Another in my occasional series of articles about my favorite beaches on Kauai – this one celebrates Lumaha’i Beach near Hanalei on the north coast of the island.
Kauai, the “Garden Isle” of Hawaii, is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and pristine beaches, each offering a unique blend of natural beauty and serenity. Among these jewels of the Pacific, Lumahai Beach stands out as a true paradise for photographers. With its golden sands, turquoise waters, and dramatic cliffs, this beach is always one that I try to visit on each vacation on Kauai.
In fact, I “sort of” knew about this beach decades ago. One of the most famous songs in the movie South Pacific, about “washing this man right outta my hair” was filmed there, and I remember my father buying the LP of the musical when I was about 8 or 9. When my brother and I were either going to be in trouble when he got home from work, or perhaps were looking to ask for something special, we would always put this LP on the gramophone, ready for his return. Not sure if it worked, but it has stuck in my memory ever since!
But back to today! Lumaha’i, the local spelling, is a beach of contrasts. At certain times of the year, mainly in the summer, the water can be as calm as a millpond, whereas as the winter draws near, it can turn into a raging inferno of water. Not surprisingly, there is a local saying – see Lumahai and Die – as a warning to anyone foolish enough to try to swim there.
My favorite way down is from the two parking areas on the right after you have finally left Hanalei Bay. Down a somewhat slippery trail (although with some steps carved into the path), you come across one of the famous sights of the bay – this tree, hanging on for dear life to the solid rock cliff that forms the end of the beach:
This rock platform is both inviting, and dangerous. Rogue waves can sweep over it, either knocking down the unsuspecting tourist or pulling them back towards the ocean:
One of my visits when the winds are blowing the waves crashing onto the beach, I took this picture and converted it to black and white to really show the power of the water that day:
Even on sunny days, the waves can be ferocious:
Those last two were taken in November, but in May, this is often the scene that greets you:
Or in this photo, which really shows off the colors of the water. The rocks on the edge of the beach are the ones that were being beaten by the waves in the November picture above.
I’ve been lucky enough to take a helicopter flight around the island and was fully prepared (as you can imagine) to capture the wonder of this beach from the air. Here is Lumaha’i beach leading towards the broad bay of Hanalei as you look south towards Princeville and the rest of the island.
My own drone has captured some lovely views of the beach as well. Although limited to just 400 feet, you can still grasp the grandeur of the beach, especially at dawn when no-one else is around:
Looking in the opposite direction that morning, this was the sight as the sun just started to catch the top edges of the mountains in the distance:
And the vertical view down onto those rocks gives a lovely abstract view of the beach, again, at sunrise.
And, for a finale, here is the view along the beach on a February day. Lumaha’i Beach at its finest!
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