Black Point Pool is a secret pool located in one of the most affluent neighborhoods on Oahu. It is around 40 feet long and 25 feet wide and surrounded by beautiful black volcanic rocks. During high tide, the ocean waves crash into the pool, filling it up. It is the only saltwater pool on the island that offers an incredible ocean view. We don’t know exactly how this pool came about and who built it, but local folklore has it, that it was built by a local father for his daughter, who was too scared to swim in the ocean.
How to get to the Black Point Pool?
It is around a 15 minutes drive to get from downtown Honolulu to the Black Point neighborhood. Once you’re there, you can park at a nearby beach, Cromwell’s Beach. From there, you can walk along Kulamanu Street and Black Point Road for 15 minutes. The close you get to the pool, the more “no trespassing”- and “CCTV”-signs you will see.
You need a key to enter the pool.
The pool is exclusively accessible by the residents of Black Point and members of the Black Point Association. You would need their key to access it. The fence surrounding the pool also has signs that clearly inform about this being private property: “NO TRESPASSING – This pool is private property & under video surveillance.”
Many tourists and adventurers ignore the warning signs and illegally sneak in to take a dip and take some videos for their Instagram feed.
Trespassers are escorted off the property in mere minutes.
Their fun only tends to last for a few minutes, as the combination of on-site security, fencing, CCTV, and watchful neighbors who know each other, means trespassers will stick out like a sore thumb. The neighbors are close-knit and will inform security if they see an unfamiliar face in or around the pool If the gate is closed, these trespassers will try to get around the gate by walking on a bird nesting zone. This is frowned upon and may result in a fine, as human presence in these areas can disrupt the local wildlife.
How to legally enter Black Point Pool?
The residents of Black Point and members of the Black Point Association are the only ones with keys to get into the pool. Therefore, you have the following options to access the pool legally:
- Befriend a Black Point resident and hope they will share the key with you.
- Buy or rent one of the 75 properties in the Black Point enclave.
Spoiler: Option 2 may cost you 8.8 Million USD!
Attractions nearby
If you are unlucky and can’t find a way to access the pool, it doesn’t mean you drove here for nothing. The viewpoint is simply stunning, and there are other places worth visiting nearby, such as Diamond Head Beach.
We enjoyed this tour to Diamond Head., which includes admission fees and transportation to and from the hotel. The guides took great photos of us, cracked some great jokes, and we also visited a local Macadamia Nut farm
Alternatively, you can also stroll into the Kahala Mall, the Shangri La Museum or get your feet wet at Cromwell’s beach!
