Discover a glistening and intriguing sea glass beach in Hawaii.
Have you ever seen sea glass before? It’s pieces of glass that have been broken up and smoothed down by the ocean current. These colorful pieces of translucent pebbles wash onto shore in certain areas of the world, including one spot on the southern shore of Kauai.
Hidden Gems
It’s all well and good to hit the major tourist traps during your trip to Hawaii, but it can also be nice to visit some of the more unusual places that most visitors don’t even know about. One of those places is Glass Beach on Kauai, a place where the sheer abundance of sea glass is astounding!
Visiting Glass Beach in Hawaii should go on your must-do list.
What is Sea Glass?
Genuine sea glass is made when discarded glass (yes, trash!) is weathered and polished underwater. As it churns through waves and crashes against sand and rocks, the glass breaks down and loses its sharp edges.
It takes the ocean about 10 to 30 years to create these frosted, jelly bean-like pebbles.
The pebbles you see at Glass Beach Hawaii could have once been bottles, car windshields, or dinnerware. A lot of it was from Swiss Cheese Shoreline, which once dumped broken bottles and car glass into the area.
Where to Find Glass Beach Hawaii
Kauai’s Glass Beach is in the middle of an industrial area near Port Allen Harbor in Eleele. There aren’t any signs for this place, but it’s easy to find. Just look for the large gasoline tanks near Port Allen.
Once you arrive, you see a spectacular sight: a shoreline covered with millions of brown, aqua, clear, and blue sea glass pebbles. Underneath it is a bed of black sand created by the volcanic rock.
It’s not a great place for swimming (or even hanging out, really), but it’s definitely worth seeing in person as you explore Kauai.
Can You Collect Sea Glass in Hawaii?
It’s best to enjoy Glass Beach Hawaii in the moment and with photos. Most folks encourage visitors to leave the sea glass there for others to enjoy for many years. Please don’t take any of the glass, but instead leave it for others like you to enjoy for many years.
Because Glass Beach is kind of out of the way and unknown, you may be one of just a few visitors to the area. So, you’ll have lots of space and time to enjoy the sights.
Discover more hidden gems throughout the islands on our Hawaii Travel Blog
