Polihale State Park

Listen – if you don’t have a four-wheel-drive or zero regard to your car’s suspension, don’t go here. The road from the turn off down to the beach is a couple of miles and has washed out potholes that are constant and made me feel like I was driving back in Haiti again. It didn’t bother me, but if you’re somebody with a low car or truly care about your vehicle, this is not the beach for you. If you are an adventurous driver, it’s 100% worth it and we loved going there.

Absolutely beautiful! Perfect for sunset! The sand is so soft and the beach is huge so it is t crowded at all! The road to get here is not easy....gravel with tons of potholes. You can drive right onto the beach so make sure you have an appropriate vehicle for sand.

I would camp here every single night I didn’t have so much planned throughout my trip. This has to be one of my most treasured spots on the entire island. It’s peaceful, quiet, and incredible stargazing. The road is a bit rough coming out but nothing that should scare you away. GPS recommends about a 45 minute ride for 5 miles but I did it in 20-25mins. Its best to have a four wheel drive to drive a little faster.

This is one of the best and cleanest beaches on the island, but getting there is a challenge due to the difficult dirt road. Do not attempt to drive a sedan; an SUV is a must. The long dirt road is very rough, full of potholes, mud, and more. It's frustrating that the authorities haven't fixed the road to make it more accessible for tourists, as its condition is worse than a third-world country. However, once you arrive, you'll find a truly beautiful beach with campsites, showers, and restrooms. Highly recommended if you can handle the journey!

Long drive in with many ruts, high clearance vehicle is a huge plus, but not necessary. If you take it slow you will be fine. Though the trail shows the end being way far down, you can take one of the offshoots to the left to get to the beach. Low key, absolute beautiful beach. They do have bathrooms (not clean). The surf here can get really dangerous so pay attention.

Well worth the long rough road from the paved highway. I don't recommend going without AWD or 4WD and good suspension. The road is rough. But oh so fun. It isn't hilly or rocky, just a long bumpy rough road. Watch out for people on bikes who are adventuring a night out camping. Slow down when driving past them to keep from getting them dusty. At the end of the road is a beautiful beach with almost no one on it and except for a few fellow sunset admirers. There are bathrooms and a place to picnic just over the dunes from the beach.

Absolutely beautiful beach with views of the beginning of the Napali coast ridges. Tons of room to tent camp under the stars. There were at least 15 other groups there but we all had tons of space. Saw dolphins jumping offshore. Facilities are fine. Cold water outdoor shower. Toilets/sink inside. Last 20 minutes of the drive to get there is a bit treacherous but just go slow and should be fine. Wouldn’t recommend in a small car with low clearance. Will be coming back though for sure.

As far as facilities go, this place is a 1 star easily. Awful nasty bathrooms, overflowing piles of trash, terrible bumpy road to get there. But if you ignore those aspects, it's incredible. The beach is amazing and wide, the sunsets are equally as incredible and you get that all with a back drop of a huge cliff and you can camp right by the beach. It's hard to beat

The 5 mile off road drive is NOT for the faint of heart but man oh man is it FUN! After a longer off road experience you get to a tree and if you turn left it opens to one beach entrance with no bathrooms from what I could see and if you went right at the tree there are multiple bathrooms with showers and picnic tables. There is no shade on the beach so def bring cover and enjoy what ends up being virtually a private beach with a beautiful view!!! Well worth the drive if you can make it :) bring shoes to walk onto the beach! The sand will be HOT

I thought it would be an easy drive, but having a jeep would have been better. We were only able to get to the dirt road entering the beach, but were not able to actually hit the beach. If you want to visit this beach, it is strongly recommended to have a truck or jeep to make the ride in more feasible...

