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Although it's a bit of a drive on dirt, gravel, uneven roads to get to this beach, it is very worth it! It took us about 15 minutes of driving on the dirt road, and then parked at a clearing, and from there a little bit of a walk between some trees, and voila, you are treated with a beautiful stretch of beach! We took a normal sedan car, but very mindful of the drive as there are lots of pot holes and just go like 10 mph. There was hardly any people here when we arrived. We had our own private beach for a couple hours until a few more people came. Even then, it was still soo quiet. If you are looking for a quiet beach, with lots of privacy, this is the one to go to. You got beautiful views on both sides, and the waters were so calm, and you'll avoid all the crowds unlike all the other popular beaches. It was a nice spot to setup a picnic, eat poke, read a book, have a beer, and even take a nap. There were plenty of spaces to setup, so that wasn't a big deal. Even then you are still far enough from the next person. There is plenty of beach to go around on this stretch of sand. Unfortunately, this beach was not good for swimming as there were lots of rocks, although you can find some areas of clearing to take a little dip in. I even saw some kiddos with floaties enjoying the water. This was one of my favorite beaches during our vacation in Kauai and would definitely come again for some privacy and to avoid all the touristy crowds.
Is Poipu Beach too tourist-y for you? Are you looking for that secluded beach in a tropical paradise? Then the Maha'ulepu Beach is for you! This beach was beautiful - from the sand, water, and sea cliffs in the distance. It was also very quiet... not a lot of people, mainly locals, so you felt like you had the beach to yourself in some spots. The sand is whiter here than Kalapaki Beach and feels great to walk on. We set up camp further down the beach from the parking lot and soaked up some sun. I jumped into the water to cool off and finally get a swim in the ocean - between NorCal and Seattle, there aren't a lot of places where I get to do this! There are a few snorkel spots on the water, mainly along the cliff side that's near the parking lot. I saw a lot of tropical fish along the coral and there's a nice sandy area further along the beach to enter. I recommend putting on your gear further right of the cliffs, enter the water in the sandy area, then swim near the cliffs. The waves were a little rocky when I went so I had to be careful of the current dragging me along the rocks. But otherwise a good snorkel spot if you're a strong swimmer. Few things to note about this beach: - You'll have to go through about 2-3 miles of a bumpy dirt road. It's not at all smooth and there are some large pot holes that you may risk the suspension or getting stuck in if you're not careful when driving. Most of the cars going through this at regular speed had AWD and were a little more elevated in suspension, like a jeep, truck, or tall SUV. When it's dry you can probably do it in a vehicle like a convertible or an economy - we managed, but we drove very carefully, going around large pot holes and taking it slow. Also most rental won't allow you to take the car on a dirt road (Budget didn't specifically say)- so judge wisely if your car can handle it. I don't recommend coming here right after the rain, since there will be large puddles and traction will be difficult in the mud. - The first parking lot you see after going through the dirt road is actually the overflow lot. Here you have a choice - continue along the dirt road (it gets even bumpier) to the parking lot that's right in front of the beach or park here and walk to the beach. It's a short walk from the parking lot, like 10 minutes... but do be careful because it can get slippery from the mud and tire tracks digging in. We opted to just park in the overflow, not willing to risk our vehicle more and also because we found a spot. I'd be annoyed to manuever through another dirt road and find out there isn't parking in front of the beach. - Because the beach is hard to get to and in an undeveloped area... there are no facilities like showers or restrooms. - You can actually take dogs to this beach - if you adopt a dog for a day from the Kauai Humane Society (great progrram!) you can bring the dog here to play and walk. They love the beach and enjoy laying on it like humans. Overall, this was my favorite beach to visit during the trip... it's a bit of work to drive here if you're not in the right vehicle, but it was worth it when we came! The sand was soft and pretty clean, and the water felt great. As a bonus, this beach connects with the Maha'ulepu Trail if you head left from the parking lot - this part of the trail is very picturesque with the cliffs, so check it out while you're here.
stumbled upon this beach by accident as we were visiting the Makauwahi Cave Reserve. We saw that they had tortoises so we walked over and noticed a lot of people with beach chairs walking out of the grass area near by so we stopped by to see this beautiful beach! Not busy at all since the drive out is pretty far and you have to walk 10-15 min from the parking area
This beach is a bit of a hike to get to, but once you're there, you're greeted by breathtaking views of sharp cliffs, white sand, crashing blue waves and endless palm trees! It's the perfect place to bring lunch and chill out on the sand watching the waves roll in. You seriously feel like you're on your own island! Nobody around as far as the eye can see (or at least that's how it was for me). Mahaulepu is not the best beach for surfing/swimming on account of the many rocks jutting out from the near ocean, but it's still a site to see! If you do decide on swimming, look around first for any signs warning of bacteria from sewage due to recent storms. You wouldn't want to end up sick the rest of your trip! If the water quality truly is poor as it was when my wife and I visited, don't fret--Shipwreck Beach is a nice close by alternative.
