Kipu Kai Beach

Located in the southwestern part of the Kauai shoreline, Kipu Kai Beach is a large and secluded two-mile long crescent-shaped beach with light brown sand, a few rocky portions, many nearby trees, and nearby mountains. This beach is situated near a ranch named Kipu Ranch - Kipu Kai Beach has been featured in many movies including the George Clooney film The Descendants, the Harrison Ford and Anne Heche movie Six Days, Seven Nights,and The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The mountains near Kipu Kai Beach are a part of a mountain range named the Hoary Head mountains. There is a beautiful historic 19th-century house near Kipu Kai Beach named Mrs. Mary S. Rice Beach House. According to local legends, Kipu Kai Beach and the shoreline around it were visited by a Hawaiian demigod named Kamapua’a - Kamapua’a visited the beach and the area around it in the form of a large fish. Then he changed his form into a large boar once he landed ashore. Kamapua’a then became thirsty and started to dig holes on the beach using his snout to search for freshwater. At low tide, visitors occasionally find freshwater springs at Kipu Kai Beach - locals believe that these freshwater springs were created by Kamapua’a. 

Kipu Kai Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities, so please plan accordingly.

Kipu Kai Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, fishing, wildlife watching, hiking, swimming, scuba diving, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, water-skiing, jet-skiing, paddleboarding, and boating. The clear water near Kipu Kai Beach occasionally offers manageable waves, and this makes it ideal for less-experienced swimmers - the northeastern end of Kipu Kai Beach has particularly calm water. Snorkelers and scuba divers also visit Kipu Kai Beach for exploring the vibrant local marine biodiversity - depending on the time of the year, you can see many kinds of animals in the water near the beach including sea turtles, migrating whales between December and May, spinner dolphins, Hawaiian monk seals, and many kinds of fish. It is important to note that sea turtles and migrating whales are protected under a law named the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and harming them can result in a fine of up to $50,000 and possible imprisonment. It is important to note that it is illegal to be within 50 yards of a spinner dolphin. If you are planning to fish near Kipu Kai Beach, please ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations that 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). If you like taking Instagram-worthy pictures with beautiful views, Kipu Kai Beach offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and the southeastern Kauai shoreline, particularly during mornings. Kipu Kai Beach is ideal for visitors looking for a quieter beach experience because this beach sees fewer visitors than other Kauai beaches. If you like birdwatching, you can also see rare Hawaiian geese around Kipu Kai Beach. If you like riding on ATVs, the nearby Kipu Ranch offers thrilling ATV rides within its premises. These ATV rides offer a unique way to explore the beautiful southeastern Kauai shoreline and also learn more about the local cultural history and natural history.

Getting to Kipu Kai Beach is difficult because the only major way to reach this beach is by kayak and canoe - you can launch your canoe/kayak from a harbor near the town of Lihue called Nawiliwili Harbor and then paddle south along the Kauai shoreline to reach Kipu Kai Beach. Nawiliwili Harbor is located at 2494 Niumalu Road, and there are paid and free parking lots nearby. As another access option, you can also launch your kayak/canoe from another nearby beach named Mahaulepu Beach (which is also called Gillin’s Beach). If you want to reach Mahaulepu Beach, you need to turn towards Ala Kinoiki Road from Hawaii Route 520 - this highway is also called Maluhia Road. From Ala Kinoiki Road, you can turn towards Mahaulepu Road or Poipu Road. Both these roads eventually lead to a single unnamed rugged dirt road, and this road will lead you to the small free dirt parking lot for Mahaulepu Beach - we recommend being careful while visiting this beach because this unnamed dirt road can be slippery after rainy weather. In addition, we recommend being careful while parking at the dirt parking lot for Mahaulepu Beach because burglaries have been known to occur in this area. 

