Makaha (Honolulu, Waianae: hotel, homes, live)

[dmoon808]

Originally Posted by apples1020

I don't know if anyone who has posted so far has ever actually lived in Makaha... I have and I loved it. It is in many ways one of the most beautiful places on the island. It's the first place I lived when I moved to Hawaii, and I miss it quite a lot. I'm white, and I used to hitchhike home from the makaha beach park or ka'ena point on a regular basis. Nothing bad ever happened. Locals are mostly friendly. I even got a ride from one of the so called "lazy welfare recipients" living on the beach. He was super nice, full of the "aloha spirit" and saved my dehydrated okole a long walk home.

There are shanty towns or tent cities on several leeward side beaches, generally a bit off the beaten track, such as past Makaha but before Yokohama. Housing prices are out of control here, and many families and otherwise decent folk have been forced to live on the beach after not being able to keep up with rising rents. That said, there are also a number of meth addicts.

I should qualify my love for the leeward side by saying a few things:

I moved there with a local boy, so my experience is colored by being more "a part of" because I was with a local guy and attached to a family. After we split up I moved into town because I wasn't totally comfortable being a white girl living out there by myself. And it is FAR AWAY from town. (TheBoat was not around then.) This said, I still think about moving back. If not for the commute, I would do it.

We also lived in the towers, which is the only place I can recommend living. They have security, gated entry, and it's a beautiful location. Never had to worry about safety up there. Certainly no cockfights. Other places are not necessarily as comfortable after dark.

Speaking of which, we didn't go wandering at night beyond going to the store. We went down to the beach at night a few times, but I generally wouldn't totally recommend it. The times when racial tension comes alive in the form of violence are usually after people have been drinking. So I chose to stay away from the beach at night, just because rowdy drunk kids are never a great idea.

However, I have seen mainland-local fights break out on the beach in Lanikai (a really wealthy area on the windward side) in the afternoon. Everyone was drunk in that situation, but it goes to show that problems can spring up everywhere from time to time.


Makaha gets a bad rap. I don't think it's deserved. I have heard from my ex that Nanakuli is a "whole different story," but he may just be biased towards the area he grew up in.

Living among locals, it'll be good for your friend to know that there is a benefit to being respectful, being friendly, not staring, taking time to talk story. I used to run into people walking in the valley or at a bus stop, and they would just chat with you about whatever was going on. (Shark spotting at the beach. Where are you going? Where are you coming from? Whatever...) That will not happen to you living in Honolulu. To me, the leeward side is the most true to "Hawaii" of all of Oahu.

THE MOST REAL AND UN BIASIS EXPLINATION OF MAKAHA AND ALL OF WEST SIDE

bravo. i coudnt agree more.


I LOVE IT

[uhini]

So - the "towers" is that the Makaha Valley Plantation? Any thoughts on the Puu Heleakala condos in Nanakuli -- located on Helelua St. I've heard Nanakuli is very local -- is it not wise to bring a small family (single mom, son and daughter- not locals) into that area? Any thoughts are appreciated.

BTW -- dmoon808 and apples 1020 You don't know but your words are like my lifeline to Makaha -- thank you so much for the positive vibe in general.

Also --- anyone have words on Halau Ku Mana charter school? I know how far it is from the Leeward side, but I really want my son to go there.

[dmoon808]

i would chose makaha over nanakuli. nanakuli has a lot of good people. but it can be pretty ruff for someone not built for it. nanakuli has a lot to offer. but i feel it mite be a hard place to start.. and the plantation is down the street fromt the towers. the plantation used to be drug centrel. but two brothers own the property now and turned it around. its pretty nice. the towers however have allllot to offer. great view. 24 hr security. pool. bbq area. nice bbq's to. propain. all u do is fire em up and cook ur grindz. the towers is a good place to start... they have pretty strick rules. that mite be a pain. inquire about those rules b4 signing a lease. make sure they are ones u can live with. some epople dont even no and others it realy craps tehre style.


good luck and remeber. embrace aloha. smile. and the island will do the rest. it truly is a mysterious place to the perceptive traveler

sorry for all the spelling errors.
im off a 90 hour work week. lol. but jacked at 1100 pm and cant sleep

good luck and be blessed

[oleinnout]

My gf and I spent a week in Makaha back in 2007. We absolutely loved the place. No, it wasn't perfect and far from it, but it didn't appear to be hell on earth as some here have expressed. Okay, we were just tourists, but the local people on the whole were friendly and helpful. We're both from NYC, and have a thick skin. The tent city on the beach did remind me of the homeless problems we had here back in the 1970s/80s with tent cities in the local parks. It's an unfortunate problem, and I don't have any answers as to how it could be corrected. We've both travelled quite a bit in our lives and have lived abroad as well. It comes down to basics. You always treat everyone with respect, and never thumb your nose at anyone. Always be polite regardless whatever you really think of someone. These are just basic suggestions that have been around since the beginning of time with how you can diffuse an uncomfortable situation. Anyway, we both enjoyed our vacation in Makaha. I'd say to anyone who wants to make it a place to live to just go for it. It's not about where you live. It's about how you live.

[Kawena]

well, I do have to agree with the Apples

I graduated from Waianae High School, its about as close to Makaha as can be. Its good that people think negitivly about the area, that way no one moes there.

[Kawena]

Originally Posted by uhini

Any thoughts on the Puu Heleakala condos in Nanakuli -- located on Helelua St. .

I would up your life insrurance polocy, infact put me as benificary.

look up slums........ you will find this place!!! When it first was built it was ok to say the least, ever since then it went all down hill....

[Vista60]

We just returned last Tuesday from a three week stay at the Army Center in Waianae. This was our first trip to Hawaii and I have to say I was stunned by the squalor I saw on the beaches surrounding this area.

That said, we never had any problems with the locals, but we didn't wander around outside the gates at night. The locals that we came into contact with at the grocery store/Long's couldn't have been nicer. I was looking for a dessert one afternoon at Tamuras and they were really helpful and explained how to pronounce Haupia and how yummy it is. They were right!

The beach at the army center is beautiful and the sunsets are gorgeous. Just a couple days before we left they were reporting on the news that they were going to be cleaning up the beach at Nanakuli. I would definitely go back.

[makahajada]

you know what

[makahajada]

I love Makaha! I dont know why anyone would say bad things about this place. They probably dissed the locals in return got dissed back and couldnt handle. The people here arent uneducated, lazy welfare casses, they're struggling. why would anyone disss people struggling, you must be annoyed with yourself haha. if you feel this place is bad then get outta here and dont come back.

Once again I love Makaha!!!

[paavo]

Frankly, this place doesn't sound at all positive. Living there is one thing, but tourists? Tough to attract folks when the beaches are tent villages, and you are advised not to go out at night. After all... your think Hawaii and you think evening strolls on the beach etc.

How is the resort there doing?

Sorry, but hearing every time I hear Mahaka reminds me of Gov. Allen's Makaka line. Perhaps he really wanted to say Makaha... LOL.

Thanks in advance for the replies.