If you love white sand beaches and epic mountain views, you are going to love the Hawaiian island of Kauai. From the legendary Na Pali Coast to the hidden-gem beaches, here are the top 10 things to do in Kauai, Hawaii.
Helicopter Tour Over Na Pali Coast
We faced our fears and took a helicopter tour over the Na Pali Coast of Kauai (the iconic jagged Jurassic Park mountains), and it was hands-down the best tour I’ve ever done in my life. We got to fly over an 800-foot waterfall, explore coastline areas that aren’t accessible even by foot, and see the entire island of Kauai in 50 minutes.
Plus, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters had their tours down to a tee. From check-in to the safety briefing to the actual flight, the whole tour was seamless from start to finish. The pilot even explained turbulence in flight so that no one was worried about the occasional bumps. This tour company is perfect for people with flight anxiety.
Boat Tour Around Na Pali Coast
Our whole group agreed that our Na Pali Coast zodiac boat tour was one of the highlights of our entire year. We took the Na Pali Coast Morning Adventure raft tour with Go Blue Adventures and loved every minute. The tour includes a round-trip boat ride to and from the Na Pali Coast, wildlife sighting (we saw dozens of dolphins and sea turtles), snorkeling, Hawaiian snacks and more. I highly recommend you take the tour in the morning because you’ll have the best chance for calmer waves and active marine life.
Kalalau Trail
I cannot complete this list of the top 10 things to do in Kauai, Hawaii, without including the infamous Kalalau Trail. Hiking the Kalalau Trail is one of the only ways to experience the Na Pali Coast, and the views are priceless. However, you must be an avid hiker up for the challenge. The Kalalau Trail hike spans a whopping 19.8 miles with over 6500 feet of elevation gain and takes an average of 12.5 hours to complete.
Pihea Vista Trail
Alternatively, we found a much easier, safer, shorter and lesser-known version of the Kalalau Trail: the Pihea Vista Trail. As mentioned, most people have heard of the notorious Kalalau Trail to get a view like this of the Na Pali Coast, but there’s a much easier and quicker way to do so.
The hidden-gem trail is the Pihea Vista Trail on the Na Pali Coast of Kauai, and the views do not disappoint. You get very similar views to the Kalalau Trail, but in a fraction of the time and elevation gain. Pihea Vista Trail will cost you just 4.4 miles or less of hiking, and a mere 715 feet of elevation gain maximum, making it an easy-to-moderate hike.
To find the Pihea Vista Trail, start at the Kalalau Lookout and walk through the gates at the end of the lookout parking lot. There’s about a mile walk on paved road until you get to Pu’u O Kila Lookout. Just to the right of Pu’u O Kila Lookout, you’ll see the Pihea Trail trailhead. Take this hike as far or as short as you want to get incredible Na Pali Coast views like this.
Tunnels Beach
Although popular, Tunnels Beach is one of the prettiest beaches on Kauai, and, therefore, is a must-visit. This beach should be at the top of your list for Kauai beaches, as it boasts white sand, pristine clear water, and a reef barrier for snorkeling and safety. Tunnels Beach’s most notable feature, though, is the giant green mountains that tower over the coast. This beach is in my top 5 best beach views I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot because I’ve been to Bora Bora, Tahiti and the Maldives.
Anini Beach
Anini Beach is hands-down the best hidden gem on Kauai. When researching things to do in Kauai before our trip, I never read anything about Anini Beach. The only reason we stopped at Anini Beach was because it was recommended by our Shaka Guide audio tour, which I’ll tell you about next. But, I am so glad we stopped at this beach because the water clarity is unbeatable. This is the only beach that I have visited in Hawaii that truly rivals the Maldives. The water is perfectly clear and calm. The sand is soft and perfectly white. Plus, the water was fairly shallow when we were there, making it a great beach for families. Some of the people in our group also saw a large sea turtle, so bring your goggles and keep your eyes peeled.
Shaka Guide Audio Tours
If you will have access to a car during your Kauai trip, I highly recommend downloading the Shaka Guide app and purchasing at least one Shaka Guide Kauai tour, if not the bundle. In essence, the Shaka Guide app is an audio tour app that connects with your phone’s GPS to give you detailed audio tours, travel guides and directions as you drive around Kauai. We purchased the Kauai audio tour bundle, which allowed us to see all of the best sights, such as Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali coast, plus hidden gems like Anini Beach, without having to do much research prior to our trip. I could not recommend this app enough.
See Sea Turtles At Poipu Beach
Believe it or not, at Poipu Beach, sea turtles make their way onto the sand to sleep every night at sunset. While the actual beach here is crowded and a little overrated in my honest opinion, it’s so worthwhile to come here at sunset just to see the turtles. While, of course, there’s no guarantee that the turtles will come every night, there are beach staff members/volunteers who routinely place cones around the beach to keep tourists away, expecting the turtles to arrive.
Waimea Canyon
As briefly mentioned earlier, Waimea Canyon is easily one of the top 10 things to do in Kauai, Hawaii. Nicknamed “the Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon offers epic red rock canyons etched into the island and features a variety of impressive waterfalls that spill into it. If you download any one Shaka Guide Kauai tour, I suggest choosing the Waimea And Na Pali Driving Tour, as you’ll get the chance to see all of the best Waimea Canyon and Na Pali Coast viewpoints in one day.
Red Dirt Falls
In addition to Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast, you will also get a chance to see the otherworldly Red Dirt Falls on the Shaka Guide Waimea And Na Pali Driving Tour. As the name suggests, Red Dirt Falls is a small-yet-stunning waterfall that pours over Martian red dirt. Red Dirt Falls is located on the side of the road near Waimea Canyon State Park. It’s a short Kauai road trip stop that is definitely worth pulling over to witness. The best park? No hiking required.
What To Skip In Kauai
Now that you know the top 10 things to do in Kauai, Hawaii, it’s worth noting that there are a few popular spots on the island that I personally think you can skip, especially in comparison to the incredible destinations listed above. Of course, these are just my personal opinions. These places are still beautiful. You’re on Kauai, after all! In my opinion, you can…
Skip Poipu Beach and go to Anini Beach or Lyndgate Beach Park instead. Skip Hanalei Bay and go to Tunnels Beach instead. However, whatever you do, do not skip the Na Pali Coast or Waimea Canyon, even if that just means you only peak at the lookouts.
More Kauai, Hawaii, Travel Guides
How To Fly To Hawaii For Free
Hawaii Packing Carry On Only: What To Bring & What To Skip (Vlog)
Bora Bora Vs Hawaii: Complete Guide To Your Dream Trip
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