Poipu Area Beaches

Kauai's southern coastline is dominated by a perfect string of crescent shaped beaches, each having its own particular shoreline environment.

Poipu Beach, recently rated America’s Best Beach by the Travel Channel, ranking top among 10 "best" beaches selected nationwide, is on the sunny south shore. Poipu Beach is popular due to its exceptional climate, its wonderful beaches, and its extraordinary range of vacation choices. Poipu Beach is fronted by Poipu Beach Park. This beach is a series of golden sand crescents, strung together where beach-goers will find snorkeling, swimming, wading boogie-boarding and surfing.

Brennecke's Beach is at the eastern end of Poipu Beach Park. Brennecke's Beach is better known for body boarding and bodysurfing.

Waiohai Bay is just past and adjacent to Poipu Beach. It is broad and deeper and usually the best place for swimming and snorkeling on Kauai. There are also three surfing breaks on the outer reefs that are best on south swells.

Another lovely beach is Shipwreck's Beach, a long stretch of golden sand on the eastern end of Poipu Shipwreck's Beach is fronted by some resorts and a county park facility. During most of the year, the waters here are best for advanced surfers due to a short shore-break. This is a great beach however, to walk along, wade a little, sunbathe or hook up with a spectacular shoreline trail that goes east for a couple miles.

Further to the east is Mahaulepu Beach, a gorgeous and idyllic stretch of golden sand that feels truly remote. Mahaulepu is a two mile car trip from the end of Poipu Road. Travel east on the dirt cane field road to the main cane haul road intersection and turn right. There will be a security shack posting beach opening and closing hours. The beach usually closes by 6 p.m. in the winter and 7 p.m. in the summer. These are strictly enforced by the landowner that allows public access at their own risk. Mahaulepu is popular with locals and visitors, including wind surfers, swimmers, snorkelers, fishermen (or women) and sunbathers.

To the west of Poipu Beach is Koloa Landing. Koloa Landing is also known as Whalers Cove. This site was voted as one of the Best Shore Dives in the Pacific by Scuba Diving Magazine.

Further west then Koloa Landing you will find Baby Beach, a sweet little protected cove perfect for very young children. This is accessed from Spouting Horn Road to Hoone Road.

Further to the west on Spouting Horn Road is Lawai Beach, a delightful snorkeling spot fronted by a resort of the same name. Although the strip of sand is narrow, the snorkeling is good and in calm waters. Lawai Beach offers the best snorkeling in the area.