The pros: + It's beautiful! You can see part of the NaPali coast. + few people there The cons: - it's remote/a longer drive - you'll want a 4WD/SUV or pickup truck to get here. The road to get here is more than 4 miles of bumpy unpaved dirt road - there is zero shade at all if you're on the beach. If you want shade you'll have to be way back up in the trees where there are picnic tables and bathrooms and a foot bath - the waves were kind of intense, not great for a relaxing swim or wading. Not great for kids to get in the water

You'll definitely feel like you are in heaven if you are able to reach this 2-1/2 mile long beach state park! First, you need a 4x4 vehicle like a Jeep or Pick-Up Truck and have to drive along a rough 5-mile road with lots of bumps and ruts along the way. But totally worth the time and effort! Make sure you have all the supplies you need and have a full tank of gas prior to coming. As for the beach itself, there are lots of great and spectacular views of the scenery! The Napali Coast, Pacific Ocean, Polihale Beach State Park itself, and so much more. I did a beach stroll from end to end and took me about 2 hours overall. Just seeing this in videos and photos does not do it enough justice; you have to be there in-person to experience the serenity of nature.

This place is amazing. One with nature for sure. But getting there was a little trek. Of course, totally recommend by a local. It's off the main road, then there's about 3 miles of unpaved roads. Highly recommend off roading car, jeeps and so on. Took us about half an hour to go that 3 miles as road was rough on the tires and rather be safe. Driving through it felt like we were lost and honestly didn't know where we were going. Once we started to see cars coming the other directions, that was a good sign. Once there, there's a little parking area that cars were line along. A little picnic area, restrooms and showers. But once on the beach, it just takes your breath away. This is what Hawaii is all about. The miles of stretch of white sands, blue water and the lush green mountains behind. It was beautiful. And only a handful of people on the beach. If you want peace and quite, look no further. This will definitely be on the list of must visit again. One of the most beautiful beaches on Kauai.

If I have to pick a place to get married now, I'd be super happy if it were to be here on Polihale beach. Pictures could not do justice. The bumpy road to the beach, the white soft sand, the waves, the air, the miles and miles of dramatic cliffs known as the napali coast. It feels like you are at the end of the world We came on an SUV and it took a good 20-30 mins one way on the dirt road, but totally worth the drive. Got to spend almost half a day chili, relaxing, reading books and walk/run on the beach. The sea was choppy so not sure if there is a good time to swim around other time of the year. If you get there early, the whole beach/paradise is all yours.

we headed to this beach after our trip up Waimea canyon. We were lucky to have an SUV for a rental, although I think any car could handle the 4 mi drive on the gravel road. It was a beautiful pristine beach. The locals drive their vehicles right onto the beach and have little parties there. It was so beautiful and not busy at all, probably because it's off the beaten path. There are no amenities of any kind there - it's just a beach. It has a fairly strong surf, but it's miles and miles of gorgeous, remote beach with stunning sunset and views of mountains. Bring snacks and drinks. The dune to get to the beach is also steep so be ready

5 stars for the beach! 3 stars for the State Park. Let's count the ways: The facilities: FOR SHAME. Toilets barely work. There were two stalls, one was out of order. The urinal was filled with mud. The showers are a literal horror show. There are massive cobwebs and spiders filling the entire area. The road: is laughably bad. How is it that there is a smooth paved road on Kaua'i, going up into the misty mountains, attaining nearly 4,000 ft of elevation but yet this flat road on the driest part of the island is a non-stop washboarded, teeth-chatting, vibratron? Seriously, the road is 5 miles of steep speed bumps. It's not difficult 4X4ing, just annoying and slow. In fact, you don't even need 4WD. You just need some high clearance. If you're low to the ground, you will scrape your car. It took us probably 20-30 minutes to go 5 miles, in a Jeep Wrangler. But the beach is marvelous. It has great weather, it has stunning views of the stars over head. It has glorious sunsets! Camp sites aren't really assigned, so get there early if you want the best ones. Camping permits don't seem to be enforced. Maybe if they did that, they could raise enough money to fix the road, or at leas remove the spider nests from the showers.

A gorgeous stretch of beach. Cars can drive on this stretch of beach and there is camping in the state park as well. The amenities are very limited and the road in and out is very rough to say the least. The road signs say 4-wheel vehicles only, but lots of vehicles going to and fro were not 4-wheel capable. You should also be sure to check the bottom of the area you choose to swim/surf, lots of rocks so be prepared! I'd love to spend the day/night, I just am not prepared. You can be. And that includes being prepared to haul your garbage out if need be. It's a big beach, but parking is limited; you can choose another location with similar beach access. It is beautiful!!

