Located on the north shore of Kauai, Hanalei Bay Beach consistently appears on top 10 beaches lists, with a pinnacle of #1 beach in U.S. in 2009's list from Dr. Beach, and #4 in the U.S. by Trip Advisor. After my first visit, I understand why. It is an awesome beach. The entire bay is about 2 miles long, and consists of many smaller named parks, each with its own parking, green space, and facilities. To the far east is Black Pot Beach Park where the pier is located. Going west, there is Hanalei Pavilion Beach Park, centrally located with a large grassy area with a pavilion. Next is Wai'oli Beach Park, the largest of the parks with a big parking lot, sand volleyball courts, and ironwood trees. This beach will take you to the mouth of the Waioli Stream. There are more sandy areas beyond (Ines's secret beach and Waikoko) which are still on the bay, but would require walking on roads to get to. There is so much space that finding a spot to yourself is extremely easy, even on a busier day. The bay itself is protected and shallow, and has a very gently sloping ocean bottom. Depending on the tide, one can see people just hanging out far into the ocean, but still being able to stand up. And the frequent sand bars allow one to stand up as well. When we visited on a Saturday morning, the local surfing school was having a competition, using the large parking lot at Wai'oli Beach Park for gathering, and the nearby surf for the competition. One thing to note is that the main road to get to this area from the east is the Kuhio Hwy. On it, the Hanalei bridge crosses the Hanalei river and is only one lane with no traffic light. It wasn't so bad when when we came earlier in the morning, but it was pretty backed up trying to get to Hanalei Beach when we crossed back later that morning. I read later that the proper etiquette is to cross in a convoy of 5 - 7 cars at a time, giving a friendly wave to acknowledge that the other side is patiently waiting their turn. read more

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Easy access beach. Not a whole lot of parking but there is also street parking. There is a pier you can jump off and lots of beautiful views. The bathrooms are clean. read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - very beautiful beach - Beaches Near Me

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Amazingly beautiful beach. Came here several times, water was very calm. Several parking lots, three to be exact. Seemed like we always found a spot and didn't have to fight for parking. read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me

Excellent beach! Tons of parking available and it's free. They have food trucks close by as well. The bathrooms are clean, but the stalls are pretty small lol! It was pretty busy while we were here, but there's shade and plenty of places to find a spot to relax. People mostly come here to jump off the pier, which is what we did! The water is crystal clear, and against the greenery of the mountains--it's truly a sight to behold! read more

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August 2025 visit: Probably my favorite place on planet earth. Big flat beach with fine grain golden sand. Gentle waves. Warm water for swimming. Never crowded. Close to Hanalei town to grab a meal and do the tourist tour looking in all the shops. Bambie and me visit at least once a year, sometimes twice. We stay in our time share condo for two weeks down the road in Princeville, an 8 minute drive away. Every day we just pitch our big sun shade, plop down in our chairs and stay for 10 hours. Peaceful. After I die let's spread my cremated ashes here. read more

A great family beach to visit with the kids. Loved the pier especially as the water was clear and blue. The waters weren't shallow is shallow enough for the kids to swim in, and the waves were low on this day. Parking is limited so be prepared to walk a mile or wait in the lot. Bathrooms are available but are very tiny. Like the door is literally up to your face. Showers are also on site. Definitely looking forward to the next visit. read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me

We visited two beaches on our recent trip to Kauai. Yes there are many but we visited two. One north where we stayed. And one south. Hanalei Bay Beach is located north near Princeville. We were impressed with the parking lot and the easy access to the beach. There's plenty of beach where you can stake claim. And a pier that you can walk out to. We saw paddle boarding and kayaking. During low tide you can walk out on the sand bar for about 1/4 mile. The Hanalei Bay Beach is actually one of three at Hanalei Bay. You can see Bali Hai in the distance. The entire area is very scenic. A must visit. read more

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My fav forever and ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me

