Paiko Beach

Paiko Beach, Oahu

Located on Oahu's south shore near Hawaii Kai and Maunalua Bay, Paiko Beach is a narrow strip of sand that almost disappears at high tide. It is fronted by a shallow coral reef, so swimming conditions are poor. This shoreline is better for kayaking or fishing. Surfers also paddle out from here to reach Paikos and other surf spots at the outer edge of the reef. Surfing in this area is for people who understand the reef and ocean conditions.

Paiko Beach is named after Joseph Paiko, who died on June 1, 1942. His father, Manuel Paiko, came to Hawaii as a whaler in the 1840s. He came from Pico, one of the nine main islands of the Azores, located about 800 miles (1,287 km) off the coast of Portugal. He was known as “Manuel do Pico,” and the name later became Paiko in Hawaii. Paiko senior was one of the first Portuguese settlers in Hawaii, arriving before the first group of Portuguese contract laborers came in 1878.

The undeveloped Paiko Peninsula is located at the east end of the beach. Local residents call it Sand Point. The peninsula encloses saltwater Paiko Lagoon, which the State Department of Land and Natural Resources designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1974. Native Hawaiian shorebirds use this area as habitat, including the Hawaiian stilt, also known as a'eo.