Kealia Beach

Oct 11, 2006 8:06PM

I sometimes like to jump in the water and cool off at Kealia - especially after mountain biking the epic trails in the area. Kealia loves westerly winds - a rare condition but it makes the water beautiful.

Dec 04, 2006 9:37AM

Great surfing beach for those who are experienced ONLY. If you are not experienced, hang towards the left side of the beach where the waves are generally not as strong and cool off. This is a local's beach, so respect it accordingly.

jonathan jay

Dec 05, 2006 4:21PM

kealia a beguinner's surf spot? not 80% of the time. Far too often, Kealia pounds, and it can be like a washing machine out there. chaotic wave wrap, shorebreak, rip currents... not the best place to begin. Only typicaly controlled at the very far north end of the beach inside the jetty.

Kalapaki - not listed is a FAR BETTER place to learn to surf.

Rock Quarries with sand, and no reef is often good too. the bay protects a bit.

norita masa

Jun 21, 2007 11:22AM

I've never been there but it looks fun the waves look pretty cool to go surfing or body surfing. i'm about to go there now so aloha

Jul 05, 2007 9:17PM

I was wondering if this would be a good beach for me, my wife, and my son (13), and his friend (15). We are all strong swimmers, and know what to do with currents, but want to be safe. We all love to boogieboard. Also, do you think Kekaha would be good?, or too strong of currents
Mahalo

billy

Jul 08, 2007 9:25AM

Kealia surf is the most diverse on the island. You can always find some windswell and when a ground swell comes in...get ready...because it goes off! NE swells break better on the north side of Kealia. The swell wraps around the reef there, bringing in long lefts and bomer rights. SE swells break perfectly on the southern end of Kealia (in front of river mouth). Stay out of the water on big days if you don't surf. Currents can get bad.

Jul 24, 2007 9:38AM

This beach is so freaking sweet it makes me tingly all over my body when get in the water because it is so awesome.

Aug 15, 2007 3:43PM

Kealia is sick when it's big but you can get barrels even when it's small.

Dec 18, 2007 10:45AM

hey i will be comming in the beginning of january to kauai, are beach fires allowed on most of the beaches at night?

Feb 27, 2008 12:48AM

This is a great website! I'm arriving in Kauai tomorrow and am looking for some more info on the surf. We're staying with Auntie Sylvie in Anahola. Does Anahola and some of the other beaches in the area pick up any wrap-around swell from the N/NW? I know there's plenty of windswell on the east side, but I haven't found much info on Anahola, or Unreals. Will I score any of that North Pacific juice this week in Anahola? Thanks!

May 30, 2008 3:39PM

My husband and I are planning our second anniversary trip to Kauai in May of 2009. We both love to hike and would enjoy hiking the ?Grand Canyon of Hawaii,? we also plan to view the Na Pali Coast by water. We?ve tentatively chosen to stay on the east side of the island due to its proximity to other adventurous activities like zipping and river kayaking, however, I?m wondering if this location is too far from the Na Pali coast the Canyon. I?m also concerned about weather conditions in May. Is the East side of Kauai a good home base for what my husband and I want to do, or will there be lots of driving involved to reach other sides of the island? Also, how's the east side weather in May?

Jun 23, 2008 7:43PM

Kauai Explorer measures wave heights by faces, or Hawaiian?
e.g. today is 3-5ft. which is normally a solid waist to head high

Jul 04, 2008 12:55AM

I'm confused. Which beaches allow leashed dogs and which do not allow dogs at all? I've heard this one called "Kealia Beach Park". Does that mean it's a "county park" where no pets are allowed at all (like Poipu Beach)? Or is it not a county park? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Jul 23, 2008 12:33AM

I surfed here a couple of times last summer. The first time was in the afternoon and there was a good vibe in the water. The waves were decent and I was able to catch quite a few. The next time, it was in the morning and the locals acted like I didn't exist or just stared at me when they paddled by. I caught maybe two waves. I'm a shortboarder with over 15 years of experience surfing several time per week. I've encountered my share of localism but usually find a way to have fun anyway. This day wasn't fun. I'm coming back next week and will probably try this place again but if anyone has any suggestions of how to deal with the locals or of a place or times when the vibe is better, it would be appreciated. Thanks, Tim

troy

Aug 12, 2008 5:37PM

What time are the lifegaurdes out at kealia beach.

