WHERE IT IS: A very small beach in a hidden cove, it lies just below the Cliffs Resort (hence its name) in the resort community of Princeville on the North Shore.

HOW TO GET THERE: This is a tricky one. There are actually two routes we take to get here: one by foot, the other by boat. The foot trail actually starts at the end of a cul-de-sac somewhere in the Princeville neighborhood. We usually take kayaks from the end of Anini road – heading from Kapaa, pass Kilauea town and cross the long Kalihiwai bridge. Take the first left, then the first right and head to the end of the road. Kayak about a mile west – Cliffs beach is the first cove after the point. I recommend wearing reef-walkers (or ninja tabis) in case you need to get off your kayak and walk through shallow reef.

WHEN TO GO THERE: Like ALL north shore beaches, you will need to heed the local warnings during huge winter swells – STAY OUT OF THE WATER. Even if it SEEMS safe and shallow over the reef, rip currents everywhere and they can easily pull an unsuspecting swimmer out into the treacherous open ocean. Late spring brings in the summer flat season which lasts through early fall – the perfect time to visit this secluded beach.

WHAT TO DO THERE: The entire beach area is fronted by reef, making it excellent for snorkeling. Head left and around the point at the west end into deeper water and you will likely catch a glimpse of the many green sea turtles that graze there. What we do? We locals love to fish, and this beach offers some of the best day-time spearfishing and netting on the island. We’ve also gone night-diving here with limited success.

Before you take the long, but well worth it, drive on the North Coast, you should know that in January, the waters are too rough for swimming. With that said, these beaches have special charm and beauty above the beaches on the south side.

Yes, we decided to stop at most beaches from Hanalei Bay to Ke’e Beach! We also took lots of pictures since I loved the views. I am including a few of my pictures. However, click here for professional pictures of north shore beaches.

It would be hard to pick the nicest beach since each was unique. We were the only tourists at the Black Beach Park (part of Hanalei Bay). I was surprised since I expected lots of tourists to be present. The long pier is a perfect setting for sitting on the dock and relaxing and clearing your mind of all worries! There were a few painters near the parking lot capturing the scenery.

We missed Lumahai Beach on the way out, but persisted and found it on the way back. Picture postcard perfect would sum up my thoughts about that beach. I am glad that our mini guide provided by RCI warned us against hiking down to the beach itself. I was content to look at the beauty from the top of the cliff! It is unfortunate that there was not a drive-off area so you could really enjoy the view as long as your heart desired! This area definitely is not as developed as other areas of Kauai!

At Haena Beach Park , there were lots of campers. This is a staging area for the hikers into Na Pali Coast. We did not stay too long but proceeded to the last beach Ke’e Beach . It is hard to find a parking spot since this is where you park your car before hiking into the breath-taking NaPali Coast. My husband began the hike but stopped way short of the 10 miles! At Ke’e Beach, there were several peacocks walking around and they are used to people and I could get pictures of them close to me. Another interesting point about this beach is that even though there were lots of signs warning about no swimming, some people were ignoring the signs and swimming anyhow.