Poli'Hole State Beach is located on the west end of the island and it's just south of the Na'poli Coast. For the best sunset in Kauai on a clear day, Poli'Hale Beach is hands down the best beach for it. There are very few people who venture out to this remote beach. On a weekday, there were a total of 12 people at the beach spanning several miles long. You felt like you were there all alone with the crashing waves and sea breeze on a deserted island. There are fresh water showers available when you get out of the sand. There are also bathrooms at the beach and the end parking lot. Simply take the sugarcane road until it dead ends at the Poli'Hale Beach parking lot. The only draw backs for the beach is: 1. It's far from the rest of the island being on the far west end. Also, you must drive down 4 miles of an old, bumpy sugarcane plantation road to get to the beach. A rental car can make the journey slowly, but if you have a Jeep Wrangler - it becomes an exciting, fun off road adventure. We drove 20-30 mph on the bumpy road while cars had to slow down to 5-10 mph. If you are going to come here, get a Jeep. The waves are strong here and the on steep shore break could be dangerous for inexperienced swimmers. I would not recommend this swimming area for little kids. However, there is an incredible view, as you wade in the warm water, you look north and see the Na'Poli Coast. It's simply magical.

A few weeks ago, I celebrated my 35th birthday by camping on a gorgeous beach, in the shade of the majestic Na Pali Coast by the Pacific Ocean, witnessing the most beautiful of sunsets and sunrises, counting uncountable stars that flooded the darkest of skies, falling asleep and waking up to the sound of roaring waves, exploring the beautiful Hawaiian island of Kauai after 3 years, all of it with the love of my life by my side. When researching for our camping trip to the Garden Island, we checked out all the possible options. Polihale State Park stood out from the lot for many reasons, the main ones being that it is beautiful, is at one tip of the majestic Na Pali Coast, is hands down the best sunset viewing spot on the island, and is at a remote location (read, not easily accessible, hence fewer people). The only caveat was the road to get to the camping area is a terror and warrants a 4WD (though we came across many sedans making their way slowly yet not steadily in and out - hats and tires off to those bravehearts!), plus it can cost you a fortune if your rental car breaks down in there or you get it stuck in the sand. But luckily we got a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited from Alamo, and covering the few bumpy miles took hardly 20-25 minutes each time! Polihale State Park Campground served as our base camp for a couple of nights on the island, and we loved every moment of our stay there. We reached just in time to catch the sun setting right over the crescent-shaped Hawaiian island of Lehua (adjacent to the island of Niihau, the north shore strip of which was also in view), and it was a sight to behold! Be it the sunrise on the next 2 days or the sunsets, each light show put on by the sun was spectacular! Since it's an undesignated campground, we pitched our tent on a dune not too far from the restrooms with an unobstructed view of the ocean. The breeze was cool and pleasant in the mornings and in the evenings. The towering cliffs behind the campground ensure that the scorching hot sun doesn't hit the tents until late in the morning, so it felt good to sleep in a bit after catching the sunrise. In the night, the millions of sparkling stars lit up the darkest of skies looming over Polihale State Park, and we got to see the arc of the Milky Way oh so clearly with our naked eyes! The relentless roaring of the Pacific Ocean drowned out the deafening silence, but felt like music to our ears and it lulled us to sleep. The restrooms are adjacent to the parking area at the end of the unpaved road, right at the starting of the campground. So, the further you head in to camp, the farther away you are from the restroom. The restrooms (both, Hers and His) were clean and had running water. The beach shower was great and it was fun to bathe under the stars! The ocean out here is pretty rough throughout the day, and there are no lifeguards, so it's better too admire the ocean from a distance. We enjoyed walking in the shadows of the mighty cliffs of the Na Pali Coast and picking up many colorful shells scattered hither and thither on the beach. Enough of my rambling! To summarize, if you're in Kauai and plan on camping or simply catching the sunset, there's no better spot than Polihale State Park. I rest my review (and my weary fingers *ouch*)

One of our favorite beaches The view of the mountains behind us and the blue ocean in front of us was just beautiful !!!!! We had our Jeep and ventured into the state park and we loved every bit of it ! Rainy ! Sunny ! We took it all in and enjoyed as much as we could ! Love this place. I cant wait to go back again ! But until then Mahalo for all beautiful memories

The road is definitely no cake walk, but being from a place where every other road is a dirt road filled with potholes it was nothing impossible. Having a jeep or vehicle with 4WD is recommended but this is doable in a car if need be! The long drive is so worth it!

