ALOHA!
So you’ve heard about the east side of Oahu as having some beaches that can offer a different experience from Waikiki Beach!
And you’re looking to Waimanalo Beach to get you that different beach experience!
But you’re not quite sure if you’ll be renting a car during your time on Oahu.
And so…
Can you get to Waimanalo Beach from Waikiki by bus?
Yes, you can!
Is it easy to get to this beach from Waikiki?
Well, it’s pretty easy.
The main thing is that it takes time.
How much time?
It will depend on where exactly in Waikiki you’re leaving from, but you can expect to be on the bus for around an hour.
If you’re staying closer to the eastern side of Waikiki near the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and Honolulu Zoo, it could be just under an hour on the bus without having to take any bus transfers.
If you’re staying closer to the western side of Waikiki near the Hilton Hawaiian Village, it could be a little over an hour on the bus with a transfer.
Waikiki Travel Guide:
- 2 mile walk on Waikiki Beach
- Best snorkeling spot in Waikiki
- Best hike near Waikiki
- Bike rental in Waikiki
- Free hula show in Waikiki
- Getting around by bus from Waikiki
- Best unforgettable adventures on Oahu
Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
Bus directions to Waimanalo Beach from Waikiki
First, have a look here for tips on taking the bus around Oahu.
Then, Google Maps public transit directions makes it super simple to plan out your day by bus!
So for Waikiki to Waimanalo Beach, have a look here.
When you’re planning out your bus excursions or just looking to see what your options are, it can be helpful to include information for the directions that will be similar to your actual trip. This will give you a better idea of what type of bus transfers you’ll need and more accurate bus timings that you’ll likely get when you’re in Oahu.
So if you know where you’re staying in Waikiki, you’ll want to plug that information in.
For Waimanalo Beach, staying further west or east along Waikiki Beach can make a difference in which direction the suggested bus routes will be to get you there, which also makes a difference in the number of transfers. If you’re staying more towards the east of Waikiki, you might follow a bus route that goes along the coast. If you’re staying more towards the west of Waikiki, you might follow a bus route that first takes you west before it crosses across Oahu to get to the east coast. If you don’t know where you’re staying, take a look at these types of vacation rentals in Oahu!
Another important part in getting a better idea of what your bus situation will be like to get to Waimanalo Beach is to update the departure time. It will be especially helpful if you update the day to reflect whether it will be a weekday or Saturday or Sunday, since these days are when bus schedules generally can be different. Putting in a general morning or afternoon time could be helpful too.
Things to do near Waimanalo Beach
If you want your trip out to Waimanalo Beach to be even more worth it, you may consider adding on a few things to your day’s itinerary!
Although, you want to keep in mind that when taking the bus and going to more than one destination on the east side of Oahu, there will likely be some extra time in waiting for the bus. When you look at the actual time you will be spending on the bus to get between the different places it may not seem so bad, but in deciding whether or not you want to add it on to your trip, consider the wait time too since buses are less frequent on east side of Oahu compared to Waikiki and Honolulu.
Makapuu Lighthouse Trail
If you’re up for a good amount of walking, consider the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail! This may be even more worth a visit if you’re in Oahu during whale season to try your luck at spotting a whale in the ocean! When deciding whether or not you want to do this trail on the same day as Waimanalo Beach, there are a few things to keep in mind in addition to the bus wait time.
The closest bus stop to the start of this trail is about a 15 minute walk, so that will add on time. You’ll also want to think about how much beach gear you’ll be carrying. If you do want to do both, pack light, and that’s also when one of these hiking backpacks could be helpful! And another thing to think about is whether you want to hike and then relax at the beach, or relax and then end your day with a power walk!
directions: makapuu lighthouse trail to waimanalo beach – 10 minute bus ride
more: whale watching on oahu | makapuu lighthouse trail by bus
Hanauma Bay snorkeling
Well, a beach tour in Hawaii sounds like a good day, right?!
In which case, you can end up with a good day by going to both Waimanalo Beach and Hanauma Bay!
This bay is a protected area for marine life, and it’s one of the most popular snorkeling spots in Oahu.
Consider doing Hanauma Bay first to make sure you have plenty of time to see all the marine life that you can! There is an admission fee here.
You can lighten the load of your beach bag by renting snorkel gear at Hanauma Bay. (Prices listed there.) Waimanalo Beach isn’t particularly known for snorkeling, so you likely won’t be missing out if you don’t have snorkeling gear there.
The down side in doing both of these beaches by bus is that it likely involves a bus transfer to get between the two places which does mean more time added to your day.
directions: hanauma bay to waimanalo beach – 2x 10 minute bus ride
more: hanauma bay snorkel rental prices | hanauma bay by bus | what to wear snorkeling
Koko Head Hike
To do both Waimanalo Beach and the Koko Head Hike on the same day by bus would be ambitious, but it is do-able!
Koko Head is on the way to the beach from Waikiki following along the coast, so it’s something that can be pretty easy to add. Although, as it is located across from Hanauma Bay, it will also require a bus transfer to get between the trail and Waimanalo Beach.
What makes it ambitious is that not only is this a strenuous hike, but you’ll be carrying your beach gear on this hike with you too! For this trail, you definitely want to be prepared for a hike! It would also probably make for a better day if you did the hike first and then have your post-hike recovery at the beach!
directions: koko head to waimanalo beach – 2x 10 minute bus ride
more: koko head hike | koko head by bus | what to wear hiking
HAPPY WAIMANALO BEACH PLANNING!
oahu >> more things to do in east oahu – north shore – central oahu
what to pack for hawaii >> what to wear snorkeling – what to wear hiking – what to wear to a luau
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🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling