Must-see attractions in Poʻipu

Two superb gardens in lush Lawa‘i Valley, run by the National Tropical Botanical Garden, are open to visitors. Allerton Garden, spreading back from a…

This amazing natural site is also a paleontological treasure house. Seen from above, it’s a deep, circular sinkhole, possibly formed by the collapse of an…

This secluded sandy beach feels as though it’s sitting on the reef, so it’s no surprise that there’s excellent snorkeling. To get here, hike the Maha…

An extraordinary tour of this garden, part of the multisite National Tropical Botanical Garden, wanders deep into Lawaʻi Valley. Robert Allerton, a…

Part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, this gorgeous garden showcases palms, flowering and spice trees, orchids and rare endemic species, plus a…

There are no monster waves or idyllic solitude at the South Shore's most popular beach, but it's a go-to spot with something for everyone. Patrolled by…

This long swath of prime sand west of Po‘ipu Beach Park is open to all, even if it does stretch right in front of the hotel and condo complexes from which…

With a sandbar bottom and a notch of sand and sea wedged between two lava rock outcrops, this little beach flanks the eastern edge of Po‘ipu Beach Park…

At the far eastern end of the Maha‘ulepu Heritage Trail, Ha‘ula is an isolated bay and pocket beach nestled into the shoreline. You’ll feel like Robinson…

The beach at Kawailoa Bay has sand dunes at one end and cliffs at the other. Reliable breezes mean it’s a popular spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing as…

Introduce tots to the ocean at this beach, where the water is barely thigh high. The sandy shore runs behind the beach homes on Ho‘ona Rd west of Koloa…

The site of a pre-contact Hawaiian village just inland from Po‘ipu Beach was set aside by the county in 2010. You can’t enter the complex, which is being…

Unless you’re an expert surfer, bodyboarder or bodysurfer, keep your feet dry at ‘Shipwrecks,’ the half-mile crescent of light gold sand that skirts…

The surf jets through like a mini-geyser through these two blowholes in the lava-rock reef. The spurts are typically less than 30ft and last only seconds,…

For such a tiny beach, this snorkeling and surfing spot gets lots of attention. Just west of the landmark Beach House, it’s not particularly scenic or…

This gigantic lithified sand dune towers east of Shipwreck Beach, overlooking Keoneloa Bay. Resist the urge to jump off the cliffs; people have died.

On the grounds of Outrigger’s Kiahuna Plantation complex, this diverting, if modest, cactus and exotic flower garden established in the 1930s boasts…

Dedicated to the memory of Prince Jonah Kuhio (1871-1922), the Territory of Hawaii’s first delegate to the US Congress, this landscaped park holds little…

Along the Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail just before Ha'ula Beach on a gorgeous rocky headland, this memorial labyrinth connects you with a mana (spiritual…

With its pavilion and camp tables, Poʻipu’s small commercial harbor is not a bad place for a picnic. Walk the jetty, check out the scuba boats and even…