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.

The Shipwreck Beach is known for its dramatic cliff jump and advanced surfing here. I'm thrilled to…read morewatch surfers handle the big waves here, and enjoy watching people jumping off the cliff, some jumped without hesitation and some backed off after a while.

A beach with an interesting name, Shipwreck Beach is located on the south shore of Kauai, close to…read morethe more popular Poipu Beach. It is easily accessible by car via a paved road (Ainako Street) betwen the Grand Hyatt and the golf course. My wife and I spent a couple of hours here, mainly because ironwood trees grow in the sand towards the back of the beach, and provided shade for where we sat down (it wasn't too crowded even in the early afternoon, and found parking in the small dirt parking lot adjoining). This is the beach that the folks staying at the Grand Hyatt would use, so saw loungers and umbrellas setup specifically for them. There was also good 5g reception so was able to surf the web while watching people surf the waves. The surf here is strong, and the shore break is very close to shore. This meant that folks were surfing and body boarding very close to shore, and I was amazed how they were able to avoid each other (and swimmers)...it definitely takes skills to do that...this is not a surf learning beach. Even saw one guy enter a barrel, being engulfed...have not seen one so close to shore before. I did enter the water and enjoyed it until a big wave caught me good and threw me ashore like a rag doll. Luckily I didn't pull anything, so decided not to push my luck anymore for the rest of the trip.

This is perhaps one of the biggest bang-for-buck trails I have ever done!…read more There are non-stop views, of rainbows, big green furry gorges, and pristine blue waters with bright white breakers... But, sadly, as of November 2025 the trail is pretty much blocked from all access. Access here was always dodgy but now there are pig fences and a padlocked door. You could probably still go around it near a cliff area but...one slip would probably mean death, so it's probably not worth hit. Such a shame to lose a gem like this. The signage says it is blocked for pig control

Trail got me winded but so worth it. Beautiful views and lots of green. Will do it againread more

Very beautiful views and a classic look! I had so much fun with this place! It was too coolread more

Quick stop along the road to view the valley. No amenities, just a place to pull over and take on…read morethe views.

There are still some small pieces of glass left on the beach & if you dig down you can find more …read more I was in fear for my life so I didn't stay long . Homeless people have taken over this beach . They have things in the trees & old cars parked on the beach they are living out of . The sand is black which is really cool. If you are feeling brave check it out . I couldn't get out of there fast enough sadly.

Not really worth the stop , when we arrived we noticed several trucks and vans with people living…read moreout of their cars. The sea glass was very small and the bigger pieces were on display with a sign. The views of the water crashing and the colors of the sand were beautiful but the area it self was not great. You will head thru an industrial area and where it turns to dirt you can walk (not far) or drive.

We have multiple larger versions along the Oregon Coast, but always cool to see any in person…read more Nice overview, plenty of parking, tables, chickens, and restrooms. We even spotted a couple turtles below.

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.

one of our favorite hikes in Kauai and such a beautiful beach at the start perfect for a post hike…read moredip! Make sure to get a coconut right up the road after!

The views are lovely. You'll spend most of this hike looking at your feet. The terrain is very…read moreuneven. Rocks, roots. The views are stunning, when you pause to stop checking your steps.

My wife loves turtles so this was a must go to place for us. We went in the evening and there were…read morea lot of people and the lot was pretty full. The beach was pretty nice and looked clean and well kept. The turtles were off to the left of the entrance. Easy to spot since there were so many people around. The turtles were just lounging around. So nice. I think there were six of more hanging out. Signs up to stop people touching the turtles. It was a nice place and highly recommend this place for turtle watching.

Now I know why this was on the list of the best beaches in the US in 2026! This is clearly one of…read moremy favorite beaches in Hawaii and maybe the US. Plenty of parking (gets busy during sunset so come a bit early). There are clean restrooms and lifeguards on both ends of the beach. Monk seals and turtles come very morning to sunbathe and you can see tons of turtles in the evening as well. It's got shaded picnic tables and grassy areas as well. Also has a nice protected area if you have little kids. Be mindful that the waves can be crazy during the afternoon but that made for a fantastic day at the beach for me. I came here 5-6 times, some times alone in the morning when my family was still sleeping and sometimes with everyone for a beach day. Be prepared to wait for a long time if you plan to get puka dog for lunch which is across from the beach. There are also lunch options in the shopping area 5 min drive (or 15 min walk) near by. Overall, I love love this beach! I will be back in Kauai again next year just to come here.

If you already have some snorkeling experience and weren't satisfied with the crowds at Poipu, this…read moreis the place to go! There are no lifeguards, so please use a life vest and bring a full set of snorkeling equipment. You won't be disappointed! Based on our experience this summer (2026), the best entry point is actually somewhere between the tiny beach areas where it looks like there's an easy entry. However, the water is very shallow for quite a while and there are lots of rocks, so I recommend going at least toward the middle, where there's a little more sand mixed with the big black rocks. Once you get into the water, you can bypass the rocks pretty quickly, and the water gets deep surprisingly fast. Underwater, you'll see some huge rocks covered with yellow coral/sponges, which seem to be a favorite hangout for sea turtles. I swam with three sea turtles within just one hour this morning! Definitely one of my favorite snorkeling spots on Kauai!

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!

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...