SOUTH SHORE

1. POIPU BEACH PARK: Shallow protected bay. Excellent snorkeling for beginning through advanced. Best on the left side of bay, 3-12 feet. Lifeguard, showers and bathroom facilities. Great for families.

2. KOLOA LANDING: Horseshoe bay, excellent for scuba diving and advanced snorkeling. Site used for introduction and certification scuba lesson. Best shore diving location on South side. Easy navigation on either side of the bay. Avoid the sandy middle. Lots of turtles eels and large schools of fish, 5-45 feet

3. PRINCE KUHIO PARK: Shallow beginning through advanced snorkeling. A little shallow for scuba. Rocky entry, but very protected bay. Turtles are the highlight. 3-21 feet. Directly across from the Prince Kuhio Park.

4. LAWAI BEACH: Excellent snorkeling, lots of small reef fish, good coral formations, occasional monk seals and turtles. 3-12 feet. bathrooms, showers and telephone.

5. BERNIE'S LEDGE: 65-84 feet. Large shelf with black coral and sharks. Great drift dive. Intermediate to advanced. Access by boat.

6. NUKUMOI POINT: 30-60 feet, also known as Tortugas (turtles) home of many Hawaiian green sea turtles. Good shallow dive for beginning through advanced.

7. ICE BOX: 65 - 85 feet, three fingered reef with occasional white tip reef sharks, lobster and large schools of sea life.

8. SHERATON CAVERNS: Signature dive for Kauai. 20-65 feet. Can be used for snorkeling as well as beginning through advanced scuba diving. Blown out lava tube formations with overhangs and archways. Home to the Hawaiian green sea turtle. Occasional octopus, shark and manta ray sightings. A must dive!

9. GENERAL STORE/TURTLE BLUFF: 60-90 feet. You'll find a little bit of everything, remains of an 1800’s wreck, threes oaf black coral, intriguing rock formations teeming with marine life. Seas Turtles, sharks and manta ras are also occasional visitors.

EAST SHORE

10. Lydgate PARK: 3-10 feet. Very protected. good for beginning snorkeling and bad weather days. Best to snorkel net to children’s Playground. Located next to the Wailua River.

11. AHUKINI LANDING: 10-60 feet. Alternative snorkeling and scuba diving spot in south swell conditions. Best location is outside of the jetty. Beginning through advanced levels.

NORTH SHORE

12. ANINI BEACH: 10-60 feet. A very shallow snorkeling site that is good except in high surf conditions. The barrier reef extends about 150 yards. Inside the reef remains consistently shallow so there is not much coral growth, but plenty of juvenile fish seeking protection. First of the north side snorkeling sites, right after the bridge on Kalihiwai Road, left on Wining to Anini beach park.

13. TUNNELS: 5-60 feet. Very shallow initially but drops off to 60 feet. It is over the drop that you will find the entrances to the tunnels. They should be entered only on scuba and with proper training or supervision Great summer location for snorkeling and scuba diving. Lots of boating traffic. Located 9/10th of a mile past the 8 mile marker.

14. KE'E BEACH: 3-8 feet. Located at the end of the road. Strictly a flat water conditions snorkeling spot. Stay inside the reef. Conditions can be very dangerous past the reef. Follow the highway until it ends. This is the beginning to the Na Pail Coast and trail.

WEST SHORE

15. SALT POND: 3-8 feet. Snorkeling to the left side of the beach. A very shallow snorkeling site so there is not much coral growth. Great tide pool walking. Bathrooms and showers.

16. MANA CRACK: 60-120 feet. Located at the beginning of the Na Pail Coastline. A natural crack or ledge that extends over a mile. Sharks and larger fish seem to occupy the reef. Intermediate to advanced divers. Access by boat.

Ni’ihau: 30-100+ feet. Best diving in the Hawaiian Islands. Advanced divers only. See the Ni'ihau page for more information on dive sites and trips to this amazing location.