HANALEI, Hawaii — If life is a beach, Hanalei Bay must be heaven.
This remote, three-kilometre crescent-shaped beach on Kauai where the emerald mountains meet the sparkling sea was selected No. 1 on “Dr. Beach” Stephen P. Leatherman’s 2009 list of top 10 U.S. beaches, which was released Friday.
Hanalei beat out other shores stretching from San Diego to Cape Cod.
“The sheer beauty of Hanalei Bay is breathtaking,” said Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. “It’s really an idyllic setting.”
Hanalei features postcard views from every angle and is untouched by the feverish development that has transformed the coastlines of other islands. It’s cherished by both locals and tourists as the perfect spot to swim, surf, snorkel or simply escape and unwind.
“It’s just gorgeous,” said Annie Meredith, who regularly surfs in the bay. “You’ve got green mountains, white sand, blue ocean — that’s kind of hard to beat.”
The runner-up on Leatherman’s list was Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Fla., followed by Coopers Beach in Southampton, N.Y., on Long Island; Coronado Beach in San Diego; Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii; Main Beach in East Hampton, N.Y., on Long Island; Cape Hatteras in Outer Banks, N.C.; Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Fla.; Coast Guard Beach on Cape Cod, Mass.; and Beachwalker Park on Kiawah Island, S.C.
Leatherman based his selections on 50 criteria, including water quality and temperature, cleanliness, weather, sand, safety and facilities. And Hanalei is his personal favourite “getaway beach” in Hawaii.
“If I want to get away from it all and forget about the rest of the world, Hanalei is about the best place to go, as far as I know,” he said.
Hanalei is located on Kauai’s North Shore around the corner from the Napali Coast, the most stunning corner of the state. One side offers lush valleys, dramatic waterfalls and sculpted mountains with peaks that rise 1,200 metres. On the other is the Pacific, where dolphins and sea turtles can be seen.
The big attraction here is that it’s not a big attraction. Unlike in the high-rise jungle of Waikiki, where thousands of glowing-pale tourists sprawl across the sand like eggs in a carton, there’s plenty of breathing room in secluded Hanalei.
The flight to Kauai from Honolulu takes less than a half hour. The 50-kilometre drive from Lihue Airport to Hanalei, however, takes nearly an hour along two-lane Kuhio Highway. The roadway eventually runs down the mountainside and crosses a one-lane bridge before entering the tiny town of Hanalei.
Egos, shoes and watches should be checked at the bridge. No one’s in a hurry in this ultra-mellow community.
The village is a throwback to old Hawaii. There are sprawling plots of taro, which is used to produce poi, a staple in the Hawaiian diet. Neighbourhood kids sell fresh leis on the corner. Gift shops, art galleries, surf stores and casual restaurants line the main drag.