Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE POIPU RESORT AREA
MAHAULEPU BEACH
Mahaulepu is the best-looking unspoiled beach in Kauai and possibly in the
whole state. Its 2 miles of reddish-gold, grainy sand line the southeastern shore
at the foot of 1,500-foot-high Haupu Ridge, just beyond the Hyatt Regency
Poipu and McBryde sugar-cane fields, which end in sand dunes and a forest of
casuarina trees. Almost untouched by modern life, Mahaulepu is a great escape
from the real world. It's ideal for beachcombing and shell hunting, but swim-
ming can be risky, except in the reef-sheltered shallows 200 yards west of the
sandy parking lot. There's no lifeguard, no facilities—just great natural beauty
everywhere you look. (This beach is where George C. Scott portrayed Ernest
Hemingway in the movie
Islands in the Stream.
) While you're here, see if you can
find the Hawaiian petroglyph of a voyaging canoe carved in the beach rock.
To get here, drive past the Hyatt Regency Poipu 3 miles east on a red-dirt road,
past the golf course and stables. Turn right at the T-intersection; go 1 mile to the
big sand dune, turn left, and drive a half-mile to a small lot under the trees.
POIPU BEACH PARK
Big, wide Poipu is actually two beaches in one; it's divided by a sandbar, called
a
tombolo.
On the left, a lava-rock jetty protects a sandy-bottom pool that's per-
fect for children; on the right, the open bay attracts swimmers, snorkelers, and
surfers. And everyone likes to picnic on the grassy lawn graced by coconut trees.
You'll find excellent swimming, small tide pools for exploring, great reefs for
snorkeling and diving, good fishing, nice waves for surfers, and a steady wind
for windsurfers. Poipu attracts a daily crowd, but the density seldom approaches
Waikiki levels, except on holidays. Facilities include restrooms, showers, picnic
areas, Brennecke's Beach Broiler nearby (p. 364), and free parking in the red-dirt
lot. To get here, turn onto Poipu Beach Road, then turn right at Hoowili Road.
WESTERN KAUAI
SALT POND BEACH PARK
Hawaii's only salt ponds still in production are at Salt Pond Beach, just outside
Hanapepe. Generations of locals have come here to swim, fish, and collect salt
crystals that are dried in sun beds. The tangy salt is used for health purposes and
to cure fish and season food. The curved reddish-gold beach lies between two
rocky points and features a protected reef, tide pools, and gentle waves. Swim-
ming here is excellent, even for children; this beach is also good for diving, wind-
surfing, and fishing. Amenities include a lifeguard, showers, restrooms, camping
area, picnic area, pavilion, and parking lot. To get here, take Highway 50 past
Hanapepe and turn on Lokokai Road.
POLIHALE STATE PARK
This mini-Sahara at the western end of the island is Hawaii's biggest beach: 17
miles long and as wide as three football fields. This is a wonderful place to get
away from it all, but don't forget your flip-flops—the midday sand is hotter than
a lava flow. The golden sands wrap around Kauai's northwestern shore from
Kekaha plantation town, just beyond Waimea, to where the ridgebacks of the
Na Pali Coast begin. The state park includes ancient Hawaiian
heiau
(temple)
and burial sites, a view of the “forbidden” island of Niihau, and the famed
Bark-
ing Sands Beach,
where footfalls sound like a barking dog. (Scientists say that
the grains of sand are perforated with tiny echo chambers, which emit a “bark-
ing” sound when they rub together.) Polihale also takes in the Pacific Missile