Michael

Sep 06, 2008 3:43AM

I love surf fishing, can someone point me in the right direction and suggest a surf fisherman friendly beach, what kind of (eatable)fish can I expect to catch out of the surf. I would like to be in an area where mainlanders are not swimming. Also, is there a Mom & Pop tackle shop near Kapaa. Thanks....

Sep 23, 2008 3:14PM

My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Kauai in May of 2009. She's fascinated by the pictures of large waves she's seen of Hawaii, but is worried they aren't like that in Kauai. She has also read that the waves are only big in the winter time. I disagree and would like to know where we could see some big waves. thank you.

Dec 26, 2008 5:28PM

I am heading to Kauai today and will be there through Dec. 31st. I am a beginner surfer that has the basics down pretty good after 4 lessons. Is there a good place to surf 3-4\' waves around Kauai that is pretty safe for a begginner? Also, if there was a beach for my family it would be a bonus. Thanks!

Jan 27, 2009 2:07PM

We usually stay at Anini but we were shown a hose on Aliomanu Beach.

We know nothing of this beach. Can you give me some information. I trust your info over anything else.

What is it like?

Jan 31, 2009 5:12AM

In your comments on Eastside beaches, you often use the terms "offshore" and "onshore" winds. Can you please define them? Which one originates on land and which at sea? I would have guessed that the name indicates the origin (as in northeasterly winds) but it doesn't seem to make sense in the offshore/onshore context. Help!

Feb 01, 2009 3:45PM

There was mention of nearby mountain biking trails. Any info on them or a website to visit?

Feb 12, 2009 4:46AM

I\'ve read the ocean reports and trying to educate myself before we arrive. For good snokeling I\'m looking for good visibility small surf , offshore winds and of course the better beaches . Is this correct? How accurate are the forcasts? What would be the biggest acceptable surf for decent snorkeling?

Mar 06, 2009 7:34PM

Hey, great website you have here. Kauai is my favorite of all the Hawaiian Islands. My best advice would be to just show respect when visiting there. In the water or on land just remember that this is someones home and while you are visiting on vacation, enjoy but remember this is where people live, work and raise their children. If you show Aloha, you will receive it. Mahalo.

Mar 23, 2009 5:59AM

bill. you got it right.spread the word....aloha from calif.and our hanalei home,

Apr 08, 2009 3:45AM

In Kauai for a week, and every day this beach was pounded by the surf. Definitely not a beginner's beach and locals tended to be a bit antagonistic here, even the lifeguards. I'm an experienced body surfer and when I asked the lifeguard about conditions he blew me off, "If you were comfortable you wouldn't be asking." Not a shining star of Kauai "friendliness."

May 06, 2009 6:01PM

I just got back from Kauai and bodyboarded here a few times. I never experienced any probs with the locals. For that matter, I had no problems with locals in the water on the entire island. I bodyboarded all over the place. In the Poipu area I did get jocked for a wave here and there, but no biggie. For the most part, as long as you go out and respect the locals, are safe in the water around them (don\'t drop in on them, know wave etiquette, etc.) and give off a positive vibe, you\'ll probably never be hassled. Sure, you may run into that big/pissed off guy who has had a bad day, but in my experience, that\'s not the norm. Just my two cents and the above advice has helped me all over the world.

BTW, awesome site...very glad I found it before my trip. Kauai is amazing!!!

May 10, 2009 3:19PM

I agree, this is an amazing site! It has made planning for our trip a breeze. My girlfriend and I are leaving for Kauai in 10 days, and she was wondering what the water temperature is at this time?

