USA Kalalau Beach

Kalalau Beach is the end point of the Kalalau Trail. It resides on the north-northwest coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The trail is part of the Napali Coast State Park owned by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).

Kalalau Beach is a beautiful beach which is at the bottom of the Kalalau valley. The mountains/cliffs which quickly rise create an incredible view.

Details of the photo and gear are as follows...
Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec.
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 8mm (crop sensor, so ~12mm full frame)
Camera: Nikon D7200
Lens: Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6

This photo was shot in the morning (~10 am) at the end of December. I was taking 3 bracketed shots (handheld) to produce an HDR image. However, this photo was the -2 stop image in the bracket. It contained enough light information that I could boost the exposure in Lightroom and create a good image.

The key point when shooting outdoors with a bright sky: Make sure to check the histogram and reduce the exposure compensation if necessary to prevent details in the bright area from being clipped.

Two options to get here:
1. Obtain a hiking permit 6-12 months in advance from DLNR. Then backpack the Kalalau Trail. It starts at Ke'e beach and is about 11-14 miles to reach Kalalau beach. Then of course you need to backpack 11-14 miles out. This is the primary option. Hiking to Kalalau beach without a permit is illegal and may result in a steep fine (~$1500?) if caught.

2. I've read that kayak landing permits are available for a ~3-month period in the summer. You will need to kayak along the Napali coast. The open water in this area can be very dangerous and I would strongly advise looking into booking a guide/company for such an adventure.