47 thoughts on “Polihale Beach Kauai Closed Until Further Notice”
Sarai M
Please do not charge the children of this earth to be with this Āina. Ask the beach, ask each tree there, ask if a payment is needed to come commune. Please do not enforce something that is not in harmony with what the land is asking. Take care and listen, ask the land and ask the hearts.
Just over a week ago we went to Kekaha Beach for a long afternoon walk and saw maybe 10 small groups or individuals along that long stretch. As we debated to go to Polihale with our junky rental, we just decided we felt privileged and content, so we stayed until sunset. Maybe not exactly Polihale but very close and for us, simply amazing.
A couple days later, we snaked around the other coastline for an equally long pause at Haena’s beautifully violent waves and terrible potholes.
We tried for Ke’e but didn’t have reservations. Turned around and got a flat tire on a frigging pothole. No spare. Our tow/guide – from Kapa’a $$$ – was incredible and lifted our damaged spirits.
You bring up a point. The government does a terrible job maintaining the existing roads under its current authority. The road to Polihale is what it because of where it is. I can’t imagine the state would do any better a job maintaining it, than they currently do with any other roads. Once they civilize Polihale they become responsible for public safety. It’s miles from any emergency services. People drown or need rescuing at the more local beaches. It would take an army of lifeguards and you still couldn’t make Polihale safe enough. No amount of money collected in fees would be worth losing a life . Not all government ideas are good ones. “Hands off Polihale”.
I agree and support that… the road itself was gnarly. A local stopped and asked if we needed help asking if we had unfortunately hit “that nasty pothole”. I pointed up the hill indicating – that one, not This one. Took us close to an hour wrestling with phone numbers abs walking down the road til we got data to find that family owned tow service. And then, we were lucky that he was able to come help us directly instead of thru an insurance service routing. He was quick and that was 45 minutes to us.
Before paving to Polihale, consider the mystique, privilege, commitment, and effort required to get there and then consider the infrastructure commitment necessary to support it. Do you really want that? Other articles here suggest otherwise.
Plant native trees & flowers.
Reevaluate health concerns due to radiation of 5-G cellular.
Rip down harmful to biological beings any and all 5G cell towers.
Consumer beware.
We take care of ourselves in Hawaii.
Keep The Country Country.
I hope that they don’t make the beach more accessible. Let’s leave some of the natural wonders pristine. If they pave the road and build a parking lot the masses of visitors will ruin it for all. Not everything needs to be accessible.
I don’t believe Polihale gets enough “tourists” to warrant the cost of road improvements and toll booths. I would say its 5 to 1 locals to tourists on a summer weekend. Its in the locals best interest to keep the road dirt.
I wonder, Polihale also is adjacent to the Pacific missile range facility,PMRF, where they are part of missile research essential to our nation’s security. Ironic in one of the most beautiful and remote beaches anywhere to be next to a high security facility that puts the rest of the world in a hypersonic minute. I was out there years ago when they were doing a night testing and there were soldiers patrolling. That would have been the Aegis missiles they were testing. We saw the rocket go up. A very special place, Polihale. Mahalo, editors.
PMRF is a research facility that provides testing services for not only the USA. But for other companies at a price. It makes money doing it. At one time the beach from Majors Bay down to Kekaha was open to anyone who could get there via the beach and by access through the gate at PMRF. The lease for the land the base occupies did not include the beach. Local residents were squeezed out of part of the largest beaches on the island and in the state. The collective memory of the younger generation on Kauai doesn’t know this. Everyone else has given up trying to change it back and has settled for that dismal program the “base” offers for access to just Majors Bay. Our access to those areas are now reserved for the highest bidder.
Polihale was closed in March when we went and we were so disappointed. We used to go there all the time in the 70’s, and had hoped to share it w my grandkids. So sorry that it has been abused and disrespected. I hope you charge people in the future to keep it up to par. Mahalo
I agree with the BOH editor who said that changing the road makes it lose some of it’s luster. Leave it alone! No cell service there was nice. The bumpy road is part of the experience… And helps keep people out!! “Improvements” don’t always improve something. 🥺
This is sad. I loved going to Polihale to watch the sunset. There were never many people there so it was quiet and peaceful. I’d hate to see a paved road and charge to go to that beach. It would just be another crowded place with lots of noise.
Please do not charge the children of this earth to be with this Āina. Ask the beach, ask each tree there, ask if a payment is needed to come commune. Please do not enforce something that is not in harmony with what the land is asking. Take care and listen, ask the land and ask the hearts.
