Ocean SafeKauaʻi Beach Safety
North Shore

Hanalei Bay today: live conditions and our beach score

A two-mile crescent under the Nā Pali mountains, one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere, and a place where swimming is very much conditional.

Live conditions North Shore
Reading today's ocean conditions…

Ocean Safe scores conditions from public NOAA and Open-Meteo data. We don't certify any beach as safe or unsafe, and this is a modeled estimate, not an official forecast. Always check posted signs, county lifeguards, and weather.gov, and decide for yourself. How we score beaches.

Open Hanalei in Ocean Safe: live map & beach score →Live conditions, our beach score, lifeguard info and what to do today. Free, no signup

The one thing to know

Swimming closes November through March when winter surf arrives, and the river mouth turns the water brown after rain. Summer, calm, and clear is the only window.

Beach facts

ShoreNorth Shore
LifeguardLifeguarded seasonally
Best forWalking, scenery, and swimming on calm days
Good timeMorning, before the trade winds build and while visibility is best.
Calmer beach nearbyʻAnini Beach →Lifeguarded seasonally · The largest reef in the islands shelters a long, shallow lagoon, usually the calmest swim on the north shore in summer.

Questions visitors ask

Is it safe to swim at Hanalei Bay today?
It depends entirely on the day and season. Hanalei closes to swimming from November through March, and the river mouth muddies the water after rain. In a calm summer window it can be fine near the lifeguard tower. Check today's live surf above and the full beach score in the app.
Why is Hanalei Bay water brown?
The Hanalei River empties into the bay. After rain it pushes brown, sediment-heavy water into the ocean, lower visibility and higher bacteria. Wait for it to clear and stay away from the river mouth.
When can you swim at Hanalei Bay?
Summer, on calm days, near the seasonal lifeguard tower. Winter (Nov–Mar) brings large north swells and the bay closes to swimming.
More North Shore beaches today
AniniKe'eTunnelsQueen's BathLumahaiSecret