This is Part IV of our Kauai 2013 trip journal. After tackling the Kalalau Trail, we’re are rewarded with the stunning Kalalu Beach nestled within the wild and breathtakingly beautiful Napali Coast. The only way to access this remote and rugged beach by land is by hiking the entirety of the Kalalau Trail. There are no shortcuts! The beach sits just beyond the mouth of the Kalalau Valley, at the base of sheer cliff faces and a towering mountain range. We were fortunate enough to spend the night here, as we were worked from the long hike!
The last stretch of the Kalalau Tail before we reach the beach is heavily vegetated and feels as though we are truly exploring a lost world.
These prehistoric spires tower over the beach leaving us in awe of both their beauty and sheer size.
It is late afternoon and the clouds are beginning to creep down the impossibly steep canyon walls.
This shot was taken at the far end of Kalalau Beach looking back from where we have come. There is nowhere to go from here as the beach ends where the cliffs reach the ocean.
At the south end of the beach is a deep cave carved into solid rock, guarded by a shallow pool.
This clear pool spans the entrance of the cave, reflecting sunlight onto the colorful and contrasty interior.
Clara’s silhouette crosses the mouth of the cave, reflected in the in pool, providing scale.
The rock in this area is incredibly detailed and colorful. Wind, rain and surf have blasted away at the surface of these cliffs for eons.
The receding surf has left small pools stranded on the beach as the last of the sunset slips away.
Headlamps are popular among those camping on Kalalau Beach, while a particularly large wave has just breached the top of the steep, sandy beach face.
My favorite image from our amazing evening at Kalalu Beach depicts a lone campsite on the bluff, as we gaze southwest down the remainder of the Na Pali coast.