With so much beautiful scenery on offer, it can be hard to decide which Hawaiian beach you should visit to get the most gorgeous holiday (or beach wedding!) snaps. You can research through all the usual avenues, like reading travel blogs or speaking to people who’ve been there. But there’s another way to discover the most beautiful of Hawaii’s beaches: Instagram.
Kris Labang, the owner of Hawaii Wedding Photography, discusses how a search of Instagram hashtags can reveal the most beautiful and popular beaches. I get it, but using Instagram as a guide (or any social media channel) comes with issues. Here’s the list, followed by some thoughts from Kris Labang, and a few from yours truly, along with my own list of great beaches.
|
RANK |
NO. HASHTAGS |
BEACH NAME |
ISLAND |
|
1 |
218,430 |
Lanikai Beach |
O’ahu |
|
2 |
206,995 |
Hanauma Bay |
O’ahu |
|
3 |
161,448 |
Kailua Beach |
O’ahu |
|
4 |
84,422 |
Hanalei Bay |
Kaua’i |
|
5 |
76,845 |
Ka’anapali Beach |
Maui |
|
6 |
53,822 |
Po’ipu Beach |
Kaua’i |
|
7 |
34,642 |
Hapuna Beach |
Big Island |
|
8 |
30,307 |
Makena Beach |
Maui |
|
9 |
21,727 |
Ko Olina Beach |
O’ahu |
|
10 |
20,040 |
Tunnels Beach |
Kaua’i |
|
11 |
17,236 |
Ho’okipa Beach |
Maui |
|
12 |
16,421 |
‘ Anini Beach |
Kaua’i |
|
13 |
10,308 |
Punalu’u Beach |
Big Island |
|
14 |
7,131 |
Kawela Bay |
O’ahu |
Hapuna Beach on Hawai’i Big Island. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The Dominance Of O’ahu
With three of its beaches holding the top spots on the table, the island of O’ahu dominates Instagram’s hashtags. This popularity could be attributed to the island’s well-established tourism infrastructure and its wide appeal, meaning it sees the highest number of visitors and a profusion of beautiful photos being tagged.
Jim’s take: Exactly. 99% of visitors head to O’ahu, Maui, Hawaii Big Island and Kauai, so Lana’i and Molokai get ignored.
Diversity Of Beaches
The fact that this list includes a variety of beaches, from the bustling Lanikai to the more serene and natural landscapes at Hanalei Bay on Kaua’i, showcases Hawaii’s rich and varied coastal environments. The variety of Hawaii’s beautiful natural landscapes really proves there’s something for everyone on these islands!
Lesser-Known Gems
Beaches like Punalu’u Beach on the Big Island and Kawela Bay on O’ahu appear lower on the list. However, don’t be put off; there’s a lot of value in visiting Hawaii’s less commercialized, quieter beaches. These places offer unique experiences compared to the bustling popular beaches, like the black sand on Punalu’u Beach and the secluded cove at Kawela Bay, and you’ll get pictures that people who only visit the most popular beaches will never have.
Marketing And Promotion
Kris says, ‘The presence of certain beaches on this list could be partially influenced by marketing and promotional efforts. Tourist boards, influencers, and travel companies often use Instagram to promote destinations. In turn, this can potentially skew the popularity of certain beaches.’ So, beware of missing out on a cool, beautiful beach just because it’s not at the very top of this list!
Seasonal And Event-Driven Popularity
The number of hashtags a particular beach has on Instagram can be influenced by seasonal trends or specific events. For instance, a beach might see a surge
in hashtags during a famous surfing competition or a cultural festival. While this might skew the results, it’s also an indication that something really cool happens on that particular beach, and you should consider checking it out.
Jim’s Top Beaches That Didn’t Make the List
Polo Beach at the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui. PHOTO COURTESY FAIRMONT KEA LANI
NAPILI BEACH, MAUI
This might be the most perfect beach in Hawai’i; a golden crescent with no building higher than a palm tree, wonderful swimming and snorkeling, fab sunsets and great places to stay, such as the Mauain and the Napili Kai Beach Resort.
WAI’ANAPANAPA BEACH, MAUI
This is a great black sand beach just north of Hana. You also can explore sea caves and admire the region’s lush vegetation. Reservations required.
KE’E BEACH, KAUAI
A gorgeous, small beach perched at the bottom of the beginning of the renowned Kalalau Trail. There’s good swimming and a few shady places to lay your towel if you’d rather avoid the sun.
KEPUHI BEACH, MOLOKAI
This is a small but pretty strand on the quiet (well, actually ALL of Molokai is super quiet) west side of the island. Next door Papohaku Beach stretches for several miles, and seldom has more than five or six people on it. It’s great for strolling but can be dangerous for swimming, especially in winter.
HAMOA BEACH, MAUI
No less a travel expert than Mark Twain called this the best beach he’d ever seen, and that counts for everything in my book. It’s just a few minutes drive from Hana.
ANAEHO’OMOLU BEACH, HAWAI’I BIG ISLAND
A-Bay is a great stretch of sand on the west side, in the Waikoloa area. It’s great for swimming, stand-up paddle boarding and snorkeling. Great sunsets, too.
HULUPOE BEACH, LANA’I
This is a lovely beach on the chill-out island of Lana’i. There’s often good body surfing in winter, and calmer waters for snorkeling or swimming in summer. You’ll find showers and picnic tables, as well, and there’s great coastal hiking to Puu Pehe (Sweetheart Rock in English.)
POLO BEACH, WAILEA, MAUI
Another perfect, pocket beach on Maui, this one fronting the grand Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea. A great spot for families.
ANAHOLA BEACH, KAUA’I
It’s not the best swimming beach in my mind, but I love the sea and mountain views at Anahola Beach Park on Kauai’s east side.
KAPALUA BEACH, MAUI
Kapalua often makes the lists of prettiest beaches in world. There’s amazing snorkeling at the south end near Merriman’s Kapalua, which serves excellent food and has a great sunset bar.
