Makai Research Pier

I’m not sure what the history of this place is, but I definitely had to stop by for some photo opportunities. After seeing friends post about their visits here, it was definitely an important pit stop. Though I mean it in a way that it was great to take in the scenery. There doesn’t seem to a restroom or snacks to pick up here.
The highlight of this spot definitely is the long pier that stretches out to the ocean. Walking underneath is really neat because you are in the middle of the countryside, but at the same time you are under a long bridge into the ocean.
Getting down to under the pier is not too tough. The gradient is only slightly steep and runs from a short grassy area to a sandy and rocky area. A fun thing was that someone installed a swing and was swinging back and forth for their photos. Unfortunately, I think it was only temporary and most likely have taken their swing with them.
The top of the pier is off limits and fenced off. No access is available through that path.

It’s a very nice calm place to be and to fish when no one is jumping off the pier. It will be a sad day when this place gets shut down to the public for people jumping off the pier. Its only a matter of time when someone jumps off the pier and gets hurt then say good bye to a nice place to relax, fish, and even have a nice lunch on the pier.
It’s a 3 star cause it seems like workers here don’t really care about enforcing the rules but they are friendly and nice.

We were tootling around the east side of the rock and decided to stop here to take some pics.
The pier is home to Makai Ocean Engineering. Portions of the pier are open to the public at certain times for fishing, but loitering near the buildings is prohibited.
THE BEACH:
I thought I was back in French Polynesia for a while, with the clear turquoise and blue water, and gorgeous backdrop of small islands and the blue Pacific. The water is usually calm and is great for kayaking and what not. The reefs start close to shore which makes for good for snorkeling. The small beach has soft, white sand though there are no shady areas except for under the pier, and the whole thing is peppered with lava rocks.
FACILITIES:
Nothing.
PARKING:
The small dirt lot fronting the pier is your only option, and there is no space along the highway.
OVERALL:
Calms waters, picturesque, not touristy at all.

Beautiful location for pictures!

I’ve always wanted to come to this place to take photos, and I finally made it! It was just like how I imagined, and had lots of fun taking pictures. I was a bit sad about all the graffiti there though. It was nice to see the local boys jumping off the pier and enjoying the water. Sometimes it’s nice to get away from all the hustle and bustle to come to places like this to relax.

This is definitely the best place on the island to snorkel and swim, but you don’t want to tell anybody about it, so that they can remain quiet and private. There’s only enough room on the beach for about 4 families

Little snorkeling, swimming, diving spot by the fishing area. You are very close to the road, and fishers are above you on the pier. You don’t want to go too close to them.
Parking space might be a challenge.
We saw 3 turtles and a lot of fish last week, but clarity was not super.
Unilocal 365 — ²⁵⁸⁄₃₆₅

I almost don’t want to write about this spot because I would hate for it to get crowded.
The reef adjacent to the dock has an incredible array of fish species to check out while snorkeling. The reef starts quite shallow, so not recommended for swimming as you don’t want to harm the fragile reef with your feet.
The breakwater keeps this area fairly calm, though it can get murky at times. I snorkeled here 3 out of my 6 days on Oahu, that’s how much I loved it. One day there was even a lunch truck with plate lunch available at the parking lot. Bonus!
There are lots of locals that come here to fish, so be sure to watch for fishing lines, as the other reviewer mentioned.
If you are lucky, watch for turtles. There was one that came by each day I was there.
There’s a lot for parking and a porta-​potty, but no shower or change room facilities. Head west toward Waimanalo and a few minutes down the road there is a park that will have what you need there.

The Makai Research Pier has a bit of everything — snorkeling, diving, kayaking, fishing, and is formally the home to Makai Ocean Engineering. It’s on the Waimanalo side of Sea Life Park, about 40 minutes outside Honolulu.
Because there’s no tourist rentals the beach is normally home to locals, but is a quick drive from the insanely popular Sea Life Park and Makapu’u lookout. In the summer, it’s calm enough to swim and snorkel — absolutely stay within the retaining walls and be aware of the fishing lines off the pier. The Waimanalo side is most friendly to snorkelers and has plenty of colorful fish, though the slightest offshore winds can cause murky waters.
It’s best suited for local snorkelers and swimmers because of the distance and questionable conditions, and should be reserved for strong swimmers outside of summer. There’s lots of parking though, which makes it a good beach picnic area without the crowds of nearby Sandy’s or Makapu’u.
Kayak’ers will rejoice at the empty beaches but again, I’d caution against going out too far even though rabbit island looks somewhat close. The channel has strong currents and you might, depending on how you look at it either lucky or unlucky, end up on Moloka’i.