Lagoon beach paradise with upscale standards
Fine white sandy beach and calm sheltered water with a pinch of sea current await visitors to Ko'olina Lagoons. Despite the identical design, there are differences between the four lagoons.
On the west coast of Oahu not far from Honolulu are the four beautifully crafted Ko'olina Lagoons. The lagoons were artificially created but offer everything for a relaxing beach day. The soft warm sandy beach invites you to spread out a blanket and lazily relax in the sun. The constructed lagoons offer the perfect way to cool off. The sandy bottom slowly slopes shallowly and artificially constructed stone and rock barriers in the sea provide a safe separation from the open ocean. Also, small openings are intentionally built which allow seawater and a slight current to flow into the lagoons. This is one of the advantages. Despite the artificiality and similarity to swimming pools, visitors will not find chlorine or other artificial chemicals in the water here, which are used for purification. Thanks to the openings in the stone barrier, the seawater has the opportunity to circulate and nature takes care of the purification all by itself. In rough seas during the winter months, the current may be felt more near the stone wall. In these cases, lifeguards set up swimming barriers in time to prevent injuries to visitors.
Snorkelling in the Ko'olina lagoons
It appears that all four Ko'olina lagoons are similarly designed but there are a few differences. Since the lagoons are artificial, there are no coral reefs except for a few rocks on the seabed. Surprisingly, different colourful fish get lost here from time to time. They slip in through the openings between the rocks to the delight of the visitors and especially lagoons three and four are often used for snorkelling trips. Equipment for this should be brought with you.
Important information for visitors
Facilities of the Ko'olina Lagoons:
The lagoons are intentionally designed to resemble hotel beaches and the standard is upscale. They are located between private properties, but are still, like all beaches in Hawaii, free of charge and accessible to everyone. For example, visitors will find umbrellas and loungers at the wheelchair-accessible beaches. Those who don't like to lie in the sand can use the well-maintained lawns, and visitors who want to spread out a picnic can use the picnic benches provided. The washrooms with toilets and showers are also in a very clean condition here. For the safety of bathers, beach guards and lifeguards are present at all times during the day.
Directions and parking:
The easiest way to reach the lagoons is by car or rental car. For this, drive on Highway 1 West until the Ko'olina exit. As soon as you reach the hotel facilities, you have to pass a security gate. Now you just have to follow the signs to lagoon no. 1-4.
The small disadvantage of arriving by car is the limited number of parking spaces. Most of the parking spaces, which may be used by the public, are available at lagoon number four. All other lagoons only have about 20 parking spaces for visitors. No matter which lagoon is your destination, if you want to get a parking space, you should be there as early as possible.
The alternative besides the car is to travel by public bus but this is not recommended for a day trip. The travel time for one route is between 3 and 4 hours, depending on transfer and waiting times.
