Tunnels Beach (Makua) is an epic spot for snorkeling and scuba diving. Lava tubes form the many underwater caverns that make the reef a magical underwater world to explore and give Tunnels its name. The beach is a crescent shaped bay is fringed by palms and ironwood trees. The golden sand beach has a backdrop of lush jungle and mountains making this a picture perfect beach. Surfing, wind surfing and kite surfing are all done in this area. And you won’t want to miss the spectacular sunset from this North Shore beach.
Parking is best for this beach is best at Haena Beach Park.
*Please read the below import details regarding access to Tunnels and Haena State Park.
1. Book Haena State Park parking passes, shuttle reservations and entry ticket as early as possible! These sell out very quickly!
Parking Permits for Haena State Park:
You will need a reservation in order to book a parking pass to enter Haena State Park and access Ke’e Beach. To do so you can visit Hāʻena State Park Reservations and click Parking Passes. Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance of your visit and no later than the day before your visit, however, we are currently seeing that most dates completely sell out extremely quickly after they are made available to book. We strongly recommend booking 30 days out and visiting the site first thing in the morning when tickets for that day are released!
Shuttle Reservations for Haena State Park:
The other way to get access is to book a shuttle from the North Shore. Again, tickets must be reserved in advance and you cannot use the hop on hop off option to Haena State Park. Visit Kaua’i North Shore Shuttle to reserve your seat for your upcoming trip!
Entry Only Tickets – for walking, riding and riding along with a resident only!
Entry-Only tickets are only available for those who are accessing the park by walking, bike riding or entering with a resident. They cannot be combined with a shuttle hop on hop off ticket. Instead, see above and book your shuttle ticket in advance which includes your entry to the Park.
2. Entry Costs – your parking pass or shuttle ticket includes your entry fee.Entry to Haena State Park is $1.00 per visitor (free for residents of Hawaii) for those walking, or bike-riding to the park. For parking passes (which include your entry ticket), the cost is $5.00 per vehicle and grant entry to Haena State Park for the driver and all passengers of that vehicle.Shuttle tickets also include your entry fee into the park and you will pay for this at check out when reserving your shuttle tickets.
Other things to know and tips for your visit:
- Visitors who already have permits to hike Kalalau trail do not need separate entry tickets or reservations to Haena State Park.
- The roads to Haena State Park are still under construction so expect delays in and out. We recommend adding on 30 minutes to be safe as there is ongoing work to repair the roadways.
- Bring water. The hike to Ke’e beach is hot and it’s recommended to bring water and food with you to refuel (however bring all the waste out and please respect the Park).
- Respect the Reef! Please bring/wear reef safe sunscreen and avoid stepping directly on the reef. While the efforts to repair the reef have had positive improvements it is still fragile and visitors must do their part to help keep the reef healthy.
Tunnels Beach – North Shore
No Restrooms, Showers, Picnic Tables (closest located at neighboring Haena State Park Beach)
No Lifeguard
Snorkeling, Beach Walking, Watching Sunset
BEACH SAFETY TIPS
Entering the ocean anywhere along the Kauai coastline can be dangerous. Surf and ocean conditions change daily. Before entering the ocean check with a lifeguard or a current ocean safety report. To ensure safety swim only at lifeguarded beaches.