Paddling Routes on Oahu: Kailua Beach to Popoi’a Island (Flat Island)

BASIC INFORMATION

• Name: Kailua Beach to Popoi’a Island (Flat Island)
• Where: Kailua, Hawaii
• Distance: 1 mile
• Time: 1-2 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• More Information: Paddling Hawaii

GOOGLE EARTH MAP OF THE ROUTE

DIRECTIONS

The easiest way to get to Kailua Beach Park from Honolulu is to take the Pali Highway (Highway 61) east over the Ko’olau Range.  Once over the mountains, continue on the Pali Highway all the way to the city of Kailua.  Once in Kailua continue to stay straight on the highway which is now called Kailua Road until it ends at a T-intersection.  At the T-intersection take a right on to Kaleheo Avenue.  Drive straight through a traffic circle and then over a bridge.  Immediately after the bridge, Kailua Beach Park is visible on the left.

PARKING

Parking at Kailua Beach can be challenging on the weekends and nearly impossible during holidays.  If visiting during these times get to the beach early.  However, weekdays are very different where I have never had a problem finding a place to park during anytime of the day.

HAWAIIAN MEANING

According to the book, “Place Names of Hawaii” the word “Popoi’a” literally translates to “fish rot”.  This indicates that the island was likely once a place used by early Hawaiians to leave fish offerings to their gods.

NARRATIVE

A nice family friendly kayak trip even for those with young children can be found at the beautiful, but extremely popular Kailua Beach Park:

This kayak trip goes out to a small coastal island which in Hawaiian is called Popoi’a.  However, the island is more commonly called “Flat Island” by locals.  After finding a place to park, my two young kids and I carried our kayak and gear over to the beach:

Something important to remember about putting in a kayak at Kailua Beach is that there is only one area called Zone B where kayaks can be put into the ocean.  The below map posted at the beach shows the various zones at Kailua Beach with Zone B in the middle:

I did see lifeguards enforcing these rules so please follow these regulations.  I think it is actually a good idea since it concentrates the kayaks all in one area instead of having them spread out across the beach.  After carrying our kayak and gear over to Zone B I began the process of inflating my Advanced Elements Inflatable Kayak.  As I worked on inflating my kayak I had views of Flat Island directly in front of me:

It took me about 15 minutes to inflate and put the kayak together.  After giving a safety brief to my kids we began our paddle over to Flat Island:

The day we paddled over to Flat Island there were a few small waves that I made sure we safely navigated.  On most summer days this is a safe paddle to bring young children on, however during other months of the year the waves can get high and choppy here.  Always make sure before deciding to paddle anywhere in Hawaii to check the Hawaii Beach Safety website for the latest surf conditions.

From Kailua Beach it took us about 30 minutes to paddle over to Flat Island.  The day we visited there was a lot of kayaks and paddle boards stored on the small beach there:

Seeing so many kayaks from the same Kailua based company got me thinking that a kayak business is a great money maker.  That is because a half day kayak rental is $50 and a good one seater kayak can cost $500.  So in 10 days or less the initial investment is repaid for the kayak.  Like I said kayak rentals seem to be a great business.  In fact my kayak was the only on the island that was a privately owned kayak:

After getting to Flat Island I made sure to tie off my kayak so it would not float away with the tide that was hitting the beach.  After doing that, my kids and I then proceeded to explore the island.  At the beach there is a large blue sign letting visitors know this is a seabird nesting habitat which means no dogs and no camping:

There are also plenty of signs posted around the island to warn visitors of the nesting areas for shearwater birds as well:

Additionally the entire island is roped off to keep people from walking any place other than the coastline around the island:

After reading the sign my kids and I began our walk along the coastline:

The coastline around the island is very rocky and tough on people walking barefoot:

I recommend people bring footwear if they plan to walk around the island to protect their feet from the pointy rocks:

The views from Flat Island were quite nice.  Here is the view looking back towards Kailua Beach:

Here is a view looking across the flat interior of the island with Lanikai visible in the center right:

Finally here is a view of the scenic Mokulua Islands from Flat Island:

We spent about an hour over on Flat Island with the most of the time spent with my kids playing in the water off the little beach.  After they finished playing we got back into the kayak and began paddling away from Flat Island:

As we paddled back to Kailua Beach we had a really good view of the Mokula Islands:

Here is one final view looking back at Flat Island:

As we approached Kailua Beach we were actually able to catch a nice wave and surf the kayak in which my kids really enjoyed:

Once back at Kailua Beach my kids had a decision to make on whether they wanted to play on the beach or kayak more up the Kaelepulu Stream.  The stream is part of Zone B and some people do drag their kayaks across the beach to paddle up the stream:

Conclusion

Even though we decided to paddle up the stream, most people tend to end their kayak trip at Kailua Beach.  The roundtrip distance is 1-mile and takes about 30 minutes each way to complete.  When surf conditions are good this is definitely a fun kayak trip for beginners to try out.

Disclaimer:  On-Walkabout is a website about outdoor activities that is not affiliated with any state or national government.  The articles on this website are for informational purposes only and to inspire others to get outside.  The activity descriptions are given to showcase the beauty and fun of experiencing the outdoors.  The writer of On-Walkabout is not responsible for any accidents, injuries, rescues, legal issues, or loss of life by anyone attempting the activities listed on this website.  Outdoor activities can be dangerous which is why it is the responsibility of the reader to use common sense and understand their own abilities before attempting an outdoor activity inspired by this website.  Most importantly parents need to understand the ability of their children before attempting an outdoor activity.  Just because my young children completed a hike mentioned on this site does not mean your children can as well.  Be safe and I hope this website inspires others to go and enjoy the outdoors as much as I do.  

YOU CAN FIND MORE GREAT HIKES AT THE OAHU REGIONAL TRAIL FINDER:

Note: Further information about hiking on Oahu can be found in the below book: