Beaches
Kauai has hundreds of gorgeous beaches and most have very few people on them. Drive north along Kuhio highway and stop at any beach along the way. Be careful of strong waves and rip-tides at some beaches. Kauai has many drownings every year and most are tourists. If you body surf or use a boogie board, be cautious. Know how to get out if you get caught in a rip tide. You can check the current surf conditions at www.kauaiexplorer.com.
Alcohol is not allowed on public beaches but if you are discreet, you should be okay. Please take canned beverages to the beach instead of glass bottles.
When we go north to Ke’e Beach or south to Poipu Beach, we often bring a change of clothes, soap and toiletries. When leaving the beach, we use the public showers and restrooms to clean up and change. They aren’t fancy but functional. Then we spend time at the local shops and restaurants before returning to the condo.
Wailua Beach
Wailua Beach is steps away from our condo. It 's a beautiful, soft beach with only a handful of people on it. It is popular with local residents who surf, kite surf and fish. Wailua Beach is always changing. Sometimes it is wide and tall. Other times it can almost disappear. If there is a large rainfall you may notice darkening of the water in the ocean from Wailua river runoff. It will clear up by itself.
Depending on the time of year and the tides, waves can be rough especially in front of the condo. When the surf is calm, swimming in Wailua Bay can be great. However, when the surf is rough, the ocean can be dangerous and we stay out of the water. Surfers love the large waves near our condo.
To reach the beach, walk down the far stairs on the west end of the complex next to the office. The stairway takes you to the bike path. A short walk down the bike path leads to Wailua Beach. It is about a 5 minute walk from the condo. There are showers to rinse off near the bike path. When you return, the condo also has a hose to rinse off next to the recycling / trash area.
Ke'e Beach - North Shore
This iconic Kauai beach is next to the Na Pali coastline. Ke'e Beach is located at the end of Kuhio Highway on the north shore - about one hour from the condo. However, due to the heaving flooding in 2018, Kuhio Highway was closed for repairs. Now re-opened, visitors to Ke'e beach are limited and reservations will need to be made in advance for parking. For more information see:
REOPENING OF HĀ’ENA AND NĀPALI COAST STATE PARKS - NEW RESERVATION SYSTEM FOR PARK ENTRY
Ke'e beach is an amazing place to swim and sun bathe. It is protected by a reef so it has safe swimming and great snorkeling. Fish swim around you. This is the starting point of the Kalalau trail that goes along Na Pali coastline.
Moloa'a Beach - North East Shore
This is a real gem and is not far from the condo. It is beautiful, uncrowded and is easy for swimming. Moloa'a Beach is in a little neighborhood of houses. There is a small parking lot and parking along the street. Walk down toward the end of the road and follow the path between rental homes to reach the beach.
Kalihiwai Beach - North Shore Near Kilauea
This gorgeous beach is safe for swimming. It is uncrowded and you can park right next to the beach. While driving north on Kuhio Highway before reaching Hanalei, turn right at the first Kalihiwai Road sign.
Poipu Beach - South Shore
This is an iconic Kauai beach that often makes lists of the top beaches in the world. Poipu Beach is usually sunny even when other parts of the island are rainy. This pretty beach has great swimming. Nearby parking is usually available. Facilities include showers and restrooms large enough to change clothes. Brenneke's Beach Broiler is across the street for food and drinks. They have a downstairs area to order take out and eat on the beach.