Barking Sands, Public beach in Kauai County, Hawaii, US.

Barking Sands is a dune section of Polihale Beach on the west coast of Kauaʻi, Hawaii. Its sand is made of carbonate grains rather than quartz, and each grain has small internal cavities that open to the surface. The beach lies within a military restricted area.

The United States military took control of the area in 1940 and developed operations during World War II that continue to shape access today. The presence of a military facility remains an important part of the site's modern history.

Native Hawaiians called the beach Keonekani o Nohili, "the sounding beach of Nohili", in songs describing each island's features. The name comes from a legend: the fisherman Nohili tied his nine dogs to three stakes in the sand, lost them in a storm, and heard barking from three small mounds ever after. The beach also appears in the legends collected in Wichman's Polihale and Other Kauai Legends.

You need to get advance permission before visiting this beach because of the nearby military facility and ongoing operations. It is worth checking the requirements ahead of time rather than arriving without the necessary access arrangements.

The sand produces sounds that resemble dog barks when you walk across it, thanks to tiny hollow spaces inside each grain. This unusual noise happens because of the sand's special composition and is most noticeable when you walk briskly over the surface.