How to get to Makapuu Lighthouse Trail from Waikiki

ALOHA!

It can be worth it to do the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail as a half-day trip from Waikiki if you want sweeping ocean views as you walk!

Before you even reach the “final destination” (aka the overlook), the trail already gives you pretty much nonstop coastal views almost the entire way!

It will give you completely different vibes from Waikiki, with cliffs and vast views of the ocean.

It’s a fully paved trail along the coast. You will be going up up up to get to the end of the trail! So, be prepared to work a little.

There is a chance that you can see whales from the trail in the winter (aka whale watching season), although that will be off in the distance. There are binoculars along the trail, but you might want to bring your own too.

You will also see the lighthouse at Makapuu Point, but it is just to see it from above. There is no public access to it.

The Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail is around 2 miles round trip and you’ll want to give yourself around 1.5 hours, more or less depending on your pace and how long you stop to take in the views along the way. There are also informational signs to read.

 

The Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail is a popular hike to do from Waikiki, and it is something you can do on your own.

The cheapest way to get to the Makapuu Point Lighthouse trailhead without a car is by bus, although as it goes with the bus, it does take time. You need to be extra careful walking from the bus stop. It is not very safe. You can also go by shuttle.

If you’re renting a car, there’s a parking lot right at the trailhead.

The hike itself is FREE! No reservations are needed for the Makapuu lighthouse trail.

Since you’ll be doing some solid walking, it’s a good idea to wear good walking shoes. This can be running shoes, hiking shoes, or even hiking sandals.

There isn’t much shade on the trail, so sunscreen, hat, and water is a good idea to bring along too. (And snacks!)

 

👆 It’s a coastal walk on Oahu!

 

👆 You can see the Makapuu Point lighthouse from above.

 

👆 You’ll have sweeping ocean views at the top! (And along the way!)

 

👆 The Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail is maintained by the State of Hawaii. It’s a part of the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline. The State of Hawaii recommends that you give yourself at least 1.5 hours to do the hike. If you visit the tide pools or beaches along the shoreline, always watch the ocean, they say! There are dangerous shorebreaks and currents. As they say in Hawaii, never turn your back to the ocean! (Actually, the official Hawaii state parks website says don’t go to the Makapuu tide pools at all.)

 

 

Waikiki to the Makapuu Point Lighthouse trailhead is about 15 miles. By car, it takes about 40 minutes. It might be longer if there’s traffic. You can also get there by bus or shuttle.

Now, I’ll show you below the different ways you can get to the Makapuu lighthouse from Waikiki!

 

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There are partner websites included in this post. Read the reviews there!

 

 

Quick list of Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail shuttle + hiking tours from Waikiki

• Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail shuttle tickets (and then you hike the trail on your own)
  • See official info and read the reviews
  • This shuttle is only available on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check the current schedule to confirm.
• Shuttle to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail + Diamond Head combo hiking day
  • This shuttle is also only available on Mondays and Tuesdays

 

 

How to get to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail

Now, here is a little more about getting to the Makapuu lighthouse from Waikiki, by car, shuttle, or bus.

 

Driving (trailhead parking)

If you already know that you want to rent a car, then you can drive to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail. There is a parking lot near the trailhead, and it’s free. Depending on how full it is, you might have to walk extra. Filter out the “parking” reviews.

 

👆 Spot the cars! That’s the Makapuu lighthouse trail parking lot.

 

👆 Here’s the parking lot in the back and the start of the trail up front.

 

The best case scenario is that it’s a 30 minute drive from Waikiki to get there. But in reality, it will probably take a bit longer with traffic. (map)

And longer also if you make stops! The Halona Blowhole is along the way (reviews).

You can also stop at Leonards food truck (reviews) at Koko Marina Center along the way, so you can get the classic malasadas. (A must-eat on Oahu.)

Your possibilities for other things to do on the same day after the lighthouse trail are endless!

You’ll be on the east side of Oahu by going to Makapuu Point.

You can explore more of the east side (aka windward Oahu). Drive towards Kailua and stop by Waimanalo Beach for the views, and then head to Kailua Beach and/or Lanikai Beach, and also hike the Lanikai pillbox hike!

Or, go to Byodo-in Temple and the Valley of the Temples (and maybe hike the nearby Puu Maeleli Trail), and then to Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden.

I have done all of these things by bus, but not on the same day as Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail! Because, the bus just takes more time and involves more walking. I did do the Koko Crater hike and Makapuu lighthouse trail on the same day though!

 

To rent a car to go to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail and more, search for the cheapest car rentals. The best prices will generally be from Honolulu Airport.

Take a look at expedia car rentals and discovercars.

 

Shuttle

It’s also possible to get to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail by shuttle from Waikiki on Mondays and Tuesdays. It’s a round trip shuttle, and this can be a convenient option if you don’t want to take the bus and you won’t be renting a car.

The shuttle picks you up in Waikiki and drops you off at the Makapuu Point Lighthouse trailhead, so it’s an easy and direct way to get there.

It will also make a stop at the Halona Blowhole.

The shuttle is basically just transportation which means you’re on your own to hike the trail. It’s not a guided hike. You’ll get designated meet-up time for the return shuttle.

