Things To Do on Kauai Island

An 11-mile trail through the heart of the island, the Kalalau Trail has to be one of the worlds most stunning hikes.

The Kalalau Trail will take you directly through some of the Kauai's finest coastline and rugged scenery. You will pass by Ke'e Beach and Kalalau Beach as you progress down the coast.

The only way to access this secluded part of the island is through this trail. The 11-mile hike should take around a full day, and it's worth a day on your itinerary.

Hawaii is famous for its incredible beaches, and Kauai doesn't disappoint in that aspect. Anini Beach is a must-visit if you're in Kauai.

The beach will greet you with pristine blue waters and clean white sand. This beach allows visitors to camp, and it's excellent for snorkelling, swimming, and relaxing.

It's a great beach for water activities such as windsurfing and paddleboarding. But be aware, the sea can be rough on high surf, so always take precautions as there are no lifeguards at this beach.

Located in Kauai's gorgeous North Shore, you can find the Princeville Botanic Gardens. It is home to some of the most diverse collections of flowers in Hawai.

The Princeville Botanical Gardens is a family run garden that opened in 2001. You will find everything from rare to endangered flowers, to native and canoe plants.

There are a variety of tours in the gardens, such as a chocolate tour and a wine tour that is very popular with guests.

When people think of Hawaii, they often think of secluded waterfalls. And Wailua Falls is a fantastic option for anyone who loves a refreshing, beautiful waterfall.

The waterfall became famous from the long-running TV show named Fantasy Island. The waterfall is very easily accessible via road, and you don't have crazy treks to get there. The height of the waterfall is around 200 foot and offers superb photo opportunities.

If you travel here in the morning, the waterfall may even greet you with a beautiful rainbow.

Located at 4000 foot above sea level, the Kalalau Lookout is the quintessential Hawaii view. The lookout will reward you with some of the most incredible views in the world.

The lookout has been in Hollywood movies such as Jurassic Park, Six Days Seven Nights, and Mighty Joe Young. It is one of the most recognised views in Hawaii.

The great thing about this lookout is there is no monstrous hike to get there. Instead, you can drive right up to the top and marvel in the world-class views.

The largest bay on the North Shore of Kauai, Hanalei Bay is an excellent option if you want a day out at the beach.

Visitors know the beach for its beautiful blue waters, surrounding scenic mountains, and pristine surfing waves. And you can enjoy various activities at this beautiful beach, such as paddle boarding and swimming.

The beach is two miles long and is easily accessible from the town of Princeville, only a 5-minute drive away.

A beautiful tide pool near Princeville, this is a must-visit in the summer months. It's a 10-minute hike down to the ground.

This natural pool that a lava shelf created is one of the most popular attractions on the island. The best time to visit the Queen's Bath is in the summer months. It can be highly dangerous to see during the winter months with dangerous waves prevalent. It's not unusual for people to get into difficulty from rogue waves.

However, if you are careful and read the forecast, then you should be fine. It is a beautiful spot.

Situated on the Kīlauea Point of the island, this lighthouse is a fantastic attraction on the island of Kauai.

During the whale season, from December to May, it's common to see Whales from this lighthouse. But not only do you get to see the world's most giant animals sometimes, but you also get to see breathtaking views of the coast.

There are various guided tours on offer from fantastic tour guides that will detail the history of the lighthouse and educate you on the local nature.

A beach that was named America's most fantastic beach by the travel channel, Poipu Beach is the dream beach that springs to mind when you think of Hawaii.

There are so many activities you can do if you're on the beach, such as snorkelling around some of the beautiful local fish. Poipu has a sand spit in the beach extending from an island to the shore. It’s called a tombolo, and it's one of the only formations like this in the whole world.

And if you love to see endangered wildlife, you can spot the Hawaiian Monk Seals who are often relaxing on the beach. A great sight!

If you want to learn about the history of the island, you should visit the Kauai Museum. The museum is inside a lava rock structure, and it showcases the rich history of the island.

In the museum, you can see a vast array of local art collections which include the work of multi-cultural artists and craftsmen. If you want to know the history behind the geological formation of the island, there are excellent exhibitions on this.

You can observe exhibitions of how Captain Cook first came to the island, along with information on the Hawaiian monarchy.

Do you love rum? If so, you should give Koloa Rum Company a visit. This distillery is the first time in history that a distillery brews rum on the island.

You can visit the distillery and try the selection of jams, jellies, rum fudge sauce, and rum cakes. The award-winning rums use local ingredients such as cane sugar and pure mountain rainwater.

Rum tastings take place all day long, and it's a great place to taste Hawaii's premium rums.

After a two hour hike, you will be at one of the island's finest waterfalls. The Hanakapiai Falls are a 300-foot waterfall that is a fantastic thing to see on the island.

The trail to the waterfalls is superb, and you can get here from the famous Kalalau Trail. Once you reach Ke'e Beach, you can then choose to do a 4-mile round hike to these beautiful waterfalls, and many travellers recommend it.

The hike can be strenuous at times, but the waterfalls reward you with a wonderfully refreshing swim and perfect photograph opportunities.

Situated on Lydgate Farms is a high-quality chocolate maker that uses the great cacao on the farm to create the best chocolate in Kauai.

Not only does this farm offer superb chocolate, they even grow award-winning honey and vanilla. If you choose to visit this 46-acre farm, the farms offer guided tours where they will show you the process of how they produce their chocolate.

After you've toured this fifth-generation farm, you can visit the chocolate shop which offers a selection of chocolate gifts and souvenirs that are perfect for friends and family.

Do you want to be away from people and immersed in nature? If so, the name of this one gives it away. Secret Beach is a phenomenal secluded beach that spans 2 miles.

You can access the beach via a steep hike that is tricky at times. The hike is unmarked, but you can see the beach from the road, and navigate yourself down from here. The beach is quite the secret, and if you come early in the morning, you will likely be the only one walking down the coast.

Currents are powerful, and there are no lifeguards, and the locals don't recommend swimming here. But it's superb for a quiet relaxing in seclusion.

There are so many unbelievable hikes in Kauai Island, but one of the best is the Sleeping Giant Trail. This trail leads you up to the Nounou Mountain, and you will hike through a forest with superb views.

If you want great exercise, this moderate trail is perfect. It's steep and narrow at times, and there are some points where you must be careful because there are massive drops.

The entire trail is 5.1km, and it's worth every bit of effort.

If you're looking for incredible nature, this island is one of the most diverse in the world. The island will bless you with incredible hikes, scenery, nature, beaches. When you think of Hawaii, you think of stunning scenery, and Kauai island will give you exactly that.