Looking for the best beach to snorkel in Kauai’s East Shore? Lydgate Beach Kauai is the perfect spot for beginners. Here you’ll find calm, clear waters and colorful fish any time of the year.
I loved snorkeling at Lydgate Beach Kauai so much I made sure to visit it several times during my trips to Kauai.
Let me breakdown why it’s a snorkeling beach you need to add to your Kauai itinerary.
Why Snorkel at Lydgate Beach in Kauai?
Snorkel inside a lava rock wall. What makes this spot so perfect for snorkeling is that there’s a lava rock wall enclosure in the water, keeping the waves out. You’re able to snorkel easily without getting tossed around in the ocean. Great for kids and beginners!
See tons of tropical fish. Lydgate Beach also features clear blue water and tons of tropical fish! There’s a lot to see under the water. It is incredible.
Enjoy a crowd-free beach. Lydgate Beach is also not a super touristy beach like Poipu (yet). Many locals go here for birthday parties as it’s such a kid-friendly beach.
Quick Facts
Location: Leho Dr, Lihue, HI 96766
Parking: Free
Lifeguard Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Sunset viewing? No
Sunrise viewing? Yes
What You Can See While Snorkeling at Lydgate Beach
You can see lots of tropical fish under the waters at Lydgate Beach, including:
- Blue Tang
- Lined Butterfly Fish
- Striped Reef Fish
I loved snorkeling at Lydgate Beach and following the fish around. The bright blue ones and yellow striped ones were my favorite. They reminded me of the fish in “Finding Nemo,” and were just so vibrant and colorful.
The waters at Lydgate Beach aren’t crystal-clear as all my underwater photos had a blue-green tint to it. But it’s clear enough to see fish from above water, never mind underwater with goggles.
Features of Lydgate Beach
- Picnic tables
- Playground
- Restrooms and showers
- Lifeguard
- Bicycle paths
- Volleyball courts
- Lava-rock wall enclosed pools (Morgan’s Pools)
Why Are There Lava-Rock Wall Pools at Lydgate Beach?
Named Morgan’s Pools. They’re officially called Morgan’s Pools, named after Native Hawaiian resident Albert S. Morgan Sr. who submitted a proposal to build the rock walls at Lydgate Beach to provide a safe swimming area for families and children.
Built in 1964. He and his wife were inspired by the breakwaters they’d seen at the beaches on a trip to Italy in 1958. The state granted $18,000 to create the 2.6-acre, rock-walled pools in 1964. The boulders were donated by Lihue Plantation Co., according to the Garden Island newspaper.
About the pools. The lava-rock walls in the ocean at Lydgate Beach form two large pools for swimming, totaling 2.6 acres.
- Pool one is small and shallow.
- Pool two is deeper and wider.
What You Need to Snorkel at Lydgate Beach
Pack these essential snorkeling items:
- Snorkel set
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Waterproof phone pouch (to take photos underwater)
Buy some snacks and a pool noodle from the ABC Store and plan to spend a few hours at Lydgate Beach. I’m sure you’ll love it.
Where to rent snorkel gear:
I’d recommend bringing your own snorkel set to Hawaii if you can fit it in your luggage. That way, you can use it to snorkel every day on your trip.
If you didn’t bring your own snorkel set, you can rent some at a few places in Kauai.
- Beach Boys rentals is pretty close by and it’s where we rented our gear from on our first visit. (On our second visit, we brought our own.)
- You can also try Kapaa Beach Rentals for $15/day or $30/set weekly.
Where to Stay Near Lydgate Beach Kauai
Why drive to the beach when you can stay there instead?
You can stay right on Lydgate Beach at the nearest hotel, which is: Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay.
I loved Lydgate Beach so much on my first visit to Kauai that on my next visit I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay just because it was nearby. We were able to walk the short path to the beach every morning to snorkel, and it was the best.
Amenities at the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay:
- Hawaiian sunrise ceremony
- Beach cruiser rentals
- Lei-making classes
- Hula classes
- Ukelele lessons
- Beach towels
- Koi fish feeding
Do I recommend staying here?
I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay for 6 nights and loved all of the amenities and classes they provided. We participated in the sunrise ceremony, the lei-making class, and the daily koi fish feeding, which were all incredible and gave us some great memories. Additionally, the property and lobby are beautiful.
I recommend this hotel with one caveat, though. It has roaches. Roaches are, unfortunately, a big problem in humid Hawaii. We mistakenly kept food in our room and the roaches found their way in by the third day.
We called housekeeping, and they came to spray, but that didn’t really help. When I told the front-desk staff, they said we should have been given a new room, so they comp-ed our parking fee instead.
I know that’s a terrible caveat, but it was otherwise a good hotel in a really great location. Roaches are a problem on the whole island, but I hope this hotel can overcome it soon because I’d love to stay here again.
Don’t Forget to Visit Hikinaakala Heiau
Between the Hilton Garden Inn Kauai Wailua Bay and Lydgate Beach is a historical landmark, Hikinaakalä Heiau.
What remains of this site are a few foundational boulders, but it once was a large enclosure with walls as tall as 6 feet, way back when it was built in the 1300s.
The large size of this historical site suggests its importance but little is known about its function.
Hikinaakalä translates as “the rising of the sun.” The sun rises on this side of the island. For centuries, the dawn was celebrated with prayers and chants at Hikinaakalä. It could have been a religious site or chiefly area, according to information on the state of Hawaii’s website.
Other Beaches to Snorkel in Kauai
North Shore Kauai Beaches
- Kee Beach
- Tunnels Beach
- Anini Beach: Has the longest and widest reef in the Hawaiian islands.
South Shore Kauai Beaches
- Poipu Beach: A partly enclosed rock wall keeps the waves gentle. Sea turtles come up on the sand in the evenings. Lots of tropical fish. Very clear water. But also pretty crowded and touristy.
- Lawai Beach
East Shore Kauai Beaches
- Anahola Beach
- Lydgate Beach
West Shore Kauai Beaches
- Salt Pond Beach
FAQs about Snorkeling at Lydgate Beach Kauai
Is Lydgate Beach swimmable?
It’s advisable to swim only in the rock-walled pools at Lydgate Beach as the rest of the ocean at this beach can be pretty rough. But it also depends on the tide and the season.
I only saw people swimming inside the pools at the time of my visit (November).
Are there sharks in Lydgate Beach?
Sharks are very common in the waters at Lydgate Beach (as confirmed by a local), which is why it’s best and safest to stay inside the rock-wall enclosures.
What other wildlife can be found at Lydgate Beach Kauai?
Aside from a variety of tropical fish, many other types of wildlife can be seen at Lydgate Beach, including eels, whales, sharks, seals, and sometimes sea turtles.
Is Lydgate Beach crowded?
It’s not that crowded, but it does depend on the day of the week and the time of day.
Can you watch the sunset at Lydgate Beach?
No, unfortunately, Lydgate Beach is not a good beach to watch the sunset. The sun sets just behind the hills, so you can’t really see it. It is, however, a great beach to watch the sunrise.
When is there a lifeguard at Lydgate Beach?
There is a lifeguard at Lydgate Beach from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Call 911 for lifeguard services if there is no lifeguard in the tower.
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