Absolutely gorgeous beach, but not for swimming or getting in the water at least when we went back in 2022 as they had signs for rip currents and warnings of being swept away; this was an awesome beach to check out during our hike on Kalalau trail (note that it's super hard hike down the river rocks to get to the beach and climb up, they have flash flood warnings too, so if it's raining you have to be careful and know your physical limits to hike and climb up as this is pretty deep in the nature!). It was absolutely a magical adventure and the hike and the beach was worth it. There are neat caves to check out nearby as well read more

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We went during high tide so there really wasn't much of a beach. It is a beautiful spot to sit and have a snack in the middle of the hanakapiai falls hike, or you can turn around and go back from here. The waves were crashing really hard when we were there. This is definitely not a safe place for swimming but it is a beautiful place to watch the waves. read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - Beaches Near Me

Amazing beauty on Hanakapi'ai! I visited here back in the 80's , what a beautiful place! I took off from a holiday on Oahu, toured on Mid Pacific Airlines when they had old Convair Turboprops, it was great! Landed at Lihue, toured the island from the airport to the end of the road. What an island! Gotta go back! read more

Beautiful beach, don't be dumb and go swimming. There's a deep shelf right off the beach with strong currents.

What an incredible experience hiking the Kalalau trail to Hanakapi'ai Beach. According to my Garmin device, the distance from the shuttle drop off to the beach is about two and a half miles. The elevation gain was roughly 1,083 feet. Important: Uphill hikers have the right of way. As a result, remember to step aside and provide space to those climbing up, as this is basic trail etiquette. We averaged one mile every 30 minutes, conservatively. However, we lucked out with weather conditions (Early June/Summer). For the most part, the trail was dry with a few pockets of mud. We also had proper hiking shoes on. We packed plenty of snacks but not enough water to hike to the falls (recommendation was 2 liters per person). The total distance of the hike to the beach (there and back) was about 5 miles. We had a great time. Here are some stunning images for perspective along with my garmin data for your convenience. read more

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Beautiful beach at the end of a two mile walk in on the Kalalau Trail. The system to get into the park has changed - you have to get a permit to drive in and park in the parking lot (was booking two weeks out) or take a shuttle into the park ($15/person). We did the shuttle as there was space available and the permits were sold out for the next two weeks. The shuttle was fine but you're subject to their schedule and it would have been nice to stay later but the last shuttle to our car was at 4:30pm. Anyways, the trail was well marked and slightly mucky/slippery. It was very busy going both ways, and we even saw someone get long lined out by a helicopter as they had fallen off a cliff. Consider your physical abilities when doing this trail, we saw quite a few people really struggling with the inclines and heat. I'd consider this trail moderate, but if it's raining or has been raining that could definitely be changed to difficult. Many viewpoints and at the end, a magical freshwater stream guides you down to the beach. There's a cave at the end, big waves, lush greenery and we even had a Hawaiian Monk Seal on the beach. If we had more time we would have gone to the falls as well but alas we did not. Had a picnic lunch on the beach and headed back. It took 1 hour and 15 minutes on the way there (dodging other hikers, taking photos) and about 45 minutes on the way back. We are avid hikers and wore hiking shoes for the journey. Knocked a star off from 5* as it's very busy and it felt like a highway on the trail, despite all the need for permits to get into the park. read more

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wow, what a walk!! get there early. This beach is at the end of the road on the north side of the island. Get here early because tourists flock here to walk the trail that starts here and heads toward the Hidden beach. That trail is rugged be prepared. The beach hear is beautiful but the parking is difficult. The parking lots are rough too but it is worth it. Prepare for a long walk from your car. read more

