Located in Honolulu County, Hawaii, Sandy Beach is a beach. It sits roughly 1.4 km (0.9 mi) S of Kalama Valley.
Sandy Beach, also referred to as "Sandy's" and known to Hawaiians as Wāwāmalu, is a beach on the southeastern shore of Oʻahu in Hawaii. It is known for its excellent bodyboarding and bodysurfing opportunities due to its peaky shore break and consistent barrels. Consequently, Sandy Beach has one of the highest incidences of water related spinal cord injuries in Hawaii, earning it the infamous nickname, "break-neck" beach. The water is especially dangerous during high surf, when powerful waves break over shallow sand and slabs of underwater lava rock. In certain conditions, strong rip currents are also present. The beach park is located between Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve to the west and Makapuʻu Point to the east along Kalanianaʻole Highway. Due to the geography of Sandy Beach, the surf zone spanning approximately 2,500 feet contains individual surf breaks. This makes Sandy Beach...From the Wikipedia article “Sandy Beach, Hawaii”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sandy Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 45° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:35 AM | 90° E | 6:42 PM | 270° W | 69° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 64° ENE | 7:16 PM | 296° WNW | 88° | 13h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:20 AM | 89° E | 6:28 PM | 271° W | 69° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:05 AM | 115° ESE | 5:55 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 50m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:34 PM | 10h 59m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 27m |
| March | 6:18 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:03 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 38m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 09m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:39 PM | 13h 25m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 18m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 52m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:35 PM | 6:57 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 6:05 AM | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 40m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:13 PM | 11h 08m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 51m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Sandy Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 40° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| February | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 26° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:25 AM – 5:25 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:27 AM – 4:47 AM | 4.3 | 40° | SE → S |
| May | 10:24 PM – 4:24 AM | 6.0 | 40° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 7.7 | 40° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:40 PM – 2:50 AM | 6.2 | 40° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:20 PM – 12:50 AM | 4.5 | 40° | S → SW |
| September | 7:49 PM – 10:49 PM | 3.0 | 37° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:22 PM – 8:52 PM | 1.5 | 26° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.58 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). September is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 80 |
| Low °F | 68 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 70 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 69 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Hanauma Bay, 2.8 km (1.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Sandy Beach, closest first.
Rock Formation
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Volcano
Lighthouse
Cave
Beach
Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sandy Beach?
What time is golden hour at Sandy Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sandy Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sandy Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sandy Beach?
How far is Sandy Beach from Kalama Valley?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.