Jul 16, 2009 10:28PM

I sent you a question 3 weeks back on jellyfish in regards to the full moon but didnt get a answer. If you think that is a weird question and dont feel good about putting it up on your website can you at least answer my question by email?
Does the full moon bring out box jellyfish to the shore line? Thought that was a strange comment , but I did read it in a well known traveler book. We are planning on visiting Kauai in 2 months and a full moon is expected.
Mahalo!
Julie

Aug 19, 2009 11:09PM

I'm planning a vacation next April with my family and want to stay at a hotel/resort where I can walk out onto the beach and have some nice body surfing waves. Shipwreck's beach at the Grand Hyatt seems a bit much to handle for my kids. Could you recommend another hotel/resort? Thanks.

Susan

Aug 29, 2009 4:08PM

Hi - What are the best beaches for bodyboarding and body surfing in late March early April? Thanks. Susan.

Susan

Aug 31, 2009 9:04PM

Hi - Thanks for getting back to me but I think that you may have misunderstood my question (dated Aug. 29) or maybe I was not clear? Anyway, I wanted to know about beaches (not ocean reports). Hope this is more clear.

Thanks, Susan:-)

Oct 03, 2009 8:36PM

Body surfed here in July and was by far the best beach for that activity at the time. Yes, choppy waves but when other beaches were pretty flat, this at least had a decent swell. From a safety standpoint, I didnt encounter any issues, but I am a strong swimmer and surf lifeguard, and I could tell that this spot on bigger swell days, could prove to be too much for the average or inexperienced body surfer.

Oct 23, 2009 9:33PM

Hey, Love the site!

I am staying very close to the Light House. We love to Boogie Board, went to Hanalei on Wed not a good day...breaks at the shore strong rips.From your report sounds like more of the same today. What would be our next choice for Boogie Boarding today?

Nancy

Nov 12, 2009 8:34PM

Hello. I have a family I'm working with (I am a travel agent) a family that has two 14 year olds and an 18 year old. They want to learn to surf on Kauai when they go there next July. Any suggestions for best beach to learn? They want to find a condo in that area as well. I've been looking at Poipu Beach, but don't see much about that area for beginning surfers. Help?

Feb 08, 2010 4:52PM

Aloha great site,coming for visit Feb. what type of board is recommend for my son,good basic surfer certainly knows his limits and waves that he can handle 3-6 range only or i should ask what beaches he should stay away from.thank you pat.

Feb 18, 2010 10:52PM

can't wait to be there!

Jun 12, 2010 4:40PM

we were at Anahola beach June 11. some kids told us not to go into the water as there were pouchies? some form of jellyfish? any info? thank you

Jun 21, 2010 1:02AM

hi there
i am coming to hawaii from australia in august/september, and want to find a good place in kauai to stay with good surf, up to say 4 foot. Im an experienced surfer but just want some relaxed waves with a good beach that my wife and baby can sit on happily while i surf. Where is the best place in kauai for surf at this time thats not too big and not too small!!?

Aug 17, 2010 11:58PM

hi, this would help me out so much--where can I find the most consistent surf year round on kauai. It doesn't have to be perfect or world class, just waves usually to be had. I understand this may be sensitive info, maybe if you could guide me to general areas. Thank you kindly

Sep 07, 2010 8:57PM

Hi, I am about to start learnin how to surf and am living real close to Kealia for the next 4 monhs, do you know how the locals are about outsiders surfing there? Any recomendations so that I dont step on other peoples toes?

Thanks,

Jesse

Oct 13, 2010 1:42AM

hey jesse and ricky

kealia is very consistent waves in the summer months range from 3-10 feet and if u arent good at dropping in be carefull of the sand bar it changes every day u can litterly walk to the line up some times and have 5 foot faces breaking right at your face standing up. for huge surf at kealia go to the point at the left of the beach it has good surf and is deep so u can eat it and come up with a smile.

winter time is a whole diff kind of kealia. its flat some weeks then its baby waves the next. then out of nowhere high surf advisory. kealia dosent barrel for some weird reason in the winter even tho it drops 7 foot faces sometimes.

