The best traffic-free bike rides around Poipu

Shipwreck’s Beach is a long stretch of golden sandy beachfront on the eastern side of Poipu. There are resorts and a large and grassy county park facility around Shipwreck Beach, and on the east side, there are some hiking trails around the cliffs. For most of the year, advanced surfers should paddle out to a short shore break. As long as visitors are safe around the shore break and keep their distance, they can walk, sunbathe, and enjoy this beach.

Lawaʻi Beach may be small, but don't underestimate this gem adored for its snorkeling, surfing, and sea turtle spotting when the tide permits. Its prime reef break challenges experienced surfers while the shores host endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals.

Spouting Horn Park has a few cool attractions right nearby. The first one is the Spouting Horn, which is a natural rock feature that creates a gyser-like effect and shoots water up into the air when waves come in and crash on the rocks. There is also McBryde Garden on the north side of Lawai Road, with self-guided tours or the option of getting a tour guide. There are public restrooms at Spoouting Horn Park, and it's a great place to spend the afternoon.

Po'ipū Beach is in the shape of a crescent, and this beach has suepr clear water and sometimes Hawaiian monk seals lounging on the beach. If visitors see a monk seal, they must keep their distance to a minimum of 100 feet with no flash photography. Po'ipū Beach has a lot of amenities: lifeguards, picnic areas, public restrooms, showers, and a natural wading pool for young swimmers. Young kids and adults can try surfing, snorkeling, and bodyboarding here. Humpback whales come through from December to April. This beach is popular with locals and tourists too.

Kiahuna Beach has an underwater geography of an outlying reef, which makes the waters at the beach relatively calm. On the outside of this reef, seasoned surfers wait for the perfect wave. Beginner surfers and bodyboarders tend to surf close to shore. If heading down to the beach, be sure to bring your sunscreen and umbrella because there is almost no shade. Parking at this lot is more limited, but more parking can be found down the road at Poʻipū Beach Park.

Old Koloa Church is also the place in 1820, where the first missionaries arrived in Kauai. During these early times, people met in their homes and were visited occasionally by the missionaries who were in Waimea. Some old records say that the early congregation was large, ranging from the size of nine to fifteen hundred people.

Shipwreck Beach has this name because Kaiolohia Bay’s coral reef has wrecked numerous ships along its shore, and there is still the hull of a ghostly oil tanker from the 1940s stuck there. This is a good beach for surfing, but not so much for swimming because of the high waves. The beach has some amenities, such as showers, picnic tables, and restrooms.

Lawai Beach is a short beach with some grassy area, it’s a good one for snorkeling, and it can be a good place to see turtles and the Hawaiian Monk Seal. This is a nice spot to see the sunset from a grassy area, just across the Lawai Beach Resort and fronting the Beach House Restaurant.