Hanalei Bay

Iconic, famous, loved…all perfectly appropriate descriptions of Hanalei Bay. If you are visiting Kuai you NEED to spend a day enjoying this bay, its beach, and the town. You’ll experience a stunning scenery never forgotten that will rival any other beach experience in your life! There is a nearby air strip that adds planes to the back drop of the bay. They land and take off on the eastern side of the bay and fly across the outer portion of the bay just above the ocean. There are numerous anchored sailboats that give a nice boating backdrop to what you see looking into the bay. There is a pier for fishing and jumping into the bay. There is also a river inlet along the eastern side of the bay with full access into the bay/ocean. Weather may impact what you see, but it won’t impact it for long. Clouds rolling along the Na Pali mountain line tend to cause showers, but usually they are short lived, and mostly often add a unique appearance to the scenery of the bay as they roll along low to the ground. The mountains themselves are unique in their position along the backdrop of the town and the bay to the western side. They are the start of the Na Pali coast and worthy of playing a starring role in the scenery of this bay. All of these experiences don’t even mention the beach and the water itself. The sand is soft, the waves range from beginner level to more advanced depending on the sea. Everyone will enjoy the Hanalei Bay beach because it offers something for everyone. Experience this bay for yourself, you won’t regret making the time for it!

Softest sand on the island. A great beach to learn how to surf because the waves are smaller, and the water doesn’t get that deep. We love coming here for sunsets. Simply beautiful.

Our favorite place to go when visiting Kauai. Calm waters and amazing views! Visit, but be respectful. 🤍

This famous moon shaped beach is picturesque Hawaii. Soft sand. Warm water. Surfers on the horizon.

Lovely place for relaxing on the beach, learning to surf, or kayak up the river! We rented a kayak and spent a good 3 hours going up and down that river next to the Bay. Should have turned back sooner because we were exhausted by the end but it was a fantastic experience!

Hanalei Bay is one of Kauai’s true wonders. It’s a beautiful drive to get to this huge bay nearly two miles in length. The Bay is surrounded by iconic, lush and green mountains and you’ll be able to clearly see waterfalls if there was recent rain activity. The ocean here is typically calm and flat, especially in the summer. Winter is really the only suitable time to surf, by the pier especially for beginners. There may be times where you can boogie board, and it’s excellent for SUP. It’s not known for its snorkeling because the water can be cloudy at times and there’s not much reef to see. Plenty of parking options line the bay, though I think black pot parking lot is best because there will more than likely be space and you’ll get the best views of the mountains. Hanalei also has the pier that you can walk down and also jump off into the water. There are showers and bathrooms as well! Hanalei Bay is a Kauai gem.

Busy because it’s great. Good spot to learn how to surf. The beach is beautiful and the mountains in the background are stunning. Leave it cleaner than you found it!

You can relax head to toe in this beautiful beach!!