Why go to Kauai and what activities to do? Read in this chapter.

The 10 best hotels on Kauai

Hiking and natural beauty

Kauai is nicknamed the "Garden Island", meaning that the main attraction is the beautiful evergreen and blooming nature.

Kauai is a paradise for lovers of spectacular scenery that is among the most beautiful in the world. The island is crisscrossed with a network of hiking trails and is rightfully one of the hiking paradises in the entire Pacific region.

Easy and short treks

If you're not too trained, it doesn't matter at all. Kauai has dozens of miles of easy short trails typically from a parking lot to a viewpoint or waterfall.

The most popular areas for short treks are the iconic nature parks on the west and north sides of the island with the most beautiful scenery:

• Kokee State Park
• Waimea Canyon

On the more civilized eastern side of the island, you can go for short hikes, especially around the town of Wailua in the local nature reserve , Wailua River State Park, where beautiful trails along the river and through dense forests await you.

The southern coastline is promised for relaxing hikes along the coast. Among the most popular are the trails on the Makawehi Coast near the resort town of Poipu.

Easy short trails include the 1.5km trail through dense rainforest to Makaleha Falls near Kapa'a towards the interior.

Challenging treks

Kauai is promised to true hikers who love all-day or multi-day challenging long trails. The reward, however, will always be scenery that is hardly imaginable in the minds of us Central Europeans.

The absolute holy grail of hiking on Kauai is the Nā Pali Coast, along which winds one of the most beautiful treks in the U.S. and the Pacific called the Kalalau Trail.

You can spend just a few hours on it, or as little as 3 days. It will take you into the heart of the most authentic and beautiful nature without the interference of human civilization. However, the prerequisite is good physical fitness, good equipment and knowledge of your own limits.

Another area promised for day and multi-day hikes is the aforementioned Kokee State Park, as well as nearby Waimea Canyon, where brutal elevation changes await with the reward of being in a landscape untouched by man.

For the connoisseurs, there's a journey into the mysterious interior of the island where Jurassic Park was filmed. The caldera beneath the Waialeale massif, with sheer walls exceeding 1,000 feet, ranks among Kauai's best. But the drive here is really challenging, both in terms of fitness and driving skills.

Beaches and swimming

The Hawaiian Islands lie in the tropics and, in addition to breathtaking scenery, are known for their beautiful beaches and swimming in the Pacific Ocean.

Kauai's beaches are especially pleasing to those who love natural swimming outside of the cities and the stunning panoramas. Virtually all of Kauai's beaches are covered in fine golden or white sand, but occasionally the beaches are made up of black lava rocks.

At most beaches near towns and villages, you'll find at least one snack stand and lifeguard, beach or surf equipment shops, and public restrooms. On the other hand, beach chairs and umbrella rentals are not common on Hawaiian beaches.

Swimming is safe in beaches protected by bays, but it is highly discouraged to swim in the open sea, especially on the north and west coasts where currents are strong.

You can swim in the sea all year round, but during the summer (May-October) it is much calmer and the water is clear. In winter, on the other hand, the sea is often rough with big waves and cloudy water.

The most beautiful beaches on Kauai

Take a look at our selection of the top beaches on Kauai, for which we have produced separate mini-guides:

• Hanalei Bay - The most popular beach on the island in a quiet cove, spacious enough, long enough and with all the facilities of a nearby village.
• Tunnels Beach - a beautiful beach with stunning scenery, in a quiet location with great conditions for snorkelling
• Poipu Beach Park - popular "town" beach right in the small town of Poipu with all services, good accessibility and luxury resorts
• Kauapea Beach - a seemingly completely remote beach with a nearby lighthouse and diverse coastline, yet easily accessible by car
• Polihale State Park - the longest and most secluded beach completely away from civilisation with beautiful surroundings and minimal visitors

Sightseeing flights along the Nā Pali coast

The island of Kauai is one of the most beautiful places in the world to explore from the ground, but it's beauty is best enjoyed from the air. When it comes to sightseeing flights along the Nā Pali coast, there's really no need to look at the price - the excitement, beauty and unforgettable experience outweigh the higher costs a hundredfold.

