Hanalei Bay is the postcard image of Kauaʻi's north shore: a two-mile crescent of sand backed by mountains that catch the clouds and hold them, creating the lush green walls that frame every photograph of the place. The bay faces north and catches winter swells that make it one of the finest surf spots in Hawaii, with breaks off the pier that attract serious surfers from November to March. In summer the water calms enough for swimming, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.
The town of Hanalei on the bay's eastern edge is small and unhurried — a single main street with a handful of restaurants, surf shops, and a general store that has barely changed in decades. The old one-lane bridge over the Hanalei River is the informal boundary between the developed part of the north shore and the more wild, less accessible landscape beyond it. The taro fields of the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge stretch back from the river, some of the last commercial taro cultivation in Hawaii.
The bay is 45 minutes from Lihue on the winding coastal road. In winter, check surf conditions before planning a swim — the same swells that thrill surfers make the bay unsafe for casual swimming.