Read the reviews for the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail shuttle. See the official info.

You can also do both the Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail and Diamond Head in one day by shuttle with round trip transportation with a Waikiki pick-up.

Read the reviews for the Makapuu Lighthouse and Diamond Head combo tour.

 

 

 

Bus

I’ve taken the bus to get to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail.

Aside from the normal bus things, like how it requires extra time, patience, and walking, it is not exactly the safest walk to get from the nearest bus stop to the Makapuu lighthouse trail.

The bus stop “near” the trailhead is at Sea Life Park.

From there, you’ll walk a busy main road with fast cars and no pedestrian walkway. It’s about a 25 minute walk. You need to cross the road at some point too.

I like to wear bright clothes so I can be more easily seen. It’s usually preferable to walk facing traffic, so on the left side. See the walking route map.

 

👆 Walking from the Sea Life Park bus stop to the Makapuu lighthouse trail might make you nervous.

 

Overall, expect the time in transit from Waikiki to the Makapuu Point Lighthouse trailhead to take just under 2 hours one way. This includes the time walking from the bus stop to get to the trailhead.

A bus transfer will be necessary no matter what. Google maps makes it easy to navigate by bus to the Makapuu lighthouse! Just look for the public transit icon, pick a route you like, and do what it says!

If you look at bus directions and see there are 2 transfers required, adjust your start time. You can get there with just one transfer.

Just to get you started, for example, you can type in your hotel in Waikiki as your starting point, and Makapuu Point Lighthouse trailhead as your destination. See the map.

For reference, see the “Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trailhead” marker on the map + reviews. There is also a “Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail” (map + reviews) that puts it at the end of the trail. Which is fine in general if you know that’s where you’ve set it for, but then your total time will include walking to the end of the trail.

When you’re actually in Waikiki, you’ll just use your current location as the starting point. It will tell you where your nearest bus stop is. You can play around with the routes. Doing this on the google maps app on your phone gives you more details. You can click on “scheduled” to see more upcoming departures, and you can click on “stops” when you’re actually on the bus to see exactly how many stops you have left (and follow along on the map with GPS once you’re on the bus). It will tell you where your nearest bus stop is.

If you are going by bus, it will be helpful to do a google maps bus route search for the way back to Waikiki. You can take screenshots of future bus timings for the way back.

 

👆 Google maps is the easy way to figure out how to get from Waikiki to Makapuu lighthouse by bus!

 

👆 You’ll see different options, so you can expand each route to see which one is best.

 

👆 You can expand out any bus route for details. Bus #2 will get you to a transfer point so you can catch bus #23 to Sea Life Park. The closest bus stop to the Makapuu Point Lighthouse trailhead is about a 25 minute walk.

 

👆 It will also tell you about future bus timings! You can expand the “scheduled” section to see the different bus timings of any particular route. Do this for your way back and screenshot it!

 

It will be worth getting a HOLO card for the bus to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail. You can get the card with a “day pass” at any ABC Store in Waikiki. This acts as a public transportation cash card, and you can load it up online if you want to take the bus on another day too. You can also order your card online if you still have time.

Otherwise, you’ll need cash in exact change for every bus ride you take. See current bus fare.

Since you have to transfer at least once to go from Waikiki to Makapuu lighthouse, if you don’t have a HOLO card, it means you will be paying individually for each bus ride at least 4 times. (Counting up the bus rides to get there and back.) There is no such thing as a transfer ticket if you pay in cash. With a HOLO card, you will be capped at the cost of a “day pass” and never pay more than that in one day for bus fares.

 

Whale watching on the Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail

👆 During whale season (generally speaking in the winter), you might be able to spot whales off in the distance. While Oahu is not known to be the best Hawaiian island for whale watching (that’s Maui), doing a dedicated whale watching tour vastly increasing your chance of seeing one! If you are going to be on Oahu in the winter, be sure to take a look at the Oahu whale watching reviews! You also have a chance to swim with dolphins on the west side of Oahu (with Waikiki pick-up possible).

 

 

 

Quick travel tips when you are OFF TO WAIKIKI!

You can go to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail on your own by bus (map). It will take time, and it does require a bus transfer. The nearest bus stop is about a 15 minute walk from the trailhead along a busy road with no sidewalk.

It’s about a 40 minute drive by car, maybe longer with traffic (map). See cost of car rentals at expedia.

You can take a shuttle to Makapuu Lighthouse Trail that includes round trip transportation from Waikiki. The shuttle is only available on Monday and Tuesday. Read the reviews from people who have taken the shuttle. Check to see if that’s still their current schedule.

You can also do a Makapuu Lighthouse Trail and Diamond Head combo hiking day by shuttle. Also only on Monday and Tuesday.

It’s a paved trail that goes up up up to the final overlook, and down down down going back! Wear footwear good for walking.

If you’re driving to Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail, you’ll want to stop by the Halona Blowhole! Also stop by Koko Marina Center to pick up malasadas at the Leonards food truck (reviews) for fuel for your hike, or as your post-hike food!

For another hiking idea, you can consider going to Manoa Falls!

 

Happy hiking to the Makapuʻu lighthouse!