How to Visit the Best Beaches in Kauai

My prerequisites for the best beaches in Kauai are…

Warm water ✔ clear water ✔ sandy beach ✔ swimmable ✔

Every time we visit Kauai, there are two beaches we always go to: Tunnels Beach and Hanalei Bay. They’re our all-time favorites, and we never get tired of them. Both are great for kids, and the scenery makes my jaw drop every time we visit.

There are also a few other beaches we don’t go to as often, but they’re definitely worth checking out for different reasons. We love Anini Beach because it’s great for toddlers, Secret Beach for the views and seclusion, and Ke’e Beach for the incredible views of the Napali Coast.

All of these beaches are on my favorite side of the island, the north. It’s easier to visit if you’re staying somewhere like Princeville. But they are worth the drive if you’re staying farther away. There are times we have left Kapa’a around 6:30 in the morning to avoid the morning rush hour, stopped in Hanalei to pick up breakfast burritos, and then made our way to Hanalei Bay or Tunnels Beach.

Tunnels Beach

If I had to choose a single beach to visit for the rest of my life, Tunnels Beach would be my top pick! Pictures don’t do justice to how amazing it is to see in person. We’ve visited this beach on all of our Kauai trips except once when the highway was closed due to hurricane damage.

Where to park

The early bird gets the worm, or better yet, the parking spot! We aim to be there by 8 a.m. to secure parking at the Ha’ena Beach Park parking lot. It’s not impossible to find parking later, but you might have to wait for a spot.

On our first few visits, we parked in the main parking lot at Ha’ena Beach Park and set up our chairs and umbrellas at Ha’ena Beach. The parking lot is located near the restrooms and has a large grassy area with picnic tables. Across the street, a gigantic dry cave is fun to explore before heading to the beach.

Occasionally, a food truck is stationed at the entrance of the lot, where we can purchase snacks and my son’s favorite, shave ice!

Stream at Ha'ena Beach near Tunnels Beach in Kauai

Ha’ena Beach has not been very swimmable the times we’ve been. The waves are big, and the sand is steep where they crash. But not far from the parking lot are some streams that are great for kids to play.

The beach access road to Tunnels Beach

After hanging out at Ha’ena Beach and exploring the surrounding beaches, we finally discovered the perfect spot, Tunnels (Makua) Beach.

Swimming and Snorkeling spot at Tunnels Beach in Kauai

This spot has calm, crystal-clear water that is perfect for swimming and snorkeling.

When you look at online maps, you’ll see a green dotted line that says Tunnels Beach Access. If you don’t see it, keep your eyes open when you are about a half mile from the Ha’ena Beach Park parking lot, and you will see a dirt road on the right side. A sign on the telephone pole reads, “Private road, Local Traffic Only, Violators will be towed.”

We used to park along the fence on the left side of the beach access road until the tow sign appeared. Now, we park in the Ha’ena Beach Park parking lot and walk half a mile back to the access road. From there, we make our way to the beach. When it’s time to leave, we choose one lucky person to grab the car and meet everyone back at the beach access road so we can load up and head back.

Rain, rain, go away!

Make sure to pack your umbrellas! Beach umbrellas are the best, but regular umbrellas are good too. I think we’ve been rained on almost every time we’ve been at Tunnels, but it doesn’t usually last long. We also check the weather before going to make sure it won’t be a total washout.

Water shoes ✔

On some parts of the beach, there are a lot of rocky and coral reef areas to explore, but I would not venture out without shoes. The sand is also a little more coarse, so they’ll come in handy if you walk around a lot.

The rocky part of the beach just past Ha'ena Beach

Snorkeling gear ✔ boogie board ✔

If you have snorkeling gear, bring it. This is the perfect place to see sea turtles and other ocean life. I think we’ve seen a sea turtle almost every time we’ve visited.

We also like to bring a boogie board. The waves aren’t the best for it, but it’s still nice to float around and explore. Our son has a blast trying to catch some small waves.

Boogie boarding at Tunnels Beach in Kauai

Another thing I love about this spot is that the water is so warm! I get cold easily and usually jump out of the ocean pretty quickly, but not here. So that makes snorkeling and playing in the water a lot more enjoyable.

Find Hanalei!

We enjoy strolling northeast on the beach, which curves at the end and offers great views of Hanalei Bay.

Walking northeast from Tunnels Beach to see a view of Hanalei Bay in Kauai

Surfs up

Sit back and watch the Tunnels waves, which coincidentally is how the beach got its name.

It’s also fun to see the awesome surfers who are brave enough to paddle out and ride the waves.

Wander through the rainforest

Walk through the trees over by Ha’ena Beach and check out all the beautiful plants and streams.

Make some echoes

Before leaving the area, walk into the large dry cave across from the Ha’ena Beach Park parking lot.

