Hulopoe, Hawaii, is a Beach Park located along Manele Road on the southern coast of the Island of Lanai. There was once a small fishing village found here.
Lanai, the 6th largest island of the Hawaiian chain, is fairly undeveloped with two resort areas and a total of some 3,000 residents inhabiting its 141 square miles of surface area. There is an airport at Lanai City and there is also a ferry that departs from the Island of Maui and arrives here on the southern coast. The ferry ride last between 30 and 45 minutes. There are also tour boats from Maui as well.
The protected bay of Hulopoe attracts visitors interested in snorkeling, body surfing and swimming. There also numerous tide pools carved from volcanic rock that can be explored here. The water gets rough in the winter months as it does throughout most of the Hawaiian Islands. Admission to this Beach Park is free of charge.
The park has restrooms and showers, as well as picnic tables with adjacent barbecue facilities with grills at each table.
Hulopoe, Hawaii is often visited by Humpback Whales passing off the coast in the winter months and throughout the year dolphins have been seen here.
The large tide pools here are found at the bay's eastern end. Fluctuating water levels deposit these pools in rocky shore areas. Small life forms deposited with the sea waters adapt to the environment and make it their home.
There is a Four Seasons Hotel located right here. Non-guests must bring their own snorkeling equipment as there are no rentals available to the general public. The only food available for purchase here is at the restaurants located in the hotel.
No ships are allowed to dock in the protected waters here so as not to disturb Sea Turtles or the Spinner Dolphin, which are regularly found in these waters.
Just to the left of Hulopoe Beach is Shark's Bay with its characteristic red lava rock where swimming is ill advised due to the rock formations in the sea as well as on land.
At Hulopoe, Hawaii, to the contrary, swimming, snorkeling and surfing are all quite popular.
A two mile hiking and fishing trail departs from here as well, traveling along the cliffs of a nearby private golf course. There is a 140 ft. elevation gain along this trail from Hulopoe Beach. Historical sites that date to ancient times can be seen along this trail as well as views of porpoises. The trail accesses various well reviewed fishing spots. The trail from Hulopoe ends at Huwai Gulch.
This beach has been named among the nation's ten best by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a Florida International University Professor known as "Dr. Beach.'' Since 1991 Dr. Beach has been making an annual list of the nation's best 10 beaches based on 50 criteria and on a study of 650 public beaches that he carried out for two years prior to emitting his list of the best 10 beaches for the first time.
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