatures. The cove drops to about 20 feet. Further
out it gets much deeper and with underwater caves to explore, Shark's
Cove is also one of Oahu's top shore dive destinations.
Located in Pupukea Beach Park past Waimea Bay close to the Sunset Fire
Station, it has a small parking lot, extremely basic bathroom and shower
facilities and, for those who don't have equipment, snorkel rentals
for $10.
 Entering
the water is a bit tricky, but follow the path down the hill (wear sandals
on the way down) and give it a go among the rocks, timing the entry
between the mild surges.
Be sure and put on the fins after entering the water. With no
walk-in entrance, incoming tides and no lifeguard on duty, Shark's Cove
is a bit too tricky for children and novice snorkelers. There is an
adjacent tidepool for their participating pleasure.
Afterward, head to the lookout at Puuomahuka for a nice view of Shark's
Cove (and Waimea Bay) where you can proudly boast "I just snorkeled
there!"
If it's too rough to snorkel at Shark's Cove – as it's likely
to be from about October thru March – head a few miles north to
protected and calm Kuilima Cove. It's on the eastern end of the
Turtle Bay Hilton. This spot is a prime home to the Hawaii state fish,
the humuhumunukunukuapuaa. Known to take a nibble when surfers sit on
their boards, "the little trigger fish is so colorful that he glows.
But don't take your eyes off of him because he'll bite off one of your
toes," or so sings Eric
Stone.
Waimea Bay
Peaceful much of the year, Waiama Bay swells with waves in winter.
Famous Waiama Bay has 20 to 30-foot waves
in January and February. This is when sportsmen and women crazy enough
to enjoy such things come in from all over the world for international
surf competitions. You'll know when surf's up because the humongous
traffic swells will tell you that surf's up, bro. Even when traffic
is not such an issue, parking in the small lot requires patience. The
best viewing spots are from the adjacent cliff.
Yet despite its nasty winter temperament, Waimea Bay is a nice, wide
beach that looks totally harmless in spring, summer and fall. At those
times, it's another good snorkeling location. The Waimama Bay Falls
are across the highway.
The Banzai Pipeline
and Sunset Beach
The calm seas at Banzai Pipeline give way to tubular monsters Nov-Feb.
The hard-grinding guitar licks of Dick
Dale's Pipeline provide the perfect persona for the powerfully
awesome waves at the Banzai Pipeline (Dale's version with Stevie
Ray Vaughn on the King of the Surf Guitar CD is best, though
more surfers now prefer the smoother sounds of Hawaii's own Jack Johnson).
Just the name of the place – the Banzai Pipeline – energizes
the spiritual soul.
It energizes extreme surfers, too, who ride through and wipe out in
the barrel-shaped waves. The waves may be bigger at Waimea Bay but here
they form a tubular "pipeline" that creates legends. And now,
after some political haggling, the Pipeline is once again home to the
Van's Triple Crown of Surfing each winter.
In non-winter months, the Banzai Pipeline is hidden among the North
Shore's other scenery spots. It's about as obvious as a ripple in the
wave, an innocent-looking park with shower facilities and a lone lifeguard
stand a 1/2 mile from a school. Pipelinei s a small beach with a fairly
steep (but soft) walk from the top to the shore.
Sunset Beach is at the end point of the North Shore. Lifeguards
are on duty and it has picnic areas. From June through September stinging
limu (seaweed) can ruin a nice day at the shore. Check for postings
or just ask a lifeguard.
Laniakea Beach
, a.k.a. Turtle Beach
PubClubette Desiree Shank knows to look at, but not bother, the turtles.
As the winter surf proves, the environment
can produce some prodigious power. But nature can also rear its head
slowly in the North Shore. Very slowly, in fact. At Laniakea Beach,
or Lanišs, endangered Hawaiian Green Seat Turtles gently traverse across
the shore feeding on the seaweed growing on the rocks. Seeing the turtles
is a true Hawaiian scene, people getting an up-close look at one of
nature's creatures without being in a zoo or animal park.
