Secluded beach you turn off the road to find, it has a small parking area, you can't park along the main road. Locals posted signs saying locals only. They don't want tourists. Definitely unfriendly vibes. No facilities and no lifeguards. The river flowing into the ocean is colder compared to the ocean water. The river is nice and calm. The ocean is not, waves are large and strong. Do not turn your back to the ocean ever, especially here. Only okay for expert swimmers. read more

Lumahai Beach - River meets the ocean - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

We always come to this beach and eat our lunch and relax among the shade of the trees. read more

Lumahai Beach - Beautiful forest next to beach - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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There are some pros and cons with this beach. There is so much sand that there is room to spread out from other people. The way it is situated, there is a river on the left side where most people were hanging out, and the ocean is over a little crest so you don't really see the shoreline until you go over the crest. Then the actual space for you to set up on the ocean side is pretty narrow depending on the tide. The beach was very rough when we were there, and no one was swimming on that side of the beach. There were a few boogie boarders, but I would think some experience would be necessary as the current was strong. The river on the other hand is calm, albeit quite cold! There are some rocks where you can explore or a few people jumped from the rocks to the water. There is a pretty good amount of parking. Handmade signs indicate locals only, but I believe all beaches in Hawaii are public, so this is likely to cut down on tourist traffic. It seems like the day we were there it was primarily local people enjoying the beach. There are no facilities, so be aware of that. And as with any beach use caution when the surf is high. It may be best to stick to the frigid river at this beach. read more

My #1 beach possibly anywhere. This is off a turn-off on the road. Lots of cars parked- little bit of a trek down to the beach. No heeled flip flops- wear tennis shoes or something with a grip. Juice is worth the squeeze. The water is clear, no real waves-it gets deep fast but it is like being in a private cove. No food or drinks around- bring your stuff. Perfect white sand- perfect water- our favorite. read more

Perfect place for relaxation on the sand, in the water, snorkeling, swimming, hanging out, reading, sunbathing, you name it! Parked above, you'll be required to walk down a slight slope. We had brought chairs, towels, snorkel gear, etc. The walk was not bad at all. Lots of open space once you get on the sand. There were some shady areas (we were under some trees). There were a lot of waves that came through and got to see some schools of fish hanging out in some of the shallower areas where they all just hung out and moved with the motion of the ocean. I'd see more unique looking fish when I'd snorkel around the rocks. The beach was pretty secluded when I was there which was nice. A couple other parties of people were there and one solo with a dog. We actually had ran into a family friend that we knew while we there - small world... smaller island, actually! We were there for a wedding, but it was on a different island. We all just so happened to run into each other at the same beach days after into the trip- they were there with their friend who had two small children. The kids looked like they had a fun time in the water. My favorite time was spent snorkeling and trying to find cool looking fish and other things under the water. read more

A bit off the beaten path, and a bit annoying to park, but it's worth it. Kauai has a ton of beaches and this is one of the mort interesting ones. It even has a lagoon. Not too many people come here, so you'll have a decent chunk of the beach to yourself. Again, the process of getting here can be a bit of a pain, but overall in the end it's mostly worth it. read more

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Very strong currents! BUUUUT such beautiful views. We had been to about 6-7 beaches and they were all beginning to look the same. So this beach was pleasantly different as the spot we ended up at is where the lamaha'i River meets the North Pacific Ocean. The way the River and the ocean crash together and waves hit the rocks... it made for a change of scenery. You can climb the rocks for an even better view and even jump from the rocks like my husband did BUT DO AT YOUR OWN RISK because there is no life guard. We loved this beach and would return! read more

Lumahai Beach - Rocks at the Lumahai Beach - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

It is an amazing beach with a river flowing into it. Ideal for calm water swimming in the river and for those that are brave (and skilled) there are good waves. It is posted that it is a danger beach and people have been swept out to see. So be careful. read more

Super rustic vibe, great lava out-cropping and way more locals than tourists. River is fun to swim and play in. read more

Gorgeous beach that allows for a beautiful drive on the Northern side of the island. We were able to take in amazing views along the way, stop in cute towns, and ultimately end at a beach that offers a rope swing, a calm swimming area, and waves. There is a decent amount of parking, which is shaded under the trees. I have heard that it gets very busy, but we came on a rainy day and had the beach mostly to ourselves. read more

This is an incredible beach that's easily accessible on the eastern side from a parking lot along side highway 560 near the 180 degree switchback approximately 2 miles north of Hanalei. The parking lot along side the road only holds about 10 cars so this limits the number of people having access to the beach. I found the parking is at full capacity by 10:30-11:00AM. Just about a 50 yard walk down to the eastern side of the beach which has a small sheltered area where there's plenty of shade along the cliff and tree line. On the eastern side it's relatively safe to wade into the water for adults. As you walk toward the west the beach becomes larger, but the waves are bigger and it appears more treacherous to get into the water although I've seen locals jump in and swim to the small island and dive off without issues. This is a great beach to lounge the day away sunbathing and relaxing. The water is so clear you can see your feet. This beach defines "paradise". read more

