Tunnels Beach

Tunnels gets its name from the network of lava tubes that riddle the reef just offshore, but the first thing you notice has nothing to do with the water — it’s Mount Makana behind you, a sharp green cone that rises almost straight out of the sand and was, apparently, the mountain Disney’s animators used as a rough model for the Bali Ha’i silhouette in South Pacific. We stood in the parking area for a solid five minutes just looking up before either of us mentioned the ocean.

Where the Tubes Actually Are

The lava tube formations sit toward the west end of the beach, in the deeper channel water rather than the shallow reef flat closer to shore. We’re not confident divers, so we stuck to snorkeling the shallower coral gardens near the middle of the bay, which was still the best reef we found anywhere on the island — dense coral heads, a healthy population of parrotfish and butterflyfish, and enough visibility on a calm day to see the whole scene without lifting your head.

A Beach That Rewards Patience With Parking

The honest caveat: Tunnels has almost no parking, and the access road narrows to a single lane that backs up badly by mid-morning in high season. We got there at seven and had our pick of spots; friends who tried at eleven circled for forty minutes and gave up. If Ke’e Beach is impossible, Tunnels is merely difficult, which on this stretch of coast counts as a win.

Surf When the Snorkeling Stops

In winter, a reef break off the point turns Tunnels into a genuine surf spot, and the same conditions that make the snorkeling superb in summer — a calm, current-free reef flat — flip into something for experienced surfers only. We came in July and had it entirely as a snorkeling day; a Kaua’i local later told us he wouldn’t set foot in the water there past November without a board.

When to go: May through September for the calmest, clearest snorkeling conditions. Arrive before 8am regardless of season — the parking situation only gets worse as the day goes on.