During summer months, Hanakāpīʻai Beach's sandy shore line is clearly visible; during winter months, dangerously powerful waves and high tides wash away the sandy shore line.

The word Hanakāpīʻai literally means "bay sprinkling food" in Hawaiian.

The Nā Pali Coast is especially treacherous because there are no major reefs to hinder potent ocean currents.

Kauai's geography makes Hanakāpīʻai conditions even more hazardous; in the event that one gets caught in a rip current (or otherwise swept out to sea) the nearest safe shore area is approximately six miles away.

[2] Tourists often refer to a warning sign with 82 tally marks (as of August 2014) counting drowning victims.