So how does the beach at Aulani compare to Caribbean beaches?

[oceanmarina]

Hi all,

I haven't been to Hawaii in over 25 years or so when I was a kid with my family. I don't really remember the beaches. (We were at Waikiki and Maui and I think I remember the Maui beach as rocky/pebbles) We go to Turks and Caicos and Bahamas a lot, so how does Aulani's beach compare to those carribean beaches?

 

[Figment91]

Hi all,

I haven't been to Hawaii in over 25 years or so when I was a kid with my family. I don't really remember the beaches. (We were at Waikiki and Maui and I think I remember the Maui beach as rocky/pebbles) We go to Turks and Caicos and Bahamas a lot, so how does Aulani's beach compare to those carribean beaches?

The beaches in the Bahamas are usually a fine powdery white sand, like those in the gulf region. The beaches on Hawaii are not that fine. They are not as course as the Atlantic beaches, but definitely not sugary like the Bahamas. I've never been to Turks or Caicos, so I can't speak to how they compare to those. I've also only been on Oahu, not to any of the other islands. To give you an example, I have tender feet because I almost never go barefoot. I can walk on the sands in the gulf area and in Nassau without any sandals, but I wore them at Aulani because it felt much better. I hope that helps.

 

[alohamom]

The beach at the Aulani lagoon is a golden corse sand. It isnt too rough but not a fine white powdery one like @Figment91 says the Bahamas beaches are. You can travel out of the Aulani/Ko Olina area to find some of the most beautiful beaches in the world on Oahu. Kailua, Lanikai, Waimanalo all have fine powdery white-ish sand that I would say is comparable to some of the carribean areas. The water is shallow and very blue as well but not so at the Aulani lagoon.

 

[Amw1064]

The actual beach/lagoon at Aulani is not nearly as pretty but if you go to the other side of the island it is for sure. Kailua and Lanikai are beautiful.

 

[Midoria]

The beaches in the Bahamas are usually a fine powdery white sand, like those in the gulf region. The beaches on Hawaii are not that fine. They are not as course as the Atlantic beaches, but definitely not sugary like the Bahamas. I've never been to Turks or Caicos, so I can't speak to how they compare to those. I've also only been on Oahu, not to any of the other islands. To give you an example, I have tender feet because I almost never go barefoot. I can walk on the sands in the gulf area and in Nassau without any sandals, but I wore them at Aulani because it felt much better. I hope that helps.

Most of them are not that fine, but we do have some. Aulani is not one of the places, though.

 

[Figment91]

Most of them are not that fine, but we do have some. Aulani is not one of the places, though.

The beaches of the gulf and Caribbean are amazing, and somewhat unique. They are the only ones I've even been to where I don't have to wear sandals. I don't hold it against anyplace that they don't have beaches as fine as those. But I did find the sand at Aulani to be fairly soft and not nearly as course as many other beaches I've been to (especially on the Atlantic). I regret that we didn't make it to the big island where I'm told there is black sand that is beautiful to look at. That will have to go on the list for next time, if we can arrange it.

 

[nkereina]

I agree with PP that the beaches in Kailua, on the other side of the island from Aulani, are more on par with Caribbean beaches. The beach at Aulani was a more brown sand and the lagoon wasn't see through clear like you'd see in the Caribbean sea. It was warm though and the benefit of the lagoon is that the waves from the Pacific are broken up, so it's easier to swim in. We did find swimming in September in Maui to be very difficult - big waves and rough. Not what we were used to from the time we've spent in the Caribbean.

 

[Amw1064]

I agree with PP that the beaches in Kailua, on the other side of the island from Aulani, are more on par with Caribbean beaches. The beach at Aulani was a more brown sand and the lagoon wasn't see through clear like you'd see in the Caribbean sea. It was warm though and the benefit of the lagoon is that the waves from the Pacific are broken up, so it's easier to swim in. We did find swimming in September in Maui to be very difficult - big waves and rough. Not what we were used to from the time we've spent in the Caribbean.

Haha, we stayed at the Westin that you stayed at in Maui and agree those waves are crazy. I got knocked down just being at the edge. My daughter and husband loved it though. Me, not so much.

 

[Elima2015]

We went to The Bahamas and Aulani in February of this year and we all commented to each other at how soft the sand was in The Bahamas in comparison to the sand at Aulani. That said, the sand was fine at Aulani - we walked in it barefoot, played for hours making sand castles, and the kids played in the surf.