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Polihale Beach State Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Swimming Pools, Parks, Campgrounds, Beaches [Edit]
Kaumuali'i HwyWaimea, HI 96796
(808) 587-0400
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
15 reviews for Polihale Beach State Park
Beautiful Beach, we could not resist the dirt road, what we went to see was the Polihale Heiau , but ended up soaking in the beautiful views of Barking sands. We took a car that did not have 4 wheel and we were fine, but we have driven a lot in strange places and know for the most part what to avoid in the road. We also went in August when it was not raining.
The views are really spectacular.... really amazing, really worth it. Bring the water, bring some lunch, and don't forget the camera! I hope the road never gets paved.
Polihale means "House of Po" or "House of the Afterworld" It is Sacred Space and is treated as such. Please respect the beaches and the land. Take only pictures and what you bring in,
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This beach takes effort to get to; 5 miles down a dirt road - but so worth it! Since it is out of the way - you will be reap the rewards of being on a beach that has maybe 20-30pp - and it's a long beach so it's easy to get solitude by just walking a little further.
The waves were pretty strong - but we just waited between sets of waves to jump in the water. I wished that I had a boogie board to enjoy it more!
Bring everything you need for the beach - umbrella, LOTS of sunscreen, snacks and water - and defintely wear shoes to save your feet from the burning sand! You will not want to make many trips back to the car ...
In some of the marketing magazines - they tell you that your rental car contract is null & void if you take the car here - but my rental company didn't say a thing about it and they use a standard company contract. Also - the beach was closed down for about 4 months this year in order to grade the road and improving the facilities and has only been open for 1 month. You could tell as the dirt roads were very good! It was even better than the paved road to the overlook at Waimea Canyon!
I would love to go back to Kauai just to get to this beach again. I think this is the most beautiful beach in the world.
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Can't say enough about this beach. It takes your breath away.
Yes, the dirt road drive is horrible, and maybe it makes the beach feel that much better. I was 6 months pregnant and probably shouldn't have taken the ride down that road, but it was certainly the best beach I've ever been to and would love to be back at some point. No other beach came close. Got there in time for the sunset. Next time I'll bring a picnic and relax a while.
We were essentially alone with the only other humans a local family just pin points down the beach.
Water is DEFINITELY too rough, however.
I don't recommend coming here if you aren't a local. For one thing, if you are renting a car they will give you the 3rd degree for requesting a 4 wheel drive (and you CANNOT get out here without one....don't even try because it will end badly and with a lot of expense on your part). Secondly, the locals like to think of this as "their" personal sanctuary away from tourists. Can you blame them? Hawaii is SUCH a tourist attraction! Don't go swimming if the waves are high...there are no lifeguards and you put your life in danger by not being cautious. Please also take your trash out with you...this isn't an official campground with plenty of trash cans.
Other than those guidelines, enjoy the beautiful secluded beach!
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Like, O-M-G!.... This beach is GORGEOUS! Stunning! and there's a Half Dome-ish formation which is the Na Pali cliffs. There's about a 7-mile long stretch of beach blissfulness. Amazing sunsets over Ni'ihau island, and awesome star-gazing. ***Word to the wise: the ocean here can be VERY dangerous*** (severe shore break/rip currents) - no lifeguards/remote location. The waves are deceiving (and WILL knock you on your lil behind, or maybe carry you out to sea forever). Don't leave any valuables unattended. Bring plenty of sunscreen & water. Be sure to check: http://www.hawaiistate... for road conditions & closings due to heavy rains, etc. FYI: Camping is by permit only. It's a little adventure, but SO worth it! PLEASE do NOT litter!
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Crazy beautiful beach at the very end of the road (clockwise). I wouldn't go without 4WD. If you can't see the Napali coast by air or boat, this beach is adjacent the western extreme of the cliffs and offers a nice taste of what is around the corner.
Brave the long drive and the last five miles of dirt/sandy road to get here and you have arrived to one of the most beautiful beaches you could imagine.
But it is not a trip for the masses, especially if your car is not equipped for this terrain. (The locals say they make good money getting people out when they are stuck).
We went here last night for the sunset and it was a beauty, It was worth the trip to view the sun dipping in the sea along this coastline. It was as if I could reach out and touch it, it seemed so close and directly in view. A sight to behold.
The sand here is so fine and silky soft it feels great and is fun to play in. My daughter spent over an hour just collecting itty bitty shells. They are so small since they are pounded into pieces by the rough surf. The beach is at the edge of the NaPali coast and the cliffs are amazing. They are flat on top from the strong winds and elements.
It is a magical place.
It is easy to find a secluded spot since there are not many people. There are even a few shady spots to hide in if the sun gets too hot ... and it can. At sunset, the sun was blazing.
The walk over the sand dunes can be difficult, so bring what you need on the first trip. You may not want to go back to the car once you make your way to the beach.
