Salt Pond Beach Park

Sep 20, 2006 5:08PM

This is a good swimming beach for kids when the surf is not high. However, it can get a bit windy later in the afternoon. Pavillions. In my opinion, the best side of the beach is toward the salt ponds~ entrance near Port Allen airport. It is close to Inter-Island Helicopter, so kids can watch choppers take off and land. Perfect stop after going to Jo Jo's in Waimea to get my shave-ice fix!!

Jan 07, 2007 3:43PM

My husband and I love this beach. We have always enjoyed snorkeling here. We go to Kauai in January/February and the surf is always good. Now we have children and it is still a favorite of ours.

Jun 21, 2007 5:14AM

I'm getting married in Kauaui in Sept. Would this be a nice beach to get married at? It looks very nice?

Any suggestions??

Thanks
Janelle

Jul 06, 2007 12:25AM

Janelle, I would not recommend Salt Pond Beach Park as a good place to get married. 1) it can be hotter than Hades in September 2) it's not very pretty 3) do you want to contend w/ RVs, campers in tents, etc. in the middle of your nuptials? Suggest you try Hanalei Beach at sunset. I just saw a couple get married there a few days ago, and it was magical! Go to the western end of the bay,off Weke Road..there is a lifeguard station there, public showers, etc.

Jul 20, 2007 1:24PM

Salt Pond is an excellent beach for all types of beach combing activities. Being a local resident of Kaua'i, it is a local favorite. It's where we ALWAYS go to catch some fun in the sun. It's also very "kid-friendly."

It's one of the 7 beaches that has a life guard from 9 to 5 p.m. and it doesn't get as crowded as some of the more "tourist-geared" beaches like Poipu or some on the North Shore. It's also not secluded as some of the other beaches on the island so it's safe swimming all around.

Jul 25, 2007 6:00PM

We are coming down in mid October and have a 1 and 3 year old that loves to swim and looking forward to snokling. We can't deciced where to stay: Kekaha, Kapaa, or Kalaheo. We would like to be close to a beach the kids will enjoy. Which side of the island would be the best? Is the East side windy in October?
Thanks

Aug 03, 2007 5:22AM

My husband and I are renewing our vows on September 19th. We are staying on the North Shore that week and would like to know which beach would be your recommendation to renew our vows. We would like to do it at the same time as when we were originally married 20 years ago which is 3in the afternoon as we are going to the Smith's Luau for 5. We are a small group of 8 people. Any guidance would appreciated! THanks

Aug 31, 2007 8:29AM

Hello. If you had to choose between the North or South side of the island between Dec. 25 - Jan 5th and snorkeling was a big draw....which side would you go to?

Thank you :)

Neal

Sep 17, 2007 5:35AM

We are coming to Kauai in early June and want sun and good snorkeling. Any suggestions as to towns to focus on finding accomodations?

Oct 07, 2007 9:34AM

Hi, we will be in Kauai in January or February and would like to know which beaches are go for children (6,3 and 1 year old)- just for playing in shallow water. We are a little bit afraid about the high wave everywhere. Can you tell us something about the security on the campgrounds in the state and county and np parks. Thanks a lot.

Oct 29, 2007 7:55PM

I will be camping in Kauai in December and January. I have previously camped on the North Shore during summer months, however, I would like to try Salt Pond Beach. I am concerned with the wind, every time I visited Inter Island Helicopters it was VERY windy. How is the wind at the actual campground. In your opinion, how safe is it for a visitor to camp there, I know it is a favorite local hangout.

Dec 09, 2007 10:53AM

I am going to Kauai in January - I would like to do some shore fishing while I am there. Where do you recommend? Should I bring my own equipment, if so, what? Do they rent fishing gear to shore fish?

Jan 07, 2008 8:58AM

We are planning a wedding on November and we want to get married on the south shore on the beach at sunset. Would you have any suggestions on a nice uncrowded beach?

Carol

Jan 22, 2008 6:19AM

For Dan who asked about shoreline fishing....see Endless Summer Fishing!

Jan 24, 2008 6:27PM

what beach would you consider the best for mid March for shore fishing. I will be there then. Also would you happen to know if i can access the inland spots to fish w/o a guide or do I have to charter someone to get in to those spots. Thanks

Feb 01, 2008 4:36PM

Hello, We are staying on the South Shore in Mid March and are getting married. What beaches do you recommend for a ceremony that are not crowed?

Colette

Feb 21, 2008 7:16PM

Hi,
We are trying to pick the best place for a family of 11 adults, ages ranging from 80 (my mother, good physical health but can't do rigerous walking) to 41. 20-30 years ago we spent many vacations on Maui, this will be our first time back and may be our first time on Kauai. We will be traveling w/in the 1st 12 days of June. Hope to combine beach time with activities in town. What would you recommend?
Thanks,

Mar 04, 2008 7:55PM

My boyfriend and I are coming to Kauai in May and want to camp for a few nights. Is salt pond safe for two 20 somethings? Is there another campground you recommend?