Once you reach Mahaulepu Beach, you can launch your kayak or canoe from this beach and paddle north along the Kauai shoreline to reach Kipu Kai Beach. Please note that kayaking or canoeing to Kipu Kai Beach can be extremely difficult because the water around the beach can occasionally have dangerous rip currents and extremely strong waves. If you are kayaking or canoeing at Kipu Kai Beach, we recommend visiting this beach with a friend for safety reasons. As another access option, it is also possible to hike north from Mahaulepu Beach to Kipu Kai beach. However, it is important to note that hiking to the beach can be extremely difficult because this part of the Kauai coastline is extremely rugged and uneven and this results in people often opting to access this beach solely through boat, kayak, or canoe. In addition, hiking to Kipu Kai Beach is also difficult because it is surrounded by private property and trespassing here is punishable by local authorities. Many local private organizations also offer boat tours to Kipu Kai Beach - these organizations include Capt Andy’s, Kauai Sea Rider Adventures, and Kauai Zodiac Tours

There are many attractions near Kipu Kai Beach, located around the nearby Nawiliwili Harbor. Ninini Point Lighthouse is 86 feet tall and was built in the early 20th century using wood and concrete, and it was fully automated in 1953. Grove Farm Homestead & Sugar Plantation Museum is a historic sugar plantation that was built in 1864. This plantation hosts guided tours that offer unique insights into Kauai’s history and the growth of its sugar industry. The still-functioning plantation also offers a unique insight into how the people engaged in sugar cultivation and processing worked and lived - in addition, the plantation also has beautiful gardens, orchards, and lawns. If you are looking for another attraction near Kipu Kai Beach, Hulē‘ia National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge that has vibrant and exquisite wetlands - offers a unique insight into the local biodiversity of southeastern Kauai and you can see many kinds of endangered birds here including Hawaiian ducks, Hawaiian coot, and Hawaiian gallinule. While the refuge is closed to the public, you can still see the animals that live here through a nearby observation area - in addition, you can see another interesting local historic landmark from this observation area named the Menehune Fishpond, which is an artificial fishpond that was apparently constructed in the 15th century by legendary dwarves called the menehune.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Kipu Kai Beach - these restaurants are located around the nearby Nawiliwili Harbor. Hualani’s Restaurant is an upscale oceanfront restaurant with an elegant decor. This restaurant offers amazing locally-inspired seasonal dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including steaks, seafood, Asian-style dishes, burgers, lamb, salads, pancakes, and eggs. The restaurant was awarded OpenTable’s Diners’ Choice award in 2020 and it has also been designated as an “Ocean-Friendly Restaurant” by the SURFRIDER FOUNDATION. Lilikoi Bar & Grill offers delicious dishes for breakfast and brunch including salads, sandwiches, burgers, pastas, seafood, tacos, poultry dishes, steaks, breakfast dishes, and desserts. Rob’s Good Time Grill is a restaurant and bar that offers excellent sandwiches, burgers, seafood, chicken wings, wraps, nachos, salads, fries, and chicken, seafood, and pork platters. In addition, it also offers live music performances. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Kipu Kai Beach, Pho Kauai serves a variety of amazing Vietnamese dishes including pho, Vietnamese-style fried rice, and bánh xèo.

If you are looking for a hotel near Kipu Kai Beach, there are many great nearby options - these hotels are located around the nearby Nawiliwili Harbor and the nearby town of Poipu. The 5-Star Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (located in Poipu) offers many amenities including multiple pools, a 24/7 fitness center, a 45,000-square feet spa, and multiple restaurants and bars. The hotel also offers kids’ activities and evening luau ceremonies. The other hotels near Kipu Kai Beach are located near Nawiliwili Harbor. The 4-Star Marriott's Kauai Lagoons - Kalanipuʻu offers many amenities including a pool, a whirlpool, barbecue facilities, walking trails, and a fitness center. It also offers access to a spa named the Alexander Spa. Another upscale hotel is the 4-Star Royal Sonesta Kaua'i Resort Lihue which offers many amenities including complimentary airport shuttle service, multiple restaurants, a large pool with a bar and picnic areas, a spa, a fitness center, a kids’ activity club, and surf lessons and boat rental facility. A more affordable accommodation option is the Kaha Lani Resort which offers many amenities including barbecue grills, walking/biking path, laundry/dry cleaning services (available for a fee), and picnic areas. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Kipu Kai Beach, Motel Lani is located conveniently close to some of the major landmarks in southeastern Hawaii.