Poipu Crater Kauai Hawaii - Vacation Condo Rental

The southwest part of the island is generally hot and dry with an average precipitation of just over 21" per year. Large cacti are not uncommon amongst the growing vegetation.

Just past the towns of Waimea and Kekaha lies the very accessible Kekaha Beach Park nestled between Highway 50 and the ocean. Pull your car off the side of the road, open the door and you are on the beach. Swimming and surfing CAN be good here, IF the surf is reasonable. The "forbidden isle" of Ni'ihau can be seen off in the distance. Kekaha is also a favorite spot for locals who like to drive on the sand. Facilities consist of portable toilets, a few picnic cabanas and lifeguards (sometimes). A bonus is that Kekaha can be dry even when the rest of the island is wet and rainy.

This is a lovely little beach park with a beautifully shaped crescent of sand. There is a nice reef that provides opportunities for swimming and snorkeling. Facilities here consist of picnic cabanas, restrooms, showers and lifeguards (sometimes). The beach park is named after the nearby salt ponds that continue to be used (even after several hundred years!) to evaporate salt from sea water. To get there, take Highway 50 to Hanapepe and then follow route 543 all the way to the end.

On the "other side" of the Na Pali coast lies a long and wide stretch of glorious sand known as Polihale. Here you can walk for miles (15 to be exact!) and not run out of beach. The only way to get to there (other than by boat) is to drive on old, dirt cane roads which can become VERY muddy, and downright impassable if recent showers have dumped copious amounts of precipitation. If rain isn't a problem, the shifting sand at the end of the road might be. Although you'll see locals driving on the beach here, we certainly don't recommend it since the nearest town is Kekaha and getting a tow out of the sand (IF available) will probably cost you more than your entire vacation.

Regardless, your efforts to get there will be well rewarded. The palis on the north end of the beach literally burst out of the sand in various shades of green and make for scenic pictures. Swimming is not recommended, except at Queens Pond, depending on the time of year. The weather can be quite warm and the sand hot, so make sure to have plenty of sunscreen on hand, a hat and even an umbrella. The facilities consist of toilets, an outdoor shower and several picnic cabanas. Bring plenty of food and water if you want to spend the day (recommended since getting there can take some time). To get there, follow Highway 50 past Kekaha all the way to the end. It will eventually turn into a cane road and you will see a green sign with the words POLIHALE Beach on it and an arrow pointed to the left. Follow this dirt cane road as it winds towards the coast and Palis.