The longest stretch of beach in Hawaii starts in Kekaha and ends about 15 miles away at the start of Na Pali Coast. At the Na Pali end of the beach is the 5 mile long, 140-acre Polihale State Park. In addition to being long, this beach is 300 feet wide in places and backed by sand dunes 50 to 100 feet tall. Polihale is a remote beach accessed via a 5 mile drive down a dusty cane road with many pot holes, (four-wheel drive preferred but not required) at the end of Route 50 in Kekaha.
Be sure to start the day with a full tank of gas and a cooler filled with food and drink. Many locals wheel their four-wheel-drive vehicles up and over the sand dunes right onto the beach, but don't try this in a rental car. You're sure to get stuck and found in violation of your rental car agreement.
On weekends and holidays Polihale is a popular locals' camping location, but even on "busy" days this beach is never crowded. On days of high surf, only experts surf the waves. In general, the water here is extremely rough and not recommended for recreation; however, there's one small fringing reef, called Queen's Pond, where swimming is usually safe. There are restrooms and showers and if you run out of drinking water you can refill from the tap as the water is potable and safe to drink. The wasps tend to swarm the areas where fresh water can be found but they seem to be use to people and busily do their own thing. This beach also has a lot of thorn trees called Kiawe. Kiawe thorns can be quite long and pierce through a pair of flip-flops. The thorns have a mild poison that will not make you sick, but it does cause some pain. If you step on a thorn: make sure to remove all pieces of the thorn and soak your foot in the ocean water. The salt in the water helps to draw the poison out.
Every once in a while the beach can become very windy and a sand storm emerges. The wind blasts the sand across the beach and it stings when it hits you. Don't let this scare you away. This can easily be avoided by checking the local weather and beach conditions once you have landed on the island. Most days at this beach are almost perfect and it is well worth the journey.
Hawaii is famous for it's puka shell leis. There are large beds of puka shells on polihale beach and they become thick and plentiful during the winter months when waves are bigger and wash more shells onto the shore. There are a few other types of shells on this beach, but pukas are the main ones.
Neighboring Polihale Beach is the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), operated by the U.S. Navy. Since September 11, 2001, access to the beaches fronting PMRF is restricted.
Polihale Beach is a great place to spend the day and a complete contrast to the beautiful and lush north side of the island. Not everyone makes it to this beach, but you should really try, if you can find the time.