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We love this area. Unfortunately like so many things on this trip... it's closed off. This has been a strange trip... The road to Gillin's Beach is closed until end of February 2019... Tunnels (Ha'ena) Beach and Ke'e inaccessible due to flooding in early 2018 (the road is blocked near the end of Hanalei Bay)... sinkhole in the road, so a blockade on the road to Hanalei Pier... Kīlauea Lighthouse not operating normal hours (still haven't figured out why on that one... UPDATE! because of low government funding, this is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday... we figured that out because we kept going by there, and some of the people doing maintenance told us. We never found anything online.)... We became vaguely aware of the situation right before our trip but there is so little information available online so travelers know what to expect. I actually had to buy the online app version of Kauai Revealed to discover that Gillin's is closed until end of February. However, the app says nothing about Tunnels and Ke'e being closed off, so even it's not that updated. I'm posting this information in a few places so others will know. This is an area you definitely can't get to right now... not sure when that will change. read more

This beach was definitely one of the best experiences I've had here. Very little people come here since not many people know about it, or at least that's what I've been told. The water is absolutely perfect!! Deep but clear. There is also a spot to jump which my brothers enjoyed doing. The sand is like fire, the one warning I have is to keep your sandals on when walking on the sand. Of course it depends on how hot the day is but never have I experienced sand this insanely hot. There is also lots of shade from the trees which is always nice. I would definitely recommend this beach to everyone! read more

Lumahai Beach - Brother jumping from the rock! - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Beautiful beach just off the highway. See Gary's review for more detail on finding it. Great place to go if you want some peace. We went on a Tuesday, and unlike the other beaches we visited on our trip, this one was mostly empty, since it's a huge beach, and you're not supposed to swim (unsafe). Makes for a very relaxing time! read more

Our favorite beach! The waves were a bit strong the day we were there. It knocked me over! I was just standing there not that deep in. There is a shallow pool which was very fun to play around in. We also climbed up the lava rocks on an adventure and found ourselves a sun-bathing seal. What a great find. This beach as something for everyone! We like being active so it was difficult for us to just sit on the beach sunbathing. It is a quiet beach and since we got there before noon we pretty much had the beach to ourselves. It was really nice! Love it! read more

I would have to say that while this is still a beautiful beach I did not find it as picturesque or as good for snorkeling as some of the others we visited on the island - at least not in July. The combination of lava rock and sand beach is what made this beach special in my opinion. While others have said that parking is easy, we experienced finding a parking spot to be difficult and the police were ticketing all the cars that parked on the far side of the road. This and the lack of any facilities here made it lose a star from my perspective. But Kauai beaches are all pretty much awesome, so it is all relative and it depends on what YOU are looking for. read more

Lumahai Beach - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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I came here 2011 and have the feeling that it was a kind of secret spot by then. Nowadays there are some people but not too much. Swimming seems to be possible between a few rocks but I wouldn't recommend it. Plenty of shade available but no facilities at all. No lifeguard. read more

Lumahai Beach - Shade under the trees. - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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The most beautiful beach I've ever been to!!! I went to the east side. You have to park in spots off to the side of the road. This beach is well worth the brief 5 minute hike down - part of the way are steps. We went on a morning that rained on and off so the trail was a little muddy and slippery. The water was great (clear and a comfortable temperature) but I can see what people meant by being careful. It feels very secluded with just a few other couples/families there. Even though we were there on a day that we were able to enjoy the water, the rip currents were definitely strong. You can get knocked around a little bit. I'm not a strong swimmer but on this particular day, I was fine being in the water. There were a few toddlers in the water and they seemed okay. Bring your bathing suit to this spot. You have to experience it, if you can. If the forecast calls for some rain, bring an umbrella or cover for your things. The rain is brief but can be heavy. read more

Lumahai Beach - A relatively calm day at Lumahai. - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

I have been to this beach twice: first, around 6 years ago, and second, this week. It is a truly wonderful beach with big crashing waves, a gorgeous view, and a lovely forested area between the parking lot and beach. I have heard people often mistakenly go in the water here and are swept out by the very rough surf. So I would not consider this a swimming beach. No bathrooms either, but 5 stars nonetheless. Great place to look at shells and driftwood too. read more

