Kauai’s East Shore is blessed with some spectacular stretches of sand, and you will want to spend time along these stretches early on during your trip to the magnificent Garden Isle. Here are the best beaches on Kauai’s East Shore.

Lydgate State Park. Here you will find a terrific place to swim and snorkel. Lydgate boasts two terrific boulder-enclosed ponds, where fresh sea water and plenty of fish are allowed to enter but the waves are held at bay. The park also has a picnic area, a large area of grass, restroom facilities and showers, and a lifeguard. This is a great spot to bring your children.

For the first time, green sea Honu were released in Hawaiian waters from a cruise ship.

Four baby Honu, each with special names, took their first dive into the open ocean, about ten-miles northwest of Kauai.

Baby Ha’aheo, Nani Pupu, Kaimakana and Au-ku’oko’a were released yesterday, from the pride of Hawaii.

The turtles were apart of a promotion sponsored by sea life park’s dolphin days and NCL America—hoping to increase awareness of Hawaiian marine life.

Now, a NOAA research project will keep an eye on the four turtles and study their behavior in the open ocean.