Travel in Kauai, the Gardens Island
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
Overview:
Kauai is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful islands in the world. It has a wonderful combination of rainforests, wild vegetation, cliffs sliding into the sea, jagged mountains, green valleys flowing with rivers and waterfalls, many coconut trees, golden beaches, great breezes, and beautiful rainbows.
Kauai is the fourth largest island in the Hawaiian Islands chain; it is also the northernmost of the main islands.
It is located at the 22-degree tropical latitude and is considered the "oldest" of the Hawaiian Islands. It peeked above the ocean waters over 6 million years ago. It is also the first of the Hawaiian Islands discovered by the famous explorer Captain James Cook. Kauai is only about 145 km away from Oahu, but the feeling is that time has stood still here for decades relative to it.
♦ Another article of mine about Kauai: Guided tours in Kauai
All hotels and buildings in Kauai are at most four stories high, which contributes to the feeling that Kauai is a quiet, green, and undeveloped island, in contrast to Waikiki with its skyscrapers and high density.
The island is full of wild chickens roaming free everywhere. Mostly hens with cute chicks and also many beautiful birds. Often the island is called: "The Separate Kingdom" because it was the only island that King Kamehameha the Great never managed to conquer, but its nickname, which suits it best of all, is: "The Garden Isle." The island's beauty attracts, in addition to a million tourists a year, many Hollywood film producers. More than 50 movies and TV series were filmed on the island, including: the three Jurassic Park films, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Six Days Seven Nights, King Kong, and many others.
Kauai is an almost circular island; in its center rises a high mountain carved with valleys, and near the coastline there are extensive flat areas. It is the most diverse place in the world in terms of precipitation: at its center is the summit of Mount WAI'ALE'ALE, the wettest place on earth, with an average of 11,000 mm of rain per year (this is not a typo!), the north and east of the island are also rainy, while the south and west of the island are usually dry. In Kauai there are 43 sandy beaches spanning an area of 80 km. The sand on all the beaches is golden. It is too old an island for any black volcanic sand beaches to remain.
Beach near the botanical gardens:
Kauai's area is about 1,360 sq km and only 58,000 residents live there. Kauai residents are very friendly and nice, which is reflected in the fact that they smile more, are more tolerant, and relaxed.
The main industry on the island is, of course, tourism, on which most of its economy relies, but agriculture also has an honorable place on the island, with the main crops being: sugar cane, papaya, pineapple, coffee, guavas, and tropical plants.
The NAVY'S PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY naval base (in the west of the island) is one of the largest employers on the island with 800 employees.
♥ Recommended hotels in Kauai
It is recommended to live in the sunny Poipu Beach area:
The most recommended hotel of all:
♦ Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
A 4-star hotel, located on the beach within tropical gardens with a large pool, 7 different restaurants, a Luau show with a buffet twice a week, a water sports center with equipment for rent, 3 tennis courts, a golf course, and free internet.
Another recommended luxury hotel:
A 4-star hotel located adjacent to the best beach on the island, Poipu. Restaurant, pool.
Cheaper hotel:
A 3-star hotel on the beach near Poipu beach, beach activity center, 2 pools, free parking.
Even cheaper, apartment hotels:
A 3-star apartment hotel with one or two-bedroom suites and a fully equipped kitchen. Located about 600 meters from the beautiful beaches of Poipu. Pool, jacuzzi, tennis courts. Free internet and parking.
Or: ♦ Castle Poipu Shores
A 3-star suite hotel. 2-bedroom suites with a fully equipped kitchen on the coast (rocky beach) 750 meters from the recommended beaches of Poipu. All suites have an ocean view. Heated outdoor pool, free parking, and internet.
♦ Main attractions on the island:
Ordering tours and attractions from Viator:
Ordering guided tours in Kauai from GetYourGuide.com
Main tourist areas on the island of Kauai
The island can be divided into five main tourist areas that differ from each other:
The capital city Lihue
The capital Lihue, where the island's main airport and the main port reached by cruise ships are located, is indeed the commercial and government center of the island but resembles a typical New England village. It is situated on Kalapaki Bay and the main resort there is: KALAPAKI BAY RESORT. This is the only place on the island where you can find discount department stores in the style of: WALMART. Also located there are the largest shopping centers in Kauai.
