Glass Beach

Glass Beach, Kauai

Sea glass is glass (e.g. from bottles, flasks, windshields and windows) that has been broken up and smoothened by moving ocean water and time. It takes the ocean about 10 to 30 years to create it, and the resulting fragment is a frosted, jelly bean-like pebble.

Sea glass is found all over the world. Kauai's Glass Beach is located in the middle of an industrial area near Port Allen Harbor in Ele'ele. The shoreline at Glass Beach is covered with millions of sea glass pieces - brown, aqua-colored, clear and blue.

The glass originates from broken bottles and auto glass dumped here years ago. It's amazing to see what the ocean did to all this junk. The one thing that could mar the ethereal effect of Glass Beach is the gas tanks overlooking one side of the beach.

Glass Beach is best for beachcombing only. Swimming is not recommended because the beach is rocky.

Key Features of Glass Beach

• Covered in sea glass: Millions of naturally polished brown, blue, aqua, and clear sea glass pebbles.
• Unique industrial backdrop: Located near Port Allen in Eleele, surrounded by warehouses and gas tanks.
• Best for beachcombing: Ideal for collectors and photographers, not suitable for swimming or lounging.
• Easy access: Reachable by a short walk from a roadside parking area via Aka Ula Road.
• Rare find: One of the few places in Hawaii where sea glass is abundant and visible along the shore.

Rating Please Select Your Comment* Name* Email (Will not be shown) Security Image* * Required fields

Reviews and Comments:   Visitors, PLEASE don't take the glass off of Glass beach! Too many greedy people have taken most of it and have spoiled the beauty of the beach. You will probably throw it away anyways as people think they are going to make all kinds of stuff and then they never do and it goes into the garbage or sits in a bag in a drawer for years. Karen Emerson, Fri Dec 14, 2018   Very disappointed. People are taking all the glass. Saw one guy take a quart plastic bag full today! We hardly saw anything! 😪 Barb , Wed Nov 08, 2017   Found a few small glass pieces but not any outstanding finds. The Japanese cemetery next to the beach was cool to wander through and check out the old headstones. And the view of the waves crashing against the black rocks from that vantage point was fantastic! Even had some spouting holes similar to the Spouting Horn up the coast. ellen h, Thu Jun 22, 2017   If you go to the cemetery just beyond the glass beach and look over the edge of the cliff, you will see where all the glass comes from, look like 100 year old dump with cars, motors, 15 feet deep garage dump, washing into the bay and then up on to GLASS BEACH. CHARLIE, Fri Apr 28, 2017   Not a good beach to hunt for sea glass. It's a shame this beach has been picked clean by glass hunters who left none for others to enjoy! The sand is beautiful! A great place to watch and photograph the sunset Linda Bakos, Fri Dec 16, 2016   This is a great place to go to watch the sun rise. It is best to drive up to the cliff next to the old cemetery. Ron, Sat Dec 10, 2016   thanks for advertising this once special beach now thanks to all the greedy clowns who took all the sea glass "glass beach port allen" is gone foever faq, Sat Aug 23, 2014   I was on a mission to find this beach. Was so happy when I found it since I make jewelry from seaglass. The glass was so tumbled that it looked like colored stones. Beautiful in the sunlight. Mary Jean, Fri Feb 28, 2014   Was there last week (Xmas week) of 2011... and there was a magnificent Monk Seal sunbathing on the beach - we didn't even see him as he blended in the with the rocks. Fred, Tue Dec 27, 2011   This beach is out of the way, but worth the trip. There were plenty of glass pebbles there today and even a seal sunning itself. I heard the area was kind of shady by night, but safe enough during the day. There were families with kids there when we went. Amanda, Jan 14, 2010

Location: Aka Ula St Eleele, HI 96705

Directions: Drive to the Port Allen Exit. Then drive past some warehouses on Waialo Road. Take a left down Aka Ula Road and park where the dirt road begins. From here, it's a two-minute walk to Glass Beach.

• Roadside parking (or in dirt parking area at the beach)
• No facilities
• No lifeguards

• Beachcombing

Lava rocks on the beach

Small uncrowded beach

Close-up of beach sand and seaglass

Beach without shade

Glass Beach with refinery in background

End of the paved road to Glass Beach

Dirt road leads to the beach

Street parking

Beach is backed by gas tanks

Located in an industrial area

Nearby industrial buildings