I had never been to Kauai until 2016 and was able to spend a week on the "Garden Isle" in August (the nickname holds true). If you are looking for a week of adventure, want to be greeted by friendly people and eat incredible food, all in some of the most beautiful natural surroundings you will ever encounter...then this is the island for you. I'm hardly an expert as I've only spent a week there, but I had a pretty fabulous trip and will try to impart some of our experiences and recommendations until I get to go back and know the island even more!
THE SITES AND TOURS
Kalalau Trail Hike to Kalalau Falls: Get an early start and make your way to the Kalalau Trail starting point at Ke'e Beach. Get there right when it opens to find parking (it gets crazy later in the day as there is limited parking for the trail and public beach that converge at the end of the road). The trail goes 11 miles (each way) but I'd recommend attempting to make it to Hanakapi`ai Beach (4 miles roundtrip) or if you're adventurous Hanakapi`ai Falls (8 miles roundtrip). I only made it to the beach but had decided to do this hike last minute so I wasn't appropriately prepared or hydrated to make it all the way to the falls. A few tips:
Duke's Kayak Adventures Kayak, Hiking, and Waterfall Tour: This kayak of the Wailua river was one of my favorite parts of the trip. You kayak about 2 miles each way, hike about a mile (through a ton of mud), and then spend 30 minutes taking in the views and going for a swim at the Secret Falls. Again, be ok with mud...and a lot of mud. This is way worse than the Kalalau Trail when it comes to mud and you will have it halfway up your calves at some point. It comes off...and isn't the end of the world...just be prepared to get a little muddy and have fun with it. Make sure you bring sunscreen, bug spray, lots of water, and a snack/lunch. They give you a dry bag to put everything into before you strap it to the back of your kayak and head out on the tour. If you haven't kayaked before, you'll be fine but be prepared for a workout and a test of patience with whoever is your partner.
Backcountry Adventures Tubing Trip: Although it may sound a little unconventional, this was a pretty fun tour. Hop on a tube with a helmet and headland and hang out on the "lazy river" through the historic sugar plantation. The guides are great, the tunnels are really interesting, and the picnic lunch sufficed. The one thing I'd say to be very aware of is that the water is COLD!!! I'm pretty cold natured so this took away from some of the fun of the trip but otherwise I had a great time!
Sunshine Helicopter Tours: The "Garden Isle" is truly breathtaking and the only way to see it all is by helicopter. We spent an hour touring the island, starting in the middle of the crater seeing more than 40 waterfalls, ventured out for views of the Waimea Canyon, and finished with views of the Napali Coast and Hanalei Bay. Helicopter Tours are never cheap, but if you're going to do one, this is the place to do it.
Queen's Bath Hike: I ventured out to Queen's Bath on my last day in Kauai and am glad I did. If you start when the trail first opens, you might even have the Bath to yourself like I did for a little while. This is only about a 15 minute hike, although again...it's muddy and filled with lots of ups and downs. Once you make it out to the rocks just keep following them to the left until you arrive at Queen's Bath. You can swim, relax, and keep an eye our for sea turtles and fish. Just MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE TIDES BEFORE YOU GO as you can only go during low tides. It becomes extremely dangerous during high tide and people lose their life here every year. You can find the tide info here: http://tides.willyweather.com/hi/kauai/queens-bath.html
- Wear Chacos! If you don't know what these are look them up. Just make sure you are wearing some sort of activewear/hiking sandal. Hiking shoes or tennis shoes will weigh you down and also get completely covered in mud that will never come off!
- Be ok with mud. The north side of the island is extremely wet...raining at least a little bit every day of the year. The trail is slippery and covered in mud. Watch your footing and take your time. It will take you about twice as long as you anticipate because of the loose footing and up and down nature of the trail. The views are so worth it though. It took me about 3 hours to make the 4 miles to the Beach and back if that gives you any idea.
- Bring supplies. Next time I go I'll make sure to have a water proof bag stocked with granola bars, a sandwich for lunch, enough water to make it through the day, sunscreen, and a camera of course.
Duke's Kayak Adventures Kayak, Hiking, and Waterfall Tour: This kayak of the Wailua river was one of my favorite parts of the trip. You kayak about 2 miles each way, hike about a mile (through a ton of mud), and then spend 30 minutes taking in the views and going for a swim at the Secret Falls. Again, be ok with mud...and a lot of mud. This is way worse than the Kalalau Trail when it comes to mud and you will have it halfway up your calves at some point. It comes off...and isn't the end of the world...just be prepared to get a little muddy and have fun with it. Make sure you bring sunscreen, bug spray, lots of water, and a snack/lunch. They give you a dry bag to put everything into before you strap it to the back of your kayak and head out on the tour. If you haven't kayaked before, you'll be fine but be prepared for a workout and a test of patience with whoever is your partner.
Backcountry Adventures Tubing Trip: Although it may sound a little unconventional, this was a pretty fun tour. Hop on a tube with a helmet and headland and hang out on the "lazy river" through the historic sugar plantation. The guides are great, the tunnels are really interesting, and the picnic lunch sufficed. The one thing I'd say to be very aware of is that the water is COLD!!! I'm pretty cold natured so this took away from some of the fun of the trip but otherwise I had a great time!
