Pakala Beach runs about 2,093m (2.1km) along the Kauai coast — a long beach by Hawaiian standards. It faces south-west so it takes the afternoon sun and faces the sunset. There are 2 mapped parking areas nearby, the closest about 407m from the sand. On-beach facilities mapped here include toilets.
Getting there & parking
Closest mapped parking is about 407m from the sand, with 2 parking areas within 600m. At least one is marked free.
Distances are to the nearest point of the beach. Only formal, mapped parking areas are counted — informal roadside and verge parking is common in Hawaii and is not recorded in OpenStreetMap, so there may be closer options than shown.
What's there
| Toilets | yes nearest 349m |
| Showers | not mapped |
| Drinking water | not mapped |
| Changing rooms | not mapped |
| BBQ | not mapped |
"Not mapped" means OpenStreetMap has no record — it may still exist on the ground.
Places to eat nearby7 within 1km · nearest 754m
- Aloha · 755mMo-Fr 07:00-12:00; Sa 08:00-12:00
- Subway · 909m
- Wrangler Steakhouse · 824m
- Da Booze · 782m
- Tiki Taco · 795m
- Jo-Jo's Anuenue · 754m
- Porky's · 756m
Details from OpenStreetMap tags — hours and offerings change, so check before relying on them.
Shops nearby2 within 1km
- Ishihara Market · 724m
- Big Save Super Market · 843m
Where it is
Who it suits
- Sunset — the sun sets over the water here year-round, as late as 7:25pm in July
- Eating without driving — 7 places to eat are mapped within 1km
- Walkers and runners — about 2,093m of continuous shoreline
Derived from mapped features, not opinion.
When to go
Driest months are . Warmest are August, September, July.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79.5 | 62.0 | – |
| Feb | 79.5 | 61.5 | – |
| Mar | 80.1 | 63.6 | – |
| Apr | 82.2 | 64.5 | – |
| May | 83.9 | 66.7 | – |
| Jun | 85.6 | 68.6 | – |
| Jul | 87.0 | 69.6 | – |
| Aug | 87.4 | 69.7 | – |
| Sep | 87.3 | 69.3 | – |
| Oct | 85.6 | 68.2 | – |
| Nov | 83.2 | 66.3 | – |
| Dec | 80.6 | 64.3 | – |
30-year normals (1991–2020) from NOAA NCEI station WAIMEA 947, 2.8km away.
Sunrise & sunset at Pakala Beach
In June the sun is up at 5:55am and down at 7:23pm — 13h 28m of daylight, the longest days of the year here. By December that shrinks to 7:10am–5:58pm, 10h 48m.
This beach looks south-west (224°). The sun goes down out over the water here in every month of the year — it is a sunset beach whenever you come. The sunset point itself swings about 51° across the year, from WSW in December to WNW in June.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Sun sets toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7:20am | 6:17pm | 10h 57m | WSW 248° |
| Feb | 7:09am | 6:36pm | 11h 27m | WSW 257° |
| Mar | 6:47am | 6:48pm | 12h 01m | W 268° |
| Apr | 6:19am | 6:59pm | 12h 40m | W 281° |
| May | 5:59am | 7:11pm | 13h 12m | WNW 291° |
| Jun | 5:55am | 7:23pm | 13h 28m | WNW 296° |
| Jul | 6:04am | 7:25pm | 13h 20m | WNW 294° |
| Aug | 6:17am | 7:09pm | 12h 53m | WNW 285° |
| Sep | 6:26am | 6:42pm | 12h 16m | W 273° |
| Oct | 6:35am | 6:14pm | 11h 39m | W 261° |
| Nov | 6:51am | 5:56pm | 11h 05m | WSW 250° |
| Dec | 7:10am | 5:58pm | 10h 48m | WSW 245° |
Times are for the 15th of each month in Hawaii Standard Time. Hawaii does not observe daylight saving, so these hold all year.
Calculated from this beach's coordinates using the NOAA solar position algorithm and checked against US Naval Observatory tables (agreement within a minute). Which direction the sun sets is worked out from the shoreline's orientation, not from the skyline — a headland, an offshore island or high ground behind the beach can hide the last few degrees.
Where to stay
No lodging is mapped within 1.5km of this beach.
Find places to stay near Pakala Beach →Booking link is an affiliate link — it costs you nothing extra.
Things to do nearby
Attractions & galleries3 within 1.5km
- Russian Fort · 360m
- Cook Landing Site · 474m
- Captain James Cook, R.N. · 741m
Shops nearby1 within 1.2km
- Red Dirt · 1050m
OpenStreetMap rarely records gear rental, so bookable activities are searched via GetYourGuide (affiliate link).
Where Pakala Beach ranks
- The best-equipped beaches on Kauai — ranked #13
- Sunset beaches on Kauai — ranked #4
Positions come from mapped facilities and shoreline orientation, and each list explains exactly how it is ordered.
Other beaches on Kauai
- Salt Pond Beach · 7.0km · 892m long · faces south-west
- Waiapua'a · 12.9km · 3,943m long · faces south-west
- Barking Sands Beach · 18.9km · 2,263m long · faces north-west
- Polihale Beach · 19.2km · 3,764m long · faces north-west
- Hoai Bay / Lawai Beach · 19.6km · 54m long · faces south
Safety
We don't have confirmed lifeguard information for this beach. Never assume a beach is patrolled. Check locally before entering the water.
Rip currents cause around 100 drownings a year at US beaches and account for over 80% of beach rescues, yet only 44% of beachgoers know it. If caught in one, the National Weather Service advises: flip, float and follow.
Safety guidance from the National Weather Service. Beach Beast is not a safety or rescue service. Conditions change rapidly — always check on arrival, obey posted signs and flags, and follow lifeguard instructions. The absence of a warning here does not mean a beach is safe or patrolled.