(Visited 05/26/26 SU @ 10:00am): There were definitely "crashing waves" albeit small ones along…read morePoipu Beach Located on Kaua'i's "sunny southside", I spent a lazy Sunday at Poipu Beach people-watching, reading, sleeping, snorkeling, sunning, and swimming. Right along The Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas where I was staying, I haven't had a day-long beach day for awhile, and I really needed a day just to recharge, refresh, and regenerate my body, mind, and soul. Having been ranked as one of the top beaches in the U.S. over the years, was there anything to poo-poo about Poipu Beach!? EXPERIENCE The word "poipu" in the Hawaiian language meant "crashing waves" and was actually two beaches in one. A "tombola" (known as Nukumoi Point) separated the two bays, and in this case it was a narrow sand spit that extended from the shore to an island. This particular area was a favorite spot for endangered napping Hawaiian monk seals. The area on the western side of the beach was a favorite for beginner bodyboarders while small waves broke gently on the shallow sandbar created a fun area for children to play. The area on the eastern side of the beach was a lava rock-protected and shallow spot for swimmers and another play area for families with small children. On this comfortable sunny day, what was initially a quiet beach progressively got crowded and noisy as the day wore on. I swam for hours back and forth past the shorebreak along the coast, took breaks to drink water and eat a snack, napped, read, and then went back out with snorkel gear in hand. An exhausting exhilarating stress-free day - perfection! SERVICE Specifically on this section of the beach, there weren't any bathrooms nor lifeguard stations. Generally speaking, there weren't any facilities whatsoever except for what the adjacent Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas may offer. It was a completely open public beach - 'nuff said. PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance) I had no vehicle, so I simply walked from my room. However, there was a nightly $40.00 fee for guests who stayed at the Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas if they parked on the property, and there might've been some free parking along the many nearby roads and streets. Make sure to carefully read any posted signs. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE I made a spot directly out past the middle opening from the resort's pool and the sand, the beach was clean and smooth, somewhat spacious, and fairly empty early-on but no shady trees to deflect the sunlight. There was a lone monk seal https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=120&select=xDFNXkdOMhOO9W7Nv7YtuA which was a protected specie, so people must please stay away. Sizable waves were much further out, this beach was perfect for light water activity (no real surf breaks while snorkeling was better once you got considerably past the shore break). No benches, chairs, or tables, so bring your own chairs or towels to lay or sit on. Obviously, there was plenty of natural lighting with only the glowing stars left to guide you when nighttime came. There were no TVs nor any background music except for any electronic device you brought along with you such as your mobile phone. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=120&select=GN-CeJWbv9VNt_FU7MhmDg ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL Poipu Beach was another little piece of island heaven which I hoped would stay that way. Online research culled many articles and reviews of this beach that also alluded to what I experienced, so none of this was a secret. However, on this given weekend, I was thankful for the peacefulness and solitude. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $0.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, there was no need for funds of any kind which included my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

Probably the most famous beach on Kauai, Poipu was named 'Best Beach in America' in 2001 by "Dr…read more Beach", when such lists weren't so prevalent as they are now. My wife and I visited on Day 4 of our Kauai vacation in the early afternoon, and continued to understand why it is so popular with tourists. The area around the beach area is built up, with retail businesses within walking distance. There is usually plenty of free parking, but on this day, the past week's rains had flooded one of the parking lots, so there were not as many spots. My wife still found a good spot though, and we walked the short distance to the shoreline. There is a protected man-made wading area towards the east of the beach. It is easy to wade out to the lava rock retaining wall, with the water being maybe 3 feet there. There are facilities and lifeguards in the area. One of their jobs was to keep folks from getting too close to 4 sea turtles that were sunning on the sand near that area.

I came here after being sadly underwhelmed with the vibes at Poipu. We opted to set up a little…read morespot and jump in the ocean. The waves here are all shorebreak and the bottom drops out fairly quickly so prepare to tread water! We enjoyed our swim and worked up an appetite. The crowd can be a bit on the busier side since it's close to the resorts but Poipu was crazier in my opinion.

Amazing beautiful beach. Great waves, super close to the resorts, and the beach bar what else could…read moreyou ask for.

To get the right directions look for the beach parking lot on Google maps. When you get to the…read morestables keep left at the fork. Pretty rough road. Don't suggest if you have a low riding car. You park up top and walk down the trail to get to the beach. Didn't find the trail rough or slippery as others had mentioned. Interesting caves along the way. Long strip of beach good for walking and there are tide pools at the other end which have some interesting stuff to look at. This beach was listed online as good for body surfing and boogie boarding. Absolutely not! It's very very rocky. You would be thrown into rocks and very scraped up. Shipwreck beach nearby is a bit rocky but not this much... And much more suitable for boogie boarding.

