Hanalei Beach

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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!!

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!

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.

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,

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!

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.

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

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.

We went here 7 years ago and it was amazing. However on our recent visit with my 5 yo. there were so many off leash dogs running up to us and dog poop everywhere. Such a shame. We left as we were uncomfortable with all the dogs and pet waste. For swimming, be warned that it's best suitable in the summer to due to strong rips and currents.

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

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.

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.

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.

I think this is my favorite Kauai beach. So so beautiful and I love that the waves are so calm. You can walk way out on the sandy bottom and play and swim while still touching the bottom. No crazy waves here. No wonder they do so many surf lessons here. Perfect for beginners. Love love love.

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!

We went to several beaches during our stay in Kauai including Poipu and Ke'e. Hanalei Beach was hands down the best. Parking is very easy and accessible. No charge. The beach is crescent shaped and not too many people there which was great. The water was warm and clear. Ke'e had too many people and you have to make a reservation well before your trip. Poipu had too many rocks in the water. Hanalei had white sand, beautiful water anda lot less people so you can really enjoy your day there. Highly recommend and will be the only beach we go to in the future!

Such a picturesque and quaint beach! We jumped off the pier and loved it! There are ropes, a ladder, and stone landings to help you get out of the water and back on to the pier. We used them but also chose to swim back to shore after one of the jumps -- it is not easy but it is not terribly difficult. Although it's a bay and more calm compared to most beaches, the current can still be a bit strong due to the wind. I'm not a strong swimmer so at one point I was a little worried about getting back to shore. My husband did fine, although he did agree about the current. So just one thing to note if you want to swim back to shore, be prepared to work for it! The showers are awesome and love that there is plenty of shade if you have a baby. Can't wait to spend more time here.

pack a bag and a book, grab a towel, maybe some chairs-- pick up some poke from the back of dolphin poke and drive over to this beautiful long stretch of beach. The further down you go the less crowded it is. I felt like it was too windy to put up an umbrella but the beach is just gorgeous with the mountains right behind you. Perfect place to lay out in the sun, read, eat, enjoy the amazing water. Picture perfect beach day

Underwhelming. Drove an hour plus to visit based off of the reviews and wish I hadn't....wasn't that impressive.

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.

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.

It's official. I've visited every beach on Kauai. Hanalei bay beach is the best! Easy drive, ample parking, close to town, scenic, no dangerous surf. Sure, Polihale beach is the most remote and breathtaking but when your rental car gets bogged down in the sand you will have to pay many $100's to be rescued. If you enter the surf at Polihale, unless you are an expert surfer, swimmer, diver, you will probably die from the killer surf and your body will never be found.

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

Beautiful, safe, peaceful and family-friendly beach. The waves are small and it is very clean. Parking is close and never had any problems finding a spot. The bathrooms are clean and the outdoor showers were available without a long wait.

How do you rate a public beach? It's free, there's sand, there's water, kids get to play, adults get to relax = 5 stars. Parking can be hard, so arrive early if you can. There are public bathrooms. Definitely come explore this beach if you are in Kauai.

Fantastic beach for a relaxing day! Long stretch of sand which is walkable and jog-able. No too many people. Crystal clear waters and surfers of all ages were catching waves when we were there which was fun to watch. Lots of length of sand from the grassy area to the water giving everyone the space the needed to build sand castles, at football, or just sunbathe. Bathrooms and showers available. A few volleyball courts on the grass area had some active games going when we were there. Picnic benches under the trees on the grass overlook the beach area. Calm waters left our kids able to go out far and do so safely, feeling comfortable in the warm water. Lifeguard was there when we were. Overall a great spot, wish we would have gone there a few more times!

My favorite places to come to. I always tell people if you have limitttime and want to get the real flavor of kauai, just come here. It has ocean, bay view, coconut trees, outrigger boats, pier and the river all at one place. Parking can be an issue so early mornings are encouraged. If you are doing a photo shoot make sure you obtain the right permit and carry liability insurance to respect the local laws. I have put all the important links on by blog here https://www.afewgoodclicks.net/blog/7-tips-to-better-vacation-photos-in-hawaii/

We enjoyed this beach. It's a good place for family and was not as crowded when we were there. Water was so clear and the view was spectacular!

3.4. Was rainy and cloudy. We came here after Anini Beach-which was rec by locals and snorkeling was nice there. The local 76 gas station at Princeville served a 5 rating of chilli pepper chicken as advised by our tour guide that was excellent. We may one day return when sunny

Parking is a B. But like, its fun and nice to swing by. Especially if you're a tourist.

There are no words to describe the magic of Hanalei. It's a feast on all your senses and every time I look at pictures I miss it dearly. Family friendly, clean, picturesque and perfect for kids to swim, it's a must visit destination when on the north shore of Kauai!

