Aloha! While planning our trip to Hawaii we had a really hard time deciding which ones of the 9 islands to visit first, but we knew from the very beginning that Kauai was going to be one of them.
It takes just a quick search on Google for photos from this island to have you convinced in seconds that this is a place you really must visit!
Kauai is famously named the Garden Island of Hawaii, and from the minute you step out of the airport you can tell why. The whole island looks like a well-maintained luxurious botanical garden, so lush and green and…unbelievable. The scenery changes constantly from green tall forests, red canyons and wild beaches to breathtaking coasts…the kind you see in the Jurassic Park movies, because yes…they were filmed there.
If you are looking for a beach only destination so you can enjoy a cocktail under the sun, Kauai is not the place for you, but if you feel adventurous and like hiking and exploring, keep reading and you will not be disappointed.

There are hundreds of things to do on this incredible island, the majority of them being hiking trails, but to get to see them all not even a month would be enough. Here are the things we enjoyed most and believe that you cannot miss.

 

Take a helicopter ride
If there is only one thing you will get to do on this island is the helicopter ride! I can say that without a doubt this was the most amazing thing I have done in my entire life. Words cannot describe how incredible this was and photos don’t do it justice, but for the entire hour we were flying I had a large smile on my face and I was blissfully in awe.
The tour takes you on a trip around the island, through the Waimea Canyon, above the huge and incredible Na Pali Coast and my favorite part, inside the volcano that formed this island. Can you imagine being inside of a million years old volcano where several waterfalls have formed in the meantime and being so close to them that you get soaked? Trust me, I have a huge imagination and still I was blown out of my mind.
We took the doors off tour as this is definitely the best way to get the whole incredible experience.
However, if you get motion sickness easily, this might not be for you. Although the flight is pretty smooth it will turn you around in order to see the whole island and this might make you nauseous.


Awa'awapuhi Trail
Not many travel guides will tell you about this one and honestly I don’t understand why. We were fortunate enough to find out about it from the host we were staying at and we are sure glad we took her advice.
Unlike other trails in Kauai this is more of a walk than a trail, however it is 3.25 miles long so it will take a while to get there. The trail ends with an amazing view of the Na Pali Coast, this coast being one of the most overwhelming things I have seen in my life so far! It’s hard to comprehend the immensity of it, but when a helicopter tour will get there and will look like a tiny toy, you will get the idea.
Getting there is pretty easy as the trail descends slowly through the jungle, however returning home is a bit difficult as you have to walk all the way back up, so you might want to return home while there is still light outside.


Waimea Canyon
Did you know that Mark Twain named this place the Grand Canyon of the Pacific? Well…for good reason. There are several trails that you can take to explore it, none of them will disappoint.


Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail
This is a fun and easy trail that takes you along the coast and offers some beautiful views of the ocean.


Wailua Falls
Prepare to get muddy and then wet! Getting to this place requires a short hike, however most of the times the trail is muddy as there is a small river that also flows on the trail. The fall changes appearance easily, depending if it rained or not the day before. If there was no rain for too long the waterfall gets smaller and therefore not that impressive.


Hanalei town and Hanalei Beach
There are several heritage little town on the island, but for some reason our favorite was Hanalei. There are a lot of cute shops and food trucks that give a …let’s say cute vibe to the town.
The beach is not bad, although is a bit touristy and more for surfing, therefore can get easily crowded.