Anini Beach

Anini Beach featuring a beach
Anini Beach
Photo by Emily Rogers


Appreciate the absolute calm in this sheltered bay and spot rays and octopuses amid the colorful fish around the coral reef.

Anini Beach is a secluded stretch of sand with calm water and a serene atmosphere. This crystal clear and warm patch of the Pacific Ocean harbors a range of colorful fish and turtles. Bring your kids to swim in the mild water lapping this white-sand beach.

Choose between the main beach area, which has several modern amenities, and the remote stretch across the road to the east. Take snorkeling gear to the beach for a subsurface view of the labyrinth of coral reef here. You are likely to see fish, rays, turtles and even octopuses.

Sunbathe on the soft, white sand and take advantage of the year-round warm climate on Kauai Island to enhance your tan. Swim in the water, which is particularly calm due to the shelter provided by the coral reef. You can walk out quite far in this shallow channel. Try stand-up paddleboarding and windsurfing near this beach, which is also a popular spot for camping.

Relax in the shade of one of the trees that line the length of the beach. Find a picnic table or lay down a blanket for your snacks and refreshments. Look and listen for wild chickens pecking for food between the trees. Stay into the evening and watch the moody hues of the sky burst forth at sunset.

Note that the beach is rarely crowded, offering a more serene and isolated alternative to others such as Ke’e Beach. Anini Beach is free to visit and open to the public at all times. Lifeguards don’t usually patrol this area.

Anini Beach is in the eastern outskirts of Princeville on the northern coastline of Kauai Island. It is particularly long, running from Anini Stream to Kalihiwai Beach. Leave your car in the beach’s parking lot. Visit nearby sights, such as the Kalihikai Park, the Princeville at Hanalei golf course and the Church of the Pacific.

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