CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (Travis.Thurston)Beach· Kauai· Hawaii
Polihale State Park
22° 5.6′ N · 159° 45.0′ W
The westernmost public place in Hawaii: miles of white sand and 100-foot dunes at the southern end of the Na Pali cliffs, reached only by a rutted cane-haul road, and the finish line for Na Pali kayak trips.
Practical
Wikipedia/State Parks: cold-water showers, flush toilets and pavilions; nothing for sale, no lifeguard, little shade; swimming is safe only at Queens Pond toward the south end; the beach drops off rapidly with strong rips, especially in winter. No anchorage: open roadstead, heavy shorebreak (Coast Pilot: the sea breaks on a lava ledge at the edge of the sand south of here, making beaching boats dangerous except in smooth seas). Polihale camping was listed as suspended until further notice in 2026; park access was closed for Hurricane Lowell from September 4, 2026 (main gate locked) - check notices. Immediately south lies the Pacific Missile Range Facility restricted area.
Best for
Sunset-view beach and end of the Na Pali kayak run
Nearby
- Milolii Ridge Beach (Na Pali State Park)3.9 NM away
- Mana Point and Barking Sands Coast4.4 NM away
- Nualolo Kai Ancient Village Site4.8 NM away
- Nualolo Kai Anchorage4.9 NM away
- Nualolo Kai Reef Snorkel5.1 NM away
- Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park5.2 NM away
- Pacific Missile Range Facility (Barking Sands) Restricted Waters5.4 NM away
- Honopu Arch and Beach6.3 NM away