Wow! Paradise! Forget the 20 minute drive on unpaved road to get here because all of that bumpy ride is worth it. It's a long a stretch of beach with mountain views to one side. You can easily think you have it all to yourself because there's almost no one there. It's so peaceful! The sound of waves crashing, fine sand on your feet, and the wind blowing on your face...imagine that. This is the place to be one with nature. And the sunset? Breathtakingly beautiful. I saw several tents when we got there and upon leaving, I was so jealous they get to stay overnight. Yes, they have facilities. I would love to camp out here next time!

You'll need a good four wheel drive, lots of patience, some nerves of steel and you will experience what Kauai was, not what it's become. You can and will get stuck in the sand if you are not experienced with off road once you reach the beach.. just saying, it's worth the drive if you want solitude a bit of eeriness in being vulnerable -- it's the end of the road here- cell service works but that's not saying help arrives quickly , it's 4 miles in to the beach once there it's easy to find your private spot- stay overnight though waves can get loud. No services so bring everything you'll need. Stock up in Waimea- have gas full- bathroom at end of road- basic-

Gorgeous beach but you better have 4 wheel drive! This place is amazing, pristine... we just love sitting here and listening to the waves crash... so serene! I wish they'd take the trash more often... flys we're swarming in the bathrooms. Trust me you won't be able to hold it through those potholes so just suck it up...

This place was a hidden gem.. if you follow the directions on gps, you'll go down this road that looks a little sketchy. The road isn't paved. It's rocks the whole two miles from leaving the main road. If you don't have a truck just drive very carefully. You can drive your car on the beach if you have all week drive. My boyfriend and I didn't feel like taking Chances but plenty people drove up. The waves were too strong to swim in. Even the smaller waves were aggressive. No lifeguards on duty. So just be careful. Totally worth it!

As far west you can go to hit the beach, 4x4 is better but you can do the dirt road in a car if you take it easy.

Polihale Beach State Park encompasses a state park with a remote beach on the western side of Kaua'i. It is framed by the Na' Pali' mountains and is located a few miles away from the town of Kekaha. Called the "golden-sand" beach, it is considered a 'wild' beach because the shore is unprotected from the open ocean. Also, the beach drops off rather rapidly to deep water and strong rip currents, making snorkeling and surfing unsafe activities, so stick to sunning and viewing. The path to the beach is poorly marked on a dirt sugarcane road, making a four-wheel drive vehicle necessary, unless you want to get stuck in the sand and have to call a tow truck. It is about a 30 minute drive on the unpaved access road to the actual beach. The road was completely closed in 2008, due to heavy rains washing out the path. Most of the year, especially during the Hawaiian Summer (March--October), the sun is extremely intense and there is little to no shade. There are bathroom facilities and showers, but no lifeguard or medical help nearby. Still, well worth the trek if you are beach-hopping along the Kaua'i coast. Breathtakingly gorgeous sunsets every evening are guaranteed! *****FIVE FABULOUS STARS!!!!!***** 21/100

Is this heaven? Because it sure feels like it. Seven miles of pristine white-sand beach and dunes overlooking the western wall of the Na Pali coast and the island of Niihau. It's one of the few western-facing beaches on Kauai that is accessible by car, making it an ideal sunset spot. Although I prefer to set up a campsite nestled in the dunes (anything less than 24 hours here is too short). Head to Poli if you're looking to relax, reset and soak in some solitude. This place is pure Aloha.

Wow this is quite the campsite/ beach visit. I really recommend if your looking for more of a exploration trip. It's not super easy to get to but honestly once you get back into it it's incredible. Jurassic park vibes !

An amazing beach. So long so pretty. We camped here, saw the sunset, ate poke on the beach, walked on the beach, meaning great time! One thing I didn't like was that the local young people (high school or undergrads) turn on music and chat loud until midnight or 1, which disturbed my sleep. Another headup is that the way to this beach is dirt road. We got a flat.

