Travel guide: Kauai
Hawaii first made its mark on my life about 17 years ago when I jumped on a plane all by myself lugging a huge Hawaiian print suitcase and everything I would need for a semester as an exchange student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Oahu). It was such an impressionable time for me, learning how to explore the world on my own in absolute paradise; let’s just say Hawaii is part of me now.
I can remember my last day there when all my friends had already flown home, it was just me, the sun, the sea and all my amazing memories. Since that day, I’ve dreamt of returning with my family and showing them what it meant to live in your bathing suits and sleep with sand in your bed. I wanted them to feel a sense of freedom and disconnect from the craziness that can be our lives sometimes.
Our family of three visited Oahu and Maui in 2017 for 14 days. It was magical. Yet, I still yearned to bring them back again for even longer.
This year was the year. We made it happen. A full month living the dream. We chose to spend an entire month on Kauai so we could “live as a local” and truly soak in the laid back lifestyle. I had only spent a few days in Kauai back in college, and I can remember watching the cutest little boy (couldn’t have been more than 2-yrs old) surfing with his mom and I thought to myself “I want a little blonde surfer baby one day!” How did I get so lucky to have not one, but TWO blonde-hair blue-eyed boys? So lucky! And they had such an amazing time on the island.
Now it’s your turn. If you find yourself in Kauai, I hope you will find this quick Travel Guide handy as you explore and enjoy all that Hawaii has to offer.
TRAVEL GUIDE: KAUAI
Kauai, the “Garden Island”, is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands and is draped in emerald valleys, mountain spires and jagged cliffs. It’s also home to over 63 miles of the most picturesque white sand beaches. The activities are endless, from hiking, surfing (foil surfing if you’re super cool), kayaking, biking, snorkeling, fishing, camping, well really anything you can imagine doing outside.
WHERE WE STAYED
We decided to set up our home base on Kauai’s North Shore in the cliffside community of Princeville. Just minutes from Hanalei Bay and the Napali Coast, we woke up every morning to see the fog lifting over the Waiokihi mountain range, waterfalls streaming down the face of the peaks. I kept saying how the mountains looked like a movie set backdrop with the constant mist creating the perfect atmospheric colors.
Since we stayed in Kauai for a full month, the most affordable option was to rent a condo. Plus, we had the added amenities of the neighborhood pool and grill.
WHAT WE DID
Beaches
Kauai is known for its beaches (and secret surf spots, shhh! the locals don’t want you to know that). Fun fact: The surf shifts from North to South shores in the summer and back to the North shore in the winter. This is why the major Hawaii surf tournaments usually run January-Feb on the North Shore of each island. Swells can get up to 60 feet, eek!
Hanalei Bay on the North Shore was our go-to spot. Perfect for swimming, pier jumping and even a little beginner surfing. Plus, the small town had great local shopping and food. I also love that the beach access areas have bathrooms and showers. Traveling north from Hanalei Bay, there are a few hidden gems (Kahalahala Beach was our fav), so don’t be afraid to stop along the way when you see cars along the road. Be sure to hit Tunnels Beach and bring your snorkel gear. Lava tubes form underwater caverns that are home to magical reef life. We swam with sea turtles and napped with Hawaiian sea lions! We also rode our bikes and hiked down the cliffside to Hideaways Beach and Queen’s Bath in Princeville. Both are fairly private which feels really special, especially if you go down early morning or late in the evening to watch the sunset.
The best south shore beaches are near Poipu. We spent a few days there surfing at Poipu Beach and watching boogie boarders cut back flips at Shipwreck Beach. The waves are biggest here in the summer. On a day when a tropical storm was off shore, we stopped at Spouting Horn to watch the blowhole send water 70+ feet in the air.
Na Pali Coast
“One of the most stunning stretches of coastline in the world.” is no understatement.
By air
Worth every penny! Much of Kauai is impossible to get to by land so if you really want to appreciate the landscape, take to the skies. Jack Carter helicopter tours offered an experienced staff and knowledgeable flight. The ride was incredibly smooth and quiet, so much so that our 5 year old actually fell asleep.
By land
If you’re looking for a serious adventure, and are an avid hiker, The Kalalau Trail offers one of the most challenging hikes on Kauai. It stretches 11 miles (each way) along the Na Pali coast with a total elevation gain of nearly 5,000 feet. Note: The full hike requires a camping permit.
By far the most strenuous hike I’ve ever tackled, all four of us (including the 5-year old!) trekked the first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail to Ke’e Beach, plus 2 miles further inland to reach the 120-ft Hanakapiai Falls (8-miles total). As the hike progresses, it honestly feels like you’re traveling through different magical lands. From a tropical paradise to the beach, through a bamboo forest, over the river, past the mountain apple trees (Ohi'a 'ai ) and over the rock walls.
How to prepare: Book your shuttle or parking pass in advance. Allow for 8+ hours so you can enjoy the beach and waterfall. Bring plenty of water and be prepared to get muddy and wet.
By sea
https://www.napalicatamaran.com
A little less strenuous way to see the Na Pali coast is a catamaran tour. It took us only 4 hours to see the 11-mile stretch of coastline instead of days of hiking the Kalalau Trail. The boat is big enough to comfortably handle the waves while being small enough to enter sea caves. If you go at the right time, you may get to ride alongside the dolphins who frequent this area.
FAVORITE EATS
Shave Ice
Ok, so shave ice (not shaved ice, not snow cone) is a serious subject in our family. In Hawaii, it’s served on top of a scoop of ice cream. My favorite combo is a local tropical flavor like Lilkoi or Guava with macadamia nut ice cream and fresh mango chunks. For the absolute best shave ice, seek out the organic homemade fruit servings found at Wishing Well.
Favorite breakfast: Acai bowls. You can find these frozen treats all over the island.
Favorite lunch: L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. If you haven’t tried spam, order the Spam Musubi (yum!).
Favorite dinner: Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. Go early for the Mai Tai happy hour and try the fall-off-the-bone ribs.
Favorite date night: Bar Acuda. On a rare night where we got out of our bathing suits, we enjoyed a bowl of Ramen in the open air dining room.
Favorite sweets: Holy Grail Donuts. I never miss an opportunity to find a city’s donut joint. With unique local flavors daily, these taro donuts are delicious, and they are more healthy with taro flour right?
NOW WHAT?
We made it home with our sun-kissed faces (and slept for a week) before jumping back into our routine. It was hard to believe that we had just lived in Hawaii after so many years of dreaming. It was everything and more than I could have imagined.
One of my favorite new memories was simply sitting at the edge of the water with my boys, letting the waves tumble us up and down the sandy bank. The mountains in the distance were so breathtaking that the only thing on our minds was how happy we were (and how we would get all that sand out of our pants).
This is just a snapshot of all that we loved during our month in Hawaii. If you want to hear more, take me to lunch and I will tell you all the things. It’s by far my favorite subject!
As you can imagine, I took hundreds of photos. My plan is to translate the dramatic beauty into a collection of tropical paintings. Tune in on Instagram to watch the collection come to life.
RESOURCES
We used The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook to plan our day outings.
