Discover The Island Of Kauai,
Hawaii
Kauai Snorkeling
There are many great snorkeling spots in Kauai.
There’s Lydgate Park near Wailua on Kauai’s East Side, a man-made
lagoon featuring protected waters, ideal for beginners. At Tunnels just beyond
Hanalei, the place offers a vast labyrinth of pathways that intersect its wide
fringing reef. If you want a splendid way to combine adventure, scenic beauty,
and snorkeling in Kauai, then book yourself a boat cruise.
HINT: Bring
your own snorkeling gear – mask, fins, and snorkel. If you’re
traveling light, you also have the option to buy a set when you arrive. Having
your own gear is infinitely better than renting. Not only is it cheaper, you
won’t be sucking on somebody else’s cooties!
Here are some
favorite snorkel locations in Kauai. All these places can be reached no matter
where your accommodations are.
Poipu Beach Park at Kauai’s
South Shore
One of Kauai’s safest beaches, the Poipu Beach
Park boasts some of the clearest waters in Hawaii. It has also been repeatedly
ranked as among the best family beaches in the islands. No small wonder really
when you consider its sheltered, shallow beach suitable for tiny tots and the
world-famous Brennecke Beach renowned for excellent body surfing.
Poipu Beach Park encompasses two of Poipu’s most popular beaches, Poipu
Beach and Brennecke Beach, where swaying coco palms accentuate a vast lawn,
providing shade and silhouetting dramatic sunsets. A few pavilions and picnic
tables are scattered all around, offering respite from the sun and a perfect
spot for lunch.
Rest rooms? Shower facilities? Poipu Beach Park has
those as well as a convenience market and a restaurant-bar just across a small
street. Dive shops selling or renting gear are also not hard to find, so you
don’t have to spend too much time trying to find one.
Poipu Beach
Park also has a sheltered cove which is ideal for small children and novice
snorkelers. But if you want to get more out of Kauai snorkeling, drift over to
the far right side of the beach park, west of the tombolo or sand split where
the waters are far deeper and a far more spectacular aquatic display awaits
you.
Anini Beach in Kauai’s North Shore
In parts
of Anini Beach, the waters are very shallow, however, the reef appears to go on
forever at this beach. Gifted with the largest reef in Kauai, Anini provides
more than ample exploration of the underwater canyons at the reef’s edge.
It is here that the larger reef and pelagic or deep-sea fish can sometimes be
seen.
Anini is suitable for both beginners and experienced snorkelers
alike. But for safety sake, only venture deeper during an incoming tide. You
can tell that tide is coming in because it occurs immediately after a low tide.
Beware: Currents draining the reef on an outgoing tide can be strong,
so avoid them if you can. Always remember to snorkel with a buddy.
Ke’e at the Very End of the Road on Kauai’s North Shore
Offering great snorkeling destination during summer months, Ke’e can
also be a great place for underwater spectators during calm seas. It’s
right off the towering cliffs of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast so just for that,
it’s certainly worth the dive. But Ke’e has more to offer than the
spectacular view of the famous Na Pali Coastline. The azure waters of this
lovely lagoon sparkle like a rare gem even as you approach from the deck of
your chartered boat. Ke’e’s natural beauty alone recommends it to
snorkelers who know how to appreciate Kauai’s great natural vistas.
And if you want sightings that feature more than fish plying the coral
reef, Ke’e has Pacific green sea turtles in store for you. These charming
creatures often congregate in an outer lagoon beyond the inshore reef. While
here, you might want to walk the world famous Kalalau Trail to the first
lookout (about one mile).
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