Founder of HawaiiGuide & certified travel expert with 20+ years of experience in Hawaii tourism.
Hawaii Destination Weddings
Kauai Wedding Beaches
Choosing the right beach for your Kauai destination wedding can mean the difference between a picture-perfect ceremony and one that can leave much to be desired. Why? Just imagine high surf crashing and sea spray all over you and your guests. Or perhaps a windblown bride chasing her bouquet across the sand.
If that's not what you have in mind, then check out these top picks for the best Kauai wedding beaches. Note that factors in making these selections include year-round weather conditions, the beauty of the location, and the number of beachgoers.
Lydgate Beach, Wailua
Lydgate Beach on Kauai’s East Side is a hidden gem that many visitors overlook. Located right near the sacred Wailua River, Lydgate is very private, apart from the occasional local fisherman. You have a good chance of having the whole beach to yourself if you decide to tie the knot here. Lydgate is our favorite, and gets two big thumbs up!
Nukolii Beach, East Side
Nukolii is a beautiful yet largely ignored beach on Kauai. Like Lydgate, you are unlikely to run into many tourists here; maybe just a local fisherman. In fact, Nukolii is so overlooked that some maps do not even mention it! Despite this, it is very close to one of Kauai’s premier East Side beach hotels, Kauai Beach Resort. It’s great for those wanting an authentic Kauai beach with sun, sand, and great views of the clouds.
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Shipwrecks Beach, Poipu
Shipwrecks Beach in Poipu on Kauai’s sunny South Shore is by far the most popular choice when it comes to Kauai beach wedding locations. The beach is flat, wide, has a beautiful backdrop of ocean cliffs, and enjoys a gorgeous sunset almost every evening. It rarely rains on Shipwrecks, which helps alleviate many couples' fears about rain on their wedding day. The disadvantage is that, because it’s so well known, you may be sharing the beach with 3 other couples getting married at the same time.
Hanalei Bay, North Shore
With its quaint pier, Hanalei Bay is a beautiful place to get married. The bay is a stunning, crescent-shaped semi-circle in the sleepy surf town of Hanalei on the North Shore of Kauai. The giant mountains around it add grandeur and atmosphere. Since Kauai’s North Shore is frequently wet and rainy, if you choose Hanalei Bay for your wedding spot, it’s best to check the weather carefully beforehand and to have a backup plan.
Anini Beach, North Shore
Anini Beach on Kauai’s North Shore is a thin, long beach with many lovely trees. Due to it being a shallow reef, it has almost no waves but does sport a lot of pavilions, a camping area, and a general beach area. It can be rather busy near the camping area, but since the beach is so long it is easy enough to find secluded parts for a more private ceremony.
Mahaulepu, Poipu
Mahaulepu is nestled in pure Kauai wilderness. It is an unusual Kauai beach wedding location and sits just past Shipwrecks beach, at the end of a long, bumpy dirt road. It’s certainly off the beaten path. There are plenty of pine trees for shade, and in certain seasons monk seals may be seen resting on the sand along the beach. Mahaulepu is a proposed sanctuary, meaning it has the potential to become a state or national park.
