Kauai Beaches

Kauai Beaches

Kauai beaches are most noted for their beauty, serenity and powerful ocean. Popular Kauai beaches include Ke’e beach, Hanalei Bay, Anini beach, Lydgate Beach Park, and Poipu Beach Park. Kauai has many reefs and so snorkeling can be good when the ocean is calm and the water isn’t too murky from sand and plankton. Kauai’s best snorkeling can be found at Tunnels beach, Ke’e beach, Lawai beach, and Lydgate park with Lydgate being well suited for beginner snorkelers. For surfing, Hanalei Bay, Kalapaki beach, and Kiahuna beach are sure to please. Polihale beach park on Kauai’s west coast marks the end of a stretch of 12 miles of sand that begins at Kekaha beach. Secret beach, Lumahai beach, and Nukolii beach usually don’t have favorable swimming conditions but are also majestic and great for long walks and exploring.

Aliomanu Beach thumbnail
These are beautiful stretches of beach north of Anahola Bay. This beach is split into two sections, ... [continued]

Kalapaki Beach thumbnail
Ocean conditions are usually mild due to the bay's location, although the water is often murky.

Kealia Beach thumbnail
Adjacent to the highway after leaving Kapaa. Normally best suited for more experienced swimmers, body borders and surfers.

Lydgate Park thumbnail
A popular beach park with picnic area and playgrounds. Boulder enclosed ponds for protected swimming.

Nukolii Beach thumbnail
This beach stretches for over 2 miles and is never crowded, but there aren't too many spots that are good for swimming

Papaa Bay thumbnail
A beautiful secluded beach just north of Anahola

Waipouli Beach Park thumbnail
A great place for small children to play

Anahola Bay thumbnail
Popular among locals, with a section that offers protected swimming for kids (but a somewhat rocky bottom)

Anini Beach thumbnail
A narrow reef protected beach that stretches for over 2 miles. Despite the reef good snorkel spots are hard to find. Reef ensures beach has calmest ocean conditions on the north shore - still chan...

Anini Beach West thumbnail
A section of the 2 mile long Anini beach

Haena Beach Park thumbnail
A surf spot with swimming when the ocean is calm.

Hanalei Bay thumbnail
Two miles long with excellent surfing, swimming, and boogie boarding depending on ocean conditions.

Hideaways Beach thumbnail
Beautiful beach with nice snorkeling when the ocean is calm.

Kalihiwai Beach thumbnail
This is a popular local surf spot in the winter that has good swimming in the summer. There are plen ... [continued]

Ke'e Beach thumbnail
Good snorkeling beach when the ocean is calm, and one of the most popular on the North shore.

Larsen's Beach thumbnail
A beutiful and secluded beach. Potential for good snorkeling, but extremely deceptive conditions with strong currents.

Lumahai Beach thumbnail
The eastern section of this very large beach somtimes offers nice swimming when the ocean is very calm

Lumahai Beach West thumbnail
A very long and wide beach. Most of the beach is only suitable for walking due to strong currents, but the far east end is swimmable when the ocean is calm.

Moloaa Bay thumbnail
A nice beach to visit when the ocean is calm and winds are lights.

Pali Ke Kua Beach thumbnail
This beach (not be confused with neighboring Hideaways beach) is situated directly below the Pali Ke ... [continued]

Pilaa Beach thumbnail
A 5 minute walk past the end of Larsens beach brings you to this secluded beach. Not good for swimming due to many rocks. Snorkeling possibilities?

Puu Poa Beach thumbnail
Nice snorkeling. Beach is directly in front of Princeville Hotel

Rock Quarry Beach thumbnail
A popular surf spot especially during the summer. Strong currents make it unsuitable for swimming most of the time.

Sealodge Beach thumbnail
A secluded beach that is often empty. Average snorkeling when ocean is calm. Mosquitoes are often a problem, making sun bathing questionable.

Secret Beach thumbnail
This is the long picturesque beach that is seen from the lighthouse. Rough ocean conditions in the winter, but often swimmable in the summer.

Tunnels Beach thumbnail
One of the Kauai's best snorkel spots when the ocean is calm.

Waikoko Beach thumbnail
This hidden little beach can be perfect when you want something all to yourself

Baby Beach thumbnail
This small beach in a tucked-away section of Poipu is reef protected and great for children, but most of the water is rocky so swimming isn't great.

Brennecke Beach thumbnail
A very popular boogie boarding spot, usually not suitable for beginners.

Kiahuna Beach thumbnail
Kiahuna beach offers reasonably good swimming, snorkeling and body boarding and is also a popular spot for surf lessons.

Lawai Beach thumbnail
Lawai beach is the favored south shore snorkeling destination.

