Mahaulepu Heritage Trail: Discover one of Kauai's last pristine beaches

Cliffs, ancient temples, prehistoric caves and pristine beaches await you in this trekking for everyone in Kauai: the Mahaulepu Trail.

If you are on your way to Kauai, and you feel like easy hiking, without steep slopes, take a look at this route along the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail.

It has everything:

Unspoiled beaches, snorkeling, a cave with prehistoric remains, cliffs, seabird watching, an ancestral Hawaiian temple, a golf course...

(Really, a golf course?)

Technical specifications

• This is a low-difficulty route along the south shore of Kauai.
• The route is 2 miles each way, 5 kilometers round trip, to Mahaulepu Beach.
• Starts in Shipwrecks Beachwhere you can find parking and public restrooms.
• In theory, the Mahaulepu Heritage Trail ends at Kamala point. However, the swell wouldn't let us go beyond the snorkeling area at Mahaulepu Beachmarked on the map at the bottom of this page.
• You don't need a map to walk it. You can't get lost on the trail.
• In the last section of the tour, you will find the Makauwahi Cave Reservea natural cave that deserves a section of its own... So, here it goes:

Makauwahi Cave Reserve

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

After crawling, literally, under the rock, you find yourself immersed at the bottom of a natural open-air pot full of life.

The paleontologists who discovered it, with the help of many volunteers, have unearthed numerous remains of birds, mammals, insects and vegetation that predate human occupation of Kauai.

For some years now, bio-conservation and recovery programs have been implemented for the original fauna and flora of the area.

Volunteers usually conduct 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 are accepted for the maintenance of the project.

Tips for everyone

• For photographers: On Kauai, it's easy to get caught in a storm. Big or small, bring adequate protection to ensure the integrity of your gear. In our case, one layer was enough.
• For the 'cholas people': It's true that this is one of the gentler treks on Kauai, but it's also not like going in Hawaiian flip-flops (which, by the way, are Brazilian, not made in Hawaii)... Don't be lazy and put on some good walking boots.
• For the clumsy: The cliff edge suffers from erosion in several areas of the trail, so it is best not to get too close to it.
• For the curious: In order to preserve the conservation of the ancient Hawaiian fishing temple, Heiau Hoouluia, it is forbidden to step on or enter it. Stay within the marked trail.
• For the slow of reflexes (like me): When you're skirting the golf course, keep an eye out for first-time golfers and their stray balls.
• For the gluttons: You won't find any food and drink stands during the tour, so remember to bring everything you need. Want some inspiration? 5 liters of water per person, tangerines, bananas, dried fruits and natural tomato, cheese and avocado sandwiches. If the bread is whole wheat, so much the better. I think my favorite nutritionist would approve the menu, what do you say, Gri?
• For snorkelers: If the ocean surface is VERY calm, don't forget to carry your snorkeling gear. At the end of Mahaulepu Beach there is an area suitable for snorkeling.
• For seal lovers: Keep your eyes peeled. If you're really lucky, you may see seals resting on the sand at Kamala Point or Mahaulepu Beach. No wonder the latter is on the list of best beaches on Kauai, don't you think? However, remember not to get too close to them (30 meters maximum).
• For the squeamish: You may come across signs announcing the presence of leptospirosis. If this is the case, it is up to you to decide whether to risk it. In principle, by bathing only in salt water, you will be safe. Above all, avoid fresh water, river mouths or the ocean itself if it is cloudy.

Our adventure

Home

That morning woke up rainy. Those typical Kauai showers, which come and go throughout the day, were interspersed with cloudy skies and some sunshine.

We start our journey from Shipwrecks Beach, one of the best beaches on Kauai.

Our walk began with the ascent to a rocky promontory, just at the eastern end of the beach. And, of course, we made the climb uphill in the rain.

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

Mahaulepu Trail

At the beginning, we walked along some small sand dunes, where the trees seemed to create dozens of small trails. But no matter which one we chose, they all ran parallel to the coastline and led to a rocky area.

Behind it, we find an ancient sacred sanctuary: Heiau Hoouluia. It is believed that the ancient Hawaiians made offerings to the God of the sea, in order to wish them a good fishing. To do this, they accumulated volcanic stones on a rectangular expanse of land on the shores of the Pacific. A curious and different vision, to say the least.

Once we passed the temple, we entered the golf course.

