Oahu Beach Rentals Article

I'm back at the shack, the rusting, peeling, crumbling bungalow near the Left-Overs surf break on the North Shore of Oahu.

I love the old place, despite the Eisenhower-era plumbing and the Nixon-era carpet. The faded Gauguin print, the wall full of old videotapes, the banged-up stack of board games (Blind Justice - the Game of Lawsuits). The anemic ceiling fan.

I'm soon at Ace Hardware in Haleiwa, standing in line with my fix- it list. There are always some minor repairs to make at Blue Lagoon. The usual big roll of duct tape is needed to seal up some buckled screens, and an eye hook is bought for a door that won't shut.

Actually the new management company handling the rental has spruced things up. The carpet is cleaned, and the ancient, discolored bamboo blinds are down. There's a new sliding screen door. Last time, I arrived to find that its predecessor had rotted off its hinges and lay in pieces in the back yard, leaving a 10-foot-tall 3-inch-wide gap between the glass door and the wall. It had all the potential of a bug superhighway.

It's a classic North Shore shack, small and beat up by the elements. But all the windows open wide to show the green foliage flanking a small staircase that goes down to the beach, where an offshore shelf of rock breaks the surf. Even with the pounding winter waves, it's usually a nice place for a safe swim.

Plus there's little else to choose from. Most North Shore visitors drive up from Honolulu for the day, so hotel choices are limited.

The most popular way to visit the shore is to rent a house either through a small number of management companies or through .com, which handles owner-rented offerings. If you must have a resort stay, your one and only choice is the Turtle Bay Resort at the windy far-eastern end of the North Shore.

Developer Del Webb had a dream three decades ago to build a luxury hotel on the North Shore that would bring throngs to the area and perhaps lead to a major planned development, such as Kaanapali on Maui. There was even talk of casino gambling.

Webb's vision of the future never matched reality, but the Turtle Bay Resort remains one of the most beautifully sited hotels on the island, anchored amid the lava rock of gorgeous Kuilima Point.

New owners and managers are upgrading facilities after years of decline under Hilton.

Guests can go bicycling, play tennis, windsurf or ride horses. Those looking for less strenuous pleasures can pull up a deck chair at the Hang Ten Bar, which overlooks the surfers riding waves on the bay. It's one of the best spots for watching sunsets on all the islands.

An alternative is Ke Iki Beach Bungalows, several cottages and multiple-unit buildings that dot an acre of oceanfront, though not all have ocean views. No spas, swimming pools or telephones. But there are plenty of picnic tables and hammocks on which to relax or chat. Each comes with a kitchenette, which helps keep meal expenses in check.

Wherever you stay, you'll likely have a perfect view of the best part of the day: sunset.

Whether at a rental or a resort, you can enjoy the way the hazy orange ball turns the foaming surf a creamy white before dipping behind Kaena Point, the streaky clouds on the horizon turning the sky orange and the sea aquamarine.