Very nice beach to come to! The water was calm and clear and I saw people kayaking. The beach itself was clean and there was plenty of room to spread out. I was pretty surprised since I came on a Friday afternoon. I saw a few people jumping off the pier and I was sad I didn't have my bathing suit because it looked like a lot of fun! Something to look forward to when I come back for sure. This was actually my guy's favorite beach of the entire trip! read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Whenever people say to "think of my happy place", I think of hanalei. Hanalei honestly deserves more than 5 stars. This town is charming with a majestic view of the green mountains and everchanging waterfalls. There's a 50/50 chance you'll get rain coming in from the mountains but that also means there's a chance of rainbows! We got lucky with no rain for a week so we enjoyed seeing the mountains in the sun and it's shadows. Swimming here is unmatched for its beauty and perfect Hawaiian backdrop. The sunsets at the pier are excellent as well as longboard surfing. There's showers with good water pressure and bathrooms. Come here and feel the beauty of this beach. I love it here so much. read more

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I was raised a few blocks from a sunny So. Calif beach. I have visited many highly rated beaches all over the US and Europe. Hanalei Bay is my absolute favorite . The area itself is like paradise , just picture in your mind what paradise would be like as to nature and natural beauty. That is Hanalei. Then you add the white sand beach, aqua blue warm waters of a gorgeous bay . RELAXATION and BEAUTIFUL scenery at a heavenly beach... what more do you need ? For me....it''s My wife our children, grandchildren and friends to enjoy it with....heaven !! read more

Hanalei Bay Beach was the first stop into the north shore for us. We were staying on the south side of the island and were highly recommended to check out this side. This beach has enough room to easily spread out families far enough apart on the sand but if you go onto the waterline you will get the mini crowd of families and children dipping in and playing allowing the waters. We got to touch the water and it is so cool compared to the chilly waters in California. We also walked the mini pier to the end where we could see a lot of people swimming alongside it where we could hear their laughter as they leisurely played in the waters. This place was a good stopping point for us. read more

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If you are on the north side of Kauai, stop by Hanalei! The pier is awesome to jump from, the water is very shallow, and the crowds are not too bad. Parking was easy, and this was a great place to pull up and get some beach, sand, sun, and fun! Kids loved it, and was just a super cool place to hang for a bit. You can bring some beach chairs and an umbrella, and you are set. Next time in Kauai, this is definitely a beach stop for a few hours. I liked how the water was so shallow that you could really go out pretty far. Safe area, nice people, great location, cool name, and lots of fun. I'll be back! read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Great scenery nice to walk out to the pier and look at the mountains. There's a water runoff to the right makes the water dirty I wanted to the left nice and blue. On this trip this is kind of a rainy day especially for being up north so the water was all brown all around. Zuckerberg doesn't live too far from here, on your way back down south. read more

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Nice calm water with a soft sandy bottom, perfect for swimming -- especially for kids and novice swimmers. The water is pretty shallow (4 1/2 ft. may be deepest it gets until you hit the reef break -- far off shore where the more substantial waves break). The pier makes for a nice stroll. Those with a daredevil streak may want to brave jumping off the side of the pier (near the ladder) into the bay below -- keep in mind, the water near the pier is still fairly shallow, maybe 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 ft. max, so do NOT dive head first! Restrooms, showers, grassy area and ample parking make Hanalei Bay a great family destination while spending time on the island. Minus 1 star because the water color isn't the prettiest, although it's clean and clear, which is what is most important...the dark sand just makes for dark looking water, which isn't as aesthetically pleasing. read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Hanalei Bay & pier - Beaches Near Me

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Absolutely stunning! Close to shops and has a restroom. This is a perfect place to watch the sunset. At night a lot of local teenagers come out to fish on the long dock. I saw some others having a fire on the beach. Super cool place to relax. read more

Great time. Beach is free. Parking is free. People taking surfing lessons. Restrooms and outside showers. Works for me!

