Kepuhi Beach

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Kepuhi Beach

Top choice in Moloka'i


Kepuhi is a rocky, white-sand dream, but swimming here can be a nightmare. There's a tough shore break, and strong currents are often present, even on calm days. During winter the crashing shore dump is a sight to behold. The sand-filled waves provide a brutal exfoliation. A five-minute hike to the top of Puʻu o Kaiaka, a 110ft-high promontory at the southern end of the beach, is rewarded with a nice view of Papohaku Beach.

At the top you'll find the remains of a pulley that was once used to carry cattle down to waiting barges for transport to Oʻahu slaughterhouses. There was also a 40ft heiau on the hilltop until 1967, when the US army bulldozed it (and gave the superstitious another reason to ponder the local run of bad luck). There's plenty of parking in the resort's cracked lots.