Mar 24, 2008 6:48AM

We are coming to Kauai on April 14th. I would really like to snorkel. Is this the best beach for an okay swimmer?

Mar 28, 2008 12:48AM

My fiance and I will be getting married in Kauai in August. What is usual temperature at this time of year on the South Shore. I would really like to get married on Salt Pond beach. I've looked at so many pictures of beaches on Kauai and I don't really like the rocky shoreline on most of them (ex. Shipwreck). We will be having the ceremony during the week in the later afternoon, would it be typical to find this beach less busy at that time? I was also wondering what time is the average sunset at that time of year?

Apr 26, 2008 6:01AM

my partner and i are coming to the north shore from my birthday week, Sept 12-20, i am not the best swimming and want to do a little snorkeling on a clam beach any suggestions?

May 07, 2008 6:42PM

We are coming to Kauai in early March of 2009 for our 25th anniversary. We are thinking of staying in the South because we want to try to have dry weather. We may stay at the Hyatt but thhis will be a splurge. Are we going in the right direction. If we add a day or 2 in Oahu is that going to be difficult? Should we fly into and out of Kauai? Thanks

May 10, 2008 1:28PM

I love this park, everything about it. It has a fantastic, enormous crescent-shaped beach, coconut trees swaying in the breeze, restroom facilities, lifeguard, the swimming is protected by the outside reef so it's always relatively calm yet has deeper water in which to snorkel. Just wonderful -- and since it's off the beaten tourist path, it's almost always uncrowded. Weekends are busier with local families, but I find that to be one of the better things about it. All in all a great beach!

May 29, 2008 7:43PM

Hi, a friend and I would LOVE to camp at Salt Pond Beach Park but we can't find any website or number to call to make a reservation. How can we book a spot for August (10 days) as well as get a permit to camp there?

Caitlin

May 31, 2008 9:29AM

I love your website, thank you for all of your advice!

I am planning a visit to Kauai from mid November to Early December with my husband and 3 year old daughter. We plan to camp part of the time and then rent a little house. We really like to snorkel and will want to learn and practice surfing during the whole visit. Of course, we want a child friendly/safe beach to base out of for both camping and the rental, and if you can snorkel or surf or both that would be amazing - or at least have it close by.... Which beach would be best to rent the house at? I was thinking Anini or Salt pond, what do you think?

Launa

Jul 01, 2008 2:44PM

My husband and I will be in Kauai the first week of july, where are the dryer and calmer beaches to visit.

Aug 23, 2008 12:53AM

Hi, I am planning a (pretty last-minute...arg) trip to Kauai for family and friends between Christmas and New Years this year and wondering where we should stay that would be closest to the best beaches for our party, with the sunniest weather. We love to swim and snorkel and we have two 2-year olds with us. I am thinking Poipu of course, but wondering if there's another option that won't be so crowded? Thanks for any help!

Sep 21, 2008 8:53PM

My wife and I love to fish but we have never fished on any Hawaiian island. I don't want to charter a boat. We would like to fish off the shore somewhere on the west side. Any suggestions? Where and when is really my question.

Nov 10, 2008 12:56AM

When I visited Kauai this past June I saw a Hawaiian monk seal here.

Jan 09, 2009 12:39AM

We are coming to Hanapepe in February. My husband wants good flyfishing, I would like snorkeling, and we have a 2 1/2 yr old that would love to play on the beach. We heard Salt Pond may be good. Do you have any other recommendations?

Jan 09, 2009 11:11PM

Thanks for the suggestion. One more quick question. Is there a good place to see/snorkel with sea turtles? I would love to see some!

Jan 21, 2009 2:27PM

we are coming to Kauai in Dec 2009 for a week with our adlut family. We enjoy ocean swimming and snorkling. I am not familiar with distances on the island. Would it be necessary to stay on the south side to enjoy the snorkling at Salt Pond or could we select the west or north shores? We also would like to be able to hike and kayak. Any suggestions??
Ralph

SOS

Apr 18, 2009 8:17AM

This area has the highest diversity of corals on Kaua'i. Please help us protect this rare gem. Stand in the Sand. Organic Sunscreen. Fish don't need packaged fish food. Explore and Learn.

May 31, 2009 5:53AM

Some other sites and guides have mentioned Salt Ponds as a good surf break if you make the long paddle out past the reef. How long is the paddle? Will there be other surfers at this break in summer? Any tips on where to paddle out to get over the reef safely?

Thanks for a great site!

Aug 10, 2009 3:39AM

We have four seniors, one using a mobility scooter, with accomodations in Koloa from 10/26 through 11/2. We'll be looking for scenery that can be enjoyed from scooter accessible paths, on shore or inland. What do you suggest?