Even on a rainy overcast day this beach is stunning The low tide surf is perfect for families And tons of fish, crabs and even baby hammerheads in the water read more

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This beach and Bay Area are minutes from the downtown Hanalei shopping area. Parking is free in the gravel lot and can be a challenge to find during peak hours. It's important to rent or bring an umbrella or shade shelter since the beach is in full sun and it's intense. The sand is soft and clean and in general the complete area was free of litter. Everyone appeared to be responsible for removing litter and recycling. The water temperature is perfect and refreshing. No seaweed or debris. The waves are rough so be sure to bring floats or a boogie board. There was a lifeguard on duty during my visit but no other security or employees. I'm giving this place 4 stars because some people had the misfortune of smashed car windows . I caught a man looking in the window of my rental car and pulling on the door handle as I approached my car for a change of clothes. In addition, the public restrooms were in rough shape and filthy. The men's room had one urinal and one stall with a broken toilet. One small sink and the bathroom lacked any paper products, no toilet tissue and no paper towels for hand washing. If I was a female I'd recommend finding somewhere else to use the bathroom. A shame considering all the other great things about this magical place. IMO the local government should charge for the parking and apply the revenue towards clean and accessible bathrooms for ALL guests and especially those people with mobility problems. They should also use the money for guards in the parking lot. This is a "must visit" place!! Amazingly beautiful!! read more

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This beach is basically the same as Black Pot Beach. Hanalei Bay Beach is more on the left side of the pier as where the right side of the pier is known as Black Pot Beach. This beach is pretty nice but does get busy. 1 shower, but nasty restrooms. There's a decent parking lot and you can rent kayaks here as well. read more

I mean, beaches in general are 5 stars, but this beach (and entire bay) took my breath away. I walked out onto the pier and just stared out into the vast ocean, up at the mountains, and around at all the people just enjoying themselves! Definitely get there earlier to secure a parking spot and place on the sand! Some people definitely were set up for the whole day... I only swung by to check it out and not have a beach day, but even the 30 minutes of sight seeing is worth it! UPDATE: actually came here as a beach day... the water was super refreshing and knee-to-waist deep for about 20 meters! I am 6' tall and was touching with the water at my shoulders as far out as the end of the pier.. but it does get deeper right below the pier... perfect for jumping off! read more

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The family enjoyed it very much. When we went it was shallow enough for the kids (ages 2-5) to go out and play in the waves. Only thing was the left over charred wood from bon fires everywhere. Other than that it was nice. Definitely a tourist spot. read more

Beautiful beach with not too many people when I visited. One of my favorite places on Kauai. Parking can be tight but there is a lot of you can find a spot. If the weather is right you can see waterfalls in the background with a touch of rainbow read more

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Brah Captain 619 here, Arrr, 'tis a mighty fine spot to spy on the settin' sun in Kauai or to plunder the day away with the little scallywags. A tranquil cove with the towering mountains, embraced by swaying palm trees, arrr! read more

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Such a beautiful beach! One of my favorites throughout the whole island! It's beautiful to walk around and also jump off the pier into the ocean! Sometimes you can see sea turtles! read more

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10/22/22 Beautiful, gorgeous beach, also ideal for families. Waters are fairly calm, I've seen many do Stand Up Paddle at this bay. I've seen kids as young as 5-7 yrs old surf here. The pier is a diving spot & on a clear sunny day you can see the bottom. The restrooms are newer, newly renovated/built because it was wiped out of place a few years back by the storm. By the way, no lifeguard on duty here. It gets packed here & parking can get pretty hairy. It's near the town of Hanalei, very touristy, lots of places to eat & shop. On my next check in, will post more day time photos. read more

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A great place to swim and layout on the beach. The water is relatively shallow (though a little salty) and not bad for swimming while the beach itself wasn't too crowded. Went in the evening and the sunset was spectacular. I would highly recommend this beach for the evening. read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Hanalei Bay Beach and pier during sunset. - Beaches Near Me

For a bay with a pier and boats, the water is incredibly clear and blue. Absolutely beautiful. The waves are calmer here too. read more

Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea in a land called Hanalei....very nice bay and depending on the time of year ....like summer will offer great sunsets. We're here in the middle of February and just got a fleeting glance of the sunset. Nice beach, great sand. You can build bonfires here. Nice old cement pier. When you're at the end of it the water is only about 3 or 4 feet deep...so don't dive off! Very nice place for a picnic towards the napali side. Grass and lots of shade trees. Does have a lifeguard, and he will advise of the undertow if you get too far out. Enjoy! read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Beaches Near Me

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It's very beautiful here! Plan to come early to find a front parking spot. It can get very packed here. Although the beach is very spacious and it is so pretty! Such clear water! There's also bathrooms here which is a plus. The pier you can walk on is Amazinggg too! I saw some people jump off it at the end but I honestly don't know how deep it is so I'd be careful before doing so. This beach is a great place to take the family, tan, swim, or have lunch. Be respectful and pick up your trash. Let's keep this island beautiful. read more

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We've been twice and the location is hard to beat. A reef keeps the big waives back and the water was crystal clear. The beach itself was clean, restrooms were as clean as a beach restroom is expected to be. I'm certain we will go again in the two weeks we are here, read more

One of the best beaches in Kauai. Water is warm, and there aren't too many rocks and things that could hurt you. Bear in mind it gets a little too backed. Kauai is usually pretty spacious, but not here! Expect a ton of tourists. Overall, a nice little spot for a beach on the island. read more

Loved this beach......clean bathrooms. It would be nice if there were more food trucks! Water is swimmable and non motorized rentals available. read more

Beautiful clean and kid friendly beach. Water is very calm here some waves but not big at all. Lots of parking in a lot that is not too far from the beach. The beach is very wide so there's plenty of room to bring your chairs umbrellas and whatever else. I had read that this was a good place to go for snorkeling. Swam out several yards and saw maybe four small fish near the pier. Not sure why there wasn't very many fish so, slight disappointment there. But the beach overall is Is very nice but if you're looking for someplace to Snorkels in this might not be it. If you're looking for a place where the family can swim and feel safe than five stars for that. read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Hanalei Bay Pier - Beaches Near Me

Normally I would give this beach a solid five stars. We did in 2019 when we first discovered this beach. We loved it enough that we spent five years planning and saving for a trip to Hawaii with the specific intent to renew our vows on Hanalei Beach. We set up a flower ring, had the music for our ceremony and were almost finished when two landscapers started cutting bushes at the edge of the beach right by where we were standing. They used electric saws and it was so loud and disturbing. We didn't know what to do we were so shocked by their behavior. One of them standing about 30 feet from us quit cutting, gave us eye contact and started up again. Our vow officiator was shocked, He stated in 40 years of doing these services never had he had anyone interrupt a wedding or a vow renewal. This was not the Aloha Spirit you expect from people in a place like this. A lot of money spent for that day and event. It would have taken us 7 more minutes to finish and they could have waited. It was a ruined and expensive moment. Hanalei Beach no longer holds a place in our hearts as a beautiful place to be. I only wish I knew who they worked for to address this to their business. read more

Warm water, perfect waves! Good for kids as you can walk out far and still be up to your knees!

Great beach park with ample parking, bathrooms and a great place to swim and watch the surfers. There is handicap parking and a loading area that is an easy in and out. Super close to Hanalei town. read more

Perfect place to hang with family, great public beach. Nice parking access, that's not too far away. Has public bathrooms and foot shower, nice pier as well. Was able to capture beautiful sunset pics on this beach. Great moments for family photos or a selfie read more

Hanalei Bay Beach - Sunset - Beaches Near Me

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I LITERALLY LOVE THIS PLACE. Literally the water was so warm and the pier was literally so fun to jump off. Me and my friend literally boogie boarded for a super long time and it was literally awesome. Then we literally surfed for a really long time and the waves were literally great. Overall this place is literally splendiforous. read more

Good beach. Will get crowded and will be tough to find parking as the day goes on. Plenty of room for everyone on the sand and in the water. Restrooms are not well maintained. If you love to be around lots and lots of people, this is the beach for it. read more