Papaa Bay Beach

Located at the northern end of Kauai’s Coconut Coast of Anahola, Papaa Bay Beach - also known as Papaa Bay - is a crescent-shaped golden sand beach with a few rocky portions and a grove of palm trees.  Papaa Bay Beach is situated on the shores of Anahola Bay, and the Anahola Stream empties into the ocean towards the northern end of the beach.  The beach has the beautiful backdrop of an opulent private coastal property.  As an interesting fact, the beach has been used as a filming location for the action-adventure movie Six Days, Seven Nights starring Harrison Ford and Anne Heche and was used as the setting for a plane crash scene in the movie. 

Papaa Bay Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so plan your trip accordingly.  Dogs are allowed on the beach if they are on a leash, and the beach is open from sunrise until sunset. 

Papaa Bay Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing.  If you are planning to go in the water near the beach, the northern side of Papaa Bay Beach is protected by an offshore reef that forms a shallow lagoon, making it an ideal spot for swimming and snorkeling.  However, visitors should avoid getting into the water at the southern end of the beach as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents.  Snorkelers can explore coral reefs and see a large variety of colorful tropical fish, as well as Hawaiian marine life.  Papaa Bay Beach is a great place for visitors to unwind and enjoy the tranquil surroundings, especially at sunset.  If you are planning to fish in the waters near Papaa Bay Beach, please make sure that you are in compliance with the local fishing regulations.  In addition, Papaa Bay Beach is perfect for visitors seeking a quiet experience as this beach sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.

Getting to Papaa Bay Beach is difficult - the beach has a free and small parking lot that is located at 5456 Kalalea View Drive.  After parking, you will need to hike for around 10 minutes across a steep hill and then another 10 minutes to walk over quite a few boulders to reach the beach.  It is important to note that all beaches in Hawaii are public, but the access to this beach itself is surrounded by private property, so visitors are requested to refrain from trespassing across this private area.

There are many attractions near Papaa Bay Beach.  Fern Grotto is a cave formed from lava rocks and covered with ferns and other tropical foliage, located on the southern side of the Wailua River.  It also has a waterfall and an observation deck where tourists may listen to musicians playing Hawaiian music. The cave is only accessible by boat.  Initially, this location was only visited by Hawaiian royalty, but now it is open to the general public.  Princeville Botanical Garden is a family-grown and operated botanical garden.  It is home to native and "canoe" plants, medicinal plants, fruit trees, cacao orchards, rare and endangered flowers, and useful economic plants from around the world.  In addition, it offers guided tours, including complimentary chocolate tastings, as well as delicious honey from on-site beehives.  It is important to note that the garden is closed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.  If you are looking for another attraction near Papaa Bay Beach, Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is an oceanfront refuge located on the northernmost point of the main Hawaiian Islands.  Tourists can spot many birds nesting, foraging, and resting, including red-footed booby, frigate bird, Laysan albatross, black-footed albatross, brown booby, Pacific golden plover, wedge-tailed shearwater, and Hawaiian goose.  Depending on the time of year, visitors may spot spinner dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, French Frigate Shoals, and humpback whales in the water below.  In addition, it also has a lighthouse that offers amazing, Instagram-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean from atop a 180-foot ocean bluff.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Papaa Bay Beach.  Oasis on the Beach is an upscale Hawaiian restaurant that serves delicious soups, salads, burgers, French toast, pancakes, wraps, short ribs, seafood, pork, and desserts.  Mariachi’s Mexican Cuisine serves salads, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, chimichangas, rancheros, and ceviche.  Paco’s Taco serves tacos, salads, burritos, sandwiches, tortas, rancheros, pancakes, enchiladas, fajitas, seafood, and chile relleno.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Papaa Bay Beach, Anahola Cafe serves amazing burgers, pizzas, saimin, loco moco, steaks, and roasted pork.

If you are looking for a hotel near Papaa Bay Beach, there are many great nearby options.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 5-Star The Lodge at Kuku’ula is 51 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a golf course, an outdoor pool, hot tubs, a restaurant, and a spa.  Another upscale option is the beachfront 4-Star Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club which offers many amenities including a golf course, a fitness center, a spa, an outdoor pool, three hot tubs, and several restaurants.  A more affordable hotel is the oceanfront 3-Star Kauai Shores Hotel which offers several amenities including two outdoor pools, hot tubs, and a restaurant.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Papaa Bay Beach, the modestly priced 2-Star Castle Kauai Kailani offers an outdoor pool and barbecue grill facility.