Best beaches on Kauaʻi to watch the sunset
For a sunset over open water, the picks are on the West and South sides: Poʻipū Beach Park, Salt Pond, Kekaha and, at the end of a long unpaved road, Polihale. On the North Shore, Hanalei Bay and Kēʻē give the view across the bay and along the Nā Pali cliffs. Each beach page shows today’s sunset time.
Updated
Our picks, not a safety rating. These are our picks, based on each beach’s western or northwestern view, its lifeguard tower and what park and guide sources say. Conditions change by the hour, and a beach on this list can be dangerous any day, at dusk too. Lifeguard towers are staffed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., so after that no one is watching the water. Check closures and today’s surf first.
Lifeguarded beaches come first. After 6 p.m. no tower is staffed, and park gates close at set hours, so check the sunset time on the beach page.
1
Poʻipū Beach Park
South Shore
A South Shore crescent where the sun sets over the water, with two lifeguard towers, restrooms, showers and a large lawn. Parking is a small free lot off Hoʻowili Road, with overflow on Hoʻone Road and pay lots nearby.
2
Salt Pond Beach Park
West Side
People come to Salt Pond for the sunsets, and a guide says the best ones come in winter. It has a free lot, a short walk to the sand, restrooms, showers and a lifeguard tower.
3
Kekaha Beach Park
West Side
A wide band of sand runs northwest for miles, and on clear days Niʻihau rises on the horizon. People walk the beach and watch the sun set over the water. Lifeguard tower. Strong currents and shorebreak, and the County has advised against ocean activities after tiger shark sightings. Guides warn of car break-ins, so leave nothing in the car.
4
Hanalei Bay
North Shore
A guide suggests watching from the pier over the water, or from the sand with the bay’s sailboats and the waterfall-streaked mountains in view. Two lifeguard towers. Big winter swells reach the bay, so check the surf in the winter months.
5
Kēʻē Beach
North Shore
The sand looks straight up the line of Nā Pali cliffs, and people come for that view especially at sunset. Lifeguard tower. Park hours end at 6:45 p.m. in winter and 7:45 p.m. from April 1, and visitors from outside Hawaiʻi need a Hāʻena State Park reservation.
6
Polihale State Park
West Side
The sunset draw is the space, the cliffs dropping into the sea and Niʻihau on the horizon. No lifeguard, and the surf and currents are strong. The five-mile road is unpaved, floods in rain and may be banned by rental car companies. Park hours are 5:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
7
Shipwreck Beach
South Shore
Known for surfing and sunset viewing. A guide says the view from the cliff above the beach puts the sunset in front of you. People jump from that cliff, and the County and local doctors have documented serious injuries and deaths. No lifeguard; free lot at the end of Ainako Street.
Questions
Where is the best place to watch the sunset on Kauaʻi?
It depends on the side of the island. On the South Shore, Poʻipū Beach Park has lifeguard towers and a large lawn. On the West Side, Salt Pond and Kekaha face the open water, and Polihale is at the end of an unpaved road. On the North Shore, try Hanalei Bay or Kēʻē. Each beach page shows today’s sunset time.
Where can I watch the sunset on the North Shore of Kauaʻi?
Hanalei Bay and Kēʻē. At Hanalei Bay you can watch from the pier or the sand, with the bay’s sailboats and mountains in view. Kēʻē looks up the Nā Pali cliffs, but visitors from outside Hawaiʻi need a reservation, and park hours end at 6:45 p.m. in winter, 7:45 p.m. from April 1. Winter swells make the North Shore dangerous, so check the surf.
Are there lifeguards at the beach at sunset?
Not after closing. State and County lifeguard towers are staffed 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Poʻipū Beach Park, Salt Pond, Kekaha, Hanalei Bay and Kēʻē have towers. Polihale and Shipwreck have none. Sunset can fall after the towers close, so treat the water as unguarded after 6 p.m. and stay on the sand if you are unsure.
Is the road to Polihale open for sunset?
Check first. State Parks says the five-mile unpaved road floods in rain and can become impassable, and it recommends four-wheel drive. Some rental car companies ban the road. Park hours are 5:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m., so compare the sunset time on the <a href="/beaches/polihale/">Polihale page</a> with closing time.
More lists: swimming, snorkeling, sunrise, turtles & seals, kids & families, boogie boarding, safest, most dangerous, secluded, shells & sea glass. See also which beaches have lifeguards, surf by shore and today’s closures.