Kauai is all about adventure, zip line tours, helicopters, kayaking, and lots of exciting things. One of the great things about visiting Kauai is all the diverse types of nature that are here. It starts with the beaches around the whole island but quickly it goes from beaches to a pine forest. The diversity of nature and how quickly it changes from desert to beach to pine trees is quite amazing. Here are the top things to do in Kauai, Hawaii.
Waimea Canyon
The biggest attraction on the islands of Kauai is the Waimea Canyon. It is not only the biggest in size but one of the most popular. The eruptions of the volcano, the different layers of sediment, and different eruptions by the volcano created this Canyon. Mark Twain is commonly considered to have called it the Grand Canyon of the Pacific though he actually never visited Kauai but that’s the island Legend. Ensure you make it to the last lookout at mile marker 19, the views here are breathtaking. You can see the undeveloped, coastline, the soaring mountains, and the valley down below. If you are into hiking, Waimea has lots of great hiking paths as well. Make sure you bring shoes you don’t care about all that much because the path can get pretty muddy.
Wailua Falls
he second biggest attraction in Kauai is waterfalls it rains a lot here and so there are a lot of waterfalls. The coolest waterfall that’s really easy to get to is the Wailua Falls. This waterfall is really cool because you can get up very close to them and you can feel and hear the waterfall. This waterfall at 173 feet is actually taller than Niagara Falls though not quite as much water coming off of them. Back in ancient times, people used to jump off these waterfalls as a test of manhood. While it is possible to get up real close to the falls or down to the bottom, technically it is not allowed. So if you are a city slicker just stay at the observatory where it’s safe and dry.
Spouting Horn Park
If you like blow holes check out the Spouting Horn Park. There are five different blow holes here and there’s an observatory to see it. It makes a moaning sound when it sports and the moaning sound is an ode to the Hawaiian legend that a lizard once guarded this part of Kauai. So that’s the sound of the lizard that guards this part of Kauai. There’s also a little flea market selling trinkets and souvenirs, you can check that out though you might find better souvenirs on other parts of the island.
Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail
For a cool coastal hike on the South Shore of Kauai check out the Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail. It’s just next to the Grand Hyatt Kauai and here you can hike along the coast and see the undeveloped Kauai coast. By the way, it also is pretty windy in Kauai they have pretty big trade winds so be prepared to be blown a bit. Well, the nice part about the hiking trail here is that it is right next to the coast, and the wind keeps it cool and there’s actually a decent amount of shade on it.
Kalapaki Beach
Kalapaki Beach in front of the Kauai Marriott is a popular beach that is fairly protected for the water. This is a great place to swim as there are not too many currents here. It is also a really popular place for stand-up paddleboarding. There are several other restaurants and shops right in this area as well. It is a big wide sandy beach, pretty peaceful, and open to all.
