Starting from the far west of the Cliffs
Resort
- Hanakapi'ai Beach
-- 30 min drive plus 1 hour hike -- Hanakapi'ai beach is
accessible only by hiking 2 miles [and 500 vertical feet] of the NaPali trail.
Once there, the adventurer is rewarded with a 500 ft wide beach, a freshwater
stream, and a few small sea caves. The beach is lovely sand from May to
September and just boulders during the winter months. There are usually a
dozen or so visitors. Do not swim at this beach due to
dangerous surf, do not drink the water from the stream, and use care on the
trail -- especially in rainy weather -- as it is very muddy and slippery.
More info and photos....
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- Ke'e Beach and Park
-- 30 min, 10 miles from Cliffs Resort--
Ke'e Beach is literally the end of the road and marks the beginning of the NaPali coast and back country
hiking trails. The beach itself offers stunning views, good snorkeling with friendly fish and turtles,
and fine swimming. Good reef
protection assures safe swimming even when the rest of the north shore has high
surf. You -- and perhaps 500 other visitors -- park in an improved lot
next to showers and rest rooms. You can walk to your right about 1/2 mile
until you get to Limahuli River. The
adjoining land is Ha'ena State Park so there is no commercial development nor houses.
More info and photos....
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-Ha'ena Beach and Park
-- 25 min 9 1/2 miles --
Ha'ena County Park provides beachfront camping for up to a few hundred people.
Most times we've visited, the campground is nearly full. Ha'ena beach
and Tunnels Beach connect together and together form 1 1/2 miles of golden sandy shore.
Swimming in summer is fine at Ha'ena, but many people walk a 1/2 mile to the
right [east] to the better snorkeling and calmer waters of Tunnels Beach.
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- Tunnels Beach
-- 25 min 9 miles from Cliffs Resort--
Tunnels beach is a postcard perfect beach and a favorite for
year round snorkeling and swimming spot due to good reef protection. The
Tunnels beach is probably 1/2 mile long and is sheltered by a forest of
ironwoods that at times provides welcome shade from the tropical sun. The
adjoining land is residential meaning there are houses behind the sand.
There are no commercial establishments along the beach.
More info and photos....
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- South Pacific Beach
-- 15 min 4 miles from Cliffs Resort--
[Properly called Lumahai Beach]
This is the beach where the
film South Pacific was filmed. The beach is a little over a half mile long,
slightly crescent shaped, and absolutely
gorgeous. However there is no reef protection and swimming is dangerous. We've never
seen more than 20 people on this beach. The setting is rustic and every bit as
original as when the movie was filmed a half century ago.
More info and photos....
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- Hanalei Bay Beach
-- 10 min 3 miles from Cliffs Resort--
This 1 mile long beach has calm water and excellent
swimming. While officially a town beach, it's far enough to the west of town
that it feels rural. There is about one visitor for about every 100 ft of sand.
Hanalei Bay Beach is so serene that it is celebrated in song in hula and
featured on travel posters. The beautiful pastel colored
waters are fine for year round swimming, fishing, windsurfing, canoe paddling,
kayaking, snorkeling, and beginning surfing. There is a pavilion,
restrooms, picnic tables, parking, and excellent shade.
More info and photos....
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- Princeville Hotel Beach
-- 5 min 1 mile from Cliffs Resort --
[Properly called Puu Poa Beach]
This is the 1000 foot long beach used by the Princeville hotel and Hanalei Bay
Resort guests. It looks like your major resort hotel beach, complete with water
toy rentals. Since beaches in Hawaii are public, you too can use it.
While never crowded, it definitely gets more visitors than many of the beaches
which require driving. The waters are very calm making for excellent
year round swimming. Snorkeling requires a bit of swimming, but is also
good.
More info and photos....
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- Hideaways Beach
-- 5 min 1 mile from Cliffs Resort--
This is an intimate 300 ft long beach used mostly by Pali Ke Kua Condo guests,
but open to anyone. It is accessed by an improved footpath down 200
vertical feet [about 300 steps]. There is calm water, nice swimming, great
snorkeling, and good shade. The beach is neither crowded nor big. I
think the most we've seen is 6 groups enjoying the fine golden sand and tropical
blue waters.
More info and photos....
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Queens Bath
-- 5 min 1/2 mile plus 10 minute walk --
Lacking sand, it may not be correct to call Queens Bath a beach Still, it's a
favorite swimming and gathering spot so it rates a special mention.
Queens bath is a 10+ foot depression in the lava rock at the base of the
Princeville cliffs. Waves break on the outer wall every few minutes
and refresh the water in Queens Bath. The swimming is good [for
those who do not need to touch bottom], and the setting is spectacular.
See the picture to the right to appreciate Queens Bath.
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Starting from the Cliffs
Resort and going East
Wyllies Beach
-- 10 min 2 miles from Cliffs Resort
Wyllies Beach is the west most portion of Anini Beach. What makes it
interesting is that you walk from Princeville down an old wagon road.
