Lanikai Beach, historically known as Kaʻōhao Beach, is a half-mile stretch on Oʻahu’s windward coast in the community of Kaʻōhao within Kailua, celebrated for soft white sand, clear water, and views of the offshore islets Nā Mokulua. The name Lanikai was coined in the nineteen twenties by developer Charles Frazier for nearby land, while Native Hawaiians had long known the area as Kaʻōhao; the common translation “heavenly sea” is linguistically incorrect. Its calm, warm waters and striking setting make it popular for swimming, snorkeling, paddling, photography, and moonrise and sunrise viewing, though it remains a public shoreline without beach-park facilities and with tightly enforced parking restrictions.