10 Oahu beaches to seek out for surf, snorkeling and solitude

Tourists from around the world flock to Waikiki Beach when they visit Hawaii. But visitors usually aren't impressed by its sandy shore. It's too narrow, too noisy and so crowded that people who venture into its waters emerge coated with the suntan oil that washed off other swimmers. But there's more to Oahu than the beach at Waikiki: rocky inlets with tide pools and great snorkeling; wide, uncrowded shorelines with calm waters; big-wave beaches where you can watch surfers tame giant crests. Here we profile 10 top beaches beyond the high-rise hotels of Waikiki and Honolulu. (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)