Just did this in late July 2019. As you likely know, the area is reopened to the public since June 2019. We secured a parking pass for our family of five online shortly after midnight HNL time at the 14 day mark when they go on sale. This allowed us to have room for beach gear later in the day at Ke'e. (As an aside, truly they should charge $50 (which would still sell out, though slower) instead of $5 to keep the availability more practical and raise funds for the area and subsidize the shuttles). With regard to the hike to Hanakapi'ai: beautiful. Clearly, at least a moderate-level endeavor, with some drop-offs as well. Still, beautiful views of the eastern side of the Napali coast. The beach itself is not swimmable but a nice respite before hiking back. Difficult not to get your feet wet getting there. Lastly, would have loved to have hiked to the falls too. Next time. read more

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= 2 MILES HIKE TO SECLUDED BEACH = The Hanakapiai Beach is not reachable by car. You need to begin your hike at Ke'e Beach and you will arrive after 2 miles of hiking. The Hanakapiai Beach is actually the 2 miles mark to the Hanakapiai Waterfalls, so this is a perfect spot for you to get some rest before you (1) turnaround and go back to Ke'e Beach or (2) proceed to Hanakapiai Waterfalls. Nothing much to see here. There's a cave to the far left. NO SWIMMING ALLOWED. There's dangerous underwater current at this location. I personally loved the hike to get here because I got to see some awesome views of the Na'Pali coast, but I don't think the beach was worth that much effort. My 2 cents. read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Here is what you really need to know: - It's one hundred percent worth the hike. - It is not safe for swimming. Don't be an idiot. - It is a perfect place for you to have a small lunch you packed in. read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - Beaches Near Me

I'm excited to say that we made it to the beach - not an amazing feat by any means, but wow what a trek! See my review for the Kalalau trail. This beach is the first real milestone along the large 11 mile Kalalau trail. You cross a small stream to enter the beach area, either by hopping on rocks or wading through the shallow water. It's safer to wade you're afraid you'll have any chance of slipping. Once you make it here there is a compositing toilet if needed, as well as shaded area for resting. Lots of rocks scatter the upper beach, and you'll see people have had fun stacking them in towers. The water at the beach is very rough, but is swim able to a point. If anything you could wade in the tide pool to cool your feet off. From here decide if you can make it another 2 miles inland to the Hanakapi'ai falls or another 9 miles to Kalalau Beach. Either way, good luck! read more

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Amazing spot!! We arrived here late in the day so the beach was pretty much empty except for another friendly couple. Beware of the stray cats, they will try to steal your food! The waves were crashing in heavily so I did not swim here. Better to be safe than sorry. Great spot to hike to, only 2 miles. Good hiking shoes and plenty of water is needed! You have to cross a stream so you can either take off your shoes or just walk through. read more

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It's a gorgeous place to be. This is the first break we took on the way to Kanakapi'ai Falls. Bring you own food,water, first aid mini box and a pair of good shoes such as Solomon. It's like hiking in the mud and sometimes it can be a bit slippery. Try to go back before sun down, cuz you are not going to see anything in the mountain. Luckily we brought a torchlight, but it takes forever to climb down because it was really dark. I would do it again for my next Kauai trip. Oh and if you are going to Kanakapi'ai Falls, leave your big camera at home, because it's gonna slow you down. And it's really really tiring! Trust me, It's really really tiring! read more

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This was a great hike. Very arduous! We went when it was raining and the trail was steep, up and down, as well as slippery. There was one spot that was especially slippery during the rain. We waited and were able to hike down once the rain stopped and we could get our footing without falling. There were wonderful vistas of the coastline during the trip. The beach was picturesque, but there were so many warning signs as to the number of deaths of people on the beach that we didn't go very far. We wanted to go to the falls but didn't have the time or the staying power to get there. We'll go back next time and try again. Need a permit if you want to hike further than the falls. Will need to apply for this many months prior to your trip. read more

