As many of you know, I have been living on Kauai for the past 3 months which, naturally, has made me an expert on the best beaches 😉 I am listing out my top picks, with the first one being my absolute favorite.
The town of Poipu has a lot of nice beaches, and since its always sunny there, we hit it up often. My favorite one is the beach next to the Sheraton. The water at the Sheraton beach is always so blue and the waves are gorgeous. There are always a lot of surfers and boogie boarders. This beach is right next to Poipu Beach so you can check out both in one trip. If you are lucky, you will spot monk seals taking a nap on the beach!
Another good spot in Poipu is Baby Beach, aptly named for its super calm, shallow waters. It is a nice spot to relax without any worry. We often hang out here with friends and watch the sunset while enjoying a few drinks.
Polihale State Park is not to be missed. This breathtaking beach in the west is at the start of the majestic Na Pali coast, giving off magical vibes. Polihale means house of the spirits. Legend has it that when the Hawaiians died, their soul had to jump off the cliff overlooking the beach. If they were good people, they landed in the ocean and would roam the seas forever. If they were bad people, they landed on the hot sand and had to spend eternity stranded on the beach. These souls are called nightwalkers and if you camp out and wake up with bruises, it is from the nightwalkers trampling over you. We have camped here and I can report back that we had NO bruises :p In the morning, you can go swimming with dolphins, there is always a group of them hanging out.
Polihale is one of the best spots on the island to watch the sunset. I mean, just look at these colors! Stunning! Since it is in a remote area, the stars are absolutely magnificent because there are no city lights obstructing the view.
Salt Pond is our local beach, just a 5-minute drive from our home in Hanapepe. On calm days, this beach is like a lagoon. There are rock formations in the middle of the beach and when its rough the water cascades over the rocks in a beautiful way. I like this beach because it isn’t very touristy, it is usually just locals hanging out here.
Although Kauai is a relatively small island, it still takes about an hour and a half from where we live to get to the North shore areas of Princeville and Hanalei. I have only been up here once, but we found the perfect little beach. Puu Poa Beach is an off-the-beaten-path beach near the St. Regis. You have to park your car on a dirt road and then walk about half a mile to get to this gorgeous strip of beach.
We were the only people hanging out here. A few people walked by on there way from the hotel, but that was it. We could see the crowded Hanalei beach around the corner from us and were very happy to be away from it all.
And that wraps up my favorite beaches here. If you are planning a visit to Kauai, let me know and I will gladly answer any questions you may have!
XO,
Sarah
Wandering Publicist 