So good, we came back twice. Sought out this sunny spot on the island after 3 days of continuous rain everywhere else. Actually, I was sitting on the terrace at the St Regis, and pointed out at the horizon saying, "I want to go there." This beach is great. Beautiful sand and a long strip of beach, which makes it good for walking as well as avoiding over populated spots of sunbathers. The surf is pretty rough, so I would avoid swimming unless you are a strong swimmer (I am not). What makes this beach 5-star is that there are good spots for the keiki on both ends of Lumahai. Toward the west, there are great tide pools, just deep enough to submerge your head, but blocked off from the crashing waves by the large barrier of lava-rock. On the east side, right off of the parking lot, a river lets out into the ocean. The water is chilly, but still and very shallow along the bank. Great place for paddle boarding or letting the little ones float around on their boogie boards. read more

Choosing a beach to lounge on in Kauai is like being asked to choose between a Van Gogh, a Monet or a Davinci. There are not enough days for me to sit on them all on each visit, so I take my choices very seriously. On my latest trip, I decided to check out Lumahai Beach for an afternoon lounging session. Parking is on the street and is definitely a bit tight if you arrive too late. If you're facing the water, the trail down is on the left...it's just a short walk down to the sand. Despite the fact that there were a lot of cars, the beach didn't feel crowded...I had no problem finding my own quiet spot. Two perks of this beach - the massive rocks jutting out into the ocean that are perfect for jumping off and shade under the trees. Being solo, I'm not a big swimmer so I'm not certain about swim conditions. read more

The first couple days of our trip to Kauai was overcast and a little rainy, so the day we came here, we couldn't stay long. Nicely tucked away from the crowds, Hard to sunbath too close to the water has there is a large mound blocking the view...but you don't dare go on the downward side of the mound or you'll get washed away - ha! We could have gone more to the left near the cove, but it was full of little kids and we didn't want to deal with that :-) read more

Wow this is a great place to photograph the waves crashing on the rocks on the East end of this beautiful beach but in winter it is a death wish to even consider swimming here. read more

Tip - Don't believe Waze on how to get here. Google maps was more accurate. This one is a little bit off the beaten path I think since there was no one there when we went. I loved that this is at the point where the river joins the ocean and you get to enjoy both. read more

11/11/11 What an amazing beach! I wish we had more time on the island...this place was awesome! Just off the highway...very empty...and nice and secluded too...no one to really bother you for days! We saw a cute wedding there...and it was sooo sweet...one of the guests were even kind enough to take a photo of us as they saw us struggling to with our tripod... Super big waves....but there was a side stream/area that was more shallow...it was slightly overcast when we went but we still had a great time! read more

This is a beautiful beach with golden sand that is soft and somewhat hard to walk on, but the softness is perfect for laying down and just enjoy the fantastic scenery. The rocks on the left and the rough seas in the winter time creates a beautiful big splash. The river that flows in contrasts in its calmness against the high waves of the sea. This is just the perfect, idyllic spot to hang out, enjoy the sunshine and if things get too hot, retreat back to the canopy of the trees by the parking lot. Swimming may be a problem due to the very rough seas and strong current. read more

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Huge waves! Big empty beach with a small fresh water stream. The waves were kinda violent, probably not good for kids. But I will be back for sure! read more

Lumahai Beach - Beaches Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

The best beach we went to in Kauai! The waves are powerful which makes it super fun to swim in! There is a channel connected to the beach and a river you can also swim in with a rope swing! Water has cold spots and warm spots but you get used to it. read more

Incredible beach. We went in September - The water was warm and beautiful. The ocean was calm enough to swim in. Not always the case.The ocean floor drops fast and is very steep. Sand is very hot - bring shoes. Trees provide plenty of shade so no need to bring an umbrella. Parking isn't bad - especially midweek. You will have to hike down to the beach. It's about a ten minute walk and can be slippery if it has been raining. Definitely worth it! If you only have one day on Kauai I would recommend this beach! read more

One of the most beautiful beaches in the world! This is where there filmed South Pacific. You should go spend the day laying in the sun and enjoying the view! There are some pictures of the beach on my blog. read more

To begin, there is no one beach that fits all needs. That being said, this is our current favorite beach in Kauai for many reasons / off the beaten path, secluded, great waves, the almost treacherous climb down! To me, this beach represents the tucked away beauty of Kauai. We have three boys who love this place and play endlessly in the waves and jump off of the rocks. I don't think this would be a great beach for really little ones because of the climb down mentioned before (hard to climb w little ones and w all of the stuff the comes w little ones). There are no facilities which may also turn some off. I would consider this a snorkeling beach either. read more

Pull off the side of the road and head down this trail to a nice beach spot. Some rocks on the side for you to jump (If you like getting smashed on rocks) and a cool little shorebreak. Lots of sand to spread out and not too crowded. Fun for the whole family. read more

one of the most incredible beaches on this island! I have been to kauai 100's of times and this beach still blows my mind!

Probably my favorite beach on the island. It is beautiful, secluded and parking is so easy!