Princeville & North Shore Beaches

Many north shore beaches have some rocky parts, so it’s always a good idea to take along some aqua socks or sneakers that you don’t mind getting wet.

About three miles north of Anahola, Moloa’a Bay has a beautiful beach, and it’s a great place to swim when the sea is calm.  There are only a few parking spaces at the end of Moloa’a Road, so you might have to do some walking to get there.  But you’ll be rewarded with a sandy beach with plenty of shady spots.

A little further up the road – just before mile marker 20 — Larsen’s Beach is accessed via a gently sloping 10-minute trail.  As a result, it’s a little secluded and rarely crowded.  With lots of coral, fish, and crystal-clear water, Larsen’s offers excellent Kauai snorkeling and nice beachcombing too.   Take Ko’olau Road to the Beach Access Road.

Another beach reserved for those willing to undertake a 15-minute hike in is Kauapea Beach, AKA Secret Beach.  This is one of Kauai’s best beaches on the North Shore and in good weather it offers good snorkeling and swimming.  To get there, turn on Kalihiwai Road and the take a right on the first dirt road and follow it to the end.

If you follow the trail to Kauapea Beach and go left instead of right when you reach the beach, you’ll eventually run out of beach and run into some lava rocks.  If the surf is calm, you can continue about 600 yards until you come to a series of pools in the lava rocks.  Here, you can bask in the warmer water, watch the little fish in the pool, and generally feel very fortunate.

Because a fringing reef runs the entire length of the beach, Anini Beach is one of the safest swimming beaches on Kauai’s North Shore.  And it’s a good place to learn to windsurf.  Lessons and rentals are available through Anini Beach Windsurfing.

The beach at the SeaLodge Resort at the end of Kamehameha Road in Princeville is often all but deserted.  The trail is located next to Building A and it leads to a pretty beach with plenty of shade.

One of the most rewarding places on the North Shore, the Queen’s Bath is reached by taking the trail off Kapiolani Road in Princeville.  The trail passes a waterfall before it reaches the sea.  Walk left along the lava rocks until you come to large pool carved out of the rock.  When surf conditions are right, the Queen’s Bath is an unforgettable spot.  Bring your mask so you can see the brightly colored fish sharing the pool with you and invest in a disposable underwater camera so you can capture the moment.

Just before the St. Regis Princeville gatehouse, the trail down to Hideaways Beach takes about 10 minutes.  The coarse-sand beach is good for swimming and with lots of fish and occasionally sea turtles, it’s great for snorkeling.  Because of its awkward access, it’s usually uncrowded.

It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place than Hanalei Bay, which is actually made up of four beaches.  The two-mile broad crescent of golden sand is backed by verdant mountains punctuated by waterfalls plunging hundreds of feet into the valleys.

If you’re like most people, you’ll probably end up in the heart of the action, near the pier.  There are bathrooms, changing rooms, and picnic facilities here. And you can rent surfboards, buy fish tacos and sodas in the parking lot, and just enjoy watching the scene.

Although it’s not easy to reach, Lumahai Beach is worth the effort.  But don’t come to swim – it’s rarely safe here.  In the movie South Pacific, this is the spot where nurse Nellie Forbush ìwashed that man right outta her hair.î  You can park at the pull out near Mile Marker 5 and hike down.

Serious snorkelers shouldn’t miss Tunnels Beach, reached by a couple of dirt roads between the 8 and 9 Mile Markers on Route 560.  Although it’s certainly no secret, the lack of convenient parking means it’s usually not too crowded.

There’s a wide, fringing outer reef and an inner reef separated be a wide channel.  It’s filled with fish, coral formations, lava tubes, and you’ll often see eels and sea turtles here too.  If the parking lot is full, you can use the lot at Ha’ena Beach Park and walk down.

Literally the end of the line, Ke’e Beach is the gateway to the Kalalau Trail and the start of the Na Pali Coast.  But there’s plenty to enjoy here even if you aren’t venturing any farther.  During the summer, there’s often a sand bar, with excellent snorkeling just outside the lagoon.  During the winter months, tides can be treacherous, so it’s best to watch the waves from the shore.

Find the top beaches on Kauai’s East Shore.