The dry cave across from the Ha'ena Beach Park Parking Lot in Kauai

My son loves to walk around and make noises loud enough to hear an echo. It’s another great spot to take some pictures.

Hanalei Bay

Hanalei Bay is a very close second or could even tie with Tunnels Beach on my list. Location-wise, it’s easier to visit than Tunnels Beach, and it has a lot of the same beauty with green mountains and clear, warm water.

This is our son’s favorite place to boogie board. The waves are just right, and he can catch some long waves since the water stays shallow for a long distance from shore. Usually, the water is calm, but there have been a couple of times during the winter when we’ve seen some rough waves, but it looked great for surfers.

Hanalei parking

The amount of parking here has increased over time, which makes it a little easier to find a spot throughout the day. We still like to arrive early to find easy parking and enjoy the beach before a lot of people show up.

There are three lots, so if you don’t see any spots at the first, head to the next. Then if you strike out twice, check the lot at the very end of the road that’s near the river.

Where to set up on the beach

No matter where you sit, the views are amazing. Setting up on the right side of the pier will give you close access to the bathrooms and Hanalei River, but it’s a smaller area.

Hanging out on the right side of the Hanalei Bay Pier in Kauai

If you go to the other side of the pier, you’ll find plenty of space where you can sit and relax. Another set of restrooms is located a short distance down the beach.

We like to switch things up and sit on both sides of the pier. Most of the time, we end up walking around anyway. I only cared about being close to the restrooms when I was pregnant and had to waddle over there too many times.

Walk the Hanalei Pier

Take a walk to the end of the pier and check out the scenery. There are some covered tables, so it’s a great place to enjoy some breakfast burritos or lunch.

Looking for some more fun? Jump off the end of the pier! The last time we visited, kids were doing this and having a blast!

Another adventure for kids is exploring under the pier, and it’s a perfect spot for taking more photos.

Get your boogie on

The water is shallow for days, so it’s easy to ride some waves. My son went boogie boarding for the first time at this beach when he was four years old. He kept going for almost three hours (with a little help from Dad)!

Rent a paddleboard or kayak

Head over to the Hanalei River and rent a paddleboard or kayak. It’s fun to head up the Hanalei River and also out into the bay.

View of Hanalei Bay from my paddle board in Kauai

If you paddle out into the bay, make sure to pay attention to the current. My husband and I got pulled out a little too far on our paddle boards and didn’t realize it. Trying to paddle back to shore wasn’t the most fun experience, but we made it eventually.

Pat’s Tacos

If you’re hungry, find Pat’s Taco’s food truck in the parking lot near the river for some delicious tacos or burritos. Check their website for days and times.

Anini Beach

We don’t go to Anini Beach as often as we used to, but it’s a great place for kids, especially toddlers.

Anini parking

Parking is usually accessible at any time of day, and spots are located along the road.

Toddler paradise

Our son was 18 months old the first time we took him to Anini, and it was such a hit we went back multiple times on that trip.

The water is shallow, and there are almost no waves because of a large reef offshore. It was awesome to let him play in the water without worrying about him getting knocked down or pulled out by waves.

Perfect water for toddlers at Anini Beach in Kauai

Coral caution

Don’t get cut! If you wander out in the water a little way, there’s some coral, so wearing water shoes is a good idea. My dad went snorkeling there and ended up with a few minor cuts.

Skinny beach

If you’ve already checked out some other beaches, like Hanalei and Tunnels, you’ll notice that this beach is on a diet. It’s much more narrow between the brush and the water, but there’s still enough space to set up chairs and an umbrella.

The narrow but beautiful Anini Beach in Kauai

Secret Beach

Secret Beach (Kauapea Beach) is a must-see. We’ve only been here once, but it has impressive views of the lighthouse, large waves, and fun rock areas to explore.

Getting to this beach is a short but somewhat tricky hike. I would probably avoid it if you have kids under the age of 5 or 6. Also, be careful if it rains because the mud is very slippery.

If you decide to do this small adventure, you will not regret it. We only saw a few other people there, so it felt like we were on a private beach.

Ke’e Beach

The last time we visited Ke’e Beach was during our babymoon in 2016. Getting to this beach was easier then because you could park and walk right in. We used to go before or after visiting Tunnels Beach. To check it out now, you need to get a permit.

We haven’t been since Kauai started requiring permits, but it’s definitely worth it if you want to see spectacular views of the Napali Coast from the beach.

Find your best beach

Now you have to decide which beaches you want to visit. My vote is all of them!

Of course, my top two are Tunnels and Hanalei. If you can score a permit, squeeze in Ke’e Beach.

Anini is great if you have little kids, but we also loved it before we had our son. You could easily check out Secret Beach and Anini in one outing. Just remember that Secret Beach may not be a good choice if you have little kids in tow.

If you need help planning out your beach visits and activities based on location, download my Summary of Kauai Recommendations by Location.