Turtles on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, can be found in abundance if you know where to look.
Last updated: January 10, 2025
Looking for Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles on the North Shore of Oahu
Hawaii is home to Hawaiian green sea turtles, also known as honu, as they are affectionately called on the islands. Large in size, with a distinctive heart-shaped shell and two big scales between the eyes, Hawaiian turtles can stay frozen in one place for hours.
You can spot these adorable marine animals basking in the sun early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and, during the right season, even at the peak of the day when Hawaiian beaches are not quite deserted.
For most parts, however, Hawaiian green sea turtles are shy creatures that prefer solitude and avoid crowds as much as they can.
The Best Season for Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle Viewing on the North Shore
The season and time were never right for me to see Hawaiian green sea turtles in their natural habitat.
Several years ago, in early May, Kauai kept its precious inhabitants secreted from us. We did our part well, though, exploring several beaches, both crowded with beachgoers taking a dip in the still cold ocean and secluded spots with no one around but us and the almighty ocean waves splashing on the isolated shore. All to no avail.
Hawaiian green sea turtles casually popped up on Ka’anapali Beach on Maui just a few minutes after I had left for our hotel room. My only encounter with the marine creatures during that trip was impersonal, through pictures and videos my brother and sister-in-law took after my departure.
With so many missed opportunities behind my belt, I was determined to see Hawaiian green sea turtles on the North Shore of Oahu during our recent trip. This time around, I came prepared with a list of beaches where you could view honu any time of the day.
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles
Hawaiian green sea turtles are the world’s largest hard-shelled sea turtles. An average weight of adult species can reach over 300 pounds, and the length up to four feet.
Despite their name, the turtles are not entirely green. The name was inspired by the green color of reptile’s fat and cartilage that, in turn, come from the turtle’s diet of seagrass and algae. The Hawaiian green sea turtle’s upper shell is normally brown with yellow streaks. The bottom shell acquires a light yellow coloration.
Hawaiian green sea turtles are centenarians. They can live up to 100 years. Protected by state and federal laws, the turtles are viewed as symbols of good luck and longevity in Hawaiian culture.
The Best Time to See Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles on the North Shore of Oahu
Hawaiian green sea turtles follow the patterns of the ocean. They can be seen on the beaches on the North Shore of Oahu more often when the waves are calmer, normally May through early October. This period is also known as the nesting season. Female Hawaiian green sea turtles flock to sandy beaches of Oahu to lay their eggs and bask in the sun.
The exact time of honu viewing, however, varies. You have more chances of spotting green sea turtles on Oahu’s North Shore in the late morning and evening when the beaches are less crowded.
THE BEST PLACES TO SEE HAWAIIAN GREEN SEA TURTLES ON OAHU’S NORTH SHORE
Me being “prepared” to see Hawaiian green sea turtles on the North Shore of Oahu didn’t mean that we would automatically find a large number of the reptiles laying on a beach.
The timing was crucial. Hardly any turtle would show up on Oahu’s beaches, even the least crowded once, during the day. Yet come in the morning, and the area is filled with large honu. The sight is so lovely that you want to remember it for years to come.
The truth is, I had more luck with finding, or rather stumbling upon Hawaiian green sea turtles on the Big Island of Hawaii than Oahu. Nevertheless, viewing the massive honu that are not so green after all on the North Shore is more than possible. Here are some of the places where you can start your search for Oahu’s green sea turtles.
1. Haleiwa Ali’i Beach
Secluded location in the heart of Oahu’s North Shore and calmer waters near Haleiwa Ali’i Beach entice swimmers, beginner surfers, and Hawaiian green sea turtles. The marine creatures can be spotted on the sandy beach at any time of the day throughout the year.
TIP: Locals insist that turtles like to bask in the sun in the afternoon. We somehow failed to see the North Shore’s most beloved wildlife at the prime beach hours. I guess it was just our luck. If you stay longer in the area, I’d suggest that you check out the beach the next morning when Hawaiian green sea turtles can be viewed all over the North Shore of Oahu.