Follow these directions: Take Wyllies road [2nd left when leaving the
Cliffs Resort and heading toward the highway on the main Princeville road].
Walk .3 mils to a spot where the road turns left. Leave the pavement and
walk along the tree line until a path descends. 500 steps [about 1/3 mile]
will bring you to Wyllies beach. Cross Anini stream and you can walk for 1
1/2 miles along the beach. More info and photo's
in the Anini Beach Page.
- Anini Beach
-- 10 min 4 miles from Cliffs Resort --
Actually Anini Beach to the west and Kalihikai Beach in the middle and
Hanapai beach farthest to the east. When driving, you will first pass Hanapai beach which is used
by surfers because the reef protection is absent. Then you will pass Kalihika
beach which has houses between the road and the sand. Finally you come to
Anini Beach Park where the roadway is under 1000 feet from the water
[combination grassy picnic grounds and prime sandy beach]. There are
restrooms, showers, covered picnic facilities, parking, and even camping [with a
permit].
Taken together the sandy portion is at least 1 1/2 miles long
and offers some of the north shore's most tranquil waters [except for Hanapai]. The swimming
and snorkeling are good in Anini and Kalihikai areas because of the fine reef protection. There are windsurfer and
kayak rentals too. Commercial facilities are very limited, so bring your
lunch and whatever you need. The Anini beach area is less crowded than Kee,
Princeville, or Tunnels beaches, but more crowded than any others mentioned.
More info and photos....
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- Kalimiwai Beach
-- 10 min 3 miles from Cliffs Resort --
This is a smaller beach in a nice cove that is bounded by sheer rock on one side
and a rolling green hill on the other side. The picturesque setting
includes the Kalihiwai River which has a large lagoon.
Swimming is fine and surf remains low year round. The beach is fine white
sand. Little children love to splash in the Kalihiwai river lagoon.
Older kids enjoy a rope swing with it's drop into the blue pacific.
More
info and photos....
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- Secret Beach
-- 10 min. 4 miles plus 10 min walk --
[Properly called Kauaea Beach]
This is another huge beach, nearly 1 1/2 miles long with fine white sand,
black lava rock, stunning cliff backdrops, lush vegetation, and enchanting
waterfalls. The setting is entirely
rustic -- except for the houses you can see on the hilltop -- and can only
be reached by a 10 minute 150 foot vertical path. Swimming on this
beach is dangerous any time of the year because there is no reef protection.
Parental discretion is necessary as the ends tend to be clothing optional.
Nude swimmers and all-over tan seekers will almost certainly be encountered
unless one stays within a few hundred feet of the end of the access path.
More info and photos....
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Kilauea Bay
-- 15 min. 7 miles --
[Also called Quarry Beach]
Kilauea Bay Beach is in a small cove at the end of the placid Kilauea
River and bordered by tree covered hills and a rock quarry. There
are no homes or commercial developments to be seen. You might be
lucky and have the beach to yourself. More often the semi-seclusion
of this beach is broken by the anxiety caused by the Kauai homeless who
unofficially camp at Kilauea Beach. While the seas are calm,
enthusiasm for swimming is mitigated by murky conditions. For a more
private visit, try walking around the point to the right-- the next beach
to the east lacks road access and is too far to carry backpacks.
More info and photos....
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-
Waiakulua & Pila Beach -- 15 min.
8 miles plus 10 min walk --
These beaches feature nice sand and very few people. The snorkeling is
acceptable, but the swimming is meager due to rock and coral in the water. The setting is
rustic -- permitting one to enjoy the beach in whatever fashion they choose.
The parking lot holds room for fewer than 10 cars and the beach requires
following a well marked but steep200 vertical foot trail for a 10 minutes.
More info and photos....
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- Larsens Beach
-- 30 min. 14 miles --
Larsens beach is totally rustic. There are no homes or commercial developments
to be seen. The beach is narrow and rocky in spots, but if you are looking
for that ideal place to get away from everything and everyone, Larsens beach may
be your place. The reef is very close to the shore which means you
have to be careful where you swim. At the same time this means the whole
area is great for snorkeling. And the 2 miles is excellent for beach
combing. You may see 2 or 3 other groups of people in the whole 2 miles
expanse; some may be illegally camping while others may be seeking a quiet
au-naturel afternoon getaway.
More info and photos....
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- Moloa'a Beach
-- 30 min 16 miles --
Moloaa Bay is another fabulous beach nestled in a 1/3 mile wide bay with good
reef protection. Once upon a time, the visitor was assured of having this
spot of paradise all to themselves. But starting in the mid 1990's homes
have been developed along the beachfront very close to the sand. Now you
feel like you are swimming in someone's back yard. You can get a less
obtrusive feeling if you walk to the sides of the bay. The reef holds down
the surf and offers nice snorkeling when seas are mellow.
More info and photos....