One of Kauai's most beautiful beaches with a really interesting trail. Sometimes windy. Also lots of locals on the weekend who don't seem thrilled with vacationers invading their beach. The road in used to be a disaster but it seems in much better shape now. Also check out the turn off for the Makauwahi Caves and the sea turtles.
Maha'ulepu is a long and beautiful stretch of beach. You have to come prepared, however. The road to the beach is long, dusty, and very rough! There are no facilities (no water, not even an outhouse). Bring food, drinks, and plenty of sunscreen. Take the road past the Hayatt. The pavement will end, just keep going, passing the stables on your right. At the "T" in the road, make a right. Keep going until you find a turnout surrounded by wispy trees. After a short hike up and over a small hill, you'll find the beach. If you can survive the journey, you're rewarded with beautiful views, plenty of shade, and powdery sand. There are decent snorkel spots, but also plenty of soft sandy areas for swimming. Even though it's very secluded, the beach does get crowded as the day goes on. As with most Hawaiian beaches, you have to arrive early if you want to have the place all to yourself! The owner of Pohaku Ts in Koloa told us there are petroglyphs buried under the sand here. I'm not sure how deep, but I would love to see them some day.
After driving a long dirt road behind the Grand Hyatt Poipu, there is a cool beach. A lot of skilled wind surfers. Fun to watch, fun to play at the beach. There are some tree shades, but for swimming, it did not look appealing to me. The ocean looked too rough. YELP 365 - 237/365
To get the right directions look for the beach parking lot on Google maps. When you get to the stables 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. read more
This is a great place to get away from it all. If you're tired of the touristy beaches then t.f his is what you are looking for. You take Poipu Rd past the Grand Hyatt til you see a dirt road turn off that also mentions a riding stable. Very rough road....go slow. At the y go left. Its a good 2 mile hike but its worth it for the seclusion along this rugged but beautiful coast line. At the point you usually find a Monk seal. They're about as prehistoric as seals go. Not being very social they prefer a party of one. Give them at least a twenty foot distance and you'll get along fine... Around the point is the beautiful Kawailoa Bay. Really nice beach here too! Bring good walking shoes....not flip flops. You'll find lots of coral growth in the rocky tide pools. No bathrooms or any amenities here. read more
Although it's a bit of a drive on dirt, gravel, uneven roads to get to this beach, it is very worth it! It took us about 15 minutes of driving on the dirt road, and then parked at a clearing, and from there a little bit of a walk between some trees, and voila, you are treated with a beautiful stretch of beach! We took a normal sedan car, but very mindful of the drive as there are lots of pot holes and just go like 10 mph. There was hardly any people here when we arrived. We had our own private beach for a couple hours until a few more people came. Even then, it was still soo quiet. If you are looking for a quiet beach, with lots of privacy, this is the one to go to. You got beautiful views on both sides, and the waters were so calm, and you'll avoid all the crowds unlike all the other popular beaches. It was a nice spot to setup a picnic, eat poke, read a book, have a beer, and even take a nap. There were plenty of spaces to setup, so that wasn't a big deal. Even then you are still far enough from the next person. There is plenty of beach to go around on this stretch of sand. Unfortunately, this beach was not good for swimming as there were lots of rocks, although you can find some areas of clearing to take a little dip in. I even saw some kiddos with floaties enjoying the water. This was one of my favorite beaches during our vacation in Kauai and would definitely come again for some privacy and to avoid all the touristy crowds. read more
9 years ago
Is Poipu Beach too tourist-y for you? Are you looking for that secluded beach in a tropical paradise? Then the Maha'ulepu Beach is for you! This beach was beautiful - from the sand, water, and sea cliffs in the distance. It was also very quiet... not a lot of people, mainly locals, so you felt like you had the beach to yourself in some spots. The sand is whiter here than Kalapaki Beach and feels great to walk on. We set up camp further down the beach from the parking lot and soaked up some sun. I jumped into the water to cool off and finally get a swim in the ocean - between NorCal and Seattle, there aren't a lot of places where I get to do this! There are a few snorkel spots on the water, mainly along the cliff side that's near the parking lot. I saw a lot of tropical fish along the coral and there's a nice sandy area further along the beach to enter. I recommend putting on your gear further right of the cliffs, enter the water in the sandy area, then swim near the cliffs. The waves were a little rocky when I went so I had to be careful of the current dragging me along the rocks. But otherwise a good snorkel spot if you're a strong swimmer. Few things to note about this beach: - You'll have to go through about 2-3 miles of a bumpy dirt road. It's not at all smooth and there are some large pot holes that you may risk the suspension or getting stuck in if you're not careful when driving. Most of the cars going through this at regular speed had AWD and were a little more elevated in suspension, like a jeep, truck, or tall SUV. When it's dry you can probably do it in a vehicle like a convertible or an economy - we managed, but we drove very carefully, going around large pot holes and taking it slow. Also most rental won't allow you to take the car on