Back in September 2021, we traveled to Kauai, thus completing a full circuit of the four major Hawaiian islands. I have a certain wistful attachment to this particular island visit, because we sort of knew at the time of planning it that it would be our last visit to Hawaii in the near future, given that we were hoping for our greencards to arrive soon, bringing with them long overdue international travels. Our hope is now reality (huzzah!) and while I’m so excited to now be able to experience other farther parts of the world, I will forever be grateful for Hawaii’s cultural escapes which satisfied our wanderlust in these past years when those above-mentioned farther parts were out of reach. Albeit a domestic destination for US residents, every one of the Hawaiian islands is in my books a cultural, culinary and adventurous experience fit for the seasoned, worldly, international traveler! Pending a blog post for Maui, I hope my recaps of the Big Island, Oahu and now Kauai inspire you to visit if you haven’t yet. ❤️

Both K and I have said since going that Kauai vies for the top spot, our most favorite of all four beloved islands. It truly lives up to its moniker of The Garden Isle with its lush forested landscapes projecting the kind of drama that only ~75% inaccessibility by road can lend. There are some once-in-a-lifetime experiences to be had on this island unique from the others, so strap on your adventurers’ belt if you’re going! If you’re aiming for the complete experience, Kauai can get considerably physically intense. That being said, I am self-admittedly not the typical rugged explorer, sooo if I can do it, you can do it too. 😬

Day 1

Driving the Kuhio Highway to Princeville
We got off our flight and into our Turo rental right around lunchtime, which meant that the combo of adrenaline and hunger had us rearing to go right away! Lucky for us, we were in a place fairly easy to navigate. The Kuhio Highway or Route 56 is the sole highway connecting the east (where Lihue is) and the north, where our home base Princeville was. Over the remainder of our time there, this highway became one of my favorite things about the island- one easy road that acts as the sole connector of the various major towns, which gets very familiar very quickly with even the smallest amount of exploring from the North Shore because it’s the only way to get anywhere! By day two, it already felt to me like I’d been driving Route 56 for my whole life. 🥰

Relying on our favorite Hawaiian friend on Gypsy Guide to acquaint us with the route while driving northwards, we couldn’t help making multiple stops to take in our first glimpses of the dramatic coastline. We had our first but probably best poké meal of the entire trip at the beach from Pono Market, before walking the busy strip right around it that we’d later find out was the heart of Kapaa. In just about the first 30 minutes, we fell in love with another Hawaiian island. ❤️ As we got closer to Princeville, we made one must-see stop at the stunning Kilauea Lighthouse viewpoint. The lighthouse itself was closing when we got there, but it would make for a great tour of the marine sanctuary it sits on if you can spare the time.

Kauia travel recommendations — Kilauea Lighthouse

2. Secret Beach

A quick-up cleanup and towel grab at our Airbnb and we ran out to catch our first sunset at nearby Secret Beach. Mostly a locals’ hangout, this pristine strip of sand takes a short muddy hike down from a small, makeshift parking lot that is SO worth it. We couldn’t believe how private and secluded it was, with the most velvety soft sands. You can’t see it in my photos below, but it also offers a pretty neat view of the Kilauea Lighthouse up on the cliffs to the right!

After a lovely sorbet sunset filled with gratitude, we drove over to the nearest town with the most dinner options- Hanalei, a town that we didn’t know yet would become our defacto home base being next door in Princeville. Our intention was to put our party hats on at the popular Tahiti Nui, but a We’re Closed sign on their door sent us across the street to Ama, a slightly upscale Japanese-inspired restaurant that ended up being so good! The food and the vibes- 💯.

Day 2

1. Helicopter Tour

If there’s one must do activity there’s universal agreement on, it’s a Kauai helicopter tour! Given that only ~25% of Kauai can be accessed by road, being airborne or seaborne is the only way to see, let alone experience, most of it.

We booked our tour with Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tours (one of 3 popular tour companies, the others being Island Helicopters and Jack Harter) early in our trip so we’d have room to reschedule if weather unexpectedly proved inclement. And I’m so glad we did this, for a different reason entirely- I ended up suffering from a severe case of vertigo that put me out of commission for the rest of the day. 😅 In hindsight, it worked out because it would have been harder to move around our itinerary later in the trip, or worse, needing to be airborne soon after to travel back!

