Mahaulepu Heritage Trail: Discover One of Kauai's Last Pristine Beaches

Cliffs, ancient temples, prehistoric caves, and pristine beaches await you on this hike for all skill levels in Kauai: the Mahaulepu Trail.

If you're road tripping around Kauai and fancy an easy hike without major elevation changes, check out this route along the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail.

It has a bit of everything:

Pristine beaches, snorkeling spots, a cave packed with prehistoric remains, sea cliffs, seabird watching, an ancient Hawaiian temple, a golf course...

(Seriously, a golf course?)

Technical details

• It's an easy-difficulty trail running along the southern coast of Kauai.
• The hike is 2 miles each way—about 5 kilometers round trip—to Mahaulepu Beach.
• It starts at Shipwrecks Beach, where you'll find parking and public restrooms.
• Technically, the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail ends at Kamala Point. However, the rough surf didn't let us go past the snorkeling spot at Mahaulepu Beach, marked on the map at the bottom of this page.
• You don't need a map to hike it. The trail is super easy to follow.
• In the final stretch of the trail, you'll find the Makauwahi Cave Reserve; a natural cave that definitely deserves its own section... So, here we go:

Makauwahi Cave Reserve

This reserve is just a small part of the largest known limestone cave in Hawaii.

After literally crawling under the rock, you find yourself inside an open-air natural sinkhole teeming with life.

The paleontologists who discovered it, along with many volunteers, have unearthed numerous remains of birds, mammals, insects, and vegetation dating back to before humans settled in Kauai.

For a few years now, bioconservation programs have been underway to restore the area's native flora and fauna.

Volunteers usually run guided tours on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm, when it is open to the public. Although they are free, donations to support the project are welcome.

Tips for Everyone

• For photographers: Passing rainstorms are common in Kauai. Whether it's a light drizzle or a downpour, bring proper protection to keep your gear safe. In our case, a simple rain poncho was enough.
• For the flip-flop lovers: Sure, this is one of Kauai's easiest hikes, but it's not quite a walk in Havaianas (which, by the way, are Brazilian, not made in Hawaii)... Don't be lazy and lace up some proper hiking boots.
• For the clumsy ones: The cliff edge suffers from erosion in several spots along the way, so it's best not to get too close to the edge.
• For the curious: To help preserve the ancient Hawaiian fishing temple, Heiau Hoouluia, stepping or walking inside is strictly prohibited. Please stick to the marked path.
• For those with slow reflexes (like me): When you're walking alongside the golf course, keep an eye out for beginner golfers and rogue golf balls.
• For foodies: You won't find any food or drink stalls along the way, so remember to pack everything you need. Need some inspo? 1.5 liters of water per person, mandarins, bananas, nuts, and sandwiches with fresh tomato, cheese, and avocado. If it's whole-wheat bread, even better! I think my favorite nutritionist would approve of the menu—what do you think, Gri?
• For snorkelers: If the ocean surface is SUPER calm, don't forget to pack your snorkel gear. At the end of Mahaulepu Beach, there's a great spot for snorkeling.
• For seal lovers: Keep your eyes peeled! If you're lucky, you might spot monk seals lounging on the sand at Kamala Point or Mahaulepu Beach. No wonder the latter is on the list of the best beaches in Kauai, right? Just remember to keep a safe distance (at least 30 meters / 100 feet).
• For the cautious: You might come across warning signs for leptospirosis. If so, it's up to you to decide whether to take the risk. As a rule of thumb, sticking only to saltwater will keep you safe. Above all, avoid freshwater pools, river mouths, or murky ocean water.

Our Adventure

Home

The day started out rainy. Those typical Kauai showers—coming and going all day long—alternated with overcast skies and the occasional ray of sunshine.

We started our hike from Shipwrecks Beach, one of the best beaches in Kauai.

Our walk kicked off with a climb up a rocky bluff right at the eastern end of the beach. And of course, we tackled the uphill climb in the rain.

From that point on, following the trail was a total breeze.

Mahaulepu Trail

At first, we crossed some small sand dunes where the trees seemed to branch into dozens of little paths. But no matter which one we took, they all ran parallel to the coastline and led to a rocky area.

Past that, we found an ancient sacred shrine: Heiau Hoouluia. It's believed that ancient Hawaiians made offerings here to the sea god to pray for good fishing. To build it, they laid out volcanic stones over a rectangular area right along the Pacific. A truly unique and fascinating sight.

Once we passed the temple, we walked past the golf course.

Yes, you read that right. We walked onto a golf course.

