Fodor's Expert Review Aliomanu Beach

This narrow beach is lined with homes, most of them set back a bit and screened with vegetation that blocks access along the sand in a number of places when the surf is up or tide is high. The waters off Aliomanu Beach are protected by the fringing reef 100 yards or so out to sea, and there are pockets for swimming. However, currents can be tricky, especially near the stream tucked in the beach's elbow toward the northern end and at the river mouth on the southern end that demarcates neighboring Anahola Beach. This beach is in Hawaiian Homelands, an area held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the State of Hawaii, and is frequently used by fishers and local families for camping. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: solitude; sunrise.