2 Best Sights in Hawaii Kai, Oahu

Below a scenic turnout along the Koko Head shoreline, this oft-photographed lava tube sucks the ocean in and spits it out. Don't get too close, as conditions can get dangerous. Look to your right to see the tiny beach below that was used to film the wave-washed love scene in From Here to Eternity. In winter, this is a good spot to watch whales at play. Offshore, the island of Molokai calls like a distant siren, and, every once in a while, Lanai is visible in blue silhouette. Take your valuables with you, and lock your car, because this popular scenic location is a hot spot for petty thieves.

A little more than a ½ mile past Hanauma Bay as you head toward Makapuu Point, you'll see a turnout on the ocean side with some fine views of the coastline. In winter, you'll have an opportunity to see storm-generated waves crashing against lava cliffs. This is also a popular place for winter whale-watching, so bring your binoculars, some sunscreen, and a picnic lunch, and join the small crowd scanning for telltale white spouts of water only a few hundred yards away. On clear days, you should be able to see the islands of Molokai and Lanai off in the distance, hence the name.