Dr. Beach Names Kauai’s Hanalei Bay #1; Maui’s Hamoa #5
Kauai’s Hanalei Bay was named the number 1 beach in the annual list released by Florida professor Stephen P. Leatherman, also known as Dr. Beach.
The 19th Annual list of the Top 10 Beaches was produced by Leatherman, who is the Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research.
Meantime, Maui’s Hamoa Beach on the East side earned top five ranking in the latest list which assessed 50 criteria including water quality, safety and amenities.
The 19th Annual list of the Top 10 Beaches was produced by Leatherman, who is the Director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research.
The 2-mile stretch of crescent-shaped beach that makes up Hanalei Bay is lined by palm trees with a backdrop of waterfalls and mountain peaks reaching up to 4,000 feet. At one end is the Princeville Hotel, and at the other end is a high lava point that extends to the ocean.
“Hanalei Bay on the garden island of Kauai is my favorite getaway beach in Hawaii,” noted Leatherman, an international expert on beaches and coastal processes. “The clear emerald waters are perfect for swimming during the tranquil summer months, but only swim at the life-guarded areas when the surf picks up during the wintertime as powerful rip currents are sometimes present. The laid-back little village of Hanalei is a good place for refreshments and casual dining, but accommodations are scarce so plan ahead,” said Leatherman.
As “Dr. Beach” (www.DrBeach.org), Leatherman has selected the annual Top 10 Beaches since 1991. Fifty criteria are used to evaluate beaches, which include water and sand quality as well as safety, facilities and environmental management.
Other beaches that made the top ten list were: No.2 Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida; No.3 Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York; No.4 Coronado Beach in San Diego, California; No.5 Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii; No.6 Main Beach in East Hampton, New York; No.7 Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina; No.8 Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida; No.9 Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts; No.10 Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island in South Carolina.
(Posted by Wendy OSHER © 2009; Image Courtesy: drbeach.org)
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