Hanalei Bay is a three kilometer wide, half-moon shaped sandy beach located on the north shore of the island of Kauai in Hawai'i.North Shore Kauai: Hanalei Bay

On May 22, 2009, Stephen "Dr. Beach" Leatherman named Hanalei Bay as the top American beach. His annual list of top ten American beach is based on fifty different variables and has been a coveted designation since 1991.Daily Mail: America's top ten beaches list reveals Hawaii's Hanalei Bay is No. 1 (May 22, 2009)

Hanalei Bay has been used in several movies, including Raiders of the Lost Ark and Tropic Thunder, and it was featured in 1958's South Pacific.Daily Mail: America's top ten beaches list reveals Hawaii's Hanalei Bay is No. 1 (May 22, 2009)

Dr. Beach, a coastal scientist and the director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research, has been listing the top ten American beaches since 1991. He chose Hanalei Bay as his #1 beach because "the clear emerald waters are perfect for swimming during the tranquil summer months."Dr. Beach: America's Top Beaches

1. Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawai'i
2. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
4. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
5. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
6. Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
7. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina
8. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida
9. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South CarolinaDaily Mail: America's top ten beaches list reveals Hawaii's Hanalei Bay is No. 1 (May 22, 2009)

1. Daily Mail: America's top ten beaches list reveals Hawaii's Hanalei Bay is No. 1 (May 22, 2009)
2. Dr. Beach: America's Top Beaches
3. University of Florida: National Healthy Beaches Campaign
4. Kauai Explorer: Hanalei Bay
5. BizJournals: Kauai's Hanalei takes No. 1 on Dr. Beach's top 10 (May 22, 2009)
6. Wikipedia: Hanalei Bay
7. Flickr Slideshow: Hanalei Bay

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