Nice beach park to hang out with calm water and river merging to ocean good for kayaking or beginner SUP boarding. There is large free parking. They are currently building restroom... so, it is a bit messy which is the reason for 4 star rating. The pier is pretty cool for photograph against the island back drop. I saw many cool photo of sunset and sunrise here... However, during winter months, the sun is blocked from either sides... you won't be able to capture the sun directly. It is still cool though. The Chung Young market is very close by with plenty restaurants and shops, supermarket and restrooms. It is worth a stop!

****As of may 2021, I'd suggest those wanting to visit Hanalei go visit the official Kauai road website to see the hours they were letting people use the Highway to get to Hanalei as we tried one day and had to turn around and leave. Just so you know! Even with being prepared and going during open hours, there will still be a wait as people tend to line up at the Highway road block hours prior to them opening up, but it's worth it. Try going in the morning as there are far less people up that early to visit, just commmuters. This beach is an absolute favorite of ours to visit when in Kauai. My kids loved swimming in both the bay and in the river feeding into the bay. They'd jump off the river bank into the river doing flips and dives. The pier is lovely as usual. The north shore is often overcast compared to other parts of the island, I've been both when there's not a cloud in the sky and when it's overcast, it is beautiful in both conditions.

OCEAN is perfect for boogie boarding. Saw surfers here too especially later in the day. Sand is soft. Still be careful where you walk when in the ocean. Water in January was warm enough to get all the way in it. OVERALL public restrooms available. Picnic tables kinda away from the beach. Parking is a challenge, but turn on Aku Rd and find parking in the residential then walk. There is a small parking lot by the public restrooms, but not much. There is a road closed still so like i said park in the resident streets and watch for tow zones.

One of the most beautiful places to swim in the world. Great surf yo play in. Soft sand. Gorgeous mountains surrounding

There are a lot of great beaches on this island but hanalei is the best. It isn't too crowded, has parking, is beautiful, and has great sand and calm waters with a decent break. I don't go here all the time and I have some beaches I prefer for other reasons but you will never go wrong by going to hanalei.

If you are in Hanalei Town on the north coast of Kaua'i, this is one of those must-see locations to check out. It's also very popular, so parking can be tough especially during peak times. There are several parking lots at different parts of the beach. Wide beach and plenty of room to walk, enjoy a picnic, swim, paddle, sail, and so forth. Also one of the most popular places to catch a lovely sunset particularly during the summer months.

Nice sandy beach. Great for swimming but zero snorkeling. Tik tok recommended this location, that's why we came here. Get here before 10am for parking.

While on our vacation in Kauai, we met some family friends at Hanalei Bay Beach. There is a very small free parking lot and we got lucky and arrived just as someone was leaving. It's a long stretch of beach that was very clean and the sand was powder soft. The water was unbelievably warm and clear. It was almost like being in a heated pool. The beach was not overly crowded. The waves oscillated between gentle and strong. The kids (two 6 year olds and a 9 year old) really enjoyed playing in the water. There were lifeguards on duty who were advising people, myself included, to be careful of the undertow. There were showers and bathrooms. The unique part of this beach is the pier that you can walk out on. From there you will get a great view of the beach and bay. Words and pictures cannot fully convey how beautiful this beach is. If there is one beach that you go to while in Kauai I would highly recommend this beach.

Stunning views at sunset especially, and one of those beaches where every place you turn you see great natural beauty. The water is very calm and perfect for kids. My four year old could stomp around in the surf while we watched from our chairs without much danger. It is a sand beach with no rocks or reefs or tree fruits lying around so very comfortable to walk barefoot. This is also the downside if you like snorkeling and seeing fish - my husband and I swam fairly far out and it was all sand under the water and barely saw any creatures. But it is a huge bay and maybe we were just in the wrong spot. There are crabs that come out and scuttle around the shore - we witnessed two crab fights and were told by another beachgoer that at night hundreds of crabs are regularly out. The beach is huge and there are many parking access points. It is also close to Hanalei so its easy to pick up food and bring it to the beach, or enjoy the beach and run for a quick lunch. The other night we got take out in Hanalei and sat by the ocean and watched the sunset from the beach. Absolutely stunning and highly recommend that experience.

Probably one of the nicest beaches I've been to. Easy to get to, not super crowded, gentle slope and nice surf. Mix of families, tourists and local surfers. Appreciate the fact there are zero vendors, minimizing any potential for trash.

We went to this beach to watch the sunset. It was amazing! It was a family beach. Kids everywhere having a good time. They had a little pier that people would off into the ocean. It has a good sized parking lot. Beautiful scenery and beautiful sunset!