I hesitate to give 5-stars (to hide it away from other) but this it fabulous. No showers and the…read morescenery is spectacular...

This is a great beach right across from the broiler. Good spot to walk after dining and drinks…read more We saw sea turtles and monk seals in a natural setting. Lots of picnic benches. And clean beach restrooms. Feral chickens abound.

I have old memories of this beach. Before hurricane Ewa, this beach was the bomb! Good size waves…read morefor bodyboarding and body surfing. After hurricane Ewa, the personality of the beach changed. Ewa brought in a lot of rocks. The waves had become timid. No more bodyboarding and bodysurfing. To my surprise, today I see decent size waves And a good amount of bodyboarding and body surfers! Perhaps hurricane Iniki returned back to its ole' self? Well something happened! Maybe one day I'll enter the water once more here... after 39 years:)

This was probably my favorite beach we visited this time around. It's not a very large beach and…read morecan get crowded with those who are wanting to snorkel. Even surfers set out here to catch some waves. There are a lot of rocks, more rocks than sand, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I highly recommend water socks to protect your feet. There's a great entrance point that's pretty smooth and easy on your feet, but the waves can be choppy. The snorkeling reminded me a lot of Two Step Beach on the Big Island because you didn't have to swim out very far to see fish. There were a ton of fish out there! There were also a couple of turtles further out, but there were quite a few people hanging out around them. Remember not to get too close to them! :) We visited this beach several times because it was right outside our condo complex. At one point we were just sunbathing and playing in the water and ended up having the whole beach to ourselves late in the afternoon! It was awesome!

This beach is perfect to watch the sunset at, & is right next to the nice restaurant The Beach…read moreHouse. There is a very small sand area, but the ground is leveled so that it's very easy to sit & watch the sunset. The water is full of rocks, which actually made it very good for snorkeling. There were lots of fish around, eating off of the rocks. It was also in a little cove, so the waves were a bit smaller & easier to snorkel around in. This was one of the best beaches to snorkel at to see fish of the ones I went to (Anini Beach, Poipu Beach, & here).

Such an amazing beach. Beautiful, great tides keep the waves rolling in. Grab a cabana and have a…read moreday of it.

A beautiful beach that has great snorkeling in shallow waters. Expansive view and adjacent to the…read moreMarriott and Sheraton. Nearby concessions for lessons in surfboarding and other water sports.

Anything regarding nature in Kauai is an automatic 5 stars. That being said,I don't spend a lot of…read moretime on this side of the island. It's beautiful but, arrid compared to the tropical " wet" side. However,I've put my time in exploring this side and as with the entire garden isle, beautiful. This trail can get hot but the cliff side views and multiple color blues of the ocean make it worth it. One of the things making Kauai my favorite island is the diversity. I a single day you can experience several unique ecosystems. If you do Maha'ulepu trail,make sure your sunscreened and hydrated. Shaka Brah

Beautiful trail along the hike that is fairly easy to moderate. A few bumpy parts, but no major…read moreelevation. Easy parking by Shipwreck Beach at the starting point. Took us a little over 2 hours with some photo opps.

If you find yourself near Poipu Beach and fancy a little natural theatrics, the Spouting Horn is…read moreyour go-to spot. Picture this: water shooting dramatically through blowholes, like Mother Nature showing off her party tricks. The ocean's hue is so stunning it might make your Instagram followers weep with envy. Parking? Plenty. Stress? None. There's even a picnic area if you feel like making a day of it--though, let's be honest, this is more of a quick-stop kind of gig. Legend has it, a giant lizard got trapped there and now moans dramatically every time the blowhole erupts. Talk about holding a grudge! We swung by during a casual drive from our condo, and while there's some nearby construction, it's nothing that'll ruin the vibe. Bonus: you can even catch a glimpse of the action from a mile away at the Sheraton Kauai Resort, if you're feeling lazy. So, is it life-changing? Nah. But is it worth a pit stop for some cool photos and a bit of local lore? Absolutely. Consider it nature's way of saying, Ta-da!

Located on the southern coast of Kauai, this natural lava tube blowhole has been known to shoot…read moreseawater as high as 50ft into the air. According to local folklore, a giant lizard which once protected this portion of the island got stuck in the lava tube. And the lizard's roar is now heard every time the Spouting Horn Blowhole blasts water into the air. There is a paved parking lot here, so parking is not an issue. While the actual blowhole is not accessible, you can still get a great view and awesome pictures at the fenced viewing area. There's not much else to do here so it never gets too crowded. As people come and go after about 10mins. Bathrooms facilities are also available here if you need a restroom break.