Jan 26, 2010 8:59PM

What a fabulously helpful site! Thank you!

My husband and I are visiting both the south, and then the north shores in early March. We want to get in as much snorkeling as possible while on the south shore, and I wondered if you would recommend simply snorkeling off the beach (if so, which is best in March?) or if signing up for a snorkeling "tour" promises a much better experience?

Thank you so much for your assistance!
Mahalo,
Amanda

Mar 03, 2010 5:43AM

We are camping for the first time at Salt Pond - where is the best place to pitch our tent?

Mar 09, 2010 5:01PM

My husband and I will be visting Kaui the first week in April. We are in our 50\'s, resonable condition, good swimmers. We love skiing and hiking. We have snorkeled a couple of times, but being from Colorado, don\'t know much about oceans. We would love to snorkel, maybe with a small tour. Sny sugestions?

Mar 18, 2010 5:07AM

we are looking for a cozy campsite.prefere snorkling and swimming

would not mind hiking in for 30 minits
if nec.even better yet,on a motor bike??
thanks

diane

Mar 21, 2010 6:30AM

I was at Salt Pond today and I really liked it! It wasn't crowded and on the east end of the beach are shallow places to swim where the current wasn't strong. The sun was out. There were lots of covered picnic areas. People pulled their pick ups up to the sand and were playing music so it was like having an island sound track while sun bathing. :) This site has been very helpful during our stay, I check the surf conditions on all sides of the island every day!

Rick

Mar 25, 2010 7:42PM

the snorkling is very, very bad. there are no fish what so ever. It is terrible for boogieboarding, because there are not any waves. It is a beach for babies mostly. I WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 01, 2010 4:18PM

My wife and I will be in Kauai the second week of July. We have small children - 5 years old and 9 months old. We would like to stay near a beach that is good for little kids and has good snorkeling and swimming. I understand the North Shore is calmer in summer than the South Shore. What area would you recommend for what we would like and this time of year?

Sep 27, 2010 10:33PM

We are looking at going to Hanalai Bay in January, 2011. I know that is peak season for surf, and our group has young children (ages 1-3). Is the surf so rough that it will be unsafe for the kids to play on the beach (obviously supervised by parents)? Or is the surf far enough out that it's still pretty safe on the beach?

Dec 16, 2010 4:31AM

My fiance and i are planning our honeymoon for the beginning of november. we are inexperienced swimmers so calm waters are definitely a must. we would also like to attend a sunset luau of somesort, and also check out some waterfalls and nearby restaurants. any recommendations?

Jan 19, 2012 10:11AM

Do you know of people who do serious ocean (open water) swimming on the South shore of Kauai. Looking for someone who might want to swim for up to an hour in the ocean each day. Thanks, Peter

Apr 28, 2012 1:09PM

Hello :)

My husband and I are planning a visit in June/July. We would like a sandy swim beach, low crowd, and a nice place to stay on the beach. Can you please give us some recommendations?

Thank you,
Christa

May 07, 2013 1:14PM

HI,
We are coming in September from the 11th to the 22nd. My kids love snorkeling. Does the south shore have decent snorkeling that time of year?

Thank you!
Chuck

Jan 27, 2015 7:36PM

Hello!
My husband , 2 year old son and I are coming to Hawaii for the first time this April...we are planning on camping the majority of the time. We were planning to spend four nights at salt pond park then head north to haena for a few more nights....would those be good sites for family camping yet getting a good Kauai experience? Thanks for your input!!

Jul 27, 2015 8:56AM

Hi!
My husband and I are celebrating our 20th Anniversary on Kauai at the end of September/beginning of October. We would like to spend 3 days of our stay snorkeling. Neither of us are strong swimmers, although my husband is much better than I am. What spots would you recommend?

We would also like to do a hike or two while we are there - nothing strenuous, but enjoyable. I would love it if the trail led to a waterfall for swimming or an archeological site. Do you have any recommendations for us?

Any suggestions that you can give us would be greatly appreciated.

Mahalo!

Oct 21, 2015 5:32PM

Hi, my bf and I are planning to camp on Kauai mid-end December and thought that, weather wise, Salt Pond might be a good option. Would you agree? And would you have any advice for us with regards to safety? Do you know if there have been issues with campers getting attacked or robbed by drug addicts or homeless people? Thank you so much!

Dec 11, 2015 9:38AM

Hello, my family is planning a trip that will hopefully include tent-camping at Salt Pond Beach. Is there somewhere to store our things during the day when we are snorkeling or at the beach?

Dec 20, 2015 9:23AM

My husband was snorkeling at Salt Pond Beach two weeks ago when we were visiting and he was caught in a riptide. The lifeguard on duty rescued him and he is fine. We are eternally grateful and would like to support your efforts at Ocean Safety in some small way. What are our options?
Mahalo and thank you so very much.