Mahaulepu thumbnail
Maha'ulepu beach and trail are one of Poipu's hidden treasures.

Poipu Beach Park thumbnail
A popular beach that often offers good swimming and snorkeling, with a section well suited for children.

Shipwreck Beach thumbnail
With rocks and a lava bench swimming is not possible, but the beach offers some nice sand

Kekaha Beach Park thumbnail
The beginning section of Hawaii's biggest beach. With strong waves and currents the beach is usually not well suited for swimming, and the southern portion often has brown water.

Polihale Beach thumbnail
The end section of Hawaii's biggest beach. Isolated and accessed via a terribly maintained dirt road. Strong currents make swimming hazardous except for the queen's pond area...

Salt Pond Beach Park thumbnail
Reef protected swimming and a lifeguard make this a popular swimming beach among residents. The beac ... [continued]

Turtle Bay Resort Beach Malaekahana State Park Goat Island Hukilau Beach Park Laie Beach Park Kokololio Beach Park Punaluu Beach Park Kahana Beach Park Kualoa Beach Park Kailua Beach Kailua Beach Park Lanikai Beach Waimanalo Beach Sandy Beach Hanauma Bay Waialae Beach Park Kuilei Cliffs Beach Park Sans Souci Beach Ala Moana Beach Park Waikiki Beach Central Waikiki Beach South Kapiolani Beach Park Ko Olina Lagoon 1 Ko Olina Lagoon 2 Maili Beach Park Makaha Beach Park Papaoneone Beach Makua Beach Yokohama Beach Mokuleia Beach Park Turtle Beach Waimea Bay Pupukea Beach Park Ehukai Beach Park Sunset Beach Park Kawela Bay Salt Pond Beach Park Kahiliwai Beach Pali Ke Kua Beach Kiahuna Beach Baby Beach Lawai Beach Poipu Beach Park Brennecke Beach Shipwreck Beach Mahaulepu Beach and Trail Kalapaki Beach Nukolii Beach Lydgate Park Waipouli Beach Park Kealia Beach Anahola Bay Aliomanu Beach Molo'oa Bay Larson's Beach Pilaa Beach Rock Quarry Beach Secret Beach Anini Beach Anini Beach West Sealodge Beach Puapoa Beach Hideaways Beach Ke'e Beach Haena Beach Park Tunnels Beach Lumahai Beach West Lumahai Beach Waikoko Beach Hanalei Bay Kekaha Beach Park Polihale Beach Palauea Beach Polo Beach Wailea Beach Ulua and Mokapu Beach Keawakapu Beach Kamaole Beach Park 3 Kamaole Beach Park 2 Kamaole Beach Park 1 Secret Cove Big Beach Little Beach Makena Black Sand Beach Maluaka Beach Poolenalena Beach Hamoa Beach Red Sand Beach Tavares Beach Baldwin Beach Park Mokuleia Bay Kaanapali Beach Black Rock Kahekili Beach Park Napili Beach Kapalua Beach Oneloa Beach DT Fleming Beach Park Pololu Beach Mahukona Beach Park Spencer Beach Park Mauumae Beach Mauna Kea Beach Hapuna Beach Wailea Bay Fairmont Orchid Beach Makaiwa Bay Anaehoomalu Bay Four Seasons Beach Kukio Beach Kikaua Beach Maniniowali Beach Makalawena Beach Kekaha Kai Beach Park Wawaloli Beach Old Kona Airport Beach Park White Sands Beach Park Kahaluu Beach Park Punaluu Black Sand Beach Kehena Beach Kohala Ranch Makaiwa Bay Fish Pond Kiholo Bay Kealakekua Bay Honaunau Bay Place of Refuge South Point Kilauea Crater Kilauea Iki Crater Thurston Lava Tube Chain of Craters Road MacKenzie State Park Ahalanui Warm Spring Kapoho Tide Pools Paradise Park Hawaiian Tropical Botanical Garden Waipio Valley Akaka Falls Sharks Cove Valley of the Temples Lanikai Point Lanikai Hill Pali Lookout Makapuu Lookout Spitting Cave Diamond Head LaPerouse Bay Haleakala Crater Haleakala Backside Seven Sacred Pools Wailua Falls Hana Kahanu National Tropical Botanical Garden Nahiku Road Lower Puohokamoa Falls Iao State Valley Park Olivine Pools Ohai Trail Acid War Zone Trail Honokeana Bay Kapalua Coastal Trail Honolua Bay Pihea Trail Spouting Horn Wailua Falls Opaekaa Falls Okolehao Trail Kilauea Lighthouse Queens Bath Kalalau Trail Napali Coast Waimea Canyon