What to Do on Kauai, Hawaii
There is no shortage of things to do on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The Garden Isle has so much to offer. Here’s 4 of our recommendations if you’re having trouble deciding:
Boat Tour on the Na Pali Coast
If you only have time to do a single thing on Kauai, you need to do a boat tour along the Na Pali Coast. The Na Pali Coast is roughly 20 miles of uninhabited shoreline on the west side of the island that boasts absolutely jaw-dropping scenery. Massive green mountains drop right into the crystal clear ocean. Majestic waterfalls splash onto beautiful untouched beaches. And its an absolute hotbed for sea life. Be prepared to see tons of fish, dolphins, turtles, sharks, and depending on the season, whales!
If the ocean is calm enough most tour companies will also drive into some crazy sea caves that are carved out of the volcanic rock by years of erosion from the massive waves. There’s also lots of snorkeling opportunities. We went with Captain Andys Boat Tours and they were phenomenal. We chose the high-paced raft tour, but there’s lots of other more relaxed options.
Hiking
There are so many amazing hiking trails on this island that its hard to narrow down the list. But whichever ones you pick I’m sure you’ll be amazed. You really can’t go wrong on Kauai. Below, we break the island up into three different areas to highlight the vastly different ecosystems that this island boasts. It’s pretty incredible to have this much variation of scenery on such a small island!
East Kauai
While maybe not as revered a hiking area compared to others on the island, the east side does have some gems, especially if you’re into waterfalls. The rainforest ecosystem on this side of the island is very unique.
Hoopii Falls is an easy and fairly flat 4 kilometer out-and-back trail to some nice waterfalls. There’s a pretty good swimming hole at the bottom as well. The trail does pass over some private land so be respectful.
Another fun one is Makaleha Trail. It’s advertised as a 4 kilometer out and back but my watch tracked it closer to 7 kilometers. This could be because the trail is a little hard to follow at some points. It weaves over Makaleha Creek quite a few times (so be prepared to get wet) and through very dense jungle. But there’s some beautiful waterfalls and the rainforest is serene.
If you’re looking for more waterfalls on the east side, check out Opaekka and Wailua Falls. While they’re not really hikes, they are still pretty cool to stop and take a look at.
Waimea Canyon (Central Kauai)
Waimea Canyon is a must-see area on Kauai. Even if you just take a drive up from the town of Waimea on Waimea Canyon Drive, the views from the various lookouts are spectacular. If you’re in the mood for a hike there are a ton of options. But I’d say the best bang for your buck is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. Its around 5 kilometers and descends into the canyon for amazing panoramic views, ending at the small Waipoo Falls for a swim. The climb back up is steep and can be slippery though.
Na Pali Coast (West Kauai)
If you can only pick one area to hike, I say again, you have to see the Na Pali Coast. There are some phenomenal and challenging day hikes that start inland and hike out towards the coast for sweeping views of the ridgelines and ocean. For day hikes I’d recommend Awaawapuhi Trail (9 kilometer out and back) or Nuololo Trail (12 kilometer out and back).
But if you have the time and are an experienced hiker/backpacker, the Kalalau Trail is completely epic. It’s a 36 kilometer out and back trail along the Na Pali Coast that finishes at the untouched Kalalau Beach. You can camp overnight at the beach which is what we did. Reservations are required. For all the info you need on the Kalalau Trail hike check out our other post with the full details:
If you don’t have the time to do Kalalau consider doing Hanakapei Falls trail (12 kilometer out and back). It starts following the Kalalau Trail then branches off up into the mountains leading to the beautiful Hanakapei Falls. Reservations are also required for this hike.
Explore Beaches
Kauai also is home to some gorgeous beaches. Shocker, I know. Not something you’d expect on a Hawaiian Island… But Kauai’s beaches are a little less busy than many other islands which is a plus. The nicest beach on the island in my opinion is Kalalau, which is only accessible via a challenging hike (see the above section). But a close second is Polihale Beach. It stretches almost 30 kilometers on the west side of the island and ends right as the wild Na Pali Coast ridges begin. Because its so far west and only accessible via a long and rough dirt road its not super busy. It’s also an awesome place to camp in the dunes.
Like many beaches on the island, the surf can be really dangerous so be careful when swimming. Another popular beach is Poipu Beach. It’s well known for its frequent sea turtle and monk seal visitors.
Other popular beaches are Hanalei, Anahola, Tunnels and Anini Beach. Anini and Tunnels are great places to go snorkeling! You can rent snorkeling equipment for the day from multiple shops in Hanalei. If you want a little more privacy I’d visit Lumahai, Larsens, or Kepuhi beaches.
Try Local Food
You can’t visit a faraway island without sampling some of the local delicacies. Obviously Hawaii is well known for its seafood. And there’s no shortage of that. So make sure to get to a seafood boil or a Luau and sample some fresh catch. But Kauai is also home to an abundance of different tropical fruits. Make sure to taste some guava, papaya, mango, pineapple, or maybe even thai ice cream banana! Check out the farmers markets at Coconut Marketplace or the Shops at Poipu.
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