Yes, you read that right. We got into a golf course.

It is true that we did not cross it as it was. What we did was to border it, since the playing field reaches, now literally, to the cliff.

Despite the rain and strong gusts of wind, there were some stubborn players hitting the baton.

And, as it could not be otherwise under those weather conditions, one of them missed a shot: right in my direction.

I saw it coming. But my reflexes are not the fastest in the world, to put it very, very mildly. So...

I didn't get it!

Scared you, huh? No way! It was a joke.

You can tell the golfer had less aim than me 🙂 🙂

Come on, I'm getting serious again.

The coastline at this point of the route was spectacular. Soon we began to see the beautiful Mahaulepu beach on the horizon.

The sea was particularly rough and the sky had remained gray throughout the day. At this point it was clear that the snorkeling equipment we had carried all day was going to come back dry...

Of course, the waves crashing against the rocks delighted my photographer. The truth is that they offered a real spectacle.

We bypassed Makauwahi Cave, as it was Tuesday and we did not expect to find it open to the public.

Before reaching the Mahaulepu sand, we walk very carefully through some narrow paths surrounded by low brush where certain Hawaiian seabirds tend to nest. Shh... Don't disturb them...

Mahaulepu Beach

And finally, after jumping over a small creek, we arrived at Mahaulepu beach.

The only building we encountered while strolling along the shore was the Gillian Beach House, a rental house for tourists who want to isolate themselves from the world in this small corner of Kauai.

The rest of the beach remains unspoiled.

The strong swell prevented us from accessing Kamala Point. So, after reaching the snorkeling area that we could not taste, we sat on a wooden log resting on the sand and enjoyed our lunch overlooking the sea.

Leptospirosis

We found signs warning of the presence of leptospirosis contaminating the water.

This bacterium comes from the urine of wild animals and, once excreted, needs to be submerged in fresh water to survive.

During periods of heavy rainfall, their concentration in rivers and reservoirs tends to be higher, as the rain carries with it the debris deposited in the forest.

For this reason, in general terms, it is not advisable to swim in fresh water on the island of Kauai.

To infect humans, it needs to be introduced into the body by ingestion, mucous membranes or open wounds in the skin.

However, when the leptospirosis bacteria reach the sea, they die within a few hours because of the salt.

So, in this sense, it is safe to swim in the ocean, as long as its waters are clear and you stay away from the mouths of rivers.

In any case, if you do not want to take risks, I recommend that you follow the indications of the signs you find on your way.

The return

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

We took advantage of our return to:

• Spend more time in places with panoramic views.
• We had a good time watching some beautiful white-tailed tropicbirds coming and going towards the cliff. Apparently, they had nested on its rocky wall, and had to fight the strong air currents to return to their homes without crashing face first into it.
• Take semi-alternative paths between the dunes to inspect new environments.
• Continue the trail to the opposite side, beyond Shipwrecks Beach, only to discover that it was dead end. Ouch!

And then we returned to our rental car to begin the second part of our island adventure. Although I will tell you all about it in detail in our 9-day Kauai itinerary.

Also, if you are already trekking in the area, or you are preparing your trip to Hawaii, you will surely find a lot of useful information in these other blog posts:

• Waimea Canyon: The great canyon of the Pacific in the heart of Hawaii.
• The Awaawapuhi Trail: The Napali Coast at your feet.
• Take on Hawaii's most challenging trek: the Kalalau Trail.
• Flying over Kauai in a helicopter with no doors, dare you blink?
• Discover the Napali coast sailing the seas of Hawaii in a luxury yacht.
• The best beaches in Kauai: surfing, snorkeling, or relaxing—which do you prefer?
• Queen's bath: Beauty and danger go hand in hand on Kauai.
• How to organize a trip to Kauai on your own.
• 9-day tour of Kauai: discovering the Garden Island of Hawaii.

If you want to change islands, take a look at our experience in Maui:

• Guide to organizing a trip to Maui on your own.
• 7 day tour of Maui.
• The best snorkeling beaches in southern Maui.
• Sighting of humpback whales off the coast of Maui.
• Nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• The full description of our experience at O'hoe Gulch and Pipiway Trail.
• 3 days and 2 nights discovering 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 Reserveopening hours.
• Gillian Beach House. 
• Booking offers in Kauai.
• ESTA application.
• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams, andMomondo.
• Get 5% off your IATI travel insurance.

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