Hailey Rasmussen

Hailey Minton

Writer. Photographer. Explorer.

November 15, 2017

The romantic and relaxing Kawela Bay

An isolated, calm, and romantic bay perfect for watching the sun set

Tucked behind the airy jungle, just a step beyond Kamehameha Highway, is a romantic bay. Paddleboard on the calm water or stroll out to Protection Point to watch the sun melt into the ocean.


The bay can give peace of mind, vitality, strength, a place to propose to your love. Imagine memories of turtle heads dipping into the air, casting shadows and ripples around them. Two people can sit on the horizontal cement pillar overlooking the bay and try to understand each other better as the sun sets.


The bay is a good place to paddleboard. We tried snorkeling but the bay was murky and very shallow. A local resident said the bay is usually like this. He lives in one of the beachfront houses on the south end of the beach.

If you walk as far south as you can on the sand, you will notice the water is colder and almost muddy. Fresh water from the land filters through the soil and empties into the ocean at this point. Bradley and I figured the clay and silt that mixed with the ocean here was the reason the rest of the bay was murky. The fresh water running down the beach formed tiny streams. It pushed away the sand and left behind the heavier objects including sea glass, shells, and stones. It was a romantic treasure trove! Tiny flowers that had fallen from the trees overhead scattered the ground where we were looking. It added to the magic of the location.

How to get there

To get to Kawela bay, you must venture into the jungle between an opening in a fence. This entrance is located across from the fruit stand south of the Turtle Bay resort.

On the northern point of the bay, there is a crumbling WWII bunker stationed at Protection Point at the end of a sandy trail.