Kauai, Hawaii – Things to do
The sight from our flight window gave us the pretty picture of how amazing Kauai was gonna be and damn! it delivered more than what we imagined. We had 2 days to explore the Island and we tried our best to do everything possible. You can definitely stay for a week or more and enjoy what this Island has to offer.
As soon as we got down from our flight we rented a jeep and hit the road. Listing down the places which we visited on the Island and the activities we enjoyed.
Waimea Canyon Lookout
Waimea Canyon also know as “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific” is located west of Kauai. The Waimea Canyon lookout offers wide awe-inspiring panoramic view of tall red and orange canyon rims. If you do not have time for a long hike in the Canyon, you can totally soak in the view from the lookout.
Note – At the parking you will need to pay $5 per vehicle fee which is valid for a day in Waimea State park & Koke’e State Park.
Pu’u HinaHina Lookout
Another lookout which provides dramatic views of the Waimea Canyon.
Kalalau lookout
Its one of the most photographed view of Kauai, Hawaii. At 4000 ft above the sea level, this lookout offers breathtaking view of the Kalalau Valley and blue ocean in the backdrop.
Pu’u O Kila Lookout
It is located at the end of the Koke’e Road (Highway 550) at mile Marker #19 after a mile beyond Kalalau lookout. At the lookout, lush green panoramic view of Kalalau Valley will blow your mind away. We were lucky to witness the full view of the valley as most of the days it is covered in thick clouds.
Kilauea LightHouse
Located at North shore of Kauai, Kilauea Lighthouse attracts many people for bird watching, sweeping ocean views and the history of Kauai. It’s part of Kilauea lighthouse National Wildlife Refuge. On the way up on the North shore of Island we decided to stop and watch beautiful birds flying over the ocean and the popular lighthouse.
Note – Open Tuesday – Saturday from 10.00am to 4.00 pm. Entry fee $10 per person or Enter with Federal recreational land pass.
Ha’ena Beach Park
There are plenty of gorgeous beaches in North Kauai where you can choose any beach and enjoy your day. To be honest, we stopped at this park because it has proper parking area. From here, we walked from one beach to another, soaked plenty of sun and practiced some drone shots.
Napali Coast by Helicopter
When in Kauai – flying over the Napali Coast is must and what better than an open door helicopter ride. It was on our bucket-list for a long time and we finally had our chance on our anniversary in Kauai. . It was one of the best experiences and you gotta ride it to know the feeling.
Where to Eat
There are so many cute places to eat in Kauai. I am listing few where we ate and enjoyed our time in pretty corners of the island.
Java Kai
When we were researching for good food, we came across this cafe and I tell you we loved everything we ordered. We ordered Papaya date shake; Acai berry bowl ; Dilly egg sandwich.. Total Yum!
Aloha Juice Bar
When in Hawaii, you certainly need to try fresh fruit juices – there are plenty different style, choice is yours. We had Mango based.. and I can still remember how fresh and yummy it was.
Hanalei Poke
Another dish to try in Hawaii is Poke – its a raw marinated fresh cut fish mixed with salad and sauces. We never had raw fish before and eating the poke was kind of an adventure for us – the thing we did 1st time..
Wishing Well Shave Ice
The popular dessert of Hawaii is Shave Ice and if you are in Kauai, hit this place called “Wishing well Shave Ice” and order whatever flavor you are craving for. Here we had Mango + Coconut + Mashuga Nut Ice cream
Where to Stay
Hawaii is not a budget friendly destination at any point of the year. Only thing to avoid extra cost would be to book in advance. You can search for hotels online based on your budget. Check Booking.com ; Expedia or any other site online for some good deals. Also, you can look for Vacation Rentals on Airbnb or Vrbo.
How to reach
Only way to reach any of Hawaiian Islands is via flight. It is not a budget friendly destination, however you can try to save money by being flexible in terms of dates. We went in January end and got some good deals in terms of flight and hotel stays. We flew in Southwest Airlines for inter-island travel and could save the money on luggage since Southwest provides 2 bags check-in complimentary.
Lihue Airport is the main airport of Kaua’i . There are many flights which run between Islands of Hawaii, if you are willing to visit Maui, Oahu or Big Island
Getting Around
The most convenient and the best way to get around Kauai is by Car preferably Jeep. We rented a Jeep via Expedia – very easy way to book (You can always book and cancel/modify later).
Finally, keep some time to wander and see where the roads take you . You cannot do everything when you are traveling, so just relax and enjoy the journey!
