Cos’s Travel Blog

How to Get to Kauai Hawaii and What to Do in Kauai Hawaii

Kauai the Garden Isle

Kauai is known as “The Garden Isle” due to its lush landscapes and abundant greenery. This post will explain “How to Get to Kauai, Hawaii,” and provide information about “What to do in Kauai, Hawaii.” But first, let’s understand why you should visit Kauai.

Why Visit Kauai

Kauai is a beautiful island in Hawaii known as the “Garden Isle” because of its lush greenery and vibrant flowers. Kauai is the oldest Hawaiian island. While Kauai is a small island compared to the other larger Hawaiian Islands, there is still plenty to do on Kauai. Also, you can easily see the entire island in three days.

Here are some reasons why you should consider visiting Kauai:

Natural Beauty: Kauai is home to some of the most stunning natural attractions in Hawaii, such as the Waimea Canyon, the Napili Coast, and the Wailua River.
Beaches: Kauai has some of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii, including Poipu Beach Park, Hanalei Bay, and Tunnels Beach.
Outdoor Activities: Kauai offers a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, surfing, and snorkeling.
Small-Town Charm: Kauai has maintained a small-town feel while catering to many tourists yearly. Hanapepe Town and Waimea Town are great spots to grab a meal, shop, or explore.
Least Developed Island: Kauai is the least developed of the four main islands that most people visit in Hawaii.
History and Culture: Kauai has a rich history and culture. It can be explored through its museums, historic sites, and cultural events.

How to Get to Kauai Hawaii

To get to Kauai, you can fly into Lihue Airport (LIH), which is Kauai’s main airport. Several airlines offer direct flights from major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Phoenix. Once on the island, renting a car is the best way to explore, though shuttles and guided tours are also available. If you’re island-hopping from another Hawaiian island, inter-island flights are the primary mode of transportation.

Other Options on How to Get to Kauai Hawaii

Two other options are available regarding “How to get to Kauai Hawaii:”

Fly to Honolulu (HNL) from a city either in the United States or other country that doesn’t fly direct into LIH and connect for the short flight from HNL to LIH.
Take a cruise that either travels around the Hawaiian Islands or does a trans-pacific route from the US West Coast.

Cruise ships visiting Kauai typically dock at Nawiliwili Harbor, located near Lihue on the southeastern coast of the island. This is Kauai’s primary cruise port, offering easy access to the island’s stunning landscapes and attractions. One of the most frequent cruise ships stopping in Kauai is Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, which docks at Nawiliwili Harbor as part of its Hawaiian itinerary. Other major cruise lines, including Princess Cruises, also use Nawiliwili Harbor, though in rare cases, ships may divert to Port Allen if weather conditions make Nawiliwili inaccessible.
If you’re planning a cruise stop in Kauai, you’ll find rental car services and excursions available right from the port, making it easy to explore the island’s breathtaking scenery.

Getting Around Kauai

With a visit to Waikiki on Oahu being the only exception, exploring all the Hawaii Islands requires an automobile rental. I would even consider getting one in Waikiki unless you don’t plan to leave the downtown area. We love to rent a convertible during our recent and previous visits to Kauai. Here is a picture of our most recent rental.

Our favorite place to rent a car in Hawaii is Discount Hawaii Car Rental. They will connect you with almost all the island car rental agencies and get you a reasonable price.

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Drive-Along Guide

One of the best ways to find all the great beaches and other places to visit while driving around the island is to get a drive-along guide from Shaka Guides. We used them on our last visit. There were four different tours around Kauai, and it helped us find “What to do in Kauai Hawaii.” You purchase the App, download the tour you want on your phone, and connect your phone to the car radio. The Shaka Guide will help you find all the great places to visit on the island and tell you a lot about the island’s history. Because it’s a GPS based app, the commentary is always related to your current position. You can get the Shaka APP here.

Shaka Guide: Audio Tour Guide

Shaka Guides are very helpful "Car Gadget for Road Trips" to help you find what to do in Hawaii. They have guides for four different trips on the island.of Kauai as well as many trips on the other islands. They also have guides for select places in the USA mainland.

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Cos’s Personal Experience Visiting Kauai

Here is my personal story. The first time I visited the Hawaiian Islands was in 1978. It was my first honeymoon, and as a young career-oriented consultant, I only had ten vacation days to see the Islands as much as possible. And I wanted to see them all. Back then, all the planes from the US mainland only flew to Honolulu on Oahu, the first Island I visited. I knew Maui was extraordinary and wanted to see Kauai, the Garden Isle.
So, on that first trip, I only visited three islands: Oahu, Maui, and Kauai. The Big Island of Hawaii would need to wait until the next trip which wasn’t until much later.
Since the first time I visited the Hawaiian Islands, I have been back around a dozen times. I even made a business trip in the 1990s to meet with business associates from Japan. Back then, before Japan’s financial troubles, Japanese people traveled to Hawaii a lot.
Robin and I got married on Maui in 2021, and we recently made two trips in 2024 and a third in 2025. Hawaii never gets old. Each island is unique, and there is always something new to explore.
Robin and I have been traveling to Asia lately. We made trips in 2023 and 2025. We love stopping in Hawaii for a few days on the way home to break up the long journey from Asia to the East Coast of the USA. Kauai has become a popular travel destination due to increased direct flights from the USA, and our timeshare is conveniently located in Poipu.

