A geyser made of ocean
Long ago, lava poured into the sea here and cooled into a network of tubes. One ends in a narrow vent below the clifftop. When a swell rolls in, the ocean is forced up through the tube and bursts into the air, sometimes 30 feet high.
Halona means lookout or peering place in Hawaiian. From the railing you look along one of the most dramatic stretches of coast on the island: black lava shelves, deep blue water and, in winter, humpback whales offshore.
The beach from the movies
Below the blowhole is Halona Cove, a pocket of sand between lava walls. It became famous in 1953 when Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr filmed the surf-swept scene in From Here to Eternity here, and many locals still call it Eternity Beach.
The size of the spout depends on the swell. Some days the blowhole is quiet; on a good swell it roars. Your guide will explain why, and point out the safest places to watch from. Stay behind the railings: the rocks below are dangerous.
What you'll experience here
- The blowhole spouting from a lava tube
- Halona Cove, the From Here to Eternity beach, from above
- Humpback whale watching in winter
- Lava coastline views toward Sandy Beach
This stop is on the Southeast Oʻahu leg of the loop.
Questions about this stop
How high does the Halona Blowhole spout?
It depends on the swell. On a strong swell the spray can reach around 30 feet; on calm days it may be small.
Can you go down to Halona Cove on the tour?
The stop is at the lookout, about 15 minutes. The trail down to the cove is steep and the surf can be dangerous, so the tour views it from above.
Where it fits in the day
This is stop 2 of 9 on the Oahu circle island tour itinerary, a 9.5-hour loop with pickup from six set points in Waikiki.