Kauai is the remotest of Hawaii’s main islands and is also the wettest and most rugged. In a class of its own, it boasts soaring coastal cliffs, myriad beaches, old towns, huge resort complexes, lots of opportunity for getting active and a stunning canyon akin to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Known as the Garden Island, Kauai is much more laidback than the other main islands, with its main town of Lihue being a quiet mid-sized centre.
Kauai’s main attraction, however, is its diverse landscape and the best way to see it is by helicopter. A typical tour will take in the Na Pali coast on the north shore, with its 1,200-metre-high cliffs; the famed Mana Waipuna Waterfall (as seen in the movie, Jurassic Park); the Olokele Canyon; and if you’re really lucky, Mount Waialeale, which is usually shrouded in mist and boasts 1,500-metre high crater walls.
Other major highlights on Kauai include the much ballyhooed and justifiably impressive Waimea Canyon, which has excellent hiking and camping and can be seen by road. As for the beaches, Kauai has loads of them including the stunning palm-lined Kalapaki Beach (Lihue), the busy Poipu Beach, and idyllic Hanalei Beach.
For a bit of culture, check out the historic town of Hanalei, Old Koloa Town, the lava tube formations of Sprouting Horn blowhole, and the must-visit interesting Kauai Museum. Active visitors will be thrilled with the winter surf, fine snorkelling and diving, sea kayaking, and horseback riding.
Hotels on Kauai range drastically in price and are generally expensive. Those on the north coast are usually cheaper owing to the wetter climate, while price difference between hotels with a sea view and hotels located inland are also significant, so bear this in mind when booking. Kauai hotels can be booked online where savings are most significant.
International flights arrive in Hawaii via Honolulu International Airport, although you can fly direct to Kauai if you are already on the US mainland. Lihue Airport is the main airport on Kauai and is just a few miles from Lihue town centre. Inter-island flights come in mainly from Maui and Oahu, and airport transport is exclusively by taxi and hire car.
Kauai’s weather, like the rest of Hawaii, is fantastic with balmy days and nights for most of the year. Average temperatures near the coast are around 26°C and there is not much difference between summer and winter averages. Southwest Kauai is generally the driest and sunniest (leeward) side, while the northeast coast is windiest and wettest, being windward.
The hottest and busiest time to be in Kauai is from June to October (summer), and is the best time to be here if you are into windsurfing. Conversely, the winter has the biggest swells and is best for surfers, although with the swells comes the most rain (December to March). Hotels are generally cheaper in the spring (April to mid-May) and autumn (October to mid-November).
