Best Nude Beach on Kauai is no Secret… Secret Beach Shouldn’t be Missed

When my wife and I first visited Kauai, we were looking for a tropical island getaway. We wanted to go somewhere we had never gone before (ruling out Mexico) and for this trip, we wanted to find and enjoy all of the nature and beauty of Kauai without our clothes. It was the first trip we had taken specifically to find and enjoy a nude beach.

Sure, we did all of the tourist activities too and there is a lot to do here. If you’re headed to Kauai you must visit Waimea Canyon aka the Grand Canyon of the Pacific; Wailua Falls (the water fall from the TV show Fantasy Island); and the incredible Napali Coast, which can be seen via boat or by hiking. YOu can fill a week with amazing sites and activities on Kauai. Researching this blog is making me want to go back and visit sooner rather than later.

You might not realize it but you’ve probably already seen Kauai’s beaches, rain forests and mountains in many of Hollywood’s biggest movies like Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark and South Pacific to name a few.

Honestly, Kauai is well worth the trip for all the reasons I have mentioned, but with a nude beach like Secret Beach (also know as Kauapea Beach), the island is the perfect place for a couple’s first clothing optional experience. It is laid back, not crowded and a natural wonder that can not be enjoyed simply by visiting for 15 minutes. You need to stay for the day.

Secret Beach is just west of Kilauea Point Lighthouse, which is another landmark to visit while on Kauai. Secret Beach has it all. The best clothing optional beaches are hard to get to (they require a walk usually down a very steep hill) and are immediately memorable as soon as you walk on the beach. I’m not taking about naked bodies. Secret Beach is memorable because it is cut right out of the cliffs and features beautiful soft sand with black lava rocks breaking through the sand and all with tropical rainforest behind it. In the summer, tidal pools can be found near the east side of the beach while in winter, the waves are huge and crash into the shore with great force. Depending on the weather there are several natural waterfalls on the beach too.

We visited in late January/early February. The view from the beach is incredibly beautiful, especially in the winter months when whales are birthing their calves. We saw whales breeching only 200-300 yards off the beach. Am I painting a pretty amazing picture here? It gets better.

So why is Secret Beach perfect for a couple looking for their first nude beach experience? First off, it’s a big beach with plenty of space for you to find your own piece of paradise. You won’t be on top of one another like Haulover beach in Miami, which is another great nude beach but a polar opposite to Secret Beach.

Second, it’s mainly tourists who visit the beach. Most, but not all, are there as first time nudists or others who have visited here before. When you’re all trying something for the first time, it’s a lot less intimidating. You won’t find many gawkers running around which can be very intimidating for the first time nudist. It’s laid back, relaxing and let’s you and your spouse get started at your own pace. On it’s busiest day, there was 30 people on the beach. It was winter so I’m expecting it to be more crowded in the summer months, but it really is a great laid back setting.

Third, and forgive me if I sound a little too granola here, but for me, this is the perfect beach setting best enjoyed nude. Imagine one of the most beautiful beaches ever, your spouse is next to you. You’re both relaxed and comfortable. You’re listening to the waves crash on the shore. You’re laying comfortably on the beach with black lava boulders near by and beautiful flowers and lush tropical plants going up the cliff behind you.  She looks beautiful (Handsome if it’s your husband:). You’re both naked as the day you were born and you couldn’t be happier. You don’t want to go because it’s a total sensory experience between the smell of the ocean, warmth of the sun, the crash of the waves and the paradise around you.  This is why this is the perfect beach to visit, especially if you want to experience a nude beach for the first time. It should be on your list.

So what should you be prepared for other than sunscreen? Water and food come to mind immediately. This beach is not easy to get to and you’ll want to stay all day. Bring food and water so you don’t have to leave early. Also, and this is important, if you bring it to the beach, be sure to take it away. Don’t litter or leave your garbage. There are no facilities here, including a bathroom.

I should note during our week long stay here we never went swimming at Secret Beach. The winter surf is very dangerous here and while beautiful, this is a very deadly beach with many drownings. Any online references to Secret Beach note how dangerous the surf is even during the summer months. When we visited, the waves were huge as in way bigger than I am tall. There was no way I was going into the water.  Please be careful. There is no life guard here.

And what about Hawaii’s nudity laws? Technically you must wear a bathing suit at all times. Secret Beach is traditionally a clothing optional beach meaning it is shared by those wanting an all over tan and those wanting tan lines. I saw many references to the east end of the beach being nude. Share the beach and keep your eyes open for any reasons to put your suit back on, such as a police officer. I haven’t heard of any tickets being written lately but it has happened in the past.

There are many other nude beaches on Kauai and yes we did go to a few but none were the same experience as Secret Beach. I would go back in heartbeat. It was that amazing. If you’re interested in learning more about Secret Beach, I highly recommend visiting the Kauai Beach Scoop Website. It has great photography and video information for anyone wanting to plan a visit. The photography really is amazing. Enjoy.