can you swim at kalalau beach can you swim at kalalau beach

Start early as it gets warm and the trail is challenging enough without afternoon sun the entire time. Most we spoke with ourselves included, recommend hiking all 11 miles in one day. See Polipoli site for updates. The trail that leads to this beach is considered the most difficult trails on the islands. You can drink this water, but you must treat or boil the water beforehand. Hello. For over 20 years we have been offering tours of the Na Pali coast on custom-built touring catamarans that were designed to provide the ultimate touring experience. Tucked a few hundred yards down the coast is one of the more inaccessible beaches in Hawaii, known as Honopu beach. Brenneckes Beach It is 11 miles to get to Kalalau Beach - so if you are talking about going there and having someone pick you up and bring you back You'll still have to hike 11 miles to get there - difficult trail - especially past Hanakoa, and you will need a permit from the State to camp there, even for one night. Tradewind showers are more frequent during the night and early morning. My husband and I recently got passes to camp on Kalalau Beach the second weekend in October. Camping permits for the Npali Coast SWP (Kalalau Trail) are currently available 90-days in-advance. [OAHU] UPDATED 2/28/23: Kaena Point State Park Mokuleia Section The vehicle access road will continue to beCLOSED due to heavy rains and saturated road conditions. You do not need to hike the entire trail to get a sense of what its about. var image; This was my favorite part of the trip. Along the beach, you'll find cliff walls and even some shallow caves to explore. Its wide and deep. The trail traverses the Hono o Na Pali Natural Area Reserve in the small hanging valleys of Hoolulu and Waiahuakua before entering Hanakoa Valley. But remembers there is no reef to protect the shore, which leaves it vulnerable tolong shore currents. At the beach, you may see topless sunbathers or a naked surfer. Waterfalls-There are a number of waterfalls in the valley. Wild goats are often seen along the trail route. 3. Today the land is under the protection of the state of Hawaii and all forms of tourism in the area are carefully monitored. Hanakapiai Beach to Hanakapiai FallsFour miles roundtrip and located at mile 2 on the main trail, this side trail hikes up a valley that ends at a waterfall. Gardens-As stated earlier, there are several gardens in the valley that are a source of food for those staying there. We couldnt stay for long as youneed to get back before the waves and the current pick up. While the crew . Camping fees for Npali Coast are $25 per person per night (Hawaii residents), $35 per person per night (non-residents). Indeed, they are living the sustainable life that many in modern society have realized we need to aim for albeit with no modern amenities such as electricity, plumbing, and mass communication. Kalalau Beach is the huge chunk of sand that sits in front of Kalalau Valley. Npali Coast SWP camping permits are available here >, Overnight parking is available at Hena SP via Overnight Parking Reservation. Kee Beach (pronounced Keh-AY) is located at the end of the road. There is a natural stone arch that you can walk beneath and another waterfall that you can stand under. Maybe dont look over the edge if you are afraid of heights. The massive arch, the empty beach, a waterfall and a sun bathing monk seal. A well-chosen campsite can save you from a bad night of sleep or worse. } Composting toilets are available at Hanakapiai, Hanakoa, and Kalalau. selectedText = 'Excellent'; selectedText = 'Good'; The beach sits at the foot of Kalalau Valley which is the jewel of the Na Pali Coast. Contact the Department of State Parks, (808) 587-0300, weekdays 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Allow a full day to complete the 8 mile round trip from Kee Beach to Hanakapiai Falls. NOTE: It is illegal for anyone to provide commercial boat transportation for drop off/pick-up at Kalalau or Milolii camping areas. If your time on Kauai is limited you should definitely see it on one of our tours, whether you visit the valley or not. Its large and backs up to breathtaking views of rugged coastline and classic napali coastline. I would pass on the pakalolo tent living homesteaders in the Kalalau Valley who deposit huge tall piles of trash throughout the area. The most spectacular being over 1,000 feet tall! Due to increasing popularity, the state limits how many permits are released every day. From Kalalau Beach, you can swim around the corner to Honop Beach, which is even more spectacular than Kalalau. [OAHU] UPDATED 3/2/23: Puu o Mahuka Heiau State Monument IsCLOSED due to high