Camping on Oahu, Hawaii

The east side of Oahu is known for its beauty and amazing shoreline.  One of the best ways to enjoy the natural beuaty of this shore is to camp at one of its amazing campgrounds.  The following campgrounds are my favorites on the east shore.  Bellows beach park in Waimanalo.  Kualoa beach located near Kahaluu town.  Swanzy and Kahana beach located near Kaaawa town and finally Malakaehana located in Laie town.

Bellows beach park is located at 41-043 Kalaniana'ole Highway. The camp sites are located in the Bellows Air Force Base, which is an active military training base. The park is open for normal public access from Monday thru Sunday, 6 AM to 8 PM.  However, camping is only available from Friday noon to Monday 8 AM.  My favorite parts of this campground include the natural shade provided by the pine trees and the protection from the winds and rain.  The beach is also one of the largest beaches on the east side of Oahu.  There is plenty of sand and a small volleyball area with one court.  The water is also calm with a small break perfect for body surfing off shore.  It is relatively shallow and there is no coral, so feel free to stand up in the water, just watch out for portuguese man of war or jellyfish.

Swanzy beach park is located at 51-369 Kamehameha Highway. The camp sites are located off of the main Kamehameha Highway. The park is open for normal public access. The camp sites are available for camping from Friday Noon to Monday.  The best part of this campground is that it is conveniently located near the highway and 7-11 which operates 24 hours.  It is very easy to go to the store to grab food/drinks at any time and walk back to your campsite.  In a way it is like cheating while camping.

Kualoa beach park is located at 49-479 Kamehameha Highway. The camp sites are located towards the south end of the park.  This campground is the most beautiful campground in my opinion.  Many photographers come here to photograph the sunrise over the offshore islet called China Man's hat.  It is also a great location to kayak, since the waters are calm and protected.  The adventurous people like to kayak out to the offshore islet to explore and hike on the island.  

Kahana Bay beach park is located at 52-222 Kamehameha Highway. The camp sites are located near the mouth of the Kahana river, which empties into the Kahana Bay. The camp sites are available for camping from Friday 2 PM to Wednesday Noon.  This campsite is great if you want to go hiking.  There are three hiking trails located within walking distance from the campground.  There are two up the ridges that make up Kahana valley and another hike that takes you into the valley.

Malaekahana beach park is located at 41-043 Kalaniana'ole Highway. The camp sites are located through a short while north from Laie town. The camp sites are available for camping from Friday 2 PM to Wednesday Noon.  The beach at Malaekahana is relatively small compared to Bellow beach.  However, the offshore islet makes for an excellent photograph or a small adventure if you want to swim out to the island or kayak out to it.  This campground is  great as a staging point for visiting the north shore sites.

If you need torent camping gear on Oahu, Hawaii then there are a few companies that can help you out.  It is great when you can enjoy the great parts of camping on Oahu, Hawaii, without the hassle of setting up, taking down and cleaning your camping gear.