1/9: Best of Kauaʻi
Top 5 Sights and Destinations
There is enough on Kauaʻi to fill weeks, but if you only have a few days, these five experiences are the ones we would not skip:
2/9: Popular Themes
Culture, Natural Wonders, and Culinary Explorations
Dig into the island’s roots, get out into its natural wonders, taste what grows here, and find the sights worth building a day around.
Kauaʻi carries deep history for such a small island. Waimea is where Captain Cook first landed in Hawaii in 1778, and old plantation towns, museums, and sacred Native Hawaiian sites are scattered across the island.
Explore the following 5 options:
Once thought of as an island without much of a food scene, Kauaʻi has changed fast. Its farms and fertile valleys turn out taro, tropical fruit, coffee, and honey, and the food-truck and farmers-market scene keeps growing.
Check out our list of preferred farmers markets, farm tours, and must-try local foods on Kauaʻi:
- Farmers markets
- Farm tours
- Food tours
- Delicious local foods (and where to try them)
Kauaʻi is the Garden Isle for a reason: botanical gardens, wildlife refuges, coral reefs, and rainforest trails pack an outsized amount of nature into a small island.
Hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, and nature tours are great ways to explore Kauaʻi’s ecosystems, reserves, and protected areas.
Want more than the highlights? Our full list covers 19 sights and destinations across Kauaʻi, sorted by what you are in the mood for.
3/9: Curated Tours
Popular Tours that look good on ANY bucketlist
Explore some of the most loved tours on Kauaʻi:
4/9: Sort out the basics
Best practices for planning your trip
Planning a trip from scratch can be overwhelming. Our guides take you by the hand and help you plan a trip to Kauaʻi with confidence.
Island Hopping in Hawaiʻi
Dos, don'ts, and money saving tips
Fly away
Free Itinerary
7-Day Kauaʻi Itinerary: A Full Week on the Garden Island
Get started
Getting around Kauaʻi
Rent a car or use the alternatives? We cover the one main road, shuttles, and more.
Hop On
Where to Stay on Kauaʻi
Our recommendations for beach bums, families, adventure seekers, and more across all 6 regions.
Stay a while
5/9: All Activities
Kauaʻi Things to Do
Welcome to Kauaʻi. We leave out the fluff and compare all the options on the island in a clear, no-nonsense way.
6/9: Our blog
Kauaʻi blog posts
From local insights and travel tips to must-try activities and hidden gems, discover the best of Kauaʻi with our straightforward guides and recommendations.
7/9: Regions
Tourist destinations in Kauaʻi
Kauaʻi spreads its highlights across a handful of distinct regions. Here is an overview of the main areas to help you get a feel for the island.
8/9: Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions about visiting Kauaʻi (5)
Q: How many days should I spend on Kauaʻi?
We recommend at least 5 days on Kauaʻi, and more if you can. The island is small, but its highlights (the Nāpali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and the north shore) are spread out, and Kauaʻi rewards a slower pace.
Q: When is the best time to visit Kauaʻi?
Kauaʻi is the wettest of the main islands, and the north shore is greener and rainier than the sunny south shore around Poʻipū. Summer, roughly May to September, is drier and better for north-shore beaches and Nāpali boat tours; winter brings bigger surf and more rain up north.
Q: Do I need a car on Kauaʻi?
For most visitors, yes. There is essentially one main road that rings most of the island, which makes it easy to navigate. The main exception is the north shore past Hanalei, where a reservation and shuttle system now serves Haʻena State Park and Keʻe Beach.
Q: What are the must-do activities on Kauaʻi?
For a first trip we would prioritize the Nāpali Coast (by boat, kayak, foot, or helicopter), Waimea Canyon, a paddle up the Wailua River, at least one good hike, and time on the north shore around Hanalei.
Q: Is Kauaʻi good for families?
Very. Calmer south-shore beaches like Poʻipū are lifeguarded and beginner-friendly, the Wailua River is an easy paddle for all ages, and shorter walks like Hoʻopiʻi Falls give kids a taste of the jungle without a big commitment.
9/9: Free monthly newsletter
The only spam we like comes from a can.
Seriously though, one of the ways we stay as up-to-date as we can on all things Hawai’i as we can is by reading many Hawaiʻi newsletters. Letʻs say we were not happy by how many of those are mostly written to sell, not to inform.
We decided to do better.
Our newsletter is written to add value to your inbox.
Created for those people wanting to keep up with what’s happening on the Hawaiian islands and published once a month, here is what you can expect:
- Upcoming local events
- New and noteworthy places and restaurants and other venues
- Our take on current affairs (what about those hotel prices!)
- Volcano updates
- Upcoming astronomy events (think about meteor showers and lunar eclipses)