The Best Beaches to Discover in Kauai, Hawaii
I was lucky enough to spend the last two weeks with friends on the garden island of Kauai, Hawaii. It was the weirdest feeling flying so far over the Pacific Ocean, but still technically being in the united states! Also great, because it meant it was a domestic flight and I could skip all the hassle of flying ‘internationally.’ Kauai is such a beautiful place, and a lot of the time I was there was spent relaxing at some of the best beaches I’ve ever been to – working on my pasty white, reflective skin colour.
These beaches are most of the ones I travelled to, however there were plenty more I didn’t quite get to explore. A lot of the ones I did make it to were based where I was staying – in Koloa, on the south side of the island.
Kiahuna Beach
TYPE: Sand
CROWDS: Busy
LOCATION: Po’ipu
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes
Kiahuna beach is at the base of the Sheraton Resort in Po’ipu. It’s a small, sandy beach that has clear, blue water with some great waves for surfing, boogieboarding and swimming. It was the first beach that I went to with my friend upon arriving in Kauai.
It’s good to keep in mind that it can be quite crowded, due to it being the first accessible beach from one of the biggest resorts on the south shore.
Brennecke Beach
TYPE: Sand/Rocks
CROWDS: Moderate
LOCATION: Po’ipu
FAMILY FRIENDLY: For Older Children, weather dependent
This beach kicked. my. butt. Literally. What an absolute gem of a place for boogieboarding (if you really know what you’re doing), but damn. I had three full grown men with me, and one of them admitted to panicking just a tad with one of the waves. I wouldn’t recommend this beach on a rough day for kids – but it is definitely fun if you don’t mind a bit of rough and tumble.
This seemed to be a bit of a local’s spot – though it also backed onto a condominium in Po’ipu. We also were lucky enough to see a turtle out here at sunset, so that was super cool too!
Mahaulepu
TYPE: Sand/Rocks
CROWDS: Minimal
LOCATION: Po’ipu
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes
Mahaulepu is a beautiful beach that is a bit of a rough drive and hike away from Koloa. The walk includes Makauwahi Cave, that was used in the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean. It has stunning, uninterrupted views of the south shore, with big hills in the background. It’s a great beach for a long walk, and we were lucky enough to see a seal there enjoying the beach too.
Polihale
TYPE: Sand
CROWDS: Minimal (rough drive, 4X4 or high vehicle recommended)
LOCATION: 1 Hour from Koloa
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes
Polihale has to be my favourite beach on the island of Kaua’i. It was so quiet (probably because of the horrendously potholey drive out there – be aware), but man, it’s so worth it. The views are stunning, and the edge of the Napali cliffs meet the beach in a way that makes your jaw drop.
The waves were beautiful for surfing, and reportedly it’s one of the only places on the island where you can find sunrise shells (we didn’t find any, though we did find pieces).
Allerton
TYPE: Sand/Rocks
CROWDS: Moderate
LOCATION: 19 mins from Koloa
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes
Allerton beach is around the coast a bit from Koloa, and is a little hike through a bit of bush. I’ve been told that it has some beautiful clear water most of the time – however, there’d recently been some bad flooding so it was murky when I was there. A few boogieboarders were enjoying the waves here, and it’s a great spot for getting a good tan in.
Hanalei
TYPE: Sand
CROWDS: Busy
LOCATION: 1 hour 6 mins from Koloa
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes
Hanalei feels like a little bit of a hidden gem, in my opinion. It feels like you’ve just stepped off screen on a set of Jurassic Park, or perhaps Jumanji. Palm trees line the beach, and the pier out over the water is picture perfect. It’s super close to Tunnel Beach as well – the next on my list. It is a bit of a drive from koloa – but every bit worth it in my opinion.
Tunnels Beach
TYPE: Sand/Rocks
CROWDS: Busy
LOCATION: 1 hour 21 mins from Koloa
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes
Tunnels Beach is incredible. The blue of the water, the green of the hills behind and the warm sand are jaw-dropping. If Moana took inspiration from any one place – I believe this is it. The snorkeling was insane – we saw a few turtles, a huge variety of fish, and got to go through these awesome caves underwater.
The only downside with this spot is the parking. We did three loops, and it took about half an hour for someone to pull out. I would recommend going earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon. There is a small side dirt road about 500m before the parking area as well.
Lawai Beach/PK’s Surf Spot
TYPE: Sand/Rocks
CROWDS: Moderate
LOCATION: Po’ipu
FAMILY FRIENDLY: Older children
If I could surf well, I would’ve been at this spot the whole trip. My friends are good surfers and they had a blast shredding some of these waves – with a killer sunburn to attest to an afternoon well spent. They reckon it’s one of the best beaches in Kaua’i – or at least one of the closest, for a sweet surf session.
This spot has a small beach with some snorkeling and a little lagoon to go with. There’s plenty of parking and even a few food trucks to go with for a post-surf snack.
I really hope you get to experience these places for yourself one day! Until then, happy snapping!
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