Chuns Reef Beach

"While most tourists head straight for Sunset Beach, Shark's Cove or Waimea Bay when visiting Oahu's infamous North Shore, Chun's Reef has always been my favorite one along the "Seven Mile Miracle.". Located half-way between Waimea Bay and the town of Haleiwa, the entrance to this beach can be seen from the main road and can sometimes be identified by the mobile surfboard rental truck. While Chun's can feel a bit hectic upon arrival, moving just a stone's throw down the beach towards Waimea, you'll find plenty of space. Beyond that, there is a long, expansive beach, which most visitors don't even bother to explore. Here you'll find tranquility, some cool rock formations in the ocean and usually some friendly fishermen. This is a wonderful stretch for a long walk. It's also perfect for a relaxing day in the sun or a romantic evening watching the sunset (bring a bottle of wine if you come in the evening!) There are also a lot of activities to do here. Near the entrance, North Shore Ohana Surf School offers surfing lessons as well as surfboard and SUP rentals when the conditions are suitable. Best to contact them directly for rates and availability. In the summer, when the ocean is generally calm, Chun's can be a wonderful place to swim and is an often overlooked snorkeling spot. From the beach, if you swim west (towards Haleiwa) into the rock formations in front of the houses, you can often see Hawaiian Sea Turtles, or honu, along with a variety of tropical fish. I recommend using fins when snorkeling here. Please note that in the winter months, the North Shore can have huge swells, which make the world-class surf competitions possible. Please be very aware of the conditions, including any currents, when getting in the water at any North Shore beach, especially in the winter! Most visitors head home or to get something to eat around 4 or 5 in the afternoon and this is the very best time to be at Chun's! Something about this beach always makes me feel incredibly relaxed and fulfilled ... like I've just had a wonderful holiday in Hawaii! >>> The first four photos were taken by me personally - + 2 Screenshots. <<< ~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~ NEARBY ACTIVITIES & POINTS OF INTEREST: Some other activities to enjoy on the North Shore before visiting Chun's are the Waimea Valley botanical gardens, arboretum and waterfalls and the Heiau above Pupukea. (https://waimeavalley.net) The Pu'u O Mahuka Heiau Memorial Site is the largest heiau (traditional Hawaiian worshiping place) on Oahu. It is situated on a bluff above Pupukea. From the Kam, take Pupukea Road past the Foodland up the mountain and follow the signs. After visiting the heiau, there is a short trail towards the ocean where you can park off on a cliffside lookout point and enjoy one of the most exquisite views in Hawaii. This is a cool cultural experience, especially for children: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/files/2014/09/PuuOMahukaHeiau.pdf If you'd like to visit, please read this important information: https://www.nps.gov/places/pu-u-o-mahuka-heiau.htm https://hawaiistateparks.org/parks/oahu/pu%CA%BBu-o-mahuka-heiau-state-historic-site/ There are also lots of other activities on North Shore including horse riding, parachuting, shark cage diving, etc. ~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~ // ~~~~~~~~~~ FACILITIES: Communal open-air rinse-off showers, restrooms and enclosed changing areas in the park area as well as a couple picnic tables. LIFEGUARD: Yes, but only one station at the park area on this very large beach. They also patrol on ATVs. DIRECTIONS: Chun's Reef Beach is located between Pohaku Loa Street and Ashley Road on the Kamehameha Highway on the North Shore. The easiest way to find it is to look on the map for these two streets. It is midway between Waimea Bay and Haleiwa and more precisely, between Laniakea Beach and Kawailoa Beach. (Please see screenshots in photos.) PARKING: There is lots of roadside parking across the street from Chun's Reef. The parking area is not lined or very well organized. Reversing out of these spaces onto the main road can be a little hairy so best to reverse park, if possible, or have someone guide you out when you leave. Please note, the Kam Highway is the ONLY main road on the North Shore. It can get quite congested on weekends or if there are any kind of emergency services needing access. The area just south of Chun's Reef, called Turtle Beach, can cause back-ups, due to the number of people slowing down to try to see the turtles, stopping to park or crossing the road to get to their vehicles. *** Whether you're driving or taking the bus, I strongly recommend going on a WEEKEND, when it is much quieter and less congested. You'll also get to experience the "real North Shore," instead of "weekend North Shore!" *** BUS: The nearest bus stop is Pohaku Loa Street. The next nearest is Ashley Road. Bus #65 . FOOD & DRINK NEARBY: The nearest places to eat and drink are at Pupukea to the east and Haleiwa to the west. There are no food vendors at Waimea Bay or Waimea Valley, except for the Farmer's Market on Thursdays from 2-6pm and special events at the Pikake Pavillion such as Easter Brunch. In Pupukea, there are several food trucks and food stalls dotted throughout the village. I suggest downloading your favorite food app or website to give you the most up-to-date information and opening times. The options include wood fired pizza, acai bowls, Brazilian bar-be-que, fish tacos and burrito plates and bowls, Pupukea Grill and of course Foodland for delicious poke and poke bowls along with a great deli for picnic food. Haleiwa offers several sit-down restaurants as well as an entire area of food trucks and food stalls on the road headed towards Honolulu. Similar to Pupukea, I advise checking Yelp, Trip Advisor or Google/Bing for one of the many foodie blogs and websites for the best and most up-to-date information about all that is available here. A couple of tips, though: ~~ Matsumoto's Shave Ice is no longer the original. It's been gentrified into a Disneyesque version of I don't know what and now includes a gift shop and a line a mile long! The original was worth a visit but I don't know what the hype is about anymore. The shave ice is just as good at other places, without the line. ~~ There is a new restaurant on the outskirts of Haleiwa overlooking the fields and mountains, called Farm to Barn Cafe, which has a charming atmosphere and a wholesome looking menu. I haven't had a chance to eat there yet but the location is stunning and worth stopping by, even just for a juice. Open until 3pm. (66-320 Kamehameha Hwy Haleiwa, HI 96712) www.farmtobarncafe.com ~~ If I had to choose between Haleiwa Joe's and Haleiwa Beach House for a more upmarket, sit-down meal with a view, I would choose Haleiwa Beach House. A few miles further on from Haleiwa is the historical village of Waialua. There are a handful of eateries here as well as the Old Sugar Mill, which has been transformed into an eclectic shop selling local Hawaiian coffee, chocolate and a variety of other homegrown and homemade delicacies such as honey, jams, dressings, peanut butter, dried fruits, toffee, macadamia nuts, cookies, tea, natural shave ice, etc. Open until 5pm. (67-106 Kealohanui St #C-1, Waialua, HI 96791) www.islandxhawaii.com"