Summertime is Snorkelin’ Time… winter swells are months away, and calm waters rule the day. Three of the ten best places to snorkel in Hawaii are right here on Kauai: Ke’e, Anini, and Poipu Beach.
Ke’e Beach is at the very end of the road in Haena, at the gateway to the NaPali Coast. Get there early to get a parking space, and if you see a couple of guys selling coconuts out of the back of a pick-up, slake your thirst with a “cold one.” Drink the juice through a straw (more electrolytes than Gatorade) and then eat the meat (young green coconuts are like pudding inside… yum).
Anini Beach, just minutes from the Princeville Resort, is protected by the longest reef in the Hawaiian Islands so it’s calm year round. It’s also great for windsurfing, kite boarding, and kayaking.
“Sunny Poipu” is located on the hotter, drier south side of Kauai (it’s where we escape when the north shore is socked in), and the Poipu Beach Park is a great spot for babies and small children.
When snorkeling anywhere on Kauai, please don’t feed the fish, and try to keep your feet off the reef. Not only does walking on the coral damage it, but the reef is also home to spiky urchins (ouch!) that you do not want to disturb – trust me!
P.S. If you need to rent equipment, I highly recommend Snorkel Bob’s.