Recommended guided tours in Kauai for cruise ship passengers
With pickup from the port in Lihue, except for the helicopter flight where you are required to arrive at the airfield in Lihue, to order from Viator:
East Kauai
In the east of the island, which is rainier, is the "Royal Coconut Coast" area, named for the rows of many coconut trees found there in every corner. In this area there are many apartment hotels (CONDOS), resorts and relatively modest and cheap hotels, shops, restaurants and plenty of activity. The large towns in this area are Wailua and Kapaa. This is the most populated (by locals) and crowded part of the island.
North Kauai
In north Kauai, which is rainy, green and wild, there are mountains, cliffs (the most famous and impressive are the Na Pali cliffs)
Na Pali cliffs in north Kauai:
caves, valleys and wonderful beaches that are very stormy in winter, but perfect for swimming and diving in summer. The most luxurious city in Kauai, Princeville, is located in this magical area, as are quiet and green towns such as Kilauea and Hanalei. This is the most tropical and exotic part of the island.
Queen's Bath in north Kauai:
South Kauai
In the south of the island, which is sunnier and drier, is the city of Poipu where there are many resorts, hotels and apartment hotels.
Hyatt Kauai Hotel in the south of the island:
The area is known for its wonderful beaches (especially in winter) and the luxurious golf courses in it. This is the area where all the lovers of sea and sun live.
Poipu Beach in south Kauai:
Protected beach with a breakwater in east Kauai - Lydgate park:
Near Poipu is a lovely old city called KOLOA where the island's sugar cane industry began to flourish.
In the south of the island near Poipu at a place called Spouting Horn there is a phenomenon of a sea water geyser that sprays a jet of sea water high from a hole in the lava rocks near the shore. The phenomenon is particularly strong when there is a high tide and waves.
West Kauai
In west Kauai is the Waimea Canyon, which was dubbed by Mark Twain: "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific",
KOKEE STATE PARK overlooking the Na Pali cliffs, small old towns, traditional farms and long, undeveloped sandy beaches. There are almost no hotels and resorts in this relatively deserted part of the island. This is the place closest in appearance and lifestyle to the "Real Hawaii of once" with plenty of sugar cane fields growing there. The west is the hottest and driest part of the island.
♦ To order a day trip from Viator to Waimea Canyon with pickup and return to selected hotels:
Kauai Waimea Canyon and Koke'e Tour
Beaches:
Kauai is the oldest island in the Hawaiian chain, so it has the longest and widest sandy beaches among the islands and the most developed reefs. In all parts of the island there are plenty of sandy beaches. Some of the beaches have very convenient access and can be reached by car, but some of the islands are isolated and require walking on trails or descending cliffs to reach them.
The beaches are beautiful, warm and exotic, but it is important to note that some of them are quite dangerous. Some have strong currents and high waves while others can be smooth and calm. The idyllic view must not be misleading: the power and force of the ocean must be respected. In general, it can be said that the southern beaches are quieter in the winter months (October-May) while the northern beaches are quieter in the summer (April-September). At the same time, when the northern beach is stormy, the waves are much higher and stronger than when the southern beaches are stormy. The best bathing and diving conditions are in the first half of the day, so it is advisable to arrive at the sea in the morning hours. In most of the bathing beaches there is no lifeguard (only in 7-8 beaches out of dozens of beaches there is a lifeguard) so you must be very careful about safety rules. All beaches in Hawaii are public, which means that anyone can visit and enter all beaches on the island for free. There are not many shells on Hawaii's beaches and the law protects the few that exist. Collecting shells and conchs is against the law.
Kee Beach in the north of the island
Traditional Hawaiian LUAU show and meal
A visit to Hawaii is not perfect without participating in a LUAU. This is an interesting performance including dinner, dances (including a fire dance) and typical local songs, various ceremonies and explanations about the tradition and history of Hawaii. Every participant of course receives a necklace of flowers or shells.
A LUAU show in Kauai can be ordered from Viator - Luau Kalamaku on Kauai with Buffet Dinner and Show
North Kauai:
NA PALI COAST AND STATE PARK
This is the most impressive area in all of Kauai and is considered the number one attraction on the island. Steep, pointed and green cliffs dropping steeply to the ocean shore.
Hidden among them are magnificent and isolated beaches (where the movie 6 Days, 7 Nights was filmed), valleys and caves. The cliffs are abundant with waterfalls and wild vegetation. Time and progress have barely affected the appearance of the place. The mighty cliffs and magical beaches look exactly as they did hundreds of years ago, when the first Hawaiian settlers lived in the valleys between the cliffs. The area is completely impassable to cars. The only ways to get there are through an adventurous 17.5 km hiking trail called "Kalalau Trail", by boat from the north or west of Kauai, or by helicopter.
