When someone is looking for a spacious, family-friendly beach on Kauai, we always send them straight to Salt Pond Beach. This sunny spot has a little something for everyone, including great swimming, amazing scenery, and a fun atmosphere.
Let’s head out to Salt Pond Beach and discover why it’s one of our favorite places on Kauai!
Uncrowded
On the weekday we visited, just a few scattered families played in the surf and relaxed on the beach.
Only about half the parking stalls were filled when we arrived, and not many folks showed up after we hauled our gear to the beach. Seeing as this is one of the prettiest beaches on Kauai, I couldn’t figure out where everyone could be!
I’ve heard that weekends are relatively quiet here too.
Lots of Beach Space
There are few things more disappointing than lugging all your supplies to the beach — only to find there isn’t much beach, at all! That’s NOT the case at Salt Pond Beach on Kauai.
In fact, the gently sloping beach was expansive and looked even more spacious, considering only a handful of families were there.
Gentle Waves at Salt Pond Beach
The water at Salt Pond State Park was gentle and calm. That makes it ideal for little swimmers or anyone who isn’t confident in the water.
A reef protects the swimming area, so it’s unlikely you’ll find unruly waves here. And, the reef extends into the swimming area, providing excellent opportunities for snorkeling.
The ocean here is perfect for young or beginner bodyboarders too. On the day we visited, we even saw a boxer “boxing” the waves for practice!
Great Amenities
In the event of an emergency, you’ll be glad to know there is a lifeguard station on deck. There is a restroom, too. In addition, you’ll find showers and picnic tables right there.
Tidepools at Salt Pond Beach
Tired of swimming and want to play with some sea critters? Just walk (or drive) around to the park’s east side, and you’ll find a series of tide pools, many of which are quite large and interesting.
We found lots of little fish to look at and a few larger ones by the lava rocks. And, speaking of lava rocks, if you walk near or on top of them, you’ll find some of the neatest rock formations and colors (we found bright red ones that were incredible to look at).
A Valuable Cultural Site
Have you ever heard of Hawaiian salt harvesting?
Here at Salt Pond Beach, Hawaiian families evaporate seawater to produce natural sea salt.
The salt is bagged and used for cooking and as a medicine. Hawaiian salt is available at some markets on the island. I’ve heard that in the summers, around 5 p.m., you may even see some salt collectors come to their saltpans and collect. We didn’t see any that day, but we were gone by 4:30 p.m.
Where to Find Salt Pond Beach
This beautiful, fun beach is located on Kauai’s south shore, near Hanapepe town. There is little shade, so bring along an umbrella and lots of reef-safe sunscreen.