DO NOT bother the turtles. Get close to them, pose for a picture but
leave them alone. There's not really a curse, like taking volcanic rocks
from the other Hawaiian islands, but it disturbs nature and if any official
or even local sees this they will come down on you like a Waiema wave.
Lanišs is easy to find, for there will be people on the beach gawking
at something on the sand and cars will suddenly turn off the highway
to park along the side. To avoid such sudden maneuvers, note it's location:
approximately two miles up Kamehameha Highway from Haleiwa.
Dining and Drinks
– North Shore Restaurants, Bars and Nightlife
There's some bonzai nightlife – if you know where to go in the
North Shore.
Dining on the North Shore does not involve
five-star restaurants, tourist theme spots or famous chefs serving "Asian/fusion
cooking." Drinking does not involve dance floors and cover charges.
The North Shore is far too simple for such extravagance.
Instead, meals are as likely to be served on paper plates and drinks
downed in a cozy little joint where the staff knows at least half the
patrons.
The previously-mentioned shrimp trucks are a fine example of
North Shore cuisine. For about 10 bucks a full meal can be enjoyed while
sitting on a picnic table with friends and strangers as traffic trickles
by on the adjacent highway.
Simple but incredibly delicious dining pleasures are abundant along
the highway.
Giovanni's Original White Shrimp Truck is legendary in a place
of legends. Its ample serving of peel-and-eat shrimp is heavy – and
we mean heavy – on garlic. More napkins, please! Good thing
it comes with rice. A few feet away is the Famous Kahuku Shrimp Truck,
which has more of a variety with its menu including coconut tempura
shrimp; garlic butter squid and teriyaki beef. The Thai truck
has what some locals consider the best Thai food on the entire island,
Honolulu's fancy restaurants be damned.
Further up the road, Romy's Kahuku Shrimp & Prawns raises its
own shrimp, making it a popular stop. It's located in Kahuku between
the James Campbell wildlife refuge and Turtle Bay Resort. If there's
a line here (likely) and the stomach can't stomach the wait, a half-mile
farther up the highway is Macky's Original Shrimp Farm.
All these shrimp and food trucks are open for lunch and early dining,
from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Another simple and delicious spot is Ted's Bakery. It serves
hearty plate lunches with four – four! – scoops of rice and
sandwiches. Many simply come here just for the pies, specifically the
chocolate haupia cream. A couple of small tables are roadside outside
and even the occasional North Shore shower doesn't keep the surfers
from their food. Like the trucks, Ted's is open 'til 6. The kitchen
closes at 3, so only sandwiches and pies are then available. Ted's is
on the right side of the highway just past Sunset Beach.
Mexican food and margaritas in the North Shore? Yeah, and it works.
A bit more sophistication – we said a bit, not a lot – can
be found in the North Shore Market Place (about a half-mile from
Giovanni's shrimp truck). For starters, there's Cholo's, a Mexican
restaurant. If this seems out of place in Hawaii, just have one of its
margaritas, the best in the North Shore. They are made with fresh lime
juice, not a pre-made mix. The food is pretty authentic, too. The salsa
sells this fact right from the start.
 Pipeline
isn't the only bonzai in the North Shore. After dark it's Bonzai
Sushi. There's no pounding waves, but pounding down sake and sushi
on the outdoor patio, especially during the 4-7 Happy Hour.
Some sit on cushions on the deck and Wednesday is unofficial local's
night. It's usually going until 10 or 11, not rocking like a nightclub,
just hanging and telling stories. It's the closest thing a visitor can
get to sitting around a campfire with North Shore surfers.
The North Shore Market Place also has a third restaurant, a small surf
museum, a clothing store, a surf and bike shop and an ATM that doesn't
work. The latter brings up an interesting point: bring enough cash for
the visit and a couple of credit cards in case an establishment doesn't
take, say, American Express. (Been there, done that!) Also in the market
place is The Coffee Gallery with Java so strong it's amazing
it doesn't burn a hole in the cup.
The only sit-down dining with an ocean view in the North Shore is not
actually on the water but across it, Halewa Joe's. It features
fish, shrimp, meat, chicken and soups and salads.
And tourists always stop for the famed shaved ice in Halewa.
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