Kalalau Beach

About

Kalalau Beach is a beach on the Nā Pali Coast at the base of the Kalalau Valley in north-west Kauaʻi in Hawaiʻi. It is the final destination of the Kalalau Trail, one of the most difficult trails on the Hawaiian Islands. The beach is approximately 1 mile long, with trails snaking through the rest of the valley where people in hiding are rumored to live. There is a camp site on the beach, with a waterfall providing fresh water and composting toilets available. Camping requires a permit. The beach has high surf, due to the lack of off shore reefs to break the waves. There are strong rip currents making swimming near impossible. In years past, companies offered a landing service, boating hikers in and out of the beach so that they could hike the trail easily. It is still possible to kayak into and out of the beach. The trail ends at Kalalau Beach, as the ocean comes up the cliffs at the western end. The stretch of the Nā Pali Coast westward from Kalalau Beach to Polihale Beach is inaccessible overland and beaches along that part of the coast can only be reached by sea or by helicopter. Kayaking and swimming (by strong swimmers with fins) from Kalalau Beach are the only ways to reach Honopū Beach. Long term tourists who stay beyond the authorized five days that a camping permit allows are generally considered squatters. These year-round residents may hike out every few

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.