That being said, I would still 100% recommend doing it because it was THE most incredible set of views I have ever seen. If all goes well for you, the anti-emetic beforehand lets you enjoy the experience with minor discomfort at best, like for my very own husband and every other person on our flight tour. And even if your best preparations are betrayed by your body like in my case, you will still endure and be glad that you saw the iconic Nāpali coastline, those hidden waterfalls in the lush mountain valleys, and the magnificent gorges & canyons alongside the vidid shades of Pacific blue. Despite it being the most intense hour physiologically for me, my brain was on sensory overload processing views like these, which by the way are done NO justice by pictures. 😍

2. Explore Kapaa

Our original plan, while unaware of the effects of putting me in a tiny box in the sky, was to fuel up in Kapaa for another highly-recommended activity- biking the Ke Ala Hele Makalae Path. Having already forced K to park the car a few times during our short drive from the heli tour office to Kapaa to recover and even nap one time as an effect of the bodily stress, I was in no shape to get sporty again. 😅 With a spontaneous change of plans aimed at relaxing for the rest of the day, reinforcements were in order. All of the many yummy hydration options at Kauai Juice Co. were much appreciated, and some fresh Mahi Mahi at El Taco Feliz helped bring the energy back. If you do end up fitting the scenic coastal bike ride into your visit, bike rentals are right in Kapaa. Just make sure to plan carefully as the rental shops have limited hours.

Kapaa is the biggest town in Kauai, with it’s ‘downtown’ right on the Kuhio Highway and a great hub for eats, drinks and shopping any time of the day. It’s charming like most Hawaiian towns, with colorful fruit stands dotting the sidewalk, chic boutiques with the prettiest resort wear, souvenir stores beckoning- but with a typical lazy pace uniting all of the businesses. Most importantly for you and me the visitor, it is pretty centrally located east-side between the north and south, which meant that we were repeat Kapaa visitors on our way to various sights. On this afternoon though, we took it all in while slowly walking around my recuperating self, and really enjoyed it. ❤️

Some other fun places to dip into while in Kapaa- Mermaid’s Cafe for yummy Thai food, Java Kai’s Mac Nut Latte is a must (OMG the number of times we made a Mac Nut Latte pitstop 🙈), Pono Market in my Day 1 recap is worth mentioning again, and the Bamboo Works store has the prettiest home decor to take back. 🥰

3. Moloa’a Beach

With a whole half-day to kill while I struggled to look alive still, we took Gypsy Guide’s suggestion to check out another locals’ haunt - Moloa’a Beach. The peaceful impromptu beach day ended up doing the trick! Turns out that a few hours on firm ground reverses all of the airsick symptoms.😛 While the beach is beautiful and well worth visiting for its own sake, Moloa’a has one other main attraction in the killer smoothies/bowls/vibes situation at Moloa’a Sunrise Juice Bar. After our first stop on this day for some beachside coconut water, we went back two more times to get smoothie bowls! It really is that good.😍 The cafe is right off of Kuhio Highway, so there’s no excuse to miss it.

Day 3 in West Kauai

It’s worth planning a full day in Kauai’s southwest, because it’s home to the spectacular Waimea Canyon and then some. Because the island is small, the Kuhio Highway conveniently connects even the North Shore to Waimea Canyon is about an hour. Convenient, I know. 🙌🏽

But first, we made a Java Kai breakfast stop in Kapa’a for Mac Nut lattes. Obvs.

Pro tip: Make sure to account for traffic related slowdowns on the Highway. It’s not uncommon to find major delays during rush hour or due to accidents on the highway!

1.Visit Hanapepe

The drive to Waimea Canyon is the perfect opportunity to experience one of my all time favorite Hawaiian towns- Hanapepe. The adorable town is charming beyond words, with a few art galleries and restaurants sprinkled along the main street. The inspiration for Lilo & Stitch’s hometown, Hanapepe has a still-operational suspension bridge from 1910 that’s worth quickly strolling on. We also got sandwiches to-go for our Waimea Canyon hike from Midnight Bear Breads, which ended up being one of my favorite meals of the entire trip! 🤤

2. Explore Waimea Canyon State Park

When I tell you that I have no words to describe this place.🥲 If this landmark Hawaiian scene isn’t on your bucket list yet, it deserves to be! 14 miles long, 1 mile wide and 3600 feet deep, the layered gorges that make up the aptly nicknamed Grand Canyon of the Pacific stretch as far as the eye can see in dramatic shades of orange and red. Getting into Waimea, make sure to plan for some scenic stops along Highway 550 heading into the Park including at the Mars-like Red Dirt Waterfall. The road ends at the parking lot of the Waimea Canyon Lookout (equipped with restrooms). After ogling the views here to your heart’s content, you can choose one of many trailheads to hike into Waimea Canyon State Park and it’s connected neighbor, Koke’e State Park. The two most popular trails are the moderately hard Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls and the more difficult Awa’awapuhi Trail. With about 4 hours at our disposal, we did the former hike and the verdict- 100% recommend. 👍🏽 The 3.6mi trail is quintessential Kauai with rainforests & open canyon views, ending at the beautiful 800 ft Waipoo Falls. Is there anything better than dipping your tired feet into cool freshwater after a hike? I think not.❤️