Just over a week ago we went to Kekaha Beach for a long afternoon walk and saw maybe 10 small groups or individuals along that long stretch. As we debated to go to Polihale with our junky rental, we just decided we felt privileged and content, so we stayed until sunset. Maybe not exactly Polihale but very close and for us, simply amazing.
A couple days later, we snaked around the other coastline for an equally long pause at Haena’s beautifully violent waves and terrible potholes.
We tried for Ke’e but didn’t have reservations. Turned around and got a flat tire on a frigging pothole. No spare. Our tow/guide – from Kapa’a $$$ – was incredible and lifted our damaged spirits.
Polihale next time! Mahalo!
You bring up a point. The government does a terrible job maintaining the existing roads under its current authority. The road to Polihale is what it because of where it is. I can’t imagine the state would do any better a job maintaining it, than they currently do with any other roads. Once they civilize Polihale they become responsible for public safety. It’s miles from any emergency services. People drown or need rescuing at the more local beaches. It would take an army of lifeguards and you still couldn’t make Polihale safe enough. No amount of money collected in fees would be worth losing a life . Not all government ideas are good ones. “Hands off Polihale”.
I agree and support that… the road itself was gnarly. A local stopped and asked if we needed help asking if we had unfortunately hit “that nasty pothole”. I pointed up the hill indicating – that one, not This one. Took us close to an hour wrestling with phone numbers abs walking down the road til we got data to find that family owned tow service. And then, we were lucky that he was able to come help us directly instead of thru an insurance service routing. He was quick and that was 45 minutes to us.
Before paving to Polihale, consider the mystique, privilege, commitment, and effort required to get there and then consider the infrastructure commitment necessary to support it. Do you really want that? Other articles here suggest otherwise.
Thanks for the information!
Plant native trees & flowers.
Reevaluate health concerns due to radiation of 5-G cellular.
Rip down harmful to biological beings any and all 5G cell towers.
Consumer beware.
We take care of ourselves in Hawaii.
Keep The Country Country.
I hope that they don’t make the beach more accessible. Let’s leave some of the natural wonders pristine. If they pave the road and build a parking lot the masses of visitors will ruin it for all. Not everything needs to be accessible.
I don’t believe Polihale gets enough “tourists” to warrant the cost of road improvements and toll booths. I would say its 5 to 1 locals to tourists on a summer weekend. Its in the locals best interest to keep the road dirt.
I wonder, Polihale also is adjacent to the Pacific missile range facility,PMRF, where they are part of missile research essential to our nation’s security. Ironic in one of the most beautiful and remote beaches anywhere to be next to a high security facility that puts the rest of the world in a hypersonic minute. I was out there years ago when they were doing a night testing and there were soldiers patrolling. That would have been the Aegis missiles they were testing. We saw the rocket go up. A very special place, Polihale. Mahalo, editors.
Hi Kauaidoug.
Thanks. Good point. We appreciate your more than 100 comments!
Aloha.
PMRF is a research facility that provides testing services for not only the USA. But for other companies at a price. It makes money doing it. At one time the beach from Majors Bay down to Kekaha was open to anyone who could get there via the beach and by access through the gate at PMRF. The lease for the land the base occupies did not include the beach. Local residents were squeezed out of part of the largest beaches on the island and in the state. The collective memory of the younger generation on Kauai doesn’t know this. Everyone else has given up trying to change it back and has settled for that dismal program the “base” offers for access to just Majors Bay. Our access to those areas are now reserved for the highest bidder.
Do you mean access by humans, or access by motor vehicles?
Polihale was closed in March when we went and we were so disappointed. We used to go there all the time in the 70’s, and had hoped to share it w my grandkids. So sorry that it has been abused and disrespected. I hope you charge people in the future to keep it up to par. Mahalo
They want to charge the visitors to repair issues caused by the locals. Polihale was trashed when the entire island was closed to tourists.
I agree with the BOH editor who said that changing the road makes it lose some of it’s luster. Leave it alone! No cell service there was nice. The bumpy road is part of the experience… And helps keep people out!! “Improvements” don’t always improve something. 🥺
My favorite place on earth. Magical. A place where you realize just how small we humans really are.
This is sad. I loved going to Polihale to watch the sunset. There were never many people there so it was quiet and peaceful. I’d hate to see a paved road and charge to go to that beach. It would just be another crowded place with lots of noise.