Green sea turtles, or honu, are easy to find around Kauaʻi if you know where to look and how to behave. You can see them resting on the sand or gliding over the reef at a handful of reliable spots, mostly on the south and north shores. The rule that keeps both you and the turtle out of trouble is simple: give them room and let them be.
Poʻipū Beach Park on the south shore is the most dependable place to watch turtles climb out and bask on the sand, usually later in the day. Snorkelers also see honu over the reef at south and west shore spots like Lāwaʻi (Beach House) and along the Nā Pali coast on boat tours. The north shore reefs hold turtles too in calmer summer months. Conditions change daily, so check the surf and current before you get in the water. See our beach conditions hub at today's conditions and the south shore beach pages for what the ocean is doing today.
NOAA Fisheries and the Hawaiʻi Division of Aquatic Resources ask everyone to stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) from a honu, whether it is swimming past you on the reef or sleeping on the sand. Ten feet is roughly the length of a surfboard and a half. If a turtle in the water swims toward you, hold still or slowly back away and let it pass. Do not follow it, and never try to touch or ride one.
Honu regularly haul out onto warm sand to rest, sometimes for hours. This is normal and healthy. A basking turtle does not need water poured on it, does not need to be pushed back to the sea, and does not need a crowd. Keep your distance, keep dogs away, and keep noise down. If you think a turtle is genuinely injured or entangled, do not touch it. Call the NOAA marine wildlife hotline at 888-256-9840.
You can get a great photo from 10 feet away with a phone or a zoom lens. Skip the flash, since it can disturb the animal, and never reposition yourself between a basking turtle and the water, which can block its path back to the ocean. If other people are crowding a turtle, the kindest thing is to model good behavior and give it space rather than confront anyone.
Turtles graze on the same reef you snorkel over, so reef-safe choices matter. Under Hawaiʻi Act 104, it is illegal to sell sunscreen containing oxybenzone or octinoxate in the state. Choose a mineral sunscreen, or cover up with a rash guard and hat. Don't stand on or touch coral, and take your trash with you.