We're planning a trip to Kauai this summer & we're trying to find beachfront accomodations in the Poipu beach area. Most of what I've found seems to be across the street from a beach or down the street from a beach. Is it hard to find a condo or rental house on the beach?

Also, I've seen so many different beaches mentioned in the emails & I'm wondering which beaches in southern Kauai are the best for swimming & snorkeling?

You need to know that the Poipu area in the summertime is quite rough,i.e., the waters, that is..too rough for swimming and snorkelling when we were there in July. The north shore is placid in the summer and most guide books will tell you this.

Embassy resort offers great condo that are ocean front. However this is not a swimming beach. The majority condos etc.... are not located on a swimming beach. The Hyatt offers a swimming beach. The Embassy resort has a walk way that adjoins the resort to the Hyatt's beach. I recommend taking the walk and enjoying all of the conveniences of a condo while enjoying the convience of the Hyatt's beach.

This resort also offers one of the popular sand swimming pools.

I stayed at the Kiahuna Plantation condos which are located on Poipu state beach, next to Sheraton last August. The beach is excellent. The property is average. There was a south swell during our visit which made the water fun! The locals said it was unusual and snorkeling is generally decent thanks to a reef caused by Iniki.

Along the road (Poipu beach Road?) there are many other little beaches to access within a 5 minute drive, but we (family of 4) generally preferred the one right in front of our condo.

The Hyatt has a pretty beach, but unless you're a daredevil boogey boarder, you won't enjoy the waves.

The Kiahuna plantation condos have some units on the beach, and it is calmer.

The Sheraton also is on a nice beach.

A bit north of the airport (I forget the town) is a Hoilday Inn which is on a nice beach where we snorkeled.

I find that it is more fun on Kauai to use your car to explore different beaches. Some are good for snorkeling, others for gentle or not-so gentle body surfing or boogey boarding, others just for lying in the sun and enjoying the view. Get a good guidebook like "the Underground Guide to Kauai".