Where to see turtles and monk seals on Kauaʻi
The best-known spot is Poʻipū Beach Park on the South Shore, where green sea turtles and endangered Hawaiian monk seals often haul out on the sand. On the North Shore, people look for turtles at ʻAnini Beach and Tunnels Beach. NOAA says to stay at least 10 feet from a turtle and 50 feet from a monk seal.
Updated
Our picks, not a safety rating. These are our picks, based on sightings reported by the sources listed under each beach. Turtles and seals are wild, so no beach can promise you one. Their beaches are not all the same: some have a lifeguard tower and some have none, and surf, currents and closures change by the day. Check today’s surf and each beach’s status before you get in, and keep your distance from the animals.
NOAA says to stay at least 10 feet from sea turtles, 50 feet from monk seals and 150 feet from a mother seal and pup; the lifeguarded beach comes first, and sightings are never guaranteed.
1
Poʻipū Beach Park
South Shore
The best-known pick on the island: green sea turtles and monk seals often haul out on the sand, and snorkelers see turtles over the reef on either side of the spit. One guide says dozens of turtles come ashore to rest, best around sunset, and that volunteers ask visitors to keep their distance. Two lifeguard towers, restrooms and showers.
2
Brennecke's Beach
South Shore
At the east end of Poʻipū Beach Park. One guide says visitors often see turtles nearby while swimming, with dusk best. The shorebreak breaks hard and close to the sand, and the beach has no tower of its own. In October 2024 the County advised against swimming here after a shark sighting.
3
Lāwaʻi Beach
South Shore
Snorkelers walk in from the sand to a reef just offshore to look for green sea turtles, and one guide says turtles rest on the large rocks along the shoreline. No lifeguard. Guides warn of strong currents when the surf is up, and a snorkeler died here in November 2025. Parking is limited roadside on a narrow, busy road.
4
ʻAnini Beach
North Shore
The North Shore pick. A guide calls ʻAnini a “turtle cleaning station,” where local fish clean algae off turtles’ shells, and a long reef encloses a wide, shallow lagoon. No lifeguard, and the channel at the west end has a known rip current. Free parking beside the sand.
5
Tunnels Beach
North Shore
Green sea turtles and reef fish are common over the horseshoe-shaped reef, and most snorkeling happens in summer. No lifeguard. Parking is very limited, so most people park at Hāʻena Beach Park and walk about half a mile east along the sand. The inner Mākua lagoon is a state marine refuge, and entering it needs a permit.
6
Puʻu Poa Beach
North Shore
We often see green sea turtles while snorkeling the reef here, including in winter on days the surf is small. Winter swells do reach this beach, and there’s no lifeguard, so check today’s north-facing surf first. Public parking is a small lot shared with Hideaways, and it fills early.
Questions
Where can you see sea turtles on Kauaʻi?
The most often named spots are Poʻipū Beach Park and Brennecke’s on the South Shore, and Lāwaʻi Beach, where snorkelers look for turtles over the reef. On the North Shore, people look at ʻAnini Beach and Tunnels Beach. Turtles are wild, so a sighting is never guaranteed.
Where can you see turtles on the North Shore of Kauaʻi?
ʻAnini Beach, between Kīlauea and Princeville, is known as a turtle cleaning station, and green sea turtles are common over the reef at Tunnels Beach in Hāʻena. Neither beach has a lifeguard. ʻAnini’s west-end channel has a known rip current, so check the surf first.
How close can you get to a turtle or monk seal?
NOAA Fisheries says to stay at least 10 feet from sea turtles and at least 50 feet from Hawaiian monk seals, on land and in the water. Stay 150 feet from a mother seal and her pup. Sea turtles and monk seals are protected under state and federal laws.
Where can you see monk seals on Kauaʻi?
Poʻipū Beach Park is the beach on this page where Hawaiian monk seals often haul out on the sand. They are endangered and can show up on other beaches too. If you see one, keep 50 feet back, and 150 feet from a mother and pup. Give a resting seal plenty of room.
What should you do if you find a hurt or tangled turtle or seal?
Keep your distance and call the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at (888) 256-9840. NOAA asks people to report any sick, injured, stranded or dead marine animal in Hawaiʻi. That includes a turtle or seal that looks hurt, so call rather than guess.
More lists: swimming, snorkeling, sunsets, sunrise, kids & families, boogie boarding, safest, most dangerous, secluded, shells & sea glass. See also which beaches have lifeguards, surf by shore and today’s closures.