Hiking in Hawaii has really picked up in popularity over the past several years, and this was especially evident on our hike to Hanakapi'ai beach a few weeks ago. Though I am usually hesitant to share such beautiful spots with the internet, there are already so many people doing this hike that I figure I might as well put in my two cents. First, be prepared. This hike does not offer a lot of shade so make sure you bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. depending on your preferences. Because it gets hot quickly, make sure you pack enough water. For the 4 miles roundtrip I had a little less than 2L of water. This was barely enough for me...I was fine but definitely could have used more water. Also make sure you have appropriate footwear. I saw a number of locals going through the trail barefoot, but if you are unfamiliar with the trail you should definitely wear covered shoes as there are rocks and varied terrain. Also make sure you bring in snacks or a lunch to have at the beach since its a great place to stop and take it all in. Also, be prepared schedule-wise...other Yelpers are correct in stating that the parking lot gets crowded the later you go in the day. We got there around 9am on a Saturday and grabbed one of the last spots in the overflow parking lot. Another bonus of hiking earlier is that the sun will be less intense (trust me...hiking out around noon from the beach was hot and miserable...avoid that time of day if possible!). Second, PLEASE remember to be courteous to other hikers. The trail to the beach, as it is also the start of the Kalalau trail, is heavily trafficked. That said, there are people of all different fitness levels and hiking experience on the trail. There were a number of times that my group was taking it easy and all of a sudden we were being tailgated by a large group of tourists which was very rude and irritating. If you want to pass, just say so! On the contrary, there were others that would pass our group by saying something simple like "excuse me" or "on your left"...this was much more pleasant than just having someone on your back for a few minutes that clearly wants to get around you. Third, think twice before taking your kids on this hike. I saw several families with kids of varying ages and made a mental note to myself never to bring my future young children on this hike. There was one family with two children, a young daughter (maybe 4-5 years old) and an elementary school age son. The daughter kept falling behind and had to be carried a lot of the way, while the son would just dash ahead so often that he was alone a lot of the time. I saw another family with a baby in a carrier, and in the hot day their entire family seemed miserable. If you're only going to the first lookout on the trail, that might be ok for children...but going all the way down to the beach is a different story. I would personally not bring kids younger than middle school age, as the trail is long and does get very hot in the middle of the day. Fourth, respect the land and be safe. Take care of everyone in your group and make sure you keep eyes on everyone whether you are at the front or back of the pack. Many people bring snacks, lunch, and plastic water bottles on the hike. There are no trashcans along the trail, so remember to pack out whatever you bring in to keep the area pristine and beautiful. Stay on the marked trail as well, since going off-trail will cause erosion and harm to both the trail and the plants. All in all, this was a great hike with some awesome views and a really rewarding beach at the end of your 2 miles in (if you choose to end at Hanakapi'ai beach). Just be prepared and be wary that the trail will be crowded with a lot of visitors. TL;DR - plan ahead, bring an appropriate amount of water, and be respectful! read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - Hanakapiai Beach - Beaches Near Me

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This beach is a welcome break about halfway (2 miles in) on the Kanakapi'ai Falls hike. You hike into and out of valleys along the coast in the sun most of the time to get here so it can be pretty hot and strenuous - bring water! There are a few lookouts along the way that offer great opportunities for pictures and some people choose to hike just to these lookouts and no further. The beach itself is actually deceivingly large, I'd say it's a good 100M or so across. It's bounded by cliffs on two sides, the ocean, and a valley. The current and waves can be quite treacherous so it is highly advised to avoid going into the ocean during anything but summer months, and even then I'm not sure it's safe. There is a nice little lagoon that you can swim in so the ocean is not really needed anyway. If you're looking for a secluded beach to hike or kayak to on Kauai and you're not a hardcore athlete, Hanakapi'ai is a good choice. read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - View on the way in. - Beaches Near Me

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Woo! Hanakapi'ai Beach is the spectacular "secret" beach two miles in from the Kalalau Trailhead, on Kauai's Napali Coast. As far as I can tell, it's pretty much the most beautiful place in the world. In the summer, the beach is a tidal sandbar that's bounded by surf on one side and a waist-deep lagoon on the other. The surf side of the beach is apparently crazy-dangerous -- one of Kauai's deadliest beaches (with an ominous hand-scratched death tally on the warning sign) -- but the salt water lagoon is the most mellow, heavenly, relaxing place on Earth. The sand is soft and deep and warm, and you can lie on your back in the shallows and look up at the Kalalau Valley cliffs rising in front of you while listening to the surf break yards behind you, feeling perfectly safe and contented, and a bit proud to have earned the relaxation with your 2-hour mud hike. read more

