Makapuu Beach sits beneath towering, dark volcanic cliffs on Oahu’s easternmost tip, famous for its deep azure ocean, lava rock outcroppings, and views of offshore islands. Located 30–35 minutes from Waikiki, it offers a dramatic, wild, and high-energy tropical setting ideal for intimate beach ceremonies.
Located on Oahu’s eastern windward coast, Makapuu Beach is breathtaking and dramatic in every single way. Your wedding ceremony will be nestled between the vast Pacific Ocean and the Koʻolau Mountain Range, which rises up to 3,100 feet just a stone’s throw behind you with deep, vertical grooves that look almost hand-carved. Out on the water, you’ll see deep azure waves and two picturesque offshore islands: Manana Island (popularly known as Rabbit Island) and Kaohikaipu Island. On especially clear days, you can even catch a glimpse of Molokai across the channel!
This section of coastline stays lively year-round, so surfers, bodysurfers, and boogie-boarders will likely be riding the waves in the background while you exchange your vows. Makapuu gives you amazing choices for your ceremony backdrop. You can choose a cliffside setting overlooking the ocean, go barefoot in the soft sand right by the shoreline, or head toward the tide pools to frame those beautiful offshore islands behind you.
Early morning sunrise ceremonies offer the quietest atmosphere and crisp turquoise colors, while late afternoon provides wonderful relief as the towering cliffs shade the beach. Getting here is a scenic 30 to 35-minute drive from Waikiki along Highway 72, making Makapuu Point a dream location for adventurous couples who want dramatic natural beauty and great choices for their wedding photos!
