B is for Beaches

For my "B" adventure I figured what better way than to write about what is arguably my most common yet favorite adventure. My adventure is about the beach. 

I must say that while this was one of the easier letters to pick, it was one of the hard to write because of the broad nature of the topic. So I decided to go the way of "Dr. Beach" and pick my top 5 favorite overall beaches of Kauai. For this list, I will take in more than just surfing. I will take into consideration ease of access and safety among other things. We'll start with number 5 and work our way to number 1.

5) Lydgate Beach - Lydgate is on the list for two main reasons, the safety and the ease of access. There is plenty of parking all close to shore and none of it is paid parking (So sick of that in CA). As for safety, the main swimming area has a break wall to protect from open water exposure. Also, there is a lifeguard station right one the beach. This is a great place to bring a family and not have to worry about any dangerous currents. 

4) Ke'e Beach - Ke'e (pronounced ke-eh) is literally at the other end of the road as Polihale beach. It has some great views but being on a point of the island, it is difficult to see down the coastline. The best views are underwater as Ke'e is one of the many beaches with a nice reef and plenty of fish to see. Also, the railhead for the Kalalau Trail is right here too which attributes to the downside to this beach. The parking lot is very small and if you get there later in the morning or afternoon, you could be hunting for a spot for a while sine you have both beach-goers and hikers using this one small parking lot.

3) Polihale Beach - Polihale beach is one of my personal favorite. The views are simply breathtaking. There is no other way to describe it. However, it is not higher up on my list for several reasons. The first is safety. Not only is there no lifeguard within miles, there are spots that drop off suddenly in the water. Combine that with the swift current that is present more days that not, this means some potentially dangerous swimming conditions, especially in the wintertime. The second is the same reason I love it. To get here you have to drive to the end of the main road on to an old dirt road. Continue on down this bumpy dirt road for about 5 miles and you're finally there. It is out of the way. But as I said, this is part of the beauty. 

2) Anini Beach - Anini beach has everything one could want. It has plenty of parking for people, camping grounds for people to stay at, gorgeous views (you might be seeing a common theme with Kauai beaches) and some of the best snorkeling available. There really is only one difference between Anini and my number 1 beach. 

1) Hanalei Beach - It is really hard to argue with someone who has the name "Dr. Beach". He goes around each year and picks the top 10 beaches based on 50 different criteria. In 2009, Hanalei Bay was selected as the best beach in America. It is a huge bay with plenty of different spots for swimming. There can be dangerous conditions once in a while but usually it is when the waves are rather large so it should be quite obvious to be careful. If in doubt, there are several lifeguard stations which you can ask for advice on where the safest place is. 

Beaches in general are such amazing places. It is so simple to just go to the beach, sit in the sand and stare at the marvel that is the ocean. The beach, almost any beach, can lead to adventures of many different kinds