Was planning on watching the sunset from Barking Sands Beach nearby but ended up here after seeing the Pacific Missile Range creates an impasse Good thing I rented the official vehicle of Hawaii (a Wrangler) because you do a couple miles of driving paths that are unpaved and very soft at places! The sunset here is majestic, definitely a beautiful one for summer (if winter has the same effect on sunsets in Kauai as it does in California then yikes that'll be a true jaw-dropper) Also you can see the Forbidden Island of Niihau good from here. Overall, it's definitely worth the drive to this side of Kauai, I'll let the pictures say the rest (although it truly looked better to the naked eye)!

As far as beaches go, it doesn't get much better than Polihale. If you're looking for a nice, large, clean, secluded beach...this is it. I'm used to the crowded beaches on Oahu and frequent Waikiki and the North Shore and it was definitely a treat to visit Polihale. Polihale is known as one of the world's best secluded beaches (Travel & Leisure Magazine). Polihale is located on the west side of Kauai and is way out in the boonies. Once you reach the end of the paved road, keep going. We drove on a dirt road for miles and miles and then drove through bushes and trees until we passed camp sites and finally reached the beach's parking lot. I was elated when I got there and didn't see a full parking lot. You can actually drive onto the sand close to the water; a lot of people with all-wheel drive SUV's were on the sand. The water was rough the day I went but I still had a really nice time enjoying the hot Kauai sun and the peace and quiet. The family closest to us on the sand must have been a several hundred yards away from us which is unheard of at Oahu beaches. There was a ton of room around us and I definitely got the peace and quiet I was looking for. I enjoyed the waves and the nice view of the mountains. There are restrooms and showers here. The camp sites are another awesome thing that Polihale has to offer. They're large and very secluded. There are several camp sites available and each of them is enclosed with trees and bushes for more privacy. This beach is my absolute favorite on Kauai and possibly all of Hawaii and cannot stress how much of a difference a secluded beach makes if you're looking for a relaxing and enjoyable time. I would love to visit Kauai frequently just to be on this beach.

Nices secluded beach on the island. It's so friggin' far and secluded I do t think this will ever get over run crowded and blown out. Why? Because the 5 miles of dirt road SUCKS! The turn out off the paved road says "Fiur Wheel Drive beyond this point". I can see if it rains that you can get stuck. The ruts and likes are terrible. I was going out and not even half way I saw a couple in a rental jJeep switch drivers and she turned around and went back. I'd love to hear that conversation! Seriously. If you have and medical condition like back or neck, don't even think about it. That said I believe this hidden treasure will remain remote for its location and difficult access. I for one hope they never fix the road!

The sand was the softest on the island and the beach length vast indeed. Please Know that it was the bumpiest five miles of pot holes so only take/rent a 4 x 4 vehicle that has sand turn on feature because I got stuck driving on the sand but got out eventually. Was it worth it! YasssZ! Was the tide/waves too high to swim? Can you say undertow? Yes. But Was the high swells perfect for expert surfers? Yes! Recommend this beach as the best in Kauai!

I'm giving this an obligatory five stars only because I cannot actually comment on the beach itself, so it would be unfair to give it less. That being said... What in the HOLY HELL is wrong with this road? Why hasn't a state park road been paved yet? I will say that this was probably the most hilarious part of our trip--the road was insane! We were in a Chevy Camaro and me, being bold and maybe a bit stupid, dared the road. We made it in and out, but not without a whole lot of scraping and hard ass bouncing. And when I say bouncing, think 90's low riders competing in LA for best shocks. I can't believe that I didn't destroy the poor car. But, despite our best efforts, my poor timing and the slow road (7-8 mph, max) caused us to arrive at the junction after dark. This made the whole thing even more funny because we endured the horrible road for nothing. I bet this place is beautiful though!

Parked on the beach! Pls note, you need to drive on unpaved road to get to this beach. And it's HOT! Great place to swim. Others bring their tents (definitely a local spot). Update: we drove our SUV 4WD onto the beach and got STUCK! Pls research before you decide to do this! A big Jeep pulled our car while we pushed it (sand is soft and deep!) We were lucky locals were nice to help us get out of that mess! Whew!

