(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.