Windward Coast - Honolulu: Old Pali Road

Distance: 7.1 miles
Climbing: ~1394 ft
Max Elevation: ~1200ft
Terrain: abandoned road, single track, stairs, sidewalk, paved road

Honolulu to Windward Coast: Pali Highway

Distance: 7.6 miles
Climbing: ~1000 ft
Max Elevation: ~1080ft
Terrain: paved road



What makes this ride special? Scenery, View

Challenges: long climb, steep descent, on-ramps, tunnels, little to no bike lane, unpredictable rain, strong wind, drunk bumps, moss on road in winter

Special Instructions: ride with a rear light, there are dark tunnels and thick foliage which can block out a lot of sunlight

By far, the fastest way to get from the heart of Honolulu to Kailua or Kaneohe by bicycle is the Pali Highway. The Pali Highway is a challenging ride and can instill fear in even the most seasoned bicyclist. However, it is a beautiful ride and not as bad as you might think. This is one of my most enjoyable rides on Oahu. We'll cover all the important points from start to finish to alleviate your concerns.

• Getting on the Pali is the first challenge, but fear not. Navigate to Nuuanu Ave, and follow it mauka (towards the mountains). Nuuanu has 2 lanes for cars in each direction, so I take a good portion of the right lane.
  

• You will come to a T intersection at the end of Nuuanu Ave. You want to go right and get on the Pali towards Kailua via the bridge that crosses the highway. On this curving bridge, there is ALWAYS a large pile of gravel in front of a merging driveway - avoid it.
  

• From there, follow the Pali Hwy to Old Nuuanu Pali Drive (ONPD). The bike lane in this section is small, but there are multiple traffic lanes in each direction so cars give you space. Follow ONPD until it merges with the highway again. Savor ONPD, it is the most peaceful section of the ride - the calm before the storm. There's no bike lane but very little traffic.
  

• Merging back onto the Pali (go right) there is a substantial shoulder to ride on and you've almost summited the hill. If you want a break, get off at the Pali Lookout to enjoy the view.
  

• Just past the turn off and on-ramp for the Pali Lookout you NEED to take the whole right lane because you are about to enter a shoulderless tunnel. Keep the whole lane until you reach the bottom of the hill. Fortunately, it's all downhill from here and you can reach the road's speed limit. It is extremely dangerous to go slow here and you must have a rear light on your bike. As you descend, be on the lookout for water runoff crossing the road. This is where moss can grow. Brake before you hit these spots. There is one sharp turn to the right followed by a hairpin turn to the left before you enter the final descent.
  

• Near the end, look out for the drunk bumps going across the road. They don't feel like much in your car, but you might eat pavement if you hit them at 40 mph on you bicycle.

That's it, you're on the windward side! Kaneohe is left at the light, Kailua is straight, and Waimanalo is right.