Haena Beach Park, Kauai
Camping on the Beach, Snorkeling Tunnels and Exploring the Dry Cave
Haena Beach Park serves as a hub for many Kauai north shore attractions, including Tunnels, Kee Beach the Maniniholo dry cave and Limahuli Garden.
Haena Beach Park is one of the most poplar beaches on Kauai. Directly behind Haena beach the sheer face of Mount Makana dominates the view with creepers and other plants clinging to its side. Looking seaward the northern Pacific stretches out to the horizon.
Picnicking and camping are popular Haena beach activities, but often you won't see many people in the water. a sudden drop off and undertow can make Haena's water conditions treacherous, even with the presence of lifeguards. Fortunately Tunnels beach is just a quarter mile down the coast, offering calmer waters in the summer and some of the best Kauai snorkeling.
In the winter, heavy ocean swells make Haena waters very perilous. It's not uncommon for Haena lifeguards to close the beach for everyone's safety. A big Haena winter swell is well worth seeing, but please don't try getting in the water at either Haena or Tunnels when the waves rise.
HaenaBeach Attractions
Haena Beach Park is popular, in part, because it is close to so many other attractions. During the summer Tunnels alone is a big draw, and haena has one of the best Kauai County campgrounds.
Across the road from Haena, at the base of Mount Makana, is Maniniholo Dry Cave. The dry cave extends about 900 feet into the mountain. A short drive north from Haena bring's you to Maniniholo's counterpart, the Waikanaloa Wet Cave. The wet cave, as the name implies, is filled with a large, still pool of water.
Legend has it that Maniniholo and Waikanaloa were dug by the menehune, the industrious little people of Kauai. According to the legend the chief fisherman of the menehune, Maniniholo, ordered the two caves dug during a search for a fish-stealing creature called Akua.
The Waikokanaloa wet cave is just across the road from the alternate parking for Kee Bach, another popular attraction. Parking at Kee Beach fills up quickly, and as for the alternate parking . . . well, lets just say it's not the flattest terrain for a rental car. People often camp at Haena to get an early start and beat the crowds to Kee.
Between haena and the wet cave lies Limahuli National Tropical Garden. Limahuli Garden is a treasure trove of rare and native Hawaiian plants, built on terraces that climb up the valley. The view from the top tier of Limahuli includes a panorama of Makana Mountain, where ancient Hawaiians once hurled burning sticks, which were carried out to to sea by the mountain's updrafts.
Getting to HaenaBeachPark
Take highway 560 to Hanalei. Drive through Hanalei until you pass mile marker eight. Continue driving until just before mile marker nine. The dry cave will be on your left and Haena Beach Park on your right.
Take care on Hanalei's famous one lane bridges. Motorists on both sides of the bridges yield to each other. This slows down traffic a bit, but in such beautiful surroundings, who wants to hurry?
