Kauai's Dangerous Beaches

Kauai, Hawaii's fourth largest island, is also known as the garden isle, and for many people, it is known for it's lovely climate, beautiful mountains, scenic waterfalls and gorgeous waters, but it is also worth noting that it is also know for it's dangerous beaches!

When people think of beaches, they mostly think of wonderful expanses of sea and sand, perfect for a swim, but the truth is, even beautiful beaches can hide treacherous depths, and Kauai has its share of them.

Lumahai beach is a truly lovely area, and it is often used on postcards and in books that discuss the history or nature of the state.

This beach is a wonderful place for sunbathing or a walk along the surf, and it is certainly worth taking the time to stop at, but you should be aware that you should not swim at this beach.

This beach is widely considered the most dangerous one on the island of Kauai, and it is completely open to the ocean. There are no reefs that can shield you from the waves, and even small waves can be deceptively powerful, making being dragged out to sea a frightening possibility.

Similarly, the Na Pali Coast is a wonderful place to stop and sightsee and the tall cliffs are not to be missed if you are nearby, but you'll find that this is another place where you don't want to venture into the water.

The remote area leads to a serious lack of rescue support, and there are extremely strong currents and a dangerous shorebreak. Keep in mind that there are high cliffs and that the hiking can be quite slippery as well.

Maha'ulepu is another beach that is wonderful for coastal hikes and is one of the more underdeveloped areas on the island, making it perfect for exploration, but beware the strong currents that will break over the rocks, reefs and ledges.

These conditions make for hazardous conditions for bodyboarding and surfing and caution is highly recommended.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to be careful on the beaches of Kauai.

Remember that you should always find out about any likely hazards in an area before you head out, and that there's no such thing as being too careful.