Choosing a beach with a lifeguard is the simplest safety decision you can make in Hawaiʻi. Each county runs its own ocean safety service. Here is how coverage works on each island and which beaches in our guides have towers.
Lifeguards in Hawaiʻi do far more than rescues. They warn people away from hazards before anyone gets into trouble, close dangerous stretches of water, and give first aid for reef cuts and jellyfish stings.
Hawaiʻi Department of Health analyses have found that drownings are far more common at beaches a long way from a lifeguard tower than at beaches close to one. That is why every beach review on this site lists lifeguard coverage first. The rest of this page explains who provides that coverage on each island, how to check it on the day, and what to do differently when there is no tower.
City and County of Honolulu, Ocean Safety
Oʻahu has the largest network in the state. The city added a tower at Kahe Point Beach Park in 2023, described at the time as its 42nd, and later department releases referred to 42 towers plus mobile response units each day. According to the city, most towers are staffed from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and mobile lifeguards respond to 911 calls during those hours. The city publishes a list of tower locations online.
Maui County ocean safety lifeguards
Maui's coverage is thinner relative to its many popular beaches. A 2025 Maui News report described 12 lifeguard towers on the island, and a Maui Now report the same year noted that dozens of popular beaches remain unguarded, including busy Wailea Beach. Maui County has had the highest drowning rate in the state in recent reporting, so check for a tower before you choose a resort-front beach.
Hawaiʻi County Fire Department, Ocean Safety
A September 2026 Star-Advertiser report described 17 lifeguard towers at 13 beach parks, with vacancies that make full staffing a challenge. Towers include Hilo-side beach parks such as Onekahakaha, Carlsmith, Leleiwi, Richardson and Honoliʻi, plus sites in Puna, Kaʻū, Kona and South Kohala. The county has also said it is committed to keeping lifeguards at Hāpuna and Kua Bay.
Kauaʻi Fire Department, Ocean Safety Bureau
Kauaʻi's ocean safety officers cover north, east and south-west districts, with guarded beaches stretching from Kēʻē on the North Shore to Kekaha in the west. Kauaʻi's surf and currents are powerful in many places, which makes choosing a guarded beach especially important here.
Tower counts change as counties add towers, move them, or close them temporarily during staffing shortages. The figures above are from the dated reports listed under Sources.
These beaches are described in our island guides as having lifeguards. Coverage can be seasonal or limited to part of a long beach, so look for the tower when you arrive.
| Island | Beach | Notes | Island guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oʻahu | Waikīkī Beach | Several towers along the main stretch | Oʻahu beaches |
| Oʻahu | Kailua Beach | Windward; trade-wind chop | Oʻahu beaches |
| Oʻahu | Hanauma Bay | Reservations for non-residents | Oʻahu beaches |
| Oʻahu | Waimea Bay | Huge winter surf; summer swimming | Oʻahu beaches |
| Oʻahu | Sunset Beach | Winter surf zone | Oʻahu beaches |
| Maui | Kāʻanapali Beach | Resort beach; shorebreak at times | Maui beaches |
| Maui | Big Beach (Mākena) | Notorious shorebreak | Maui beaches |
| Maui | Hoʻokipa Beach | Surf and windsurf spot | Maui beaches |
| Maui | Kamaʻole I, II & III | South Maui family beaches | Maui beaches |
| Big Island | Hāpuna Beach | Winter shorebreak | Big Island beaches |
| Big Island | Kua Bay (Maniniʻōwali) | Rough in winter | Big Island beaches |
| Big Island | Magic Sands (Laʻaloa) | Sand can wash away in big surf | Big Island beaches |
| Big Island | Kahaluʻu Beach Park | Shallow snorkeling bay | Big Island beaches |
| Big Island | Carlsmith Beach Park | Hilo; county tower | Big Island beaches |
| Kauaʻi | Poʻipū Beach Park | South Shore; monk seals rest here | Kauaʻi beaches |
| Kauaʻi | Hanalei Bay | Guarded sections only | Kauaʻi beaches |
| Kauaʻi | Kēʻē Beach | Within Hāʻena State Park reservations | Kauaʻi beaches |
| Kauaʻi | Lydgate Beach Park | Rock-walled ponds on the east side | Kauaʻi beaches |
Many of Hawaiʻi's most beautiful beaches have no tower: Lanikai on Oʻahu, Wailea and Kapalua on Maui, Mauna Kea Beach on the Big Island and Polihale on Kauaʻi, among others in our guides. They can be wonderful on calm days. Treat them with extra caution: swim only when the water is flat, stay close to shore, never swim alone, and leave someone on the sand who can call 911 and describe exactly where you are. On any day when the surf is up, drive to a guarded beach instead.
Each county runs its own service. On Oʻahu it is the City and County of Honolulu's Ocean Safety department. Maui County, Hawaiʻi County and Kauaʻi County each have county ocean safety lifeguards as well. State park beaches may be covered by county lifeguards under agreements, but many beaches have no lifeguard at all.
The City and County of Honolulu says most of its towers are staffed from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, with mobile responders also answering 911 calls during those hours. Hours can change, so check the city's Ocean Safety pages for the current schedule.
No. Only a minority of Hawaii's beaches have lifeguard towers. Reporting in 2025 noted that dozens of popular Maui beaches, including Wailea Beach, had no lifeguard. Always check whether a tower is present and staffed before you swim.
Be more conservative. Swim only in calm conditions, stay close to shore, never swim alone, and know where your exit is. Keep a phone on shore with someone who can call 911 and describe your location. When conditions are questionable, choose a guarded beach instead.
Ask on arrival, look for the flag or sign on the tower, and check the Hawaii Beach Safety website, which shows lifeguard-reported conditions at guarded beaches. Towers can close temporarily when counties are short of staff.