And bring lots of water and whatever food you need, you will not find any services or vendors here.
I was happy to get out safely and not need to call anyone for help ... cause phones don't work here either.
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This is the beach at the end of the road on the island at the end of the earth. Yes the road is not four-lane blacktop. Take your time. If you aren't comfortable driving over the bumps or in the mud after a rain (our apologies to the rental company - no damage, just lots of mud), then look at someone else's photos or have them drive. This is an open stretch of fairly secluded beach with few people. You won't be "let's go naked alone" but damn close. The south end is marked by the barking sands base and the northern end by 1000 foot cliffs. This is the start of the Na Pali coastline. If you can't get out onto the water, then this is a good way to get an idea of how massive these cliffs are.
Well worth the drive.
If you are going to break your car rental agreement and drive off-road, why not do it for this beautiful beach?
You will only find a handful of other people here, and most will be locals. At the end of the road, go a little further, driving down a dirt road until you reach a "parking lot" of sorts. The Na Pali Coast is on the other side of the beautiful cliffs at the end of the beach. A perfect spot to enjoy watching the sun go down.
The sunset is not to be missed. In fact, it may be the main reason to visit. The ocean here is monstrous. Although gorgeous, this is not a beach for swimming. There are facilities like bathrooms, picnic tables and drinking water. If you are here during the summer, chances are the road will be dry- but it will be HOT at the beach. If it is raining, the road can get pretty treacherous but the beach will still be pleasant for gazing and sunset watching.
Make sure you are with someone who has a keen sense of direction... driving the dirt roads after sunset can be a nerve racking experience for some!
FOUR PAWS UP
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Two words: full coverage rental car insurance... okay that is four words.. no wait.. it is five..that is why I am a humanities teacher and not a math one.. My point being (other than I can't do basic math) is an emphasis on full coverage. In the movie Meet the Fockers they say full coverage is a scam... if you want to go certain places on Kauai you are going to have to pay the extra 22 bucks, suck it up and it will be totally worth it. This place is 11 miles off the beaten path... I use the term beaten path lightly.. it is dusty, muddle and you can really see if your rental car company does maintenance on their axles. Many places on the road are one ways with people tearing down it going 30 mph.... I am shaking my fist at the @**hole who almost hit us going along one of the wooden bridge thingies half way down the road.
The beach is a place where you see folks on a boogie board being driven 25 mph behind a truck... a family is smoking a doobie before heading out to the water..... there are tents and pasty people who are turning lobster red (not pink.. those people are a red beacon of light). Amidst all of this is a place where you can surf, swim and wade to your content. The beach is gorgeous and we definitely caught some sun and surf. you can bring a mini grill and make a meal while watching the waves crash. The mountains surrounding the area are breath-taking.... we stayed there for four plus hours and totally did not regret a minute of it.
Bring tons of water, sunscreen and snackies :-D
To me, hands down, the most beautiful stretch of beach in the State. Not only Polihale but the entire stretch of beach the extends from WAY before Polihale, Barking Sands Missile Base, back towards Poipu. If the spot you've chosen gets a little crowded with say FOUR other folks, move down about a hundred yards, Voila! Empty beach again!
For me, with Hawaii's best beaches becoming too crowded, I go for quiet and privacy and you can't beat it here.
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Beautiful, endless white sand beaches... plenty of facilities for camping along with fresh drinking water.
Only spent a couple hours here, but was amazed by the pristine beauty...
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This place was a bugger to get to! We followed and later saw other people make the same place - we all encountered a gated dead end to the Pacific Missile Range Facility. So if you see a guy working in the fields that are along the dirt road and he is pointing for you to go to the other way - HE IS NOT NUTS. He is telling you that you are going to hit a dead end! Poor guy, I bet he's sick and tired of seeing the people make the same mistake. Seriously, there were four cars, including us, that made this error and that is just what I saw. He probably figures he will try to direct from the field.
Getting there feels like you're driving on private road. And we were actually trying to get to Queen's Pond which we didn't see until we were on our way and decided to try to find it one last time! But the stretch of beach we were on was gorgeous. There were a few cars in the parking lot we used and we could see other people but we were so far apart we couldn't even hear them. You want a secluded beach, this is it! Of course, like someone wrote, these are some rough waves. I was wading and I got knocked onto my keester. And my husband briefly fell asleep to the waves lapping up to his knees but woke up when he was dragged in! Nothing extremely strong but probably not kid safe (Unless you find Queen's Pond which is a lovely place to wade!) This was the most beautiful beach we visited on our vacation.
this beach is really lame. don't go here.
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my favorite beach in the whole world..... not easy to find, that's ok, totally worth it! Mostly locals and that is nice. quiet, not many people. Bring lots of water, ice & flip flops (sand gets HOT).