winds and heavy rain. document.getElementById('rat').value="5"; This is where you'll meet some of the permanent residents as well as other campers in the valley. Yes as daisies. Kalalau Beach is about 1 mile (1.6 km) long. Kee is protected by a reef that makes it a safe place for snorkeling and swimming. I tried hinting to Jenelyn and Reanne that it might not be safe to climb it but to no avail. You can prepare for this by carrying a satellite beacon device which pings a distress signal if you are injured. The poorly marked 1/2-mile trail up the east fork of the stream to Hanakoa falls has hazardous, eroded sections but affords a spectacular view of the falls. We pulled in around 7 AM the morning of our hike and were rewarded with a good parking spot close to the trailhead. field.value = field.value.substring(0, maxlimit); We were pretty flippin excited to be the only people there! Our Terms and Conditions, which contain an arbitration provision, may be viewed here. A well-marked 2 mile trail into Kalalau Valley ends at a pool in the stream. One of the many bountiful community gardens. Beware of this fact when exploring the caves. var i; If you get a late start or are a slower hiker, this may be a good option for you. Start the hike as early as possible so you're ahead of the day hikers and have ample time to finish the hike before dark. Many of the months during the year, beach landings there would be dangerous due to rough surf . The sand at Cedar Key Beach is soft and the water is shallow, so it's safe for the whole family. var selectedText = ''; The Kalalau Trail is an in-and-out trail, meaning you have to return the way you came. Click the link below to buy a transportation ticket which also includes your entry into the park. Down below you'll see a light and lots of limbs strewn along the . The trail is part of the N Pali Coast State Park which gets its name from the Hawaiian term for high cliff, na pali. } }, Private and Quiet Luxury Beach House 3 minute walk to beach TVNC#5151, Hale Kahakai: Beachfront home on the Magical North Shore of Kauai, Hawaii Life Rentals presents Modern beach style vacation house, with A/C, Affordable Beach House Just Steps to the Beach Children Welcome! Kee Beach is also the beginning of the Napali Coast and the Kalalau trail that leads to Hanakapiai and Kalalau Beach. http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_kauai/kalalau_hike.php. There is nothing worse than getting to camp and realizing there is a hole in your tent or your water filter is not working. See more from this series: This story was last modified on September 14, 2015. else if(i=='5'){ Like previous poster said, unless you have rough water experience, just don't. Especially, especially right now. Tory and Cory appeared to be tired from the swim but Seth and Jen (both swimmers in high school) looked fresh as daisies. Listen to weather and surf forecasts on local radio or check the surf report. You definitely do not want to swim when this is the case. mobile app. The first 2 miles of the trail, from Hena State Park to Hanakapiai Beach, make a popular day hike. Hiking and any outdoor activity can be dangerous and has many potential hazards. Hanalei Pine Trees Your feet will be sore, but beachside camping with ample space makes it worth the extra walking. Cory and Troy picked them off the rocks in between waves. Some of these year-round residents hike out of the valley every couple of months to get supplies. It can be ankle deep only to plunge down to the depths with no warning. } Waimea, HI 96796 Humpback whales pass by Kauai in the winter time and we were able to see several on our hike. You must ascend and descend a rocky trail twice. Unfortunately, there's no swimming at the beach, due to strong currents. document.getElementById('rat').value="3"; var el = document.getElementById('sf'); Follow the tunnel until you reach the room that's lit up with a blue hue this is the one you'll need to find the rebreather. On the final day of the Kalalau Trail, you . and when you get to the main Kalalau Beach, the wind will have died down some. In between each of the talons lies a valley, and none of them are more beautiful or abundant than Kalalau. We left our snorkel equipment in the trunk of our rental car and took a swim at the end of our hike. The trailhead is located in Hena State Park at the northwest end of Khi Highway (Route 56). Poke may be delicious, but raw fish does not keep well in a backpack. High surf pounds the shore creating extremely turbulent waters. We watched goats kick rocks down onto campsites near these signs. Queen's Bath is VERY DANGEROUS! The trail is part of the N Pali Coast State Park which gets its name from the Hawaiian term for