Snorkeling in Kauai
Written: Jan 04 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive and fun activity to do while visiting Kauai
Cons: Water temps are in the low 70's
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| Suzi's Full Review: Kauai |
If you ask people who have been to Kauai what they did, most will tell you they went snorkeling. As with all of Hawaii, snorkeling is big business. You'll find stopping to snorkel on the way to other points of interest easy to do. Unfortunately, snorkeling sites are not well marked, so it goes without saying it's a good idea to stop at a dive shop and ask for directions.
My visit to Kauai over Christmas 2000 was my first. My husband and I are avid scuba divers, however, on this trip, we encountered rough seas and cold water (typical of winters in Kauai). So, we did more snorkeling than diving.
The north coast up towards Princeville is pounded by rough surf all winter, making both scuba diving and snorkeling nearly impossible. Even the beaches near our condo, located between Kapaa and Lihue, had surf to rough to go into, so much of our snorkeling took place on the south end of the island, near Poipu.
However, you might be thinking of coming to Kauai in the spring or summer. Although I can't speak from experience, I'm told the waters along the north coast are calm and very inviting most of the year.
If you plan to snorkel, I recommend you pack you own mask, fins and snorkel. You'll save a lot of money and you'll have it handy when you decide to stop some where to snorkel. Another piece of equipment that came in handy is a mesh bag, that I kept our gear in. You can make or buy one - I paid $15 for a large backpack style at a dive shop near home. We would leave our snorkel gear, a bathing suit and a small towel in the trunk of our car, in the event we would pass by a place known for it's snorkeling.
The visibility and water temperature are much better in the summer, I'm told. In December, the water temperature was 74 degrees and in some places, the visibility wasn't great. It's very cold when you first go in. We had wetsuits (brought them to take scuba diving) but didn't use them to snorkel. For my seven year old, I purchased a wetsuit at a garage sale before we came, and I have to tell you, it was the best thing for him. Not so much for thermal protection, but rather, it increased his buoyancy, and made it easier for him to snorkel (and kept him from getting sunburned). It also kept him warm.
The following is a list of snorkeling sites I compiled prior to our trip. I was disappointed to learn that many of them were not safe enough to visit in winter. Hopefully, if you've been to some of these sites, you'll leave a comment to let others know of your experience.
Lydgate Beach
Near Kapaa, on the Coconut Coast, was a great site we returned to many times with my 7 year old. It's a rock sheltered cove in 2-3 feet of calm water, with lots of fish. There are bathrooms, a picnic area and a beach with a lifeguard. There is also plenty of parking.
Anahola Bay
About 1 mile north of Kapaa. This beach can be seen from the road, but there are no signs to tell you you are coming up to it. We stopped here, but the ocean was too rough to go into. The snorkeling here is supposed to be good on days when the surf is down. I wouldn't recommend this for young kids, as one has to swim out far to get to the reef.
Kee Lagoon
You'll come to this site when you take Highway 56 north (past Hanalei) to the end of the road. You'll find a beautiful beach here. It was very crowded the day we came here. The snorkeling was marginal, as the visibility was poor. The surf was also rough. This may be a good place in the summer, as this is on the north shore.
Tunnels Reef
Located past Wainiha, on Highway 56 north. Take road that says "Right of Way to Beach." We stopped to admire the view and the 25 foot surf! Go here in the summer.
Anini Beach
Located on the right just past Kilauea town (lighthouse) turn-off. It wasn't hard to find, but the roads are un marked. Follow a sign that will confirm you are on the right track. Anini Beach is mostly residential. You'll find unmarked beach access openings between the mansions facing the ocean. We came on a calm day, but during low tide. We found ourselves at times in knee deep water among sharp rock and corals. It's best to come here in the summer, or on exceptionally calm days in the winter.
The south end of the island has snorkeling all year, and the only place to go to find snorkeling in winter. The following list of sites are ones we went to:
Beach at Lawai
Down the road from the Spouting Horn. Excellent visibility, but a long swim out to the reef. I didn't feel comfortable having my son go out there with us, but he surprised us, and did okay.
Poipu Beach Park
A sheltered area similar to Lydgate Park, with lifeguards and a shallow cove, picnic area and bathrooms.
We found packing drinks in a cooler and sandwiches for after snorkeling came in handy. Many of these sites are in remote locations, with little or no facilities. In the two weeks we spent on the island, I would say we went snorkeling every other day.
At any dive shop on the island, they can give you information about surf conditions and directions to these and other sites. There are snorkeling tours available, but we didn't opt to do them, as the visibility wasn't the best (and they are expensive) when scuba diving. In the summer, the best snorkeling is done from boats in coves along the Na Pali coast. Unfortunately, conditions weren't the best when we were there. We'll save that for next time. Thanks for reading.
Recommended:
Yes
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Suzi
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Location: California
Reviews written: 190
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About Me:
Suzi is an aspiring travel writer who enjoys scuba diving and volleyball.
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