Kawela Bay is a small, crescent-shaped bay on Oahu’s north shore, tucked behind the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay and hidden from the road by a wall of dense forest. It’s part jungle, part quiet beach, and unlike anywhere else on the island. The forest is laced with trails, dripping banyan roots, and tall trees that connect through to Turtle Bay. The beach is calm and shaded, better for hammocks and turtle watching than swimming, and almost nobody from the tourist trail knows it’s there.
A Secluded Beach : Favorite north shore family activities
It was a client who first introduced me to the beauty of Kawela Bay. They had rented a beach house on the bay for a family reunion and asked me to capture their Hawaiian memories. Tucked away from the main road, I never knew the little beach existed, which is of course, one of its charms. The spot was so captivating that I returned the following weekend with my own family in tow. It’s now one of our favorite north shore family activities.
The Forest
The forest is the reason to come. Dense canopy, tall trees dripping with prop roots and vines, trails that wind through and connect all the way through to Turtle Bay. You can wander in here for a long time. Kids default immediately to feral mode: sticks, climbing, swinging from vines, peering into tree caves. The non-banyan trees are still entirely climbable and the whole area has an overgrown, slightly magical quality.
The famous banyan trees that line the beach access are roped off now, courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton, with informational signs added around them. The ropes are genuinely annoying. The signs are actually pretty good. The trees themselves are still spectacular to look at and the dripping roots still make for a dramatic backdrop.
The forest trails connect through to Turtle Bay Resort, which has turned the surrounding area into an adventure playground with kayaking, surfing tours, and horseback riding. The plastic kayaks floating in the bay are visible from the beach but not unbearable. On a weekday the bay is still largely empty.
The Beach
The beach is a crescent of sand backed by dense shade that comes almost all the way to the water’s edge. Shade close to the water is rare on Oahu. On a hot afternoon this matters a lot.
The center of the bay is the best spot for swimming and water play. You can float happily anywhere, but the bottom has loose bits of coral that have a way of finding your feet, and the water is cloudy enough that you can’t always see what’s coming. The northern end gets rockier with more reef, but it also catches small surf if anyone wants to try some baby waves, and sea turtles forage in the shallows there at low tide with critters hiding in the rocks. Worth the walk regardless of the coral situation.
Walk the crescent toward the left and you’ll eventually reach a small gated neighborhood that fronts the bay. Walk to the right and you’ll reach a limestone bluff that overlooks the bay and continues on to Turtle Bay. The beach narrows at high tide so low tide is the better visit. No sunrise or sunset views from here. The trees block both. What you get instead is shade, quiet, and turtles.
Getting There
Kawela Bay sits on the north shore just past the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay, across Kamehameha Highway from what used to be a roadside fruit stand. The stands have been formalized and moved but are still there. Parking across from the fruit stands is a safer bet than the dirt lot. I’s a short walk and buying a bag of cold li hing pineapple is a reasonable thank you. The actual trailhead is across the highway from Kawela Camp Road, where the guardrail ends. There’s no sign. Duck through the trees and the path opens into a wide dirt road with a trail sign – follow it to the beach.
No bathrooms on site. If you need a restroom, the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay has a public restroom outside Roy’s Beach House.
Leave valuables at home. Car break-ins are very common at this trailhead.
What to Bring
The non-negotiables. Water and snacks. There are no facilities and no food nearby. The forest trails and beach can fill a few hours easily.
For your valuables. Leave them at home or bring them with you. The parking area is a known theft spot. Don’t leave anything in the car.
For little kids. This is one of the better spots on the island for kids who like to explore. The forest is full of sticks, vines, and climbable trees. A dip net and bucket for the tidal area at the northern end of the bay.
The hammock. If you own one, bring it. Kawela Bay is one of those places that seems designed specifically for this purpose.
On sunscreen: most sunscreen sold at drugstores and grocery stores contains chemicals that damage coral reef ecosystems. Hawaii banned several of them in 2021 for exactly this reason. They’re not great for humans either. Use reef-safe sunscreen, and skip the aerosol spray entirely. Applying it on a windy beach means everyone around you is inhaling it, which is not a gift.
Return to Kawela Bay
Over the years we’ve returned to the bay whenever we want a peaceful spot to hang a hammock while gentle waves lap the shore. The kids love going feral and happily explore the adjacent forest. Sometimes we follow the crescent-shaped beach to the point for big views and tide pools.
Kawela Bay has many charms, but isn’t the best swimming beach. The water isn’t very clear and there is quite a bit of coral rubble that rolls along with the surf and always manages to get underfoot. Still, you can grab a board to explore or simply watch turtle heads pop up as the forage around the bay.
Looking for more north shore family activities?
Shark’s Cove is made for tide pool lovers and snorkeling. Waimea Bay is wild in winter and calm and clear in summer, worth timing your visit around. And if you want to extend the day on foot, the coastal hike to Kaena Point starts not far from here and rewards with albatross and whales in winter months.
Where to Eat Nearby
Kawela Bay is close to some of the best food on the north shore. Kahuku Superette for poke — the spicy ahi is the move, and it makes perfect picnic food. Ted’s Bakery for chocolate haupia cream pie. You might as well get a whole pie. Kahuku Farms for a farm-to-table lunch, or grab fresh fruit from the farm stands across the highway from the trailhead. The li hing pineapple is worth the stop. Da Bald Guy food truck in Kahuku is a reliable option if you have picky eaters. Feeling fancy? Roy’s Beach House at the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay has excellent island-style fare, just budget accordingly.
Family Photos at Kawela Bay
Kawela Bay is one of those spots that looks like nowhere else on Oahu in photos. The light through the forest canopy, the crescent beach, the dripping roots. It’s a naturally dramatic backdrop and it tends to bring out the best in kids who are already deep in explorer mode. You can see what a morning adventure here looks like here, here, and here. And if it looks like something your family would be into, here’s where to start.
Kawela Bay FAQs
A: Not really. The water has coral rubble throughout, especially at the northern end. It’s better suited for exploring, turtle watching, paddleboarding on calm days, and hammock time in the shade. If you want a swimming beach nearby, Turtle Bay has calmer options.
A: Park across from the fruit stands on Kamehameha Highway near Kawela Camp Road, where the guardrail ends. There’s no sign. Cross the highway carefully and follow the dirt path through the trees. Parking near the fruit stands is safer than the dirt lot, and buying some fruit is a reasonable thank you for using the space.
A: The trees are roped off by the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay and climbing is no longer allowed. You can still walk through the forest and the banyan roots are still visible and dramatic. The rest of the forest is fully accessible with trails connecting through to Turtle Bay.
A: Yes. The forest is the highlight for kids: trails, climbable trees, vines, sticks, and plenty of things to investigate. The tidal area at the northern end of the beach is good for finding critters at low tide. It’s one of the better spots on the north shore for kids who like to explore rather than swim.
A: No bathrooms, no showers, no formal parking lot. Pack everything in. If you need a restroom, the closest option is outside Roy’s Beach House at the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay, about a 5-minute drive up the road.
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