Good Vibes on the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar

Kaneohe Bay is the defining feature along the coast of Oahu's windward (east) side of the island. Protecting the bay from the Trade Winds and the raging Pacific Ocean is a barrier reef that contains a string of small sand islands that locals call the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar. Sailing over to and exploring Kaneohe Bay Sandbar is one of the most fun things for boaters to do on Oahu. Bring a floaty and relax in style like Emily here stylin' with those cool wooden shades!

To get to the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar, you can access it from within the bay from a few marinas, the closest being the state harbor at He'eia Kea. Organized tours operate out of here and take visitors out for the very short boat ride. You can also access the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar from Kaneohe Yacht Club, Makani Kai harbor and the US Marine Corps base which offers boat rentals to people with base access. From outside of Kaneohe Bay its a long boat ride from south shore harbors and from Hale'iwa on the north shore but you can enter Kaneohe Bay from the two channels on either end. There's shallow reefs all around Kaneohe Bay so navigating is really tricky if you're not familiar with the area.

No matter how you get to the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar, its one of the easiest places to visit by boat as you can practically run aground on the sand. The sandbar drops off in depth quickly so you can drive right up to the mauka (mountain) side of the sandbar and jump off with an anchor, walk it over and set it by hand. The anchorage is good for a day stop to hang out and chill or you can even spend the night. Exploring Kaneohe Bay Sandbar is especially popular on holiday weekends where you might have to squeeze in for a spot and party with neighbors. You gotta bring your own supplies though because there's nothing out here but good vibes!