Best beaches on Kauaʻi for boogie boarding and body surfing
Boogie boarding and body surfing on Kauaʻi mean riding a shorebreak, the wave that breaks close to the sand. For a lifeguard tower, Keālia and Anahola are the picks. For the island’s best-known shorebreak, try Brennecke’s Beach and Shipwreck Beach in summer, though neither has a lifeguard.
Updated
Our picks, not a safety rating. These are our picks, based on each beach’s shorebreak and whether it has a lifeguard tower. They are not a safety rating. A shorebreak breaks hard and close to the sand, and it can be dangerous on any day. Choose a beach with a lifeguard when you can, check closures and today’s surf, and ask the lifeguard before you get in. If in doubt, stay out of the water.
Summer: May to October
From May through October the State says south shores get the larger swells, so Brennecke’s and Shipwreck are at their best. North shores are mostly flat to small. Source: State of Hawaiʻi Ocean Safety
1
Keālia Beach
East Side · Both seasons
Bodyboarders and surfers come for waves that break over a shifting sandbar. County lifeguard tower, staffed daily, and parking right behind the sand. Winter surf brings strong currents. Best for intermediate riders, with the lifeguard’s advice. The Health Department has posted brown water advisories here.
2
Anahola Beach Park
East Side · Both seasons
Bodyboarders and surfers ride the shorebreak toward the north end of the bay. Lifeguard tower, staffed daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., plus restrooms and free parking beside the sand. Guides warn of rip currents near the old pier and the stream mouth. Best for intermediate riders.
3
Brennecke's Beach
South Shore · Best May to October
Known for bodyboarding and bodysurfing in a shorebreak that breaks hard and close to the sand. State rules ban surfboards and paipo boards in the nearshore waters, so it is left to bodyboarders and bodysurfers. No lifeguard tower of its own; Poʻipū Beach Park’s towers are a short walk west. Experienced riders only.
4
Shipwreck Beach
South Shore · Best May to October
A Hawaiian place-names dictionary calls its shorebreak one of Kauaʻi’s most popular bodysurfing and bodyboarding sites. No lifeguard tower. Restrooms and showers are near the small free lot. Don’t jump from Makawehi Point; the County and local doctors have documented serious injuries and deaths there. Experienced riders only.
5
Kalapakī Beach
East Side · Both seasons
Surfers and bodyboarders ride the shorebreak over the bay’s shallow sandbar, in front of the Royal Sonesta Kauaʻi in Līhuʻe. No lifeguard. The Health Department posts brown water advisories here after heavy rain, so check status first. Best for intermediate riders.
Winter: November to April
From November through April the State says north shores get “consistent huge and dangerous swells,” and south shores are mostly flat to small. The east-side picks stay on the list, but winter surf there can bring strong currents. Source: State of Hawaiʻi Ocean Safety
1
Keālia Beach
East Side · Both seasons
Bodyboarders and surfers come for waves that break over a shifting sandbar. County lifeguard tower, staffed daily, and parking right behind the sand. Winter surf brings strong currents. Best for intermediate riders, with the lifeguard’s advice. The Health Department has posted brown water advisories here.
2
Anahola Beach Park
East Side · Both seasons
Bodyboarders and surfers ride the shorebreak toward the north end of the bay. Lifeguard tower, staffed daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., plus restrooms and free parking beside the sand. Guides warn of rip currents near the old pier and the stream mouth. Best for intermediate riders.
3
Kalapakī Beach
East Side · Both seasons
Surfers and bodyboarders ride the shorebreak over the bay’s shallow sandbar, in front of the Royal Sonesta Kauaʻi in Līhuʻe. No lifeguard. The Health Department posts brown water advisories here after heavy rain, so check status first. Best for intermediate riders.
4
Kalihiwai Beach
North Shore · Best November to April
People come to surf and bodyboard. In winter, guides describe the break off Kapukaamoi Point as a wave for experts. No lifeguard and no County facilities, and drownings have been reported here; officials have advised against ocean activities during strong rip currents. Experts only, and only when the North Shore surf allows.
Questions
Where is the best boogie boarding in Kauai?
Brennecke’s Beach in Poʻipū is known for bodyboarding and bodysurfing, but its shorebreak breaks hard and close to the sand and has no lifeguard of its own. For a lifeguard tower, try Keālia or Anahola. Ask the lifeguard about the day’s waves and currents.
What are the best beaches in Kauai for body surfing?
Brennecke’s Beach and Shipwreck Beach are both known for bodysurfing in a shorebreak, mostly in summer, and neither has a lifeguard tower. Keālia and Anahola have towers and bodyboarders on their sandbars. A shorebreak can be dangerous on any day, so check the <a href="/surf/">surf</a>.
Can you use a surfboard at Brennecke’s Beach?
No. State rules ban surfboards and paipo boards in the nearshore waters at Brennecke’s Beach, which leaves the break to bodyboarders and bodysurfers. The shorebreak there breaks hard and close to the sand, and the beach has no lifeguard tower of its own. Check the day’s <a href="/surf/">surf</a> before you get in.
Where can you boogie board in Kauai in winter?
From November through April, big swells reach the North Shore and south shores are mostly flat to small. Keālia, Anahola and Kalapakī on the East Side stay on the list, though winter surf at Keālia brings strong currents. Keālia and Anahola have lifeguard towers. Check today’s <a href="/surf/">surf</a> first.
More lists: swimming, snorkeling, sunsets, sunrise, turtles & seals, kids & families, safest, most dangerous, secluded, shells & sea glass. See also which beaches have lifeguards, surf by shore and today’s closures.