Overview

Given to such quantifications as oldest, fourth-largest, wettest, and northernmost Hawaiian island, Kauai also gains points as most pristine and � arguably � most beautiful. Steep cliffs in the northwest mean that a road can't be built around the entire island. This, along with its distance from other islands, protects Kauai from an abundance of development. The lush natural environment, in fact, makes it a favorite with filmmakers, who have capitalized on its wild beauty in such films as "Jurassic Park," "South Pacific," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Nature-lovers, in particular, find Kauai an ideal destination and clamor to take in such awe-inspiring sights as Wailua Falls, Fern Grotto, Na Pali Coast, and the indescribable spectacle of Waimea Canyon, considered the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." Lihue, situated on the southeastern coast, is the island's county seat and most prominent city. Site of the airport, it also serves as the primary locus for business and cultural pursuits on Kauai. In addition, Lihue's processing plants prepare raw sugar for export to the States, continuing the island's century-old tradition of sugar cane husbandry. If you're in the mood for local color, Kauai Museum boasts exhibits of art, geology, and island heritage, while Grove Farm Homestead lets visitors wander a sugar cane plantation that illustrates life on early Kauai. More than anything, though, visitors simply soak in the island's mystique and otherworldliness, from scenic shoreline to untamed terrain and native wildlife. Rafting excursions, hiking expeditions, and helicopter flights all grant first-hand experience of the sparsely populated island that is as close to untainted beauty as you're likely to find in this world. And although its given moniker is "Garden Isle," it's quite likely that Kauai could just as easily be called paradise.

Recent User Activity in Kauai