Beautiful beach! Hardly anyone around which is great if you don't like big crowds. Couple of reasons why. Long drive on a gravel road, depending on your ride, i would think about it! Baby Bertha was struggling aka Hyundai Elantra... Second reason unless you're Aquaman i would not recommend swimming in the ocean the waves are monstrous. But it is such a beautiful scenery i would make the trip again well worth it!

It is a good location for sunset on the beach with strong waves hitting the sand, cliffs to your back, and Nihau in the distance. The violent clash of the waves contrasts with the peacefulness of the moment and all the other natural beauty around you. Nevertheless, it was not an overwhelming experience. My pictures are actually better than seeing it with my own eyes. In addition, it requires about 30 minutes of off-roading on a rocky dirt road, Lower Saki Mana Road. At the end of Highway 50, you take a right on Kiko Road and then a quick left on Lower Saki Mana Road. You will see a clear entrance. I have experienced plenty of potholes in New York City. They have nothing on how the depth and quantity of holes on the dirt road leading to the beach at Polihale State Park. It is actually better to drive faster than slow down and feel every bump and crevice. If you are visiting Kauai and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me through Yelp and I can share my itinerary, which includes my Yelp reviews. The information for an electronic copy can also be found in the link via my Yelp profile.

If you've got a Jeep and you're up for a bit of a bumpy ride and a little adventure, this beach should definitely be on your list! We embraced all the bumps and the few miles down the unpaved road were fun; I can't say I've ever driven to a remote beach. There is a parking lot at the end, although a few Jeeps kept going and ended up parking on the beach, including some campers. I think it's fair to say that this will be the emptiest stretch of beach you can find short of one that is only accessible by hiking. The lack of people makes for a super calming experience, and the cliffs to the right are breathtaking. You likely won't be able to hear any other conversations, just the sound of the ocean. The waves are fairly rough like other beaches but didn't deter us from frolicking!

Oh shiz damn straight bumpy ass road to paradise on first day JOJ(just of the jet)This is the last road that stops at the beginning of the Napali Coast. Seriously a bumpy long drive along a rutted dirt road for a good thirty minutes, AND you are seriously in the middle you park before the deep sand (be careful you could get stuck) Pretty desolate beach, but the view of parts of the Napali Coast are pretty legit in late afternoon.

There are few places like this on Earth... I am an expert on beaches all over the world. This was pretty amazing. Let's get a few things out of the way. You DO NOT need a Jeep or SUV. Yes the road is bumpy and has some washboards. We just drove it yesterday in a Cadillac XTS. It was perfectly fine. We counted 13 people on this huge beach surrounded by the mountain cliffs. ( see pictures) it's a true adventure. There are no bathrooms or drinking fountains or any facilities. But who cares. It's awesome. Pretty heavy surf but okay at the shoreline. You can wade in and have a great day here. Or as I can tell many camp. Talk about Zero Light pollution . Make the drive out. So not be scared of a bit of dirt and washboard. You will be fine.

This road can vary by different degrees in regards to the state of disrepair. This time around we had to go very slow with a SUV. Still, we heard the skid plate in use a couple of times. Saw a mustang on the road and had a good laugh at the lack of clearance under it. Why bother going down this road? Simple...the beach is unreal. Not a swimming beach (storm kicked up huge waves), but great for just chilling. No shade to be had, so bring your own. Amazing spot for sunsets.

This is probably the most beautiful beach with the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen. You must come if you ever find yourself in Kauai! It is secluded, with miles and miles of beach for you to enjoy. Word of caution: the road that leads to this beach is rough and rocky. A 4WD vehicle is strongly recommended. I didn't have one, but I did have an SUV. It was still super bumpy on the way in. You can still make it in there but it will be a very uncomfortable ride. But the sunset will totally be worth your while. Head west towards Polihale State Park. Don't go absolutely to the end or you'll end up on some government property. As you head near the end of the road, there will be a dirt road with an open cattle gate to your left with a dirt road. Go there. Follow that road all the way in. If you don't have proper vehicle, I would park on the dirt portion of the road. Go any further and you'll get stuck in the sand. We don't want that. Also, no streetlights in that area when you leave after sundown - make sure you're comfortable driving in total darkness with just your car's headlights. Occasionally, there will be other cars. Just be safe! And ENJOY :)

There is no more amazing beach in the world. Desolate yes but full of solitude. No bathrooms. And it can get really hot and there is no shade. So bring an umbrella. One small swimmable part called Queens Bath--so follow the signs. My favorite beach in all of Kauai.