♦ To order from Viator - experiential flights over Kauai:
"Kalalau Trail" : starts at the end of the road leading to KE'E beach.
Kee Beach in north Kauai - Ke'e:
This is a difficult trail including sharp ups and downs along the cliff layout. Most hikers stay over at least one night during the journey. A permit must be obtained for camping in the park. Others settle for a walk of only 3 km (each direction) and reach only HANAKAPIAI beach.
Most boat trips to the Na Pali cliffs depart from west Kauai, because the sea is less stormy on this route than in the north of the island. There are kayak tours for the athletes in the bunch (a long and exhausting route), motorboats and sailboats. Boat prices usually also include a meal, snorkeling equipment and free drinks. Not recommended for those suffering from sea sickness.
♦ Ordering recommended boat trips to Na Pali from Viator:
HANALEI VALLEY LOOKOUT
Located on Highway 56 opposite the town of Princeville. The view from this lookout point is magnificent and many postcards were filmed from there:
A green valley with taro fields (from which the national food of Hawaii called POI is prepared) which a serene river winds through and in the background high mountains whose heads are hidden in the clouds and many waterfalls descend from them. Further along the road is a famous single-lane bridge HANALEI BRIDGE which the locals stubbornly refuse to replace with a wider and more modern bridge.
Hanalei Valley lookout
LIMAHULI GARDEN
Located near the city of HA'ENA at the end of Highway 560. They consist of seventeen acres of gardens and around them almost 1000 acres of forest reserve. The gardens are part of Hawaii's national botanical gardens system and were chosen in 1997 as the best natural botanical gardens in the US. In the gardens, guided walking tours are conducted through taro terraces which were planted there over a thousand years ago and among rare plants brought to the island by the first Polynesian settlers.
KILAUEA POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
At the most prominent point on the northern side of Kauai the lighthouse with the world's largest lantern house was built in 1913. Today it is a historical site located in the heart of a bird nature reserve. The lighthouse has not been lit for several years, after they started using more modern means, but you can enter its first floor and visit the nearby museum.
Kilauea Point Lighthouse
From the top of the hill where it is located, a charming view of the ocean, a nearby island teeming with birds and long golden beaches is revealed.
The entire hill around the lighthouse is teeming with eight types of sea birds, some endangered. You can observe nesting birds up close and look out at more distant birds through binoculars which can be borrowed for free at the small museum describing the types of birds, their way of life and the history of the place. The site is maintained by the National Parks Authority and the cost of entering it is nominal.
Wailua River State Park
Named by the early settlers: "The River of the Sacred Spirits".
River in the Wailua River State-Park reserve:
When driving along Highway 580 near the river you pass over the remains of temples, called Heiau in Hawaiian, the most famous of which is: Poliahu Heiau which was the temple of Kauai's last king, Kaumualii and was built entirely of lava rocks. All the ancient kings of Kauai were born in this area and to mark each royal baby born they marked a special stone "Royal Birthing Stones" and also found there is a stone bell in which they announced a royal birth. In addition, you pass along the road past beautiful lookout points over the river winding like a snake below. The river receives water every year from over 13 meters of rain (reaching it from the wettest mountain in the world) and it flows for 32 kilometers. This is the easiest river to navigate and the largest in Hawaii. You can boat and kayak in it.
It is highly recommended to rent a kayak near the main road (Highway 56) and paddle west about 4 km until you reach a split (a kind of fork). You should turn right and continue until you can't paddle anymore because the water is too shallow. You park the kayak there and walk on an easy and nice trail in rich vegetation for about half an hour until you reach a beautiful waterfall falling into a small pool. You can bathe in the natural pool and even stand under the flowing waterfall water. The waterfall is called "The Hidden Waterfall" because it cannot be seen until you get very close to it. During the boat ride you pass near an "African village" where the movie: "Outbreak" was filmed. The entire way passes through thick vegetation and everything is green and wild. The way back is harder because you paddle against the wind (which intensifies starting from the afternoon hours), but overall it is a great experience suitable for any age.
♦ To order from Viator - kayaking and guided walking tour in the Wailua River and to the Secret Falls:
Kauai Adventure: Kayak & Hike to Secret Falls with Expert Guide
Wailua Falls
even more famous because they appeared in the opening images of the popular 1970s TV series "Fantasy Island" which aired continuously for many years. The waterfalls consist of two streams and their height as shown in official government publications is 27 meters, but from many measurements made it appears they are much higher: over 57 meters.
Google map of the island of Kauai: