Kauai’s East Side Bike Path

Ke Ala Hele Makalae

One unique draw to Kauai’s East Side is the Kapaa bike path. It is formally known as Ke Ala Hele Makalae, which means the path that goes by the coast. And what a beautiful coast it is! This is the only extended path on the island that can be used by bike, blades, skating or walking for miles. There are plans to eventually extend the path which will make it even more desirable. My little guy loves to cruise in the stroller and watch the ocean go by. And even better yet, during whale season you are bound to see a couple spouts or even breaches as you go along the coast. Definitely one of my favorite things to witness!

Cruising the Path

The path stretches from Lydgate Beach all the way to Kuna Bay, or Donkey’s Beach as the locals call it. The total stretch is about 7 1/2 miles.  Because it can be a little harder to navigate the areas before Kapaa town, most prefer to start at The Outrigger Hotel in Kapaa. From there it is about a 4 1/2 mile stretch to Donkey’s Beach. Kealia Beach is also a great starting point. There are several parking lots which make it easy to unload. And if you do not have a bike of your own there are several places to rent from along the path in Kapaa town as well. This makes it convenient and available to all!

Food and Fun

Another great thing about the path is the variety of restaurants and food trucks you will pass along the way. Jimmy’s Grill is definitely one of my favorite places to stop. You can’t beat the oceanfront dining and relaxed vibe. It’s a great place for that mid-ride cocktail! The food trucks at Noka Beach are also great with plenty of variety. If you are looking for a lighter pick me up, Kauai Juice Co. is right off the path in Kapaa with so many healthy and delicious options. This definitely makes the ride even more enjoyable and can give you that extra boost of energy!

The Ride to Donkey’s

My favorite stretch of the path is from Kealia Beach to Donkey’s Beach. The elevated view of the ocean is a beautiful site to see. You will also pass the historical Pineapple Dump Pier which is a cool piece of history. It is a concrete pier that was built in the 1990s where they unloaded the unused parts of pineapples and dumped them into the ocean. Really neat to see some history along the way. It’s a beautiful ride all the way down, and once you get to Donkey’s beach it makes it all worth it. It is usually a pretty mellow beach with few people on it due to the lack of easy access. It’s a great place to go for a dip, and your chances of seeing a honu swimming by the rocks are pretty high! This is one of my favorite ways to spend the afternoon.

All in all, you can’t go wrong with a day on the Kapaa bike path.