Apart from the green sea turtle viewing, Haleiwa Ali’i Beach offers incredible opportunities to watch humpback whales breaching and playing hide and seek near the shore. The best time to see these majestic marine animals is November through April when the whales winter in the warmer Hawaiian waters. In the mid-spring when temperatures rise in the north, the marine mammals migrate back to their feeding grounds in Alaska.
2. ’Aweoweo Beach Park
Hawaiian green sea turtles are frequent visitors at ‘Aweoweo Beach Park, a small beach tucked away in a quiet neighborhood on Oahu’s North Shore. The area even has its own turtle cleaning station where honu relax between their ocean swims while small fish clean all the crevices of the turtle’s shells.
You can spot from one to a small bale of Hawaiian green sea turtles lazing on the warm sand at any time. Afternoons and evenings, however, are honu’s preferred hours to enjoy Oahu’s North Shore’s secluded beaches.
3. Three Tables Beach
The name of this remote beach comes from three distinctive rock formations located right off the shore. Three flat coral promontories barely stick out from the ocean looking like peculiar tabletops.
Small and overshadowed by other bigger beaches on the North Shore, Three Tables Beach astounds with its swimming, snorkeling, and Hawaiian green sea turtles watching opportunities.
You can spot large honu soaking up the Hawaiian sun on the sandy beach or wave their massive flippers right off Oahu’s North Shore in the late morning or early afternoon.
Snorkeling presents even greater chances to see these remarkable marine creatures in their natural habitat. If you are lucky, you can even swim with turtles. Yet make sure to always keep a safe distance.
4. Laniakea Beach
Nicknamed “Turtle Beach”, Laniakea Beach is one of the most popular places on the North Shore of Oahu to spot Hawaiian green sea turtles in their domain.
The reptiles crawl onto the beach or swim in the shallow waters off the coast in the morning and afternoon. The likeliest time to see Hawaiian green sea turtles basking in the sand is at sunset when the area is relatively empty and the honu feel less threatened.
5. Puaʻena Point Beach Park
Located near Haleiwa, a historic town on the North Shore of Oahu, the scenic Pua’ena Point Beach has been featured in a number of surf movies. The sandy beach with a row of palm and other tropical trees behind it indeed offers outstanding conditions for surfing, snorkeling, swimming, paddling, and kayaking.
It’s also one of the likeliest places to feast your eyes on Hawaiian green sea turtles on the North Shore of Oahu. The reptiles normally stay in the water near the beach. Yet from time to time when conditions are right and spectators haven’t arrived yet, the turtles crawl out onto the sturdy ground to laze and relax.
6. Waimea Bay Beach Park
Famous for its spectacular sunsets, outstanding snorkeling terrain, and intricate underwater tunnels, Waimea Bay tops the list of the best places on Oahu’s North Shore to swim with Hawaiian green sea turtles.
Small bales of these marine creatures frequent the enormous rock formations hidden under the water where they feed on seagrass and gracefully roam across the ocean space. Occasionally, Hawaiian green sea turtles reach the surface to bask in the sun like Oahu’s North Shore’s beachgoers like to do.
7. Shark’s Cove
Hawaiian green sea turtles linger in the clear waters near Shark’s Cove on Oahu’s North Shore for hours during the summer months when the ocean is calm. The best time to swim with the wise reptiles is late morning and early afternoon, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
As the day comes to an end, you may spot some turtles idling on the beach. Considering the popularity of Shark’s Cove, this, however, doesn’t happen often. You have more chances spotting Hawaiian green sea turtles on the land at the neighboring Three Table Beach.
Places to See Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles on the North Shore of Oahu: Map
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles Viewing: What to Do and Not to Do
Hawaiian green sea turtles are endangered marine creatures, protected by both state and federal laws. Whether you spot large sea turtles on Oahu’s North Shore or elsewhere in the state, keep a safe distance, no closer than 10 feet.
Most importantly, do not ever touch or otherwise trouble these remarkable marine animals. The fine for disturbing a Hawaiian green sea turtle is measured in thousands of dollars.
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