Remember, the best time to take a scenic flight over the Napali Coast is in the morning and mid-morning (around 9am to 12pm) when there is a minimum of cloud cover.

You actually have 2 sightseeing flight options on Kauai, we definitely recommend the first one - the helicopter flight.

Helicopter flight over Kauai

Of all the sightseeing flights, the helicopter flights are the most popular. The helicopter has the best maneuverability. It can get close to the coast, hover in place or circle in small circles over the most beautiful cliffs and mountains.

With helicopters you basically have two options - a classic closed helicopter and an off-door helicopter, i.e. without doors. The second option is certainly much more convenient for taking the best photos and no less dangerous, of course you sit tightly strapped in.

Helicopter flights usually take 50 to 65 minutes and fly all around the island, including the Na Pali coastline, flying over Waimea Canyon and Kauai's tallest massif Mount Waialeale.

• Enclosed helicopter flights - 220 usd to 250 usd
• Door-off helicopter flight - 330 usd to 360 usd

Examples of companies arranging helicopter flights over Kauai, most of which allow online booking at a slight discount:

• Jack Harter Helicopters (flights from Lihue with door-off helicopters)
• Island Helicopters Kauai (flights from Lihue with closed door helicopters)
• iFly Kauai (flights with door-off and enclosed helicopters near Lihue and Princeville)

By plane over Kauai

If perhaps for some reason you don't trust helicopters, you have the option of flying over Kauai in a sightseeing plane, typically a small single-engine Cessna. The downside to a helicopter is a faster flight, less maneuverability and therefore a weaker, but still awesome experience. On the other hand, the prices are half the price of helicopter flights and are around 135 usd for about an hour's flight.

Examples of companies organizing airplane flights over Kauai, most of them allow online booking with a slight discount:

• Air Ventures
• Wings over Kauai

Popular hang gliding flights have been temporarily banned due to the congestion of airspace over Kauai.

Kayaking tours have been suspended due to the closure of the airspace on the island.

Kayaking is one of the very popular activities on Kauai, both by sea and on local rivers. So you've seen the island from the ground, from the air, now it's time for a perspective from the water.

There are several agencies on Kauai that organize guided tours and kayak rentals. However, we definitely recommend a guided trip, especially if you're going on a sea cruise along the Na Pali coast. The currents here are tricky and the cruises are many kilometres long, so having expert guidance and possibly emergency assistance is practically a must. Sea cruises are only possible from May to October.

The guide never rides in the kayak directly with you, but has his own boat.

Examples of prices

• 12-hour cruise along the Na Pali coast: 250 usd to 300 usd
• Wailua River Cruise: 90 usd to 120 usd
• Kayak rental (only available on the Wailua River): 110 usd

You can pay for a kayak cruise at agencies such as Kayak Kauai, Outfitters Kauai or Kayak Wailua.

Snorkeling

The waters around the Hawaiian Islands are ideal for easy snorkeling for beginners, and Kauai is no exception. You don't need to pay for expensive boat trips, just buy a snorkel for 20 usd at one of the many shops and head to one of the great snorkeling beaches.

Some of the best places to explore the world underwater are these beaches:

• Tunnels Beach on the north coast
• Poipu Beach Park on the south coast

Expect mainly schools of smaller colourful fish and smaller coral reefs.

Surfing

The Hawaiian Islands are the mecca and birthplace of surfing, and of course Kauai is a great place to surf, though it's probably one of the least known of the big Hawaiian islands. However, this still means that Kauai has some of the best surfing conditions in the Pacific.

Kauai is ideal for beginners and those who just want to try surfing. The conditions here are milder than Oahu or the Big Island, but still absolutely great for getting to know professional surfing.

The best locations are at Hanalei Bay in the north, Poipu in the south, or Kealia Beach near Kapa'a, but there the conditions are mostly suitable for more experienced surfers.

Examples of surf schools on Kauai:

• Kauai Surf School (Poipu)
• Endless Summer Surf School (Poipu)
• Hanalei Surf School (Hanalei)