3. Waimea town

Right at the base of Waimea Canyon is the small town of Waimea, which makes for a great pitstop for sustenance before or after hitting up the Park. If you decide to go there, you must stop at Coconut Corner- a small unassuming fruit shop that had the sweetest, juiciest (Kent) mangoes ever! I think that, between K and I, we polished off about 5 whole containers of them. 🤤

4. Anahola Beach

A sunset a day, and this time, at another locals’ secret in the little town of Anahola. Tired and ready to relax after the day of adventure, we brought traditional Hawaiian plate meal take-out dinners from Konohiki Seafoods and settled in on the sand at this pretty, private beach for another beautiful evening watching the sun fade over the water. 💖

Day 4 on the North Shore

After a few days driving up and down the Kuhio Highway, it was time to focus on the sights closer to our home in Princeville on the North Shore. And sights, there are many. ❤️ Princeville is the North Shore’s affluent resort town, with golf courses, condos and big resorts taking up most space. The small community plaza- Princeville Center- has main public services and a few private businesses, but really, most other things are just easily found down the road in the neighboring city of Hanalei. Hanalei is the economic center of the North Shore with the strange contrast of pricey beachfront houses and earthy taro fields. It’s a very vibesy town, for lack of a better description, probably as a result of being labeled as hip a few years ago by Vogue. A must if you’re there is breakfast, brunch or even just coffee at Hanalei Bread Co. The line often gets really long, so make sure to plan ahead. The day we were there, the line was spilling into the main street, so we grabbed coffee to go and had smoothie breakfasts instead at the cutest Wishing Well Shave Ice. Other Hanalei recommendations include Ama and Tahiti Nui, both previously mentioned on Day 1. There are also lots of little boutiques and stores to browse, our favorite being this one vintage store right next to Ama where K found the coolest vintage Hawaiian shirt! 🌺

1. Hanalei Pier

The main attraction in Hanalei is it’s gorgeous coastline, easy access to which is available at Hanalei Pier. Stunning views of the mountain ranges in the Nāpali Coast aside, the water at the beach by the pier- Black Pot Beach- was by far the friendliest we saw on the island barring the south shore. At this calm cove-like bay that seemed ideal for families with floats and sand buckets, we strolled the pier with coffees in hand, ogling at the view and greeting the turtles that were chasing the sun in the clear waters.❤️

2. Kalalau Trail on the Na’pali Coast

Onto the main event on our daily agenda and the hike that would end up being my personal favorite highlight of the entire trip! If there’s one trail that’s true Kauai and dare I say, Hawaii, it’s the Kalalau trail in the Nāpali Coast State Park. Getting to the trailhead is most conveniently done by driving upto a park-run shuttle stop not far from central Hanalei in the town of Haena; shuttle passage is reservable online and included park entrance when we visited. The reservation website seemed to update often, so check ahead to be sure of current requirements. The trailhead starts and ends at Ke’e Beach, which acts as an especially convenient rest stop after completing the hike.

The 11.4 mile trail is iconic for its sights and beauty, recommended as a somewhat hard overnight camping event for the average hiker. For those like us preferring a day trip, a shorter, moderately hard 3.5mi portion of the trail to Hanakapi'ai Beach and back is a great option. The hike took us about 6-7h in total, including a ~1h lunch break on the beach. If you’re a nature-lover, I cannot recommend the hike highly enough! The views it offers of the Nāpali coast are rivaled only by an air/boat experience, and walking on the beach taking in the dramatic Jurassic Park-like landscape will always stay with me as a core memory. 🥰

4. Tunnels Beach

Like nearly every guide to Kauai, mine includes Tunnels Beach, because it is the absolute besttt! My favorite beach in Kauai has golden sands, the lush Nāpali Coast mountains that you might have hiked by now as the backdrop and a chill vibe that feels so special. ✨ We were grateful enough to rest our tired limbs in the cool water as it was, but then a golden hour shower rolled through and took it to the next level! The pictures below do no justice to the warm glow that lit up the entire scene, and the feeling of cool raindrops on sweaty skin - heaven was a real place on earth that night. 🥲

Day 5 on the South Shore

Having had a busy four days, our last full day in Kauai needed to follow standard trip planning protocol and be slow, relaxed, sedentary... you get the vibe. The South Shore’s resort-y beaches ended up being perfect for a day of eat. beach. sleep. repeat., but not before a few stops along the way for some final sights that couldn’t be missed.

