Makawehi Lithified Cliffs

Sediment is lithified when it is compacted by the weight of overlying layers and cemented as percolating groundwater fills pores with mineral matter. When sea levels drop, these cliffs are exposed as we see them today at Makawehi.

This entire stretch of Kauai's coastline is also a treasure trove of fossils, petroglyphs, and burial grounds. The numerous fossils in the sand can also be explained by the lithified cliffs as they formed under water. As fish and other organisms died, they would fall on top of the sediment layers and eventually be covered up by new layers. This allows them to be preserved as the fossils we find in the sand today.

Please DO NOT remove these fossils from the cliffs and sand so that others may also enjoy them. This area is considered particularly sacred and valuable to both locals and conservationists.

To get there: Take Highway 50 from Hanapepe and turn right onto highway 520 toward Poipu. Turn right onto Koloa Road and then left on Poipu Road. The cliffs are located at the east end of Shipwreck Beach.