Things to do in Kauai, HI

Sun, sand and crystal clear blue water dot the beaches of Kaua'i.  Some are easily accessible and some so secluded it takes miles on foot to reach them. Either way there’s no doubt the Garden Island truly has some of the most spectacular beaches in the Hawaiian Islands. Fine white sand blankets most of them, while dark gray sand is limited to only a couple.  One is even covered in a layer of colorful beach glass that sparkles in the Hawaiian sun. Beaches here really do have something for everyone. They range from long expanses to tiny secluded spot.  Some have easily accessible and historically safe waters, while others boast huge pounding waves.  Snorkelers will find a spot, for sure.  Try to make time for a sunset walk or perhaps even a surf session. If you’re a beach lover, you’ll be in sandy heaven on Kaua'i.

Miles of hiking trails weave through the interior of Hawaii's oldest island, but they aren’t limited to this area. Beaches, oceanside waterfalls, and hidden tide pools can also be found by taking a hike along the coast. Choose the hike that suits your abilities: long and strenuous or short and sweet, those who love to hike will find a seemingly endless variety of trails.  Serious hikers...  

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Sun, sand and crystal clear blue water dot the beaches of Kaua'i.  Some are easily accessible and some so secluded it takes miles on foot to reach them. Either way there’s no doubt the Garden Island truly has some of the most spectacular beaches in the Hawaiian Islands. Fine white sand blankets most of them, while dark gray sand is limited to only a couple.  One is even covered in a layer of colorful beach glass that sparkles in the Hawaiian sun. Beaches here really do have something for everyone. They range from long expanses to tiny secluded spot.  Some have easily accessible and historically safe waters, while others boast huge pounding waves.  Snorkelers will find a spot, for sure.  Try to make time for a sunset walk or perhaps even a surf session. If you’re a beach lover, you’ll be in sandy heaven on Kaua'i.

Miles of hiking trails weave through the interior of Hawaii's oldest island, but they aren’t limited to this area. Beaches, oceanside waterfalls, and hidden tide pools can also be found by taking a hike along the coast. Choose the hike that suits your abilities: long and strenuous or short and sweet, those who love to hike will find a seemingly endless variety of trails.  Serious hikers can tackle the 19-mile Kalalau Trail, while visitors interested in a peaceful morning walk can visit Ho'opi'i Falls or take a mile long beach stroll. Either way, hikers of all levels will find a trail to explore, and will never be let down.  Beauty is everywhere.

Kaua'i isn't just for beach bums and jungle explorers: it has its fair share of world class golf courses. A popular oceanside municipal course and a low cost course rich in spectacular views and cultural history are but two of the options.  Avid golfers come to Kaua`i to golf at high-end courses like the Princeville Resort. World class courses are also found on the east and south sides of the island.  No matter what part of the island you're staying on, quality golf courses, clubhouses, and gear are never far away. 

Surfing is most likely Kaua'i's most popular water sport, but let's not forget about snorkeling, bodyboarding, boat cruises, angling, and kayaking. These can all be enjoyed on Kaua'i. While it’s worth it to hop in the water with snorkel gear at nearly any swimming spot on the island, standout snorkeling can be found at Tunnels Beach, Lydgate State Park, and along the Na Pali Coast on a snorkel tour. The Wailua River is the most popular place for kayaking, although the truly adventurous can kayak the Na Pali Coast during the summer months. Surfing and bodyboarding waves can be found island wide, from the North Shore around the island to the west side, there is certainly no shortage of perfect surf. 

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,...  Read more »

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.