LOVE the hike in and the beach. The most gorgeous hike EVER. It is a pretty easy hike. In and out of the valleys. Can get obnoxiously hot, but news flash, you're in Hawai'i. Bring tons of water and a camera. Omg, I can't get enough of this hike. I've done is a gazillion times. Back for more. I've never been up to the falls, so I want to do that someday. A bit longer. Also, not a place you want to swim at. Pretty dangerous undertow and easy to get swept out to sea. With that said, I actually swam here for the first time recently - it's summer, waves are teeny. Only because the waves were almost non-existent. If there is even a little bit of waves, I would not have gone in. I just stayed really close to shore so I didn't get swept out. Didn't want to make the news about a girl needing to be rescued out there. Or worse. But swimming there was amazing. Ugh! In love. DO.IT.NOW.GO. read more

Love this hike. I haven't been on this one for a while, but the memory I keep with me of the Hanakapi'ai trail is not bringing water on this (approximately) 6 mile hike. It was my first time hiking this trail and being so enthused to jump in with my older cousin I really didn't think of how long and rugged this course may have been (not very hard, just time consuming and nerve-racking). The hike itself was great, dirt paths [along with some fun mud puddles] were clearly visible and the suspense of the (approximately) 2-feet wide trail along the cliff's edge was great suspense. As we finally reached the end (the beach, not the falls), it was a relaxing environment. The fresh water was nice (tiny ponds with "rushing" water flowing) & the beach was a great view, unfortunately we hiked during the transition between winter and spring, therefore the waves were still a bit rough. *This hike is great for semi-beginners (hey, take into account my experience). It's also a rewarding end (best time is during the summer; it may be hot, but the beach will await you at the end). **Btw, don't believe in those horror murder stories. ONE (yes, only one) may have happened, but who's to say it happens everyday? ***Have fun! read more

Hiking to this beach is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Parking at Ke'e beach can be a hassle but totaly worth it! Follow the signs to get to the trail. Two mile's later we arrived at this river carving through a Valley that we had to cross with the aid of river stones. After that, the beach is accessible by hanging a sharp right. Hiking with photographic equipment can be a nightmare but in the end, it was a success! The beach is enchanting to anyone who has a living soul. The sharp angles of cliffs along with the punched out caves at low tide makes this the most unique beach I have ever seen. White sand is nice, except when huge gusts of wind picks them up and hurls them at you at warp speed (protect your lenses if you take an SLR). read more

Beautiful beach/Bay area that is accessible via 2 mile Kalalua trail hike (Ke'e beach is the trailhead). There are tall mountains surrounding the beach in a crescent shape, and a cavern off to the side that makes for a nice photo or two. Sit on the beach or on the rocks and have a picnic! You're probably a little hot and muddy from the trek to get here so this is a perfect place to find some shade and bask in the beauty of Kauai - you're here along the NaPali! There isn't too much to complain. Be careful in the water; current can get rough. There is plenty of sand and shade to share. read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - Little cavern in the edge of the mountain... - Beaches Near Me

Gorgeous, perfectly picturesque beach that is a handsome reward after making it through the first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail. The hike is very strenuous and should not be taken lightly, but the views along the way are unparalleled and the beach is a great stopping point. Bring a lunch and enjoy the gorgeous view. If you have it in you, I strongly suggest hiking another 2 miles to the Hanakapi'ai Falls-again, strenuous, but the falls are absolutely amazing! **One thing to note-no swimming at Hanakapi'ai Beach. We got our feet wet but you are well warned of the strong currents and nobody goes in any further. read more

