CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (MEBurkhart)

Landmark· Kauai· Hawaii

Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park

22° 10.5′ N · 159° 38.6′ W

Sixteen miles of fluted green cliffs rising up to 4,000 feet straight from the sea, cut by hanging valleys, waterfalls and sea caves, with no road at all - the most spectacular coastline in Hawaii and best seen from the deck of a boat on a calm summer morning.

Practical

6,175-acre state park from Kee Beach to Polihale. Coast Pilot: the coast between Alapii and Kailiu Points is a series of cliffs up to 2,000 ft cut by streams and small waterfalls; Kalalau Valley is the broadest and deepest valley and easy to identify from seaward. Noodle's Notes: the bottom drops off quickly and there are no offshore obstructions, so you can sail close along the shore past Kee; he runs the 12 miles downwind from Hanalei to Nualolo under a deeply reefed main to slow down and enjoy it. HAR 13-256-41 (Na Pali Coast ocean waters, about 3,000 ft offshore): commercial vessels need permits, none over 50 passengers; commercial boats must keep a radio watch within 300 ft of a sea-cave entrance; the vessel leaving a cave has right of way. Boats are the only legal access to most of the shoreline other than the Kalalau Trail, and landings are allowed only at permitted sites (see Na Pali Coast Landing and Camping Permits). No services anywhere along the coast; spotty cell coverage. Status (State Parks notices, October 19, 2026): Na Pali and Polihale were closed for Hurricane Lowell from September 4, 2026; Haena State Park reopened October 15, 2026, but all Kauai camping remained closed and Kokee Road was closed until further notice - check the Park Notices page before relying on any landing or camping plan.

Best for

The signature sail on Kauai

Season

May-Sep for anchoring; winter north swell makes the coast dangerous