Hawaii Hanalei kauai Beach Guide

Gentle waves roll across the face of half-moon Hanalei Bay, running up to the wide, golden sand; sheer volcanic ridges laced by waterfalls rise to 4,000 feet on the other side, 3 miles inland. Is there any beach with a better location? Celebrated in song and hula and featured on travel posters, this beach owes its natural beauty to its age -- it's an ancient sunken valley with eroded cliffs. Hanalei Bay indents the coast a full mile inland and runs 2 miles point to point, with coral reefs on either side and a patch of coral in the middle -- plus a sunken ship that belonged to a king, so divers love it. Swimming is excellent year-round, especially in summer, when Hanalei Bay becomes a big, placid lake. The aquamarine water is also great for bodyboarding, surfing, fishing, windsurfing, canoe paddling, kayaking, and boating. (There's a boat ramp on the west bank of the Hanalei River.) The area known as Black Pot, near the pier, is particularly good for swimming, snorkeling, and surfing. This beach is always packed with both locals and visitors, but you can usually find your own place in the sun by strolling down the shore; the bay is big enough for everyone.

The entire Hanalei Bay is ringed with a white sand beach. The surrounding mountains embrace this bay and, in the early morning when the ocean is like glass, it mirrors the beauty of the cliffs.

The surfing in this area is famous and many locals as well as tourist visit the area. The Hanalei Pier is located on the east side of the long beach near where the Hanalei River enters the ocean. The Princeville Resort and golf courses are just on the other side of the river.

One of only seven beaches in Kauai with a lifeguard station, this long crescent beach encircles the bay.

-Long, sandy beach
-Lifeguard
-Restrooms
-Showers
-Grass and shady areas
-Picnic facilities and pavilions
-Fair swimming due to shore break and backwash
-Good surfing and boogie boarding

Hanalei Bay is Kauai’s largest crescent shaped sandy beach. In the summer time Hanalei is very calm with little surf activity, as is the case with most of Kauai’s northern beaches at this time of year. In the wintertime Hanalei beach is usually pounded by big powerful ocean swells. Some of the Kauai’s best surf spots on are found along this beach.

Hanalei beach is a Kauai beach famous for a great many things. It is a Hawaii beach that has been immortalized in song, legend and myth. It was revered by the Hawaiian Alii (kings) years ago and is revered by many today. There was even buried treasure found off of its pristine sandy shores. King Kamehameha II sunken royal ship had been found near the pine trees beach area of Hanalei Bay.

On the other side of the famous Kauai beach is the “black pot” area of the beach. There is an old pier that goes a short way out from the beach and is a popular spot for the local youth to jump off of. Near that is a small river that lets out into one of the most famous waves in Hawaii, aptly called Hanalei Bay. Towards the middle area of the bay, much of the white sand collects and the beach tends to be a little wider there. This area is called “pine trees”. Continuing to the northern end of this beloved Kauai beach area a few small streams then finally a area called “Waikokos Beach” This famous Kauai beach offers so much to explore that you really need a full day to beach comb and swim.