It's nice here at Polihale, but someone seriously needs to do something about the road between the highway and the state park. It's impossible not to cuss when driving on this road. The road is worst now than years ago. This beach is located at the far west of the island. Nice place to relax and enjoy the sun and ocean, when the tide is low. Bring food and H2O. And SPF of at least 30. And footwear because walking down the beach is very hot.

This is the most beautiful beach. The sand is soft and powdery, not hard and shelly like it is in Princeville on the north side. We actually found this beach by accident. Had some time to kill and saw a chance to go off roading in our rented jeep. We were able to drive right up on the beach close to the water! There were maybe 4 other vehicles on this large beach so we basically had it to ourselves! You will need 4-wheel drive to be able to drive in the sand. Absolutely stunning! We stayed until sunset, just boogie boarding and building sand castles all afternoon. Please note that this is a very remote beach so don't expect showers, bathrooms or food nearby.

You know that scene in the movie Inception where the enormous seaside mountains still falling apart with dramatic music playing in the background and you're completely mesmerized by the scene, your heart is pounding with the thought of what if they don't complete their task in time or wake up too early while being awe-inspired by the scenery??!?! Yup - I found it. Here at Polihale Beach! You brace yourself and hope you have a spare tire as you drive through roughly 4 miles of unpaved roads/terrain to get to the end where you come upon a parking area. A few steps away you find yourself in this magical, serene, undeniably unique beautiful landscape with soft sandy beach, clear blue waters and waves with dramatic mountains in the background. There are a few people/families here but nothing compared to the volume that you would find at a more popular, easily accessible. Totally worth risking a spare tire to find some place as beautiful and breathtaking as this place! This is a must see!

This is a magical slice of heaven. This beach feels so remote that you feel like your on the edge of the world. The facilities are good, the beach is super clean and the ocean is amazing. Mahalo

Find yourself at the end of the road facing a dirt path. You have two choices, take the bumpy beaten up road to the mysterious beach your friend told you about or the easy path, turn around stay on the paved road. This was my 4 time down to this beach. It's been over 10 years and the 4 miles dirt road was longer and worse then I remember it being. Maybe it was the car we were in? (Chevy sonic) Jeeps were blowing past us. Either way, if I had known how much time it would eat up, I'd skip it. Not to mention, it voids your rental agreement with the rental car company. Wait, seriously? Yes, unfortunately but I even asked the lady while getting the car and she told me all roads are paved. Except this one! However, there was a bunch of rental cars all going down this road to the beach. Take it slow if your in a little car and you will be fine. Almost an hour later....we reached the beach. The beach it's self is amazing. Pristine waters with waves crashing on the beach. Beautiful sand and no one around. This beach seemed untouched and free from trash and litter. I felt transported back in time. As I remembered, it's always super windy here. That day it was so windy the sand was hitting us and felt like little razor blades. There are limited facilities, bathroom (no soap) and a shower. But it's everything you need. I'm glad we made it to the end of the road but if short on time, skip it. Especially, if your in the worlds smallest rental car.

This is by far the absolute best beach I have ever been to in my life. The drive in was not the best part of the beach, but it is completely manageable. Make sure you have 4-wheel drive, and consider lowering the air in your tires a little if it's too rough, so they glide over the sand easier. If you can get your car through the sand ok, it's easier to get to a spot where you can feel like you have the whole beach to yourself. Bring your own water, bring a few gallons, if you want to be able to rinse off all the sand and ocean water after. Bring a tent to protect you from the sun and you just might be out there for hours like we were. The water is choppy and feels kind of dangerous in some spots, but safe to swim for most in other areas. It's incredibly refeshing and gorgeous! Not sure if I saw any kids at this beach, nor would I bring any... No offense to other people's munchkins, but this is one of the perks about this particular beach. It's more adult-friendly than kid... and if you get in a good enough spot, you can get away with being topless (or perhaps completely in the nude). Have fun and enjoy!

