Leeward Coast

From the central area of Oahu, you can take the western coastal drive along the leeward Waianae Coast. This road deadends just short of the far northwest Ka`ena Point (approached from the south side) and you must return the same way. Take the H-1 Freeway or Farrington Highway 93 west from Pearl City. This route passes through the Ewa Plain area around the north side of Pearl Harbor and through Waipahu to Makakilo.

There are turnoffs to the Ewa Beach, Barbers Point Naval Air Station, Kapolei and Ko Olina Resort areas along the southwest coast of Oahu. This route skirts around the southern end of the Waianae Mountain Range, which runs the length of the Leeward (Waianae) Coast. This is a drier, warmer area compared to the Windward Coast, devoid of the lush tropical vegetation and rain forest of the eastern coast.

There are a number of beautiful sandy beach parks along the Waianae Coast. The route continues north, following the coast through the communities of Nanakuli, Lualualei, Maili, Waianae and Makaha to the end of the road near Kaena Point. From Waikiki to Hanauma Bay is 11 miles/30 minutes via Kalanianaole Highway 72; to Sea Life Park via Kalanianaole Highway 72 is 15 miles/40 minutes; to Historical

Downtown Honolulu is four miles/15 minutes; to Punchbowl National Cemetery is five miles/20 minutes; to USS Arizona Memorial is 11 miles/30 minutes; to the Nuuanu Valley and Pali Lookout via Pali Highway 61 is 11 miles/30 minutes; to Polynesian Cultural Center, Laie, via Pali Highway 61 and Kamehameha Highway 83, is 35 miles/one hour and 15 minutes; to Waimea Valley and Adventure Park via H-2 Freeway and Highway 99 to North Shore is 36 miles/one hour.