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Kaua’i is the rainiest island in Hawaii and is home to the wettest place on Earth – this is why it’s so green and beautiful. It is, after all, “The Garden Island”. Consequently, no matter when you go, expect that there will be some wet days. Your chances of rain/ wet trails are lowest from April to October. My fiancée and I visited Kauai in December of 2021. We planned to stay in a hotel for two nights and camp the rest of the time, but the weather had different ideas.
Therefore, first tip for visiting Kauai: avoid the rainy months of November- March. Below I will list other important travel tips to know when visiting Kaua’i. I will also list where to stay, where to camp, and the best things to do in Kaua’i including the best hikes in Kaua’i, Kaua’i boat tours, and the best Kaua’i helicopter tour.
Driving around the Island:
I think it’s also important to know that although the island is small, plan your day’s activities based on the area you’ll be in. Know that you can’t drive from Princeville to Koke’e State Park and Waimea Canyon along the North Shore. The farthest you can go is Haena State Park before you hit the Napali Coast/ un drive-able area. So, if you’re staying in Princeville and want to explore the Canyon or Koke’e State Park, set aside time to do so. The drive will be around two hours as you’ll have to go around the entire island as seen below:
Much of Kauai is not easily travelled to. You’ll basically drive the roads around the periphery of the island (as seen above) to get everywhere. Dense forests, the terrain, and the locals that own the land make much of the central area basically off limits. You can, however, see the entire island from a helicopter tour.
There are several different companies that offer tours but I’ve heard great things about Blue Hawaiian. The tours are expensive at about $300 a person, but it allows you to see uncharted Kauai and its incredible terrain.
Where to Stay:
Hotels- Stay in either Kapaa or Princeville
Campsites– Anini Beach Park, Koke’e State Park
Hotels:
If you’re looking to stay in a hotel, the two major areas are Princeville and Kapa’a/Lihue. We chose a hotel in Kapa’a area due to its central location- we wanted to spend time both at the North Shore and on the west coast/canyon. Kapa’a is also very close to the airport.
We stayed at Hilton Garden Inn Kauai and really enjoyed our stay. We watched sunrise and sunset at Lydgate Beach Park (right behind the hotel) every day during our stay here. There is also a hotel restaurant (with amazing pancakes and coconut syrup) and a tiki bar plus hot tub and pool.
Campsites:
The two campsites we stayed at are Anini Beach and Koke’e State Park
Anini Beach is beautiful and only $8 per night. This is camping right next to the beach on the North Shore. It’s bare bones. Just park and find a spot to setup your tent. No showers or fire pits. Book here: kauairecreation.org
Kokee State Park is the other side of the island in terms of driving. It was about $30 per night. There was a bathroom, showers, and firepit. We camped here in order to be close to hiking at the park and Waimea Canyon. Book here: ehawaii.gov
Where to Eat:
There is food all over the island. The places that stick out to me are the following:
West Coast:
- Coconut Corner- smoothies, fresh fruit, snacks
- G’s Juice Station – smoothies and acai bowls
- Shrimp Station
- Kauai Island Brewery and Grill- Across from the port for Catamaran/ boat excursions
Lihue/Kapaa
- Noka Grill- for cheap breakfast and SPAM
- Jimmy’s Grill- outdoor seating, beer, cheap food
North Shore:
- Kalypso Island Bar and Grill
What to do in Kaua’i:
1. Helicopter ride over the entire island:
- Book a helicopter tour with Blue Hawaiian to see the entire island from above
- Tours are pricey at $300 per person, but I highly recommend doing this if you can. It’s a once in a lifetime experience
- Typically one hour long
- I recommend a “doors off” tour
- You can also do a tour with Get Your Guide and see the best of the island: Kauai: Waimea Canyon, Jurassic Falls, & More Helicopter Tour
2. Catamaran Cruise
- There are tons of companies offering cruises of many kinds
- We chose Captain Andy’s and did the sunset dinner cruise which was 4 hours long from about 3-7pm
- Dinner and drinks were included and the food was delicious
- The weather was a bit rough the week we were there and the water was choppy. The way out was a breeze, the way back was pretty bumpy and a few people got sea sick
- Be prepared to get wet
- Amazing views of Napali Coast
- Company also offers snorkeling excursions, whale watching tours, cave tours, and raft tours (allowing you to get much closer to shore)
