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The forth largest of
the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai is also one of the wettest spots on the
planet. The high annual rainfall makes this island a lush tropical
paradise with many spectacular waterfalls. Kauai’s reef system is
considered to be the best protected of all of the Hawaiian Islands,
making Kauai snorkeling a real treat. The best snorkeling in Kauai
is found on the Na Pali Coast. Na Pali means “the cliffs” and as
the name indicates, it is a place where sheer cliffs drop into the sea,
forming a rugged coastline on the northwest shore of Kauai.
Because of the cliffs, there is no beach access to the reefs and it is
necessary to charter a boat for this Kauai snorkeling adventure.
Those looking for beach snorkeling should give Ke’e Beach a try.
The reef system here is easily accessed from the beach, which at times
does make it a bit crowded. Less crowded but still offering a
great snorkeling experience is Makua Beach, also known as Tunnels Beach.
The name “Tunnels” comes from scuba divers speaking about the underwater
caverns and surfers speaking about the waves. Although it is not
the best for snorkeling on days with high swells, on calmer days
excellent Kauai snorkeling can be found here.
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