Sunshine Helicopter Tours: The "Garden Isle" is truly breathtaking and the only way to see it all is by helicopter. We spent an hour touring the island, starting in the middle of the crater seeing more than 40 waterfalls, ventured out for views of the Waimea Canyon, and finished with views of the Napali Coast and Hanalei Bay. Helicopter Tours are never cheap, but if you're going to do one, this is the place to do it.
Queen's Bath Hike: I ventured out to Queen's Bath on my last day in Kauai and am glad I did. If you start when the trail first opens, you might even have the Bath to yourself like I did for a little while. This is only about a 15 minute hike, although again...it's muddy and filled with lots of ups and downs. Once you make it out to the rocks just keep following them to the left until you arrive at Queen's Bath. You can swim, relax, and keep an eye our for sea turtles and fish. Just MAKE SURE YOU CHECK THE TIDES BEFORE YOU GO as you can only go during low tides. It becomes extremely dangerous during high tide and people lose their life here every year. You can find the tide info here: http://tides.willyweather.com/hi/kauai/queens-bath.html
foodie finds
Jojo's Shave Ice: If you're looking for something to cool you off or quench your sweet tooth, Hawaiian ice is where it's at on this island. The locals seem to all have their preferences for which spot is their favorite but I really liked Jojo's. They have an awesome macadamia nut milkshake and their house specialty shaved ice flavors are yummy. Just a warning...order a small...trust me! A small is about the size of a small child's head and will be more than enough sugar to get you through the afternoon! There are a few locations around the island but I frequented the one near Hanalei Bay at 5190 Kuhio Hwy.
Kauai Island Brewery & Grill: I'm always in search of local breweries and vineyards on my travels and this seems like the place to go on the island. We did a taster and tried almost all of their in house brews. The "tasters" are a little larger than the normal pour though (about 4oz) so take your time as you do order if you don't want your beer to get warm. The food here was also decent...good fish tacos, wings, sandwiches...all the typical pub food essentials. It's located near Hanapepe Bay at 4350 Waialo Rd so we came here for a late lunch/early dinner after our Zodiac tour and drive out to Waimea Canyon.
Farmers Markets: A stop at a farmers market at some point for fresh fruit, a coconut and local pastries is a must. All of the fruit is so incredibly fresh and way better than most that you'll find in the rest of the US. Check out this site for the options near you and the dates that work...they are all over the island. http://www.kauai.com/kauai-farmers-markets Make sure to go to the ATM prior to your trip as most of the vendors are CASH ONLY.
Kilauea Fish Market: If I could go back and do the whole trip over again, I would eat here at least once a day. Incredible fresh poke, the most amazing Hawaiian pork, and the fish tacos are heavenly. It's also really relaxed and most importantly BYOB! Grab some local beer at the nearby market, order at the counter, and relax on the patio while enjoying your food with the locals. Doesn't look like much but so, so, yummy... I want to go back just thinking about it! Located at 4270 Kilauea Rd...it's just a few minute drive from the Kilauea Lighthouse.
St. Regis Princeville Bar: This is the place to be for a cocktail at sunset. You don't have to stay here to check it out and valet parking is free (although you should of course tip). Just let them know you're coming for the view and you'll be good to go. Try to stake out a spot on the patio or near the windows about 30 minutes before sunset because it does get busy. The drinks aren't cheap but the view is worth it and they have a tradition of sabering a bottle of champagne at sunset each night. Try their Mai Tai if you like dark rum. 5520 Ka Haku Rd
Kauai Island Brewery & Grill: I'm always in search of local breweries and vineyards on my travels and this seems like the place to go on the island. We did a taster and tried almost all of their in house brews. The "tasters" are a little larger than the normal pour though (about 4oz) so take your time as you do order if you don't want your beer to get warm. The food here was also decent...good fish tacos, wings, sandwiches...all the typical pub food essentials. It's located near Hanapepe Bay at 4350 Waialo Rd so we came here for a late lunch/early dinner after our Zodiac tour and drive out to Waimea Canyon.
Farmers Markets: A stop at a farmers market at some point for fresh fruit, a coconut and local pastries is a must. All of the fruit is so incredibly fresh and way better than most that you'll find in the rest of the US. Check out this site for the options near you and the dates that work...they are all over the island. http://www.kauai.com/kauai-farmers-markets Make sure to go to the ATM prior to your trip as most of the vendors are CASH ONLY.
Kilauea Fish Market: If I could go back and do the whole trip over again, I would eat here at least once a day. Incredible fresh poke, the most amazing Hawaiian pork, and the fish tacos are heavenly. It's also really relaxed and most importantly BYOB! Grab some local beer at the nearby market, order at the counter, and relax on the patio while enjoying your food with the locals. Doesn't look like much but so, so, yummy... I want to go back just thinking about it! Located at 4270 Kilauea Rd...it's just a few minute drive from the Kilauea Lighthouse.
St. Regis Princeville Bar: This is the place to be for a cocktail at sunset. You don't have to stay here to check it out and valet parking is free (although you should of course tip). Just let them know you're coming for the view and you'll be good to go. Try to stake out a spot on the patio or near the windows about 30 minutes before sunset because it does get busy. The drinks aren't cheap but the view is worth it and they have a tradition of sabering a bottle of champagne at sunset each night. Try their Mai Tai if you like dark rum. 5520 Ka Haku Rd