Hanalei Beach in Kauai

Hanalei Beach is a white sandy beach that stretches about 2 miles long. With 2 miles long of shoreline, it is one of the largest bays in Kauai. In the Hawaiian language, Hanalei refers to lei shaped bay. It was named Hanalei because the beach looks very much like a lei. The half moon shape of the golden shoreline caused the local people to call it Hanalei. The beach is situated beneath a cliff. The scenery of the cliff can be seen on the water of the bay during the daytime. If you stand at the shore of the bay, you will be able to observe many cliffs in the surrounding region. The cliffs reach a height of about 1000 foot – 4000 foot. The top of the mountains is covered with mist. Behind the mountains, you will see waterfalls. A Japanese author called Haruki Murakami talks about this bay in his short story called Hanalei Bay.

Hanalei Beach has plenty of shoreline and is quite wide. Most of the areas near the shore has sand bottom. The sand bottom of the beach makes it not suitable for snorkeling because there is no reef. The fishes won’t come here because there is no reef to support them. Many world champion surfers have surfed at this beach. Hanalei Beach is known to have strong currents. The waves can become powerful suddenly so you need to be careful, especially during the winter. From the months of September to May, the sea will be calmer. If you want to swim at Hanalei Beach, you should visit during the summer months. Several lifeguards are stationed at Hanalei Beach.

There are coral reefs at the two ends of Hanalei Beach. The Pu’u Poa Reef is situated on the left end while the Waikoko Reef is situated at the right end. The middle part of the bay has shallow sandbar. You will also find some corals in the middle part located between the Pu’u Poa Reef and Waikoko Reef. Boats and yachts anchor can be found at Hanalei Landing pier. You can carry out various kinds of activities at Hanalei Bay including kayaking, yachting, surfing and swimming. During winter, the bay will experience high surfing waves. You should avoid visiting the bay from October to March. During these months, strong rip currents will occur. The wave of the beach can reach up to 20 feet and above.