My hubby and I decided to hike the first 2 miles of the Kalalau trail to get to this glorious beach. It is definitely worth the treacherous hike! Make sure you soak in the scenery because it's absolutely stunning! We didn't get in the water because the current is super strong. That being said we saw a whole bunch of people wild enough to jump in! Yikes! We stayed for 30 minutes before heading back. Make sure to brings lots of water and a lunch! read more

The beach itself is pretty spectacular and secluded. I suggest bringing towels and a picnic because you're pretty tired after the 2 mile hike to get there. I would suggest bringing water shoes to cross the river once you get to the beach. With scattered showers also prepare to get wet. I have a large chest so I wore by bikini top untied under my sports bra on the way there and after laying out and swimming I just wore the sports bra on the way back. Although the hike is just 2 miles it is treacherous! It can be very slippery and there is a lot of level changes. It took us about 3 hours and we only spent 20 minutes on the beach because we didn't pack a lunch. Overall breathtaking views but it kind of sucks that your not supposed to swim in the beach once you get there because of high tides. Overall there are great views and I'm glad we did it. read more

Took the hike to the beach....well worth it. Then continued on to the falls another 2 miles. Even better. Absolutely fabulous. I got to swim in the chilling water if the falls. Fantastic. 8 miles of hiking worth the trip. read more

Hanakapi'ai Beach - Beaches Near Me

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hanakapi`ai is the first two miles of the eleven mile kalalau trail. i'm not an avid hiker, so it's not exactly the easiest of trails for me to do. if you're in great physical condition and have great endurance, this trail will probably be easy for you to do. i'd rate it a 5 out of 10 on difficulty. (the sierra club rates the kalalau trail's difficulty 9 out of 10). the beginning of the trail is mostly up hill. you'll hit a spot that's called "windy point" (lots of people turn around here) where you'll get an excellent view of ke`e beach from above and a nice picturesque view of the na pali coast. continue, and you'll be greatly rewarded!! the rest of the trail down to the beach isn't too difficult. once you get to the stream crossing, you can head down to the beach and enjoy your day. however; if you take a left at the stream and head mauka (towards the mountains), there is a 350 foot tall waterfall waiting for you at the end of another two miles. round trip from ke`e beach to the water fall and back, 8 miles. i recommend starting early in the day, say... 7 or 8AM. that way, you have plenty of time to relax at the beach and at the falls if you choose to. also, bring lots of water. do not drink the water from the stream. hawaii is the number one place in america where leptospirosis is diagnosed. if you do plan to drink from the stream, make sure you bring your water filter with you. pack a light lunch, wear your swim suit and make sure you take your opala (rubbish) back out with you!! malama da `aina!! (take care of the land). parents: i wouldn't recommend taking small children on this hike, unless you plan to carry them the entire way! it's definitely very strenuous for children. read more

To reach this beach you drive past Hanalea along the shore as far as you can then park at Ke-e Beach. the trail heads south from that beach. Up and down, kids will love the hike and feel like a real adventure. The beach itself isn't that big, fun to explore and there is a lot of hiking south of here. Most families hike to this beach and turn around. read more

This could be one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet, with all due respect to Megan's Bay and Lindquist in St. Thomas. It requires a pretty tough hike to get there, and the trip back is even more difficult (the back end of the hike is pretty steep, so the uphill climb from the beach home is strenuous in the Kauai sun). We left our hotel in Princeville at 10 and got to end of road at 10:45. There's a beach right there complete with a lifeguard station if you're inclined to take a dip before the hike. Parking is a little tough, especially in the "lot," which is no more than a semi-flattened bed of rocks, tough on those non Jeep rental cars (I decided not to deduct a star for this, but the parking lot leaves a lot to be desired). After 90 minutes of hiking from the trailhead, we made it to the lagoon, where many people were hanging out watching the waves. A couple hundred feet of navigating the rocks will bring you to the beach and it's an amazing sight. I had packed my backpack with 4 bottles of water, some snacks, and a couple towels, which was perfect. You might want to pack a full lunch tho, as we will the next time. I did take a dip in the ocean, even though there were many hazard signs along the way to be extra cautious. Total hike time for us (without driving) was 2 1/2 hours round trip. read more