Jan 29, 2011 2:21AM

the beauty of Kealia purely as a surfing beach is that, if you can surf competently here, you can just about surf anywhere. It demands physical conditioning and acquired/accumulated knowledge of the sea conditions and dynamics, but a diligent learner will often be rewarded with plenty of choice waves. Kealia is fortunate to be located to receive ocean swells from an arc of nearly 180 deg, and offers wave variety for board surfers, boogie-boarders and bodysurfers, simultaneously.

Jan 29, 2011 5:31AM

Overall, the \"vibe\" at Kealia is excellent, especially so if you take into account the dramatic increase in popularity the beach has experienced over the past 6 years, and how graciously the locals have adapted to it. On any given day, tourists may equal or outnumber the locals in the water, and often don\'t realize how much of a safety issue they might create-for themselves and the locals-by attempting to surf in demanding conditions where their lack of experience and knowledge make them an obstacle to the experienced surfers. The inexperienced surfers often exhibit little awareness they\'re encroaching or interfering with the locals ability to maneuver effectively in the water, nor any idea of surf etiquette and water safety, including having the proper equipment, such as fins. The lifeguards\' policy toward this is largely hands-off, which, i think, reflects how few serious encounters actually occur. Their main concern seems to be towards being prepared and available to provide rescue and first-aid services as quickly as possible, and too much attention given to directing traffic in the water can distract from that mission. There is a burden of responsibility on the newcomers/neophytes to be better prepared before jumping into the water at any surfing beach in Hawaii, and lack of this is evident every day at Kealia. For their part, most local surfers recognize and appreciate when they see that the people in the water around them exhibit a degree of competence and awareness while enjoying the waves.

Mar 02, 2011 10:07PM

I would only add the following to my previous comments:
Whenever a tourist gets in trouble in the water, the surfers often are there before the lifeguards arrive, to help pull these unwitting beachgoers to safety, regardless of what they actually may think of them. If the tourists who are concerned about "the vibe" had to experience, back home, the same kind of pressure from outsiders, on a year-round, daily basis, at their favorite recreational sites, they might have a little more appreciation of the strain placed on our tolerance for sharing our relatively limited, increasingly congested, recreational areas.

Apr 09, 2011 9:00PM

Aloha. I'm planning a Kauai trip for sometime in September. An experienced longboarder, I'm looking for a nice rolling sand-bottom break. Don't need big/hollow/reef stuff, just a mellow vibe and some consistent swell. Heard Hanalei could be just the ticket. Thoughts?

Jul 13, 2011 10:43AM

Is drinking allowed on the beach? We were hoping to have a small get together of a bachelor party on a beach over a bonfire. Any suggestions?

Jul 17, 2011 7:32PM

My favorite beachbreak! Similar wave to what I grew up surfing in Miami, but always fun!

Dec 31, 2011 9:23PM

Hi,

We are planning a month long trip for June this year (2011) and wondered if surf conditions are offshore this time of year at Kealia?. Also what would the travelling time from Kealia beach to Bikram Yoga Kapaa
4-885 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa, HI.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Jan 02, 2012 8:25AM

Bikram Yoga is just a few minutes drive from Kealia beach...a distance of only about 2 miles.

Murthy

Jun 08, 2012 9:06AM

Ive been surfing for 2 years now aslmot everyday with the exception of deployments and have found that the waves that you paddle into the most determine what you grow accoustomed to and or comfortable with, if you only ride 3-4 and call it a day at 4-8 you will never get used to the larger sets I rode 2-4 for a long time and would cringe at bigger waves until i forced myself to paddle on them, initially ill admit it was spooky droping in and i got rolled up and crushed a few times but now that i have subjected myself to the size i have gotten used to, it i still prefer 3-5 but overhead no longer sends me home.

Jul 10, 2013 3:08PM

Is this place able to camp without a permit?

Sep 02, 2013 11:55AM

My husband and I will be visiting for our honeymoon in October. Which beach is best for sunsets? Also, is wine allowed on the beaches?

