Students said their favorite beach depends on the type of activity they are doing. Among the beloved beaches were Hukilau, Lanikai, Sunset, Waimea, Hanauma Bay, Turtle Bay and Shark’s Cove.
Favorite beaches
Natasha Mathurent, a junior from Venezuela studying biomedical science, swooned as she talked about one her favorite beaches, Lanikai. She described the beach and said the “water is crystal clear, the sand is white, and while you’re swimming, you can see down to the bottom.”
Mathurent lived in Canada before coming to Hawaii to start her education at BYUH. She said the winters in Canada last for half of the year and expressed, “When I got the chance to come here, I was on the first plane over. Winters in Canada are nice for a week, and then I am over it. The island is the place to be.”
Sydney Stewart, a sophomore from California studying psychology, expressed her love for Oahu beaches. She said, “I love the sand and just lying under the sun. I’m just obsessed with the sun. I love swimming in the ocean. I find myself getting giddy about it. I don’t know if that’s the right word, but when I’m swimming in the ocean, I’m just stoked.”
Mathurent said some of her favorite beaches are not too far from the BYUH campus. She said her favorite, Hukilau Beach, is just a walk away. “If I just want a beach day to scratch my itch of just wanting to lay out in the sun, I could literally walk there.”
Stewart shared her favorite beach depends on the type of activity she’s craving that day. She said, “I like going to Sunset Beach to watch surfers. I think it is tons of fun. I like going to Temple Beach just because it is so close, and I can see sea turtles quite frequently there. I like Shark’s Cove for snorkeling. That’s a blast.”
Mathurent said another favorite beach is Waimea. She described Waimea as having some of the best sunsets. “I loved watching the sunsets there. The sunsets there are immaculate and spectacular, and it’s just a nice golden tone which I love.”
Beach safety
Mathurent shared COVID-19 greatly affected her beach days. “I just got back to campus in January 2021, so I literally have not been to beaches from March 2020 until December 2020.”
She said people keep a decent social distance while at the beach, but added most people don’t wear masks. “I’ve seen people wear masks when they come to beaches but then take them off once everyone is in their little location because it’s really hot.”
Stewart, on the other hand, said she hadn’t seen many people following the safety guidelines at the beach.
Beaches near and far
Mathurent said her other favorite, more adventurous beach, farther away from campus, is Hanauma Bay. “They are very big on coral conservation, so when you get there you have to watch a video and sign some wavers to make sure that you won’t damage the coral reefs,” she explained.
She described Hanauma Bay as “a nice place with immaculate vibes.” She added it is a perfect place to see beautiful corals and spend meaningful time with her friends.
For those who want to stay close to campus, Stewart said a great place to venture is the stretch between Temple Beach and Castles Beach. “One day I walked from Temple Beach to Castles and there were some cool spots. I wouldn’t say it’s good for swimming or even relaxing, but it’s just a cool place to see.”
While visiting Turtle Bay, Mathurent said she swam with a sea turtle. “I didn’t even know it was beside me until I turned around,” she said.
Vacation in your own city
According to the article “Beaches of Oahu” by Go Hawaii, the best beach for playing tourist in your own city is Waikiki beach, located in the heart of Honolulu. The article describes Waikiki as one of the best places in Hawaii to learn how to surf or paddle a canoe because of its small but long-lasting wave break.
Another beach mentioned in the article was Sunset Beach, located on the North shore. The article said the beach spans from Ehukai Beach to Sunset Point, encompassing a dozen different reef breaks.
The article said this two-mile long stretch of sand is one of the longest ridable surf spots in the world. It is also a place that hosts the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, a specialty series of professional surfing events that takes place every year. The article said, “It is a perfect place to watch surfers and the giant waves.”