History of the Kaneohe Sandbar

With the Ko’olau mountain range serving as an impressive and rugged backdrop, Oahu's Eastern or Windward Coast is known for its scenic drives, verdant hiking trails, and of course, the islands' largest sheltered inlet: Kaneohe Bay.

Thanks to the barrier reef—it's the only bay in Hawaii to have one—Kaneohe Bay is protected from large swells, allowing sea turtles, rays, and plenty of fish to swim in its safe waters. Perhaps most unique is the presence of the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar, a mile-long Sandbar on the southwest side of the barrier reef that encloses Kaneohe Bay lagoon.

One of the first-ever mentions of the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar was recorded in a native Hawaiian chant that detailed Luanu'u's journey, the son of Chief Laka, as he transported his deceased father's bones back to their sacred burial site on Maui. Also known as Ahua a Laka (Sand Bank of Laka) in Hawaiian, the Kaneohe Sandbar is one of several places passed as they continued their seafaring journey back to Maui.