3. Kayak the Wailua River
- Book Here: Get Your Guide
- You’ll meet a local tour guide who will provide a kayak and paddle plus lunch, a dry bag for your belongings, water, and a life jacket
- Your guide will lead you on a leisurely ride down the gorgeous Wailua river surrounded by tropical palms, ferns, flowers and wildlife
- You’ll kayak to the trailhead for Secret Falls and then take a moderate hike to both Secret Falls and Uluwehi Waterfall where you can swim and then enjoy your picnic lunch
- Expect 4 miles of paddling and 2 miles of hiking, with trail conditions muddy and slippery at times
- 6 hours total
- $114 per person
4. Bike ride along Kauai Bike Path
- Rent bikes from Hele on Kauai Bike Rentals – Hilton Garden Inn provided us vouchers for free bike rentals
- Ride from the rental shop along the coast approximately 3 miles down and 3 miles back
- Stop and grab a beer from Jimmy’s Grill before returning the bikes
5. Chase Waterfalls
- Drive to two waterfalls near Kapa’a:
- Wailua Falls
- Opeaka’a Falls
- No hiking involved here. These are waterfalls that you can see from the road. Park the car, look, drive away. I will say the drives to these waterfalls are fun. This was the farthest “inland” we got while on the island
6. Hikes to do in Kaua’i
Koke’e State Park:
Nu’alolo Trail
- 7.5 miles
- Hard
- Hike down steep, slippery, mud for about 2500 feet and then hike back out
- The views are AMAZING though
- This one holds a special place in my heart… see below 😉
Pihea Vista Trail
- 2.3 miles out and back
- Moderate
- More good views of the ridges
Kalepa Ridge Trail
- This one we actually did not do.. it’s technically “closed” and there is a fence at the entrance plus signs that say closed.. still lots of people hop the short fence and hike it because the views are supposedly incredible
- A park ranger was eyeballing us the whole time we lingered around the start of the hike, therefore, we turned around
- 1.9 miles
- Rated “hard” on All Trails
Waimea Canyon:
Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls
- 3 miles
- moderate
Kukui Trail
- 5 miles
- Hard, hike 2000 feet down to the Canyon floor and back up
Waimea Canyon Lookout
- Really not a hike but a viewpoint
- Don’t miss this view
7. Backpack the infamous Kalalau Trail
About the Kalalau Hike:
- 22 miles total
- Hike out to Kalalau Beach and back along the ridges of the Napali Coast
- This is a lot of up and down for a cumulative total of 6,000 feet of elevation gained although you’re never too far from sea level
- This hike gets scary in places. There is a river crossing at 2 miles in. This is usually where people run into trouble. If the water is past your knees, it’s not recommended to cross since several people have drowned here. This is why it’s beneficial to hike this during dry season
- You’ll also come to “Crawler’s Ledge” a bit further down where you’ll walk a narrow path close to the edge of the cliffside
How to do it:
- This all can be done in 2 days if you choose. Hike out, camp at Kalalau beach, and hike back. You can also take more time and make a pit stop at Hanakapiai Falls. Or you can simply spend an extra night at the beach before turning around. However you do it, I recommend getting your permit for at least 2-3 days. If we go back, I will likely get a permit for 4 days to make sure we can complete the hike if we run into bad weather again.
- Get permits here: Hawaii Camping Reservation – Reservations (ehawaii.gov)
- You will also need to reserve a separate permit for overnight parking: Overnight Parking – Go Haena
- If you want to get on the trail but not camp, you still need to reserve day parking. No permit required to get on the trail- just know, you won’t be able to pass 2 miles without a permit. You can hike 2 miles out but then must turn around and hike back
8. Tour Kauai Coffee Company
- Don’t worry if you miss this one- this was a good rainy day activity for us. Free samples of as much coffee as you can handle.
Best Beaches to do in Kaua’i
- Polihale Beach – drive out on a bumpy dirt road for about 5 miles to reach this beach
- Secret Beach- not a huge secret.. park and hike down about half a mile to the beach where you’ll have great views of the Kilauea Lighthouse
- Mahaulepu Beach- park at Mukauwahi Cave Trail Parking and hike down the trail to the beach. This is a great whale watching spot in season. We also saw a beached monk seal in this area
- Anini Beach- great snorekeling
- Hanalei Bay- great snorkeling
- Tunnels Beach
I hope this guide has been helpful for you and when planning your epic trip to Kaua’i! Thank for reading my guide about the best things to do in Kaua’i!
Happy adventuring!
-Alanna