Glass Beach, Kauai, Hawaii

The Glass Beach on Kauaʻi is a small, crescent-shaped beach near ʻEleʻele. Instead of sand, it’s covered in glass that has been tumbled and polished by the ocean. This sea glass is also known as ‘drift glass’ and ‘mermaid’s tears.’

The reviews of this beach are divided. Some people still call it a ‘hidden gem,’ which isn’t exactly true, because it’s in guidebooks. Other reviews are rants about how the beach is filthy, there’s no glass left, it isn’t worth the hype, and it’s been taken over by homeless people.

So… what’s it actually like? Is it worth visiting? It’s subjective, so I’m going to share my photos of what it really looks like and my experience, as well as some info on how to get there if you want to visit.

My photos and experience

I visited the beach on a sunny morning in March 2026. I took the bus from Lihuʻe to ʻEleʻele and walked about half a mile through an industrial estate, then down a dirt track. It was hard to imagine that there was anything decent at the end, but the beach was there.

There were a couple of families taking photos on the beach. The homeless people who were there were just minding their own business.

I walked around a bit, admiring the rocks and waves. Beyond the black dirt, there was plenty of glass. Small pieces, but lots of them, especially on the right side of the beach.

Eventually I sat down to get a closer look. Most of the glass was brown, white or black, but after picking through it for a while I found some more colourful pieces. Meanwhile there was a steady stream of families in rental cars coming and going.

Of course, the close-ups make the pieces look bigger than they are. Not counting the pebbles, the biggest bit of sea glass I found was probably that clear white one, which was about 3 cm.

I sat there for a good half hour rummaging through the glass and watching the waves. I actually wouldn’t have minded spending longer there, but it was hot and there was no shade, so I walked back to ʻEleʻele to pass the rest of the time in the tourist traps until my boat tour. I left the glass I’d found in a pile for the next person to enjoy.

True or false?

Bear in mind that this was my experience in daylight in March 2026. Things might be different in a few months or at night.

It’s a hidden gem: False. Whether or not it’s a gem is subjective, but it’s quite well known, so it’s not ‘hidden.’
There’s no glass: False. The pieces are small, but there are plenty of them.
It’s filthy: Partly true. The path leading to it isn’t very clean and the black dirt looks a bit grim. Closer to the water (where the glass is), it doesn’t seem dirty at all.
It’s been taken over by the homeless: False. There is sadly a homeless camp there, but the residents are just trying to get by.

So is it worth visiting? For how long?

For me, it definitely was. I loved walking around on the beach and admiring the sea glass from afar and up close. I even thought the rocks were worth admiring.

So if you think you’d enjoy combing through the glass, even though they’re tiny pieces, I think you’d like the beach!

I wouldn’t drive across the island just to see it, but if you’re going to Waimea Canyon, Hanapepe, or doing a boat tour from Port Allen, it’s worth a stop.

Allow at least 20 minutes.

How to get there

By car: The address is Glass Beach, Eleele, HI 96705, USA.
By bus: Take the 200 bus to Kealaula ʻEleʻele. The beach is about a 0.5 mile walk from the bus stop.

Whether you’re walking or driving, on Waialo Road you’ll take the second to last left onto Aka Ula Street (after the Capt. Andy’s office). You’ll be on an industrial estate. Eventually, you’ll turn right onto a dirt track and the beach will be at the end.

Can you take the sea glass?

Taking anything from Hawaiian beaches is generally discouraged. There are countless stories of people being plagued with so much bad luck that they posted their sand and rocks back to the islands.

But is this beach different because the glass is technically litter? Well, that’s the very thing that makes the beach special, innit? It wouldn’t be worth visiting without it, and the complaints about the lack of glass must have come from somewhere. At one point, there was a handmade sign asking people to ‘stop stealing’ the glass. The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook says: ‘Please don’t take any of the glass litter.’ (p.113)

So it’s a definite no. You shouldn’t take any glass home. Take photos and leave your finds for the next visitor to admire.

Safe travels! 💖