KAUA'I
The Garden Isle — the oldest and greenest of the Hawaiian islands.
Dramatic, lush and cinematic. Where the Nā Pali cliffs, the canyons of the west and a hundred waterfalls make the scenery the whole point of your visit.
Find your Kauaʻi
From the lush North Shore and the convenient Coconut Coast to sunny Poʻipū and the canyons of the west, Kauaʻi packs four distinct worlds around one green, low-rise island.
The North Shore
Kauaʻi’s North Shore is the island at its most lush and cinematic, a coast of green mountains, one-lane bridges, taro fields and half-moon bays about an hour from Līhuʻe. Hanalei Bay curves beneath sharp peaks, Makana mountain rises above the coast, and Anini Beach fronts one of the longest reefs in Hawaii, calm and good for families. Visit the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and its historic lighthouse, and eat casually and well at the small Hanalei eateries and the farm-to-table experience at Common Ground in Kīlauea.
The East Side — Coconut Coast
The East Side, known as the Coconut Coast, is Kauaʻi’s easy middle, around Wailua and Kapaʻa with the gateway town of Līhuʻe and the airport close by. Cycle the coastal Ke Ala Hele Makalae path, take in Wailua Falls, hike the lush Kuilau Trail, and follow cacao from tree to chocolate at Lydgate Farms. Just south, the old Kīpū lands are an adventure playground of zip-lining and ATV tours, and Līhuʻe’s Plantation House by Gaylord’s plates island dishes like seared ahi at the historic Kilohana estate.
The South Shore
The South Shore is Kauaʻi’s sunniest, driest corner and its main resort coast. Poʻipū’s gold-sand beaches and the historic plantation town of old Kōloa sit close together, backed by some of Hawaii’s most beautiful gardens. Swim and snorkel Poʻipū Beach, wander the storefronts of Old Kōloa Town, and lose an afternoon in the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s Allerton and McBryde Gardens.
The West Side & Waimea Canyon
The West Side is Kauaʻi’s wild, dry frontier, and it holds the island’s single most jaw-dropping sight. Waimea Canyon, a mile wide and thousands of feet deep and striped red, green and gold, is often called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Drive up to the Waimea Canyon and Kalalau lookouts for views into the gorge and down the Nā Pali Coast, tour Kauai Coffee among the fields, and browse the old plantation town of Hanapēpē with its swinging footbridge and beloved Talk Story Bookstore.
The Nā Pali Coast
No road reaches it, which is exactly why the Nā Pali Coast is the most spectacular stretch of coastline in Hawaii. Approx. 27 kilometres along Kauaʻi’s North shore, emerald cliffs pleated with valleys drop straight into the sea, laced with waterfalls and sea caves. Because you cannot drive it, you see it three ways, from the air on a helicopter tour, from the water on a boat cruise that slips into sea caves, or on foot from the trails at either end. However you do it, this is the sight that defines Kauaʻi.
Things to Do
Cruise the Nā Pali cliffs, drive up Waimea Canyon, hike the rainforest, zip and tube through the back-country, and taste the island's coffee and chocolate.
On the Water
Kauaʻi’s water runs from wild to gentle. A Nā Pali boat cruise along the untouched northwest coast, ducking into sea caves, is the headline. Closer in, the calm reef at Anini Beach and the sheltered waters of Poʻipū are lovely for snorkelling and family swimming, and Poʻipū’s breaks draw surfers at sunrise. Kauaʻi also has something rare in Hawaii, navigable rivers and old plantation flumes, made for gentle kayaking and the island’s famous mountain tubing ride.
On the Land
On land, Kauaʻi is a hiker’s and adventurer’s island. Waimea Canyon and the Kalalau lookout deliver world-class views by car or on foot, the rainforest Kuilau Trail is an easy, beautiful walk, and the coastal Ke Ala Hele Makalae path is made for easy cycling. For a bigger day, zip-line and ATV through the Kīpū back-country near Līhuʻe, or take a helicopter over the interior to the waterfalls and cliffs no road can reach.
Culture, and the Kids
Kauaʻi carries its history gently. The Kauai Museum in Līhuʻe tells the island’s story through Hawaiian artefacts and art, hula is still danced at community gatherings, and the plantation past lives on at the historic Kilohana estate and its little railway. For families, Kauaʻi is a natural playground, the calm reef at Anini, the swimming at Poʻipū, the flume tube ride, and cacao and coffee farm tours.
Where to Eat
Kauaʻi grows much of what it serves — coffee, cacao and farm tables — alongside gracious old-Hawaii dining and easy local cafés.
Kauaʻi Grown
Kauaʻi grows much of what it serves. Tour and taste at Kauai Coffee among the fields on the west side, follow cacao from tree to chocolate at Lydgate Farms near Kapaʻa, and sit down to a farm-and-food experience at Common Ground in Kīlauea, where the meal and the field are the same place.
Local Tables
For a sit-down meal, the Plantation House by Gaylord’s at the historic Kilohana estate near Līhuʻe serves island dishes like seared ahi in a gracious courtyard setting. Around the island, the North Shore’s Hanalei eateries and Old Kōloa Town’s cafés keep things fresh and casual, and Hanapēpē on the west side is worth a wander for its small-town charm.
A Kauaʻi Secret
The island rewards travellers who trade the checklist for the scenery.
Pick Your Coast
On Kauaʻi, the first choice is your coast. The lush North Shore around Princeville and Hanalei is the most scenic and relaxed; the sunny South Shore at Poʻipū has the surest weather and the best swimming beaches; and the central East Side is the convenient, good-value middle. Wherever you base yourself, the whole island is within a day’s drive. Tell Island Escapes how you like to travel and we’ll match you to the right coast, resort and room.
Some things need to be booked before you go
Hāʻena State Park, at the very end of the north-shore road, is the gateway to Kēʻē Beach and the Kalalau Trail — and overseas visitors need to book before they arrive.
Park entry is US$5 per person, or US$10 per vehicle for a parking reservation. Parking is very limited and sells out well ahead, so most visitors take the shuttle from Hanalei instead.
Book as early as you can. Your Island Escapes Specialist can help you time it.