Wyllie Beach(Wylie Beach)

Located near the town of Princeville, Wyllie’s Beach - also called Wyllie Beach and Wylie Beach - is a small and narrow beach with light brown sand, many nearby trees, and a few rocks in northern Kauai. A small stream named Anini Stream flows near the eastern part of this beach - once this stream passes this beach, it flows into the Pacific Ocean. This beach is named after a local politician and businessman named Robert Crichton Wyllie, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Hawaii during the mid-19th century. The area around the beach has many mango trees. Wyllie also bought a plantation in the present location of the town of Princeville. 

Wyllie’s Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so please plan accordingly. 

Wyllie’s Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, picnicking, hiking, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, kitesurfing, windsurfing, canoeing, paddleboarding, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, and boating. The water near Wyllie’s Beach is usually calm and has a gentle depth, which makes it ideal for beginner swimmers. Snorkelers also visit Wyllie’s Beach to explore its vibrant underwater biodiversity - the water here has a reef, and you can see many kinds of animals in the water near Wyllie’s Beach including sea turtles, migrating whales between November and March, Hawaiian monk seals, and many kinds of fish. It is important to note that sea turtles are protected under a law named theEndangered Species Act of 1973, and harming them can result in a fine of up to $50,000 and possible imprisonment. The eastern portion of the reef near Wyllie’s Beach is particularly ideal for snorkelers during high tide. In addition to snorkeling, this beach is also popular with paddle boarders. If you are planning to swim, snorkel, or paddleboard near Wyllie’s Beach, we recommend being careful because the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents - the water around the mouth of the Anini Stream can particularly have dangerous rip currents during the rainy season. In addition, the water here can also get murky during rains. This murky water is often preferred by local sharks for hunting. This beach is ideal for visitors looking for a quieter beach experience because it sees fewer visitors as compared to other Kauai beaches. If you are planning to fish near Wyllie’s Beach, please ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations which can be found on the website of the Division of Aquatic Resources (which is a part of the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources).

There are multiple ways to reach Wyllie’s Beach – if you want to take the first access option, you need to reach a hotel named The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas, which is located at 3838 Wyllie Road and which also has a free parking lot. Once you reach this hotel, you then need to walk on a short, yet rugged, uneven, and slippery walking trail that starts near the hotel premises and eventually leads to Wyllie’s Beach. Another access option is to first reach another beach named Anini Beach- this beach is situated near 4371 Anini Road, which is easily accessible from Hawaii Route 56 (also called Kuhio Highway). There are multiple free parking lots near Anini Beach. Once you park at these lots and then walk to Anini Beach, you need to walk west along the shoreline and cross the Anini stream to reach Wyllie’s Beach. We recommend visiting this beach while wearing water shoes because there are a few rocks around Wyllie’s Beach’s shoreline. In addition, we recommend being careful while crossing the Anini Stream to reach Wyllie’s Beach because this stream can occasionally get turbulent and have strong currents, particularly after the rainy season.

There are many attractions near Wyllie’s Beach. Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge is a 917-acre refuge that was established in 1972 for protecting endangered local bird species including Koloa (which is called the Hawaiian duck in English), ‘alae ke‘oke‘o (known as the Hawaiian coot in English), and nēnē (which is called Hawaiian goose in English). You can explore the park’s vibrant coastal biodiversity through a hiking trail named the Okolehao Trail. This trail also offers amazing views of many local landmarks including Mount Makana, the nearby community of Princeville, Hanalei Bay, the Hanalei River, and the Kīlauea Lighthouse and it also has observation areas. The wildlife refuge also has a historic site named Ho`opulapula Haraguchi Rice Mill which is a part of the United States National Register of Historic Places Princeville Ranch is a 2,500-acre ranch that offers exciting and memorable horse riding tours within its beautiful premises - the tours provide a unique insight into the local biodiversity and history, along with amazing views of the distant Pacific Ocean. In addition, the ranch also offers informative horsemanship lessons. If you are looking for another attraction near Wyllie’s Beach, The Princeville at Hanalei is a resort that offers multiple Oceanfront Golf Courses. These courses are designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and they offer a fun oceanfront golfing experience.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Wyllie’s Beach. Nanea Restaurant and Bar is an upscale restaurant that offers amazing gourmet dishes infused with local Hawaiian culinary influences.  Kilauea Fish Market is set in a cottage house and has a calm ambiance - this restaurant offers excellent salads, lunch and dinner platters (which consist of seafood, chicken, and pork dishes), wraps, burritos, tacos, poke bowls, and salads. The restaurant has also been praised by Lonely Planet magazine. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Wyllie’s Beach, Lotus Garden Thai & Chinese Restaurant offers excellent Asian dishes including gyoza dumplings, honey orange chicken, kung pao chicken, and wontons. As another modestly priced option, Sandwich Isle serves a variety of amazing sandwiches.

If you are looking for a hotel near Wyllie’s Beach, there are many great nearby options within a 20-minute drive. The 4-Star The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas offers many amenities including a bar, a grocery store, a restaurant, four pools, three hot tubs, jogging routes, exercise classes, and a spa. A more affordable hotel is The Cliffs at Princeville which offers many amenities including barbecue areas, a gym, a pool, a putting green, a playground, shuffleboard courts, a basketball court, a terrace, a wedding machine, and a garden. The hotel also offers yoga sessions, ukulele lessons, and botanical walks. Another moderately priced accommodation option is the Blue Anini Villa which offers many amenities including barbecue areas, a lanai, laundry facilities, beach towels, and beach chairs. In addition, the villa is situated conveniently close to some of the major attractions in North Kauai. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Wyllie’s Beach, the 2-Star Hanalei Dolphin Cottages offers many amenities including showers and barbecue areas. As another modestly priced option, the nearby Anini Beach offers oceanfront tent-camping sites. If you are planning to camp at Anini Beach, you can visit the County of Kauai’s Official Website for more information regarding the campsite permit booking procedure and campsite amenities.