high cliff, na pali.You may recognize the coast from the film Jurassic Park where it is featured . The trail can be experienced in pieces and the most popular section of this trail is from Ke`e to Hanakapi`ai , where you will find a lush river valley. Touching a manatee is punishable under the Manatee Sanctuary Act, with a fine of up to $500 and/or a jail term of up to 60 days. In fact, Hanakoa is a hanging valley without a beach the stream exhausts itself over cliffs at the oceans edge. [KAUAI] UPDATED 3/2/23: Polihale State Park Is CLOSED until further notice due to an electrical outage that has put the water pump out of service. And sunglasses. var shows = 0; for (i=1; i<=5; i++) { Those without camping permits for Kalalau Valley are therefore prohibited from attempting the entire 22-mile round trip hike in a day. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The trail is one of the most difficult in the Hawaiian Islands, which limits visitors to the beach. Swimming is possible on Kalalau Beach, but not without dangers. When you walk back to camp the sun will be starting to set and the cliff faces of the Na Pali coast turn golden. ny = document.getElementById(image); Any advice is much appreciated. Hena State Park is roughly 41 miles (1 1/2-hour drive) from Lihue Airport. In-order to access the Npali Coast State Wilderness Park as well as the Kalalau Trail, visitors have to go through Hena SP. show(star_img,rid); Sponsored Content >. The facilities at the beach include restrooms and showers. After selecting the date and time of your visit, youll be able to select the number of entry or parking vouchers required. Npali Coast State Wilderness Park. Ben Stiller did make fun of himself for taking the easy route. In addition, there is a shallow sand bar that runs parallel to the beach but in spots the ocean floor abruptly drops to levels above your head. Hikers have perished on this stretch of the hike, so you should only cross if you're physically fit and there's plenty of sunlight. Within the 5-night maximum, no 2 consecutive nights are allowed at Hanakoa. Those of us that didnt have sunglasses wore their swimming goggles to keep the sand out of their eyes. document.getElementById('t0').innerHTML=" "; The trail begins right after Ke'e Beach and has extreme inclines and declines and narrow footpaths, especially between the dreaded 6.5 to 8 miles (10.5 to 12.9 km) into it. Make reservations at www.gohaena.com. They live in simple camps with no permanent structures, with tarps as their roofs and cooking by the flame of a fire. document.getElementById('t0').innerHTML="Good"; Hiking NaPali Coast If the timing is not right for you to have such an in-depth and intensive experience; there are other ways to see the NaPali Coast by land. There are designated camping areas, however it seems you can camp anywhere, as its not typically enforced. he camping permits go fast, so its wise to get one a year or more in advance. else The stories on this website are provided for entertainment and informational purposes only. Theres one section of the beach that gets super windy. Please read. Waiting in a short line was well worth the $6/night price tag. Empty, untouched beach On your mark, get set, go Tucked a few hundred yards down the coast is one of the more inaccessible beaches in Hawaii, known as Honopu beach. Camp fires seem to be allowed (nearly every site has a pit) and there are pit toilets to use in two locations. The faces are sheer and you can see that boulders continuously break off.(Update 9/14/15: This areawas destroyed in a massive landslide during the winter of 2014-2015. Even if there was an unautthorized boat, or raft, the OP did not happen to mention the time of year that they were planning on camping at the Kalalau Valley. The 11-mile trail is graded but almost never level as it crosses above towering sea cliffs and through lush tropical valleys. About a mile up the valley, the . Honopu Beach now requires swimming a good 300 or more yards to access the beach.). function noshow(star_img,rnid) What are some free things to do on Kauai? On the second day of the hike, you can explore some of the many attractions around Kalalau beach, such as the Hanakapi'ai waterfalls, the Hanakoa Falls, and the Kalalau Valley Trail. During summer, sea caves just beyond the waterfall provide popular camping shelters, but winter surf removes much of the beach and enters the caves. Theres no longer sand to walk on here. A 1.8-mile trail into the valley leads to a spectacular 300-foot waterfall. Though this article focuses on walking the Kalalau Trail, there are other ways to visit if you do not enjoy hiking or are short on time. Tour boats do stop at Nualolo Kai on the Na Pali coast.