Thanks!!

Sep 24, 2013 6:13AM

Hoping to head to Kauai in late Dec - early January. Staying in Hanalei. 12-year old son has tried surfing, but not experienced enough for the crazy waves on the north end in the winter. Any place you suggest that is more reasonable? He has some experience, but is not an expert.

Thank you! Great site!

How do I get a reply? To my email? Or to I keep searching your site for a response?

Nov 04, 2013 6:48PM

Try Kalapaki Beach. Great calm beach in front of the Marriott. It has a surf instructor with waves no more than 1-3 feet. Great for beginners!

Feb 27, 2014 9:40AM

Ciao a tutti (hi there ;-)

I read through most comments and i am still not sure where to go...please give me a good hint:
I want to come to Kauai with my family (wife and two kids, 2 and 5 years old) for a longer period of 3 month, from November to January. We are looking for a area with frequently good beginner/intermediate surf conditions. I figured out that East side would be fine, like Kealea beach, right? What about Hanalei Bay, is the swell not too massive on the north shore in winter time?
Appreciate your effort to anser all the questions and hope you can give me some good hints to make my family stay unforgettable :-))
Mahalo
Marc

Apr 18, 2014 7:37AM

Could you give me some places on the east and north sides of Kauai good for shore fishing during August? Either dunking or whipping.

Mahalo

May 14, 2014 4:19PM

Hello,

I go to Hawaii every year for a month or so. I am a very experienced body surfer and bodyboarder. What beaches have the biggest shorebreak. I have been to maui and Oahu and surfed there, but been two kauai twice in the summer. Any recommendations would be great!! when do these beaches get the biggest swell?? Thanks a ton

Jul 14, 2014 7:37PM

Kealia is a great surfing beach if you like the challenge. It almost always has waves to surf however the quality is another thing. When there is a strong wind swell is becomes like a washing machine, waves come from all directions. On occasion it gets clean and offers quality surf. The waves are very powerful so you have to be prepared.The inside brakes over shallow sand and reef bottom, the outside water is deep. You will see lots of local surfing talent out there as in most of all Kauai.Overall it is great because it is close to home it has surf and it is uncrowded.
Have fun,respect the ocean the other surfers and the beach.

Sep 24, 2014 3:22PM

Kealia beach is a strong wave but c a n be super fun at times. Recently a man and his wife went there after 5(so no lifeguards)and they were playing in the shore break and the man wen over the falls and borke his neck and went braindead so just watch out of the shor e break and if you have no experiance dont go out when the lifeguards arnt around.

Oct 17, 2014 9:07PM

Thanks for this great site. I visiting Kauai in February, and will be camping. Looking for a camping beach with great swimming and wonder what you would recommend?

Mahalo

Dec 02, 2014 7:44AM

Last evening I was boogybording and later walking on the shoreline I encountered what looked like Portuguese man of war jelly fish (?). I made a picture of it and compare to a pic in the book-they looked identical. How dangerousit is to enter the water there?

Dec 28, 2014 12:31PM

Site is a terrific resource. There is nothing else like it for the island, as far as I know. Great information for both visitors and locals. Want to make a great site even better? Update the daily ocean report daily. It is the busy season (Christmas) and the page has not been updated in two days. There is warning level surf North, which would be good for visitors to know. Also, some of the reports are woefully inaccurate. I surfed Kealia last week when the reef was breaking nearly double overhead, but the posted lifeguard report was only 2-4. Lifeguards were appropriately shoeing tourists into the calm waters at the extreme north of the bay, but the Ocean Report had recommended the beach as safe for swimming, probably based on the 2-4 report. (Kealia report often seems to be off the mark. Is this an issue with the lifeguards or with communication?)
Mahalo for reading.

Jul 22, 2015 9:14AM

Hi Surfers!!! I am thinking of doing Kauai at start of November. I love shoulder/head high to 8 foot surf. Will the waves be way too big for me during that time, all over the island?