Lawai Beach Webcam – Watch Kauai’s South Shore Surf

The Lawai Beach Webcam looks south from the grounds of the Lawai Beach Resort in Poipu, on Kauai’s south shore, straight out over the reef to the open Pacific. From its raised spot the camera takes in a sloping lawn, a curving concrete path, a lava-rock garden bed and a row of tall, slender palms, several of them leaning seaward. Beyond them, Lawai Road and a strip of sand edged with dark boulders separate the resort from the water. White lines of surf break on the outer reef, and on the far left low buildings sit along the shoreline. On a November morning the sun stands in the upper left of the frame and turns the sea on that side to glitter. The stream is picture only, with no sound.

About Lawai Beach

Lawai Beach is a narrow strip of sand along Lawai Road, so narrow that it can disappear entirely when the surf is high. The entry is a gentle sandy slope, but the bottom turns rocky within a few steps. A fringing reef shelters the inside water, and when the surf is small this is one of the best snorkeling spots on the south shore, with sea turtles among the regulars on the reef.

Farther out, an offshore reef holds several surf breaks popular with local surfers, among them Acid Drop, PK’s and Centers. The white water running across the middle of the frame marks where swells meet that outer reef, and how much of it there is changes from one day to the next with the swell.

The camera belongs to the Lawai Beach Resort at 5017 Lawai Road, a condominium resort of 176 units on 7 acres (2.8 hectares) that overlooks the beach from the inland side of the road. The Beach House Restaurant stands next to the beach. Lawai Beach itself has no lifeguards and no facilities, which is worth knowing before using the Lawai Beach Webcam to judge whether the water looks calm enough for a swim.

Weather and Climate at Lawai Beach

The nearest long-term weather station is at Lihue Airport on the east side of the island, and its 1991 to 2020 NOAA normals show how little the temperature moves. In winter, January highs average 26°C (79°F) with lows of 19°C (66°F). Spring warms slowly, from highs of about 26°C (79°F) in March to 28°C (82°F) in May, though March is also the wettest month there, with 142 mm (5.6 inches) of rain. Summer brings the warmest days, with August highs of 30°C (85°F) and nights around 24°C (75°F), and July is the driest month at 44 mm (1.75 inches).

Fall holds the summer heat through September, at 30°C (85°F), before highs ease to 27°C (81°F) in November as the rain returns: 102 mm (4.0 inches) in November and 118 mm (4.6 inches) in December. The airport averages 920 mm (36.2 inches) a year. Hawaii keeps the same time all year, UTC minus 10, so sunrise and sunset drift with the seasons but never jump with a clock change. On camera, the season shows in the sun’s path, which in November mornings sits high in the upper left of the view.

Things to Do Near Lawai Beach

When the ocean is calm, the reef in front of the camera is the first stop, with snorkelers wading in from the sand on Lawai Road. With no lifeguard on duty, check the surf on the outer reef before going in. Poipu Beach Park, about 3.2 km (2 miles) away according to the resort, does have lifeguards. Spouting Horn Scenic Lookout is about 1.6 km (1 mile) along the coast, and the Beach House Restaurant is right beside the beach.

Prince Kuhio Park, also on Lawai Road, marks the place where Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole was born in 1871. A square bed of rocks on its western edge is the base of the grass house he was born in, and the royal fishpond lies near the road. The park is a stop on the Koloa Heritage Trail, which also takes in Kihahouna Heiau and the Moir Gardens, a botanical garden founded in the 1930s.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more of Hawaii’s coast, surf and landscapes, these cameras are a good next look.

• Hanalei Bay Webcam
• Banzai Pipeline Webcam
• Kilauea Volcano Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Kauai webcam show?

It looks south from the Lawai Beach Resort across a lawn, a lava-rock garden and a row of palms to Lawai Road, the boulder-lined shore and the reef off Lawai Beach, with the open Pacific out to the horizon. The camera holds one wide view of that stretch of coast.

Where is Lawai Beach located?

Lawai Beach is on Lawai Road in Poipu, on the south shore of Kauai, Hawaii. It lies about 1.6 km (1 mile) from Spouting Horn and 3.2 km (2 miles) from Poipu Beach Park, according to the resort, while the island’s main airport is at Lihue on the east side.

Is the Lawai Beach camera live?

Yes. The Lawai Beach Resort streams it around the clock on its YouTube channel, and the player here follows that channel, so a restarted stream comes back by itself. The reef and surf show up best in daylight. If the picture freezes, reload the page.

Does the Lawai Beach Resort live cam have sound?

No. The stream carries pictures only, with no audio track, so there is no surf sound to turn up. The weather readout beside the player is the only other live information on the page.

Does the Lawai Beach Webcam show Poipu Beach or Kapaa?

No. Poipu Beach Park is about 3.2 km (2 miles) away and out of frame, Kapaa and Lihue are on the east side of the island, and no pier is in view. The camera shows only the reef and sea in front of Lawai Beach.

What is the weather in Kauai right now?

Read it beside the camera. This page shows the local time, the temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit, the sky condition, humidity, wind speed and today’s sunrise and sunset. Hawaii keeps UTC minus ten all year and does not shift for daylight saving time.

What is the weather in Kauai by month?

Warm all year with a narrow spread. At Lihue Airport, average highs run from 26°C (78°F) in February to 30°C (85°F) in August and September, and lows from 19°C (66°F) in January to 24°C (75°F) in August. March is the wettest month at 142 mm (5.6 inches) and July the driest at 44 mm (1.75 inches).

Is Lawai Beach good for snorkeling?

Yes, when the surf is small. A fringing reef shelters the inside water, though the sandy entry turns rocky within a few steps. There is no lifeguard, so check the outer reef on the camera before going in. On high-surf days the sand can disappear altogether, which is the clearest sign to stay out.

Source: Lawai Beach Resort