True, we didn't walk right across the middle of it. What we did was skirts its edge, since the fairway goes—quite literally, this time—right up to the cliff.

Despite the rain and strong gusts of wind, there was the odd stubborn golfer out there swinging away.

And, naturally under those weather conditions, one of them shanked a shot: right in my direction.

I totally saw it coming. But my reflexes aren't the fastest in the world, to put it veeery mildly. So…

It missed me!

Got you scared, didn't I? Not at all! Just kidding.

Turns out the golfer had worse aim than me. 🙂

Alright, back to business.

The coast at this point of the trail was spectacular. Before long, we started spotting gorgeous Mahaulepu Beach on the horizon.

The sea was especially rough and the sky had stayed gray all day. At this point, it was crystal clear that the snorkel gear we'd been hauling around all day was going to head back dry…

That said, the waves crashing against the rocks were an absolute treat for my photographer. Honestly, it was a real show.

We walked right past Makauwahi Cave, since it was a Tuesday and we didn't expect it to be open to the public.

Before reaching the sand at Mahaulepu, we trod carefully along narrow paths surrounded by low scrub where certain Hawaiian seabirds usually nest. Shh… Don't disturb them…

Mahaulepu Beach

And finally, after leaping over a small stream, we arrived at Mahaulepu Beach.

The only building we came across while strolling along the shore was the Gillian Beach House, a vacation rental for travelers looking to get away from it all in this little corner of Kauai.

The rest of the beach remains completely untouched.

The rough surf kept us from reaching Kamala Point. So, after making it to the snorkeling spot we didn't get to try, we sat down on a log in the sand and enjoyed our lunch with ocean views.

Leptospirosis

We found warning signs about leptospirosis contaminating the water.

This bacteria comes from wild animal urine and, once excreted, needs to be submerged in fresh water to survive.

During heavy rainfall seasons, its concentration in rivers and reservoirs is usually higher, as the rain washes forest debris along with it.

For this reason, generally speaking, swimming in fresh water on the island of Kauai is not recommended.

To infect humans, it needs to enter the body through ingestion, mucous membranes, or open cuts in the skin.

However, when the leptospirosis bacteria reaches the sea, it dies within a few hours due to the salt.

So, in that sense, swimming in the ocean is safe, as long as the water is clear and you stay away from river mouths.

Either way, if you don't want to take any chances, I recommend following the signs you see along the way.

The Way Back

When we finished, we headed back the way we came.

We used the walk back to:

• Spend more time taking in the panoramic viewpoints.
• Enjoying some quality time watching gorgeous white-tailed tropicbirds swooping back and forth toward the cliff. Apparently, they had nested on its rock face, and they had to battle strong gusts of wind to get back home without smacking straight into it.
• Taking semi-alternative paths through the dunes to explore new surroundings.
• Following the trail in the opposite direction, past Shipwrecks Beach, only to discover it was a dead end. Ouch!

And then we headed back to our rental car to kick off the second part of our island adventure. Though I'll tell you all the juicy details about that in our 9-day Kauai itinerary.

Plus, if you're already hiking around the area, or you're busy planning your trip to Hawaii, you're sure to find plenty of handy tips in these other blog posts:

• Waimea Canyon: The Grand Canyon of the Pacific in the heart of Hawaii.
• The Awaawapuhi Trail: The Napali Coast at your feet.
• Tackle Hawaii's most demanding trek: The Kalalau Trail.
• Doors-off helicopter flight over Kauai: Do you dare blink?
• Discover the Napali Coast sailing Hawaiian waters on a luxury boat.
• The best beaches in Kauai: Surfing, snorkeling, or relaxing—what's your pick?
• Queen’s Bath: Where beauty and danger meet in Kauai.
• How to plan a DIY trip to Kauai.
• 9-day Kauai road trip: Discovering Hawaii's Garden Isle.

Fancy island hopping? Check out our experience in Maui:

• Guide to planning a DIY trip to Maui.
• 7-day Maui road trip.
• The best snorkeling beaches in South Maui.
• Humpback whale watching off the coast of Maui.
• A nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• The full description of our experience at O’hoe Gulch and Pipiway Trail.
• 3 days and 2 nights exploring the Road to Hana.

And don't forget to leave me a comment if you have any questions or want to share your own experience hiking the Mahaulepu heritage trail.

Useful links

• Makauwahi Cave Reserve opening hours.
• Gillian Beach House. 
• Booking deals in Kauai.
• ESTA application.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams and Momondo.
• 5% discount on your IATI travel insurance.

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