Hanalei Valley Lookout

Kauai and in particular, Hanalei, has one major agricultural contribution to Hawaii’s economy, and that’s in the traditional turned trendy root vegetable Taro. The aquaculture farms making up Hanalei’s Taro fields stretch all along the lower valley and can be visited with appointments, but if time isn’t your friend, this precious little lookout right near Hanalei town center offers a serene bird’s eye view. If I ever go back to Kauai, I will be visiting the farms to learn about the sustainable practices growing all of our favorite starchy veggie. 💜

2. King Kong’s Profile

It was supposed to be a momentary stop at a popular Kauai photo destination, until it ended up becoming one of those lovely spontaneous local experiences that a traveler always hopes for but doesn’t know how to get. We had just parked on this Anahola town street, with it’s iconic backdrop of Mount Kalalea (dubbed as King King’s Profile for the shape of its outline), and I was prancing around for the camera as is customary, when a woman and her husband at the house opposite our car stepped over to us. There I was sweating a bit, both out of physical exertion jumping up & down in island heat and nervousness from anticipating a scolding from locals. Unnecessary nerves, of course, because the next thing we knew, we were being invited in and fed golden, juicy mangoes straight from their farm on site. As if that wasn’t nice enough, they then led us in to a photo setup straight out of luxury Instagram- a bathtub placed against the perfect view of the mountain- and left us there with fruits on hand and free reign to shoot.🥭 A chat afterward revealed that they were in the early stages of getting The Homestead in Anahola ready, and we had inadvertantly stumbled upon a preview of it! Make sure to check it out if you’re game for a luxe farmstay, it was so beautiful.😍

3. Wailua Falls

Another short stop if you’re out east near the airport/Lihue is the stunning ~170 ft tall Wailua Falls, which may look familiar if you’ve watched the opening credits of Fantasy Island. Seeing a rainbow across and at the base of the Falls isn’t uncommon, and daring adventurers like my husband can hike the short but unpaved path to it’s head against their spouse’s recommendation. Spot tiny K in the first photo below!

4. Koloa

Close to the South Shore is the charming center of Old Koloa Town and I don’t know what it was about strolling through the small, quiet row of storefronts that had me feeling quite emotional. Koloa comes a close second to Hanapepe on my favorite Kauai towns list- it’s a must stop if you’re in the area. 🥰

5. Poipu Beach

Kauai’s South Shore is well favored by families and resort goers, for it’s friendly waters and majority-sunny weather. Naturally, this makes the area busy and commercially viable, with restaurants, shopping and water activities aplenty. For those like us who prefer the North Shore’s quiet character over the South Shore’s touristy hubbub, this type of short day trip to the area combined with some other nearby attractions may be the way to go. A fabulous smoothie bowl lunch was had first at Anake’s Juice Bar (where you can also buy any beach supplies as it’s inside a department store), and we swung by the very cool Nakalele Blowhole on the way to Poipu Beach, where we spent a few happy hours sunbathing until sunset. Despite having dinner options aplenty, we chose to drive into Lihue on the way back North that night, for a must-eat on the island- Saimin. Hamura Saimin came highly recommended as a traditional, no-frills Saimin spot, and it felt very much like we were part of the local fabric as we sat amongst others at the community style tables and slurped on the hot soupy noodles. 🥰 Note that it’s cash only.

Day 6 Revisiting Favorites

With a late afternoon flight on our calendars, we spent our last morning in Kauai driving on now-familiar roads, stopping at spots we’d noticed in days prior without having the time to pause. I see this set of photos as an ad for Kauai’s Garden Isle moniker, the lush roadside jungles feeling so alive that you start to feel like Jane or Tarzan about to swing on the rope vines hanging from the trees, even if your rental car sits just a minute away. ❤️

Hope you enjoyed this recap of our favorite Hawaiian island, and that it helps plan your trip sometime!

Thank you for reading and have a great weekend ahead!
XO Sushmitha :)

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6 Days in Kauai, Hawaii: Our Travel Highlights

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