Spouting Horn is a spot known for its crashing waves that appear to explode on the shoreline. Forced through a gap in the eroding lava rock, the ocean water erupts through the opening and makes a hissing noise. Snap photos of this fascinating spout of water that is particularly powerful during times of large ocean swells.
Chat with tour guides and locals about the legend of the giant mo’o lizard named Kaikapu. Learn how the myth frightened residents who feared being eaten by the fearsome creature while they swam or fished. The legend says that a young boy called Liko lured the lizard under the lava shelf, where it became trapped. The water spout is said to be the creature’s breath and roar.
Gaze up at the impressive spray, which can reach heights of 50 feet (15 meters) in the air. Get close to the water and feel the refreshing spray on your face. Look for various other landmarks of a similar nature, where water has crept under the lava rock before bursting through a gap in the surface. Stay for sunset to watch the water spout with a backdrop of a crimson sky.
Embark on the picturesque 10-mile (16-kilometer) Koloa Heritage Trail along the rugged coastline. The surrounding Spouting Horn Beach Park has stunning terrain and a lookout point dominating the area. Note that the nearby town of Poipu translates to “Crashing,” in reference to the powerful waves here.
Find Spouting Horn a little west of Poipu in the Koloa district on the southern coast of Kauai. It is part of its eponymous park between Kukuiula Bay and Ekaha. Go to the area’s main attractions, which include Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor, Kukuiula Golf Course and Nahumaalo Point. Leave your car in the site’s parking lot, which has a spectacular vista of the rugged coastline.