I wouldn't hike the 2 miles here to swim or even spend the day just laying on the beach because that would be crazy, I say, crazy! I would, however, hike here to have a picnic, relax, and if not going on towards the falls, turn right back around for that arduous hike up (seriously, that's the worst part of the hike, is coming back). Lots of shade, and even some cats! read more

Great ending to a 2 mile hike if you stop here but you're not supposed to swim in it... Great stop before we got to the falls but that's about it. The hike to this beach and back is amazing though. A must do. read more

beautiful hike , great views . way crowded, in the last few years the trail has become increasinlgy traveled so rocks are worn and slick, get to Ke'e EARLY so you get a spot to park do not park on the shoulder every car had a ticket on it as we were leaving , beach at end is very nice , Please carry a can of cat food to feed the locals (yes they are cats) if they havent all been escorted out and adopted by the time you read this. the trail is not as hard as people are making it out ot be. One mile up one mile down stream crossing can be very dangerous during rain so be smart if in doubt (well if anyone around you is in doubt dont try it) to cross stream take off shoes and socks and just cross rocks get muddy from hikers boots and get slick save yourself the headache and just go ...take your socks off to avoid blisters on your hike back. DO NOT SWIM AT THE BEACH ! DO NOT be THAT PERSON , no cell service means no Response to your drowning or being pulled down the coastline. PACK IT IN PACK IT OUT, IF YOU SEE TRASH PICK IT UP CARRY IT OUT , every piece you can bring back thats wasnt yours is a bonus. read more

Loved the beach here, not too crowed despite a decent number of people on the trail. It was a nice break during our Kalalau hike. I agree that water conditions are dangerous here. As someone who is comfortable with the ocean I was very slow swim out, and only did so after I spent time poking around the different currents. I can see how people get in trouble because the sandy bottom drops off quickly and there are some currents near the shore. I went body surfing and there definitely are numerous rips that are not discernible from the shore. Be careful and enjoy! read more

Hike was awesome. My wife and I did the 4 mile hike to falls, it was definitely with it even in the train. It's a must do

I'd recommend making this hike in the summer if you're thinking of swimming. In the winter it's rocky and treacherous. Best thing to do if you're there in winter is hike up to the Hanakapi'ai waterfall. Muddy, tricky trail, but there you can swim in the pool below falls. A real adventure, one that will use up most of your day but well worth it. Go to www.trailblazerhawaii.com for pictures of Kauai hikes. Hike directions in the Kauai Trailblazer guidebook. Not recommended for kids under 12. read more

Spectacular hike. The better the weather, the smoother the journey. I first did it on a drier day in October wearing sneakers and made it to the beach (2 miles) fairly easily, plus the 2 additional miles to the falls (then the full 4 miles back for a total of 8 miles), although I ran out of water toward the end. This next time was late November, and we had plenty of water in our backpacks, but the water on the ground kept us from going past the beach. After hiking 2 muddy miles, we easily crossed the stream, unlacing our trail runners and slipping on our Aleader water shoes to reach the beach, but then decided against hiking another 2 miles up to the falls. Maybe proper hiking boots and sticks would have helped us proceed, but the slipperiness of the trail, especially near the stream, just seemed too dangerous. Still, despite the rain and mud, the hike to the beach was fun, and the views are always extraordinary. Plus, rainbows!! read more

I attempted this hike at the end of July 2011. Was traveling with a friend who's in great shape. I truly wanted to make it, but just found it very rough going. Thankfully we hiked about 1.5 in so that I was able to make back OK. Definitely wear decent supportive shoes that you don't mind getting muddy. Yes, bring water, maybe a snack too. I enjoyed the hike, but if you're expecting smooth trails, this isn't the place to find it. Hiking through streams, and very rocky terrain. The treat though after your hike, hang out at Ke'e Beach. Paradise and don't forget your snorkeling equipment. read more