If you are going to break your car rental agreement and drive off-road, why not do it for this beautiful beach? You will only find a handful of other people here, and most will be locals. At the end of the road, go a little further, driving down a dirt road until you reach a "parking lot" of sorts. The Na Pali Coast is on the other side of the beautiful cliffs at the end of the beach. A perfect spot to enjoy watching the sun go down. The sunset is not to be missed. In fact, it may be the main reason to visit. The ocean here is monstrous. Although gorgeous, this is not a beach for swimming. There are facilities like bathrooms, picnic tables and drinking water. If you are here during the summer, chances are the road will be dry- but it will be HOT at the beach. If it is raining, the road can get pretty treacherous but the beach will still be pleasant for gazing and sunset watching. Make sure you are with someone who has a keen sense of direction... driving the dirt roads after sunset can be a nerve racking experience for some!

The furthest beach on one side of the island, this was a great find for us when we were here! It was totally by accident that we found the place - we were driving around, doing the tourist thing, and just couldn't resist taking a dirt road to wherever it led. Well, thanks to our trusty iPhones, we saw on the map that the end was a beach - and a big one at that! Thanks to our Yelp app, we realized that the road takes you ON to the sand, and decided to try the less sandy (shorter) road instead. A bathroom, some camp sites, and a parking lot was all that separated the road from this expanse of gorgeous, and mostly deserted beach. Ahhhhh......a lovely sunset, a walk on the beach, and a little getting lost finding our way back all made for super cool memories of this beach. Definitely the place to go to get away from the crowded beaches - although I don't know if the water is too safe to get in. There's apparently a steep and fast dropoff. This is definitely a place to take your truck or Jeep, if you have one - you can drive all the way onto the sand! Truck or no, come to this beach and check it out. You won't be sorry!

Love this beach. One of the cleanest and secluded. Tides can be strong. So private and peaceful.

My favorite beach. Ever. Already thinking about how to get back. The road to get down there is definitely rocky, saw mostly Jeeps/SUVs, and also a handful of sedans, so I guess it's possible! Once we got to the beach, I was instantly impressed by the sweeping cliffs on the right.. the seemingly never-ending beach to the left, and the haze that beautifully hung right over the water. The water was also perfect (great to watch across the beach in, not so sure about jumping/swimming in). All in all, just spectacular. If you're really looking to get away from it all, including any traces of tourist anything, this is the spot.

Long drive from Princeville but well worth it. Amazing beach! The drive will beat you to death but once you get to the end of the road you end up on a beautiful sand beach with amazing waves and small crowds. Go down in the evening and watch the sunset over Ni'Ihau. You won't be disappointed. If you don't have 4wd then don't get out there too far. You will get stuck.

It's a very, very rough 4-mile road at 5 mph in a normal vehicle, maybe 10 mph in a 4-wheel drive. While it's a beautiful beach with restroom services, a basic shower and lots and lots of sand, there are many other beaches that can be reached much more easily. It's also a fairly rough beach for swimming, there is no snorkeling opportunity and signs everywhere warn of large dangerous waves and currents. Unless 4 miles (30 minutes) of very bumpy driving and a sparsely populated beach is really important to you, this may not be worth the drive.

Unreal. This beach is something out of a dream. I've been there at 11am and I've been there at 11pm. The only time I've missed out on was the sunset. I remember asking different locals what was their favorite beach on Kauai. Polihale was the answer I heard most. I didn't understand it until I went there. (The last time I had gone there was 10 years ago) So going there this time around was like my first time. *Polihale means "house of the dead" I went at night to go star watching. (Use a 4 wheel drive and if you don't, be careful and don't drive out onto the sand. Park the 2 wheel drive on the dirt/sand road right before the beach sands.) There was a small SUV stuck in the middle of the beach that a monster 4 wheel truck was trying to pull out of the beach in the middle of the night while some locals pushed the SUV from behind. We also saw a night fisherman casting his line out to sea with his glow floatie going out and then coming back in. Star watching was beautiful. You can see the bright Milky Way. A million stars. I saw 3 shooting stars that night. During the day it's just as beautiful. Empty beach for miles. The waves are strong on that beach, I walked in up to my calves and had to fight the pull of the waves even then. So don't go for a swim.