The salt ponds are a great place to visit while on Kauai. There is a beach park and this is the only natural salt pond in the state still used today by descendents of ancient Hawaiians to make sea salt. The way it works is saltwater is placed in large containers and then allowed to evaporate. A little more water is added and the mixture is placed in containers that are more shallow. Then, it evaporates again. This process is continued until lots of salt crystals are left behind.
Do not enter the salt-making area without permission. Otherwise, the beach is open to the public and is one of Kauai's best windsurfing beaches. Swimming is usually safe in this protected cove. Snorkelers will enjoy clear waters located at either end of the pond. During low tide, the lava shelves become tidepools and are great places to carefully view small sea life.
Services and amenities include: Calm water all year, Good swimming, snorkeling, body boarding and windsurfing, Restrooms, Showers, Picnic area with pavilions and grills, White sand beach, shadey area and grass, Camping available with permit.
The ancient Hawaiian salt ponds near Hanepepe are a nice reminder of Hawaiian culture. The art of salt-making in earthen pans is still practiced here by families descending from the ancient saltmakers. Salt is panned during the summer months by native Hawaiians.
Hanapepe,the town,from World War I to the early 1950s, one of Kaua'i's busiest towns. During the second World War, the coastal village was alive with thousands of GIs and sailors who were sent from the Mainland and the rest of Hawai'i to train for Pacific Theater duty and to shore up Kaua'i's defenses.
Today, Hanapepe exudes an old-fashioned appeal, with its vintage cars, plantation-era buildings and slow-paced lifestyle. One of the most fascinating sites in Hanapepe is the salt pond. Hawaiian families hold special deeds to the shallow red clay soil pits and they work hard to dry the salty sea water into rock salt, used to cure meat and for medicinal purposes.
This sunny and fun beach on Kauai will make for the perfect day. The sunsets are stunning from this coastline and is well worth watching.