a dirt road (Budget didn't specifically say)- so judge wisely if your car can handle it. I don't recommend coming here right after the rain, since there will be large puddles and traction will be difficult in the mud. - The first parking lot you see after going through the dirt road is actually the overflow lot. Here you have a choice - continue along the dirt road (it gets even bumpier) to the parking lot that's right in front of the beach or park here and walk to the beach. It's a short walk from the parking lot, like 10 minutes... but do be careful because it can get slippery from the mud and tire tracks digging in. We opted to just park in the overflow, not willing to risk our vehicle more and also because we found a spot. I'd be annoyed to manuever through another dirt road and find out there isn't parking in front of the beach. - Because the beach is hard to get to and in an undeveloped area... there are no facilities like showers or restrooms. - You can actually take dogs to this beach - if you adopt a dog for a day from the Kauai Humane Society (great progrram!) you can bring the dog here to play and walk. They love the beach and enjoy laying on it like humans. Overall, this was my favorite beach to visit during the trip... it's a bit of work to drive here if you're not in the right vehicle, but it was worth it when we came! The sand was soft and pretty clean, and the water felt great. As a bonus, this beach connects with the Maha'ulepu Trail if you head left from the parking lot - this part of the trail is very picturesque with the cliffs, so check it out while you're here. read more
5 years ago
stumbled upon this beach by accident as we were visiting the Makauwahi Cave Reserve. We saw that they had tortoises so we walked over and noticed a lot of people with beach chairs walking out of the grass area near by so we stopped by to see this beautiful beach! Not busy at all since the drive out is pretty far and you have to walk 10-15 min from the parking area read more
This beach is a bit of a hike to get to, but once you're there, you're greeted by breathtaking views of sharp cliffs, white sand, crashing blue waves and endless palm trees! It's the perfect place to bring lunch and chill out on the sand watching the waves roll in. You seriously feel like you're on your own island! Nobody around as far as the eye can see (or at least that's how it was for me). Mahaulepu is not the best beach for surfing/swimming on account of the many rocks jutting out from the near ocean, but it's still a site to see! If you do decide on swimming, look around first for any signs warning of bacteria from sewage due to recent storms. You wouldn't want to end up sick the rest of your trip! If the water quality truly is poor as it was when my wife and I visited, don't fret--Shipwreck Beach is a nice close by alternative. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
7 years ago
One of Kauai's most beautiful beaches with a really interesting trail. Sometimes windy. Also lots of locals on the weekend who don't seem thrilled with vacationers invading their beach. The road in used to be a disaster but it seems in much better shape now. Also check out the turn off for the Makauwahi Caves and the sea turtles. read more
Maha'ulepu is a long and beautiful stretch of beach. You have to come prepared, however. The road to the beach is long, dusty, and very rough! There are no facilities (no water, not even an outhouse). Bring food, drinks, and plenty of sunscreen. Take the road past the Hayatt. The pavement will end, just keep going, passing the stables on your right. At the "T" in the road, make a right. Keep going until you find a turnout surrounded by wispy trees. After a short hike up and over a small hill, you'll find the beach. If you can survive the journey, you're rewarded with beautiful views, plenty of shade, and powdery sand. There are decent snorkel spots, but also plenty of soft sandy areas for swimming. Even though it's very secluded, the beach does get crowded as the day goes on. As with most Hawaiian beaches, you have to arrive early if you want to have the place all to yourself! The owner of Pohaku Ts in Koloa told us there are petroglyphs buried under the sand here. I'm not sure how deep, but I would love to see them some day. read more
14 years ago
After driving a long dirt road behind the Grand Hyatt Poipu, there is a cool beach. A lot of skilled wind surfers. Fun to watch, fun to play at the beach. There are some tree shades, but for swimming, it did not look appealing to me. The ocean looked too rough. YELP 365 - 237/365 read more
8 years ago
14 years ago
Great secret spot Keep driving past the rails, seems like there's nothing but keep going! Picnic benches near parking lot No camping allowed Beach closes at 6 pm Love the random roosters on the beach ! read more
7 years ago
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14 years ago
Wowwwww!!!!!!!! Most beautiful beach I have ever seen!! It was def a bumpy ride down!!! But worth it. You clump thru some bushes and heaven on earth is on the other side. It was like we had a private beach..... Almost :) read more
This is more for the trail. Since we started at shipwreck beach and headed towards this trail. Worth the time and effort. The morning we went it was raining pretty steady. We hesitated to do the trail since the rain kept up. After a while we decided to go for it. Rain stopped as soon as we reached the summits and man the views are AMAZING. Hands down gorgeous. You have to do this one! read more
11 years ago
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Absolute must-see. Amazing hike and secluded beaches. One of our favorite activities of our Kauai trip. read more
10 years ago
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Mahaulepu Rd
Koloa, HI 96756
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