Snorkeling Lawai Beach
(Beach House Beach)
Kauai Snorkel Guide
Snorkeling Lawai Beach is a popular activity. This snorkeling spot is also called Beach House Beach, after the restaurant that sits on the left side of the beach overlooking the ocean. The Lawa’i Beach Resort is across the street behind the beach.
Snorkeling Lawai Beach is a favorite of tour groups brought in by van. It is also a popular snuba destination. And even though this spot can be crowded it has lots of fish to see. Because of the protecting reef off this beach it can be a good beginner spot as long as the south swell is not high.
At low tide there is a decent sized beach on the left side; but at high tide it almost disappears. The shoreline next to the road is reinforced with lava boulders and there are small rocks everywhere on the beach. The further you go to the right the beach becomes coral shelf. But to the left of the beach around the restaurant is a raised park with grass and a walkway near the water’s edge, so this is a nice option if you want to hang out at high tide.
Water Entrance
You can enter the water in bare feet, just watch for the rocks in the sand. Enter anywhere along the sand.
Where To Snorkel
When snorkeling Lawai Beach you are in the little bay between the beach and the protective reef. Like most places, the visibility gets better the farther out you swim, and the coral that is dead or non-existent closer starts to become more healthy as you swim out toward the protective reef.
You come to Lawai Beach to see many fish in a lot of variety, and they are all through the bay. You might also be lucky enough to see a turtle. If you are interested in topography and reef, swim along the left side rocks below the restaurant and along the inner edge of the outer reef, but don’t expect too much. As always, watch for currents at all times. The depths here range from 3 to 15 feet.
What We Saw Snorkeling Lawai Beach
There are many small green and purple urchins and some black urchins in the dead reef here. It seems like the fish are being or have been fed here because they are not afraid. We saw quite a few and in good variety:
Butterflyfish: Raccoon,
Threadfin
Coris, Yellowtail
Drummer, Gray (Rudderfish)
Gregory, Hawaiian
Hawkfish, Stocky
Moorish Idol
Parrotfish: Palenose, Redlip
Sergeant, Indo-Pacific
Surgeonfish, Ringtail
Tang, Convict
Unicornfish, Bluespine
Wrasse: Bird, Hawaiian
Cleaner, Rockmover,
Saddle
More Lawai Snorkeling Info
For driving directions, maps and all of our favorite snorkeling locations on Kauai, check out our Kauai Snorkeling Guide eBook
Here is a link to reviews on Yelp for snorkeling Lawai Beach.
Now check out Koloa Landing
Return from Snorkeling Lawai Beach to our main Kauai Snorkeling page.
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