What to Do in Kauai Hawaii – Top Ten things to Do

1. Napali Coast: The Napili Coast is a 17-mile expanse of rocky, steep, and oh-so-gorgeous cliffs that stretch along Kauai’s North Shore.
2. Waimea Canyon: Aptly nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” Waimea Canyon should be at the top of every traveler’s itinerary.
3. Poipu Beach Park: Poipu Beach Park is a popular spot for swimming, surfing, and sunbathing. The beach is located on Kauai’s sunny south shore and offers plenty of amenities such as restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and lifeguards.
4. Kilauea Lighthouse: The Kilauea Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on Kauai’s North Shore. It was built in 1913 and is now part of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.
5. Wailua Falls: Wailua Falls is a beautiful waterfall near Lihue on Kauai’s east side. The falls are easily accessible by car and offer stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
6. Hanalei Bay: Hanalei Bay is a beautiful crescent-shaped bay on Kauai’s North Shore. It offers plenty of activities, such as swimming, surfing, kayaking, and paddleboarding.
7. Kalalau Trail: The Kalalau Trail is an 11-mile trail that leads from Ke’e Beach to Kalalau Beach along Kauai’s North Shore. The trail offers stunning views of the Napali Coast and is considered one of the most beautiful hikes in Hawaii.
8. Koke’e State Park: Koke’e State Park is located on Kauai’s west side and offers plenty of hiking trails that lead through some of Hawaii’s most beautiful landscapes.
9. Limahuli Garden and Preserve: Limahuli Garden and Preserve is a botanical garden on Kauai’s north shore. The garden features native Hawaiian plants and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
10. Hanapepe Town: Hanapepe Town is a charming town on Kauai’s south shore. The town features art galleries, shops, restaurants, and historic buildings
Here are our personal recommendations of “What to do in Kauai Hawaii.”

Waimea Canyon

A trip to Kauai is not complete without a visit to Waimea Canyon. Known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, it is truly magnificent. The pictures tell the whole story.

Waterfalls – Kauai the Garden Isle

Waterfalls exist across the Island and are all very impressive. The Waupo’o waterfall in Waimea Canyon is a 190-foot fall. With the Canyon as a backdrop, this is a magnificent view.

Another awe-inspiring waterfall is Wailua Falls. You reach these waterfalls by taking the Maalo Road turn-off from the Kuhio Highway near the center of Lihue.

Opaeka’a Falls is the next beautiful waterfall we recommend you visit. Located in the Wailua Falls general area, it is reached from Kuamoo Road, a turn-off from Kuhio Highway. However, it is further north on the highway, and you enter near the town of Kapaa and not Lihue.

There are several other impressive waterfalls that you can visit, but they all require a bit of hiking to see them. Some of the hikes can be over rough terrain, so make sure you are comfortable with the level of the hike required. Kauai gets a lot of rain in these mountain areas so that the trails can be steep and wet. Be careful.

Sunsets

Given Kauai’s Western position among the Hawaiian Islands, it is obvious that there should be some great places to see sunsets. Our favorite, where this picture was taken, is Merriman’s Restaurant, located on the southern side of Kauai in Poipu.

Beaches – Kauai the Garden isle

Kauai has some great beaches, some with a historic background. Our new favorite is Moloa’s Beach, which became famous as the beach where Gilligan’s Island was filmed. It is a beautiful beach that is well protected as it is part of a horseshoe bay.

Two other favorite beaches closer to where we like to stay in Poipu are Shipwreck Beach and Poipu Beach Park.

Golf

Kauai is a great place to play golf. The Poipu Bay Golf Club is an excellent course on the southern side of the Island. From 1994 to 2006, it was home to the Grand Slam of Golf. Tiger Woods loved the course, as he won the tournament seven times.

Hindu Monastery

You might ask, “What is a Hindu monastery doing on Kauai?” There is a long story about how this came about, and we’ll save it for another day. However, if you want to visit the monastery, you must go before noon, as the temple is only open in the morning. It is in the Wailua Falls general area and is reached from Kuamoo Road.

Best Food on Kauai

Kauai has some great places to get delicious food. Our favorite is Merriman’s in Poipu, which has the best Mai Tais in Hawaii. But other great places also exist. Next door to Merriman’s is Eating House 1849, a history-minded Hawaiian spot by Roy Yamaguchi. The butterfish is a big hit there. There was also a great sign there from a gentleman named Peter Fernandez. Translated to English, it means “Happy Wife, Happy Life”. Helped me work on my Spanish.

There are also some great places to have a lighter meal, such as lunch. Our favorite place was Kalypso in Hanalei, near Princeville, at the island’s northern end.

Best Coffee in Hawaii

Everyone has heard of Kona Coffee on the Big Island, but believe it or not, Kauai Coffee is the largest coffee plantation in Hawaii. It is a great place to visit on the South Shore.

Shopping on Kauai the Garden Isle

There are plenty of places to go shopping in Kauai. The shops focus mainly on tourist gifts. One of our favorites is Hawaiian Dirt Shirts, which came about when the store selling white T-shirts was flooded out and the red dirt from the Waimea Canyon turned the shirts red.

Things to Avoid on Kauai

While there are many things to do on Kauai, two things to avoid are traffic and chickens.

Traffic

Unlike most large cities, Kauai is primarily a rural landscape; even the central town, Lihue, is not very crowded. Nevertheless, virtually all the Kauai roads are two-lane and can get busy at rush hour. The one road that has three lanes in some sections is Kuhio Highway. However, to handle the rush hour traffic, they put cones on a couple of miles of the Kuhio Highway during the morning rush hour to reverse the traffic on the third lane. In addition, some trucks are moving around the island that you don’t want to follow. We got out from behind this one as soon as we took the picture.

Chickens

Kauai’s wild chickens are a fascinating result of history and nature. Hurricanes Iwa (1982) and Iniki (1992) destroyed domestic chicken coops, releasing the birds into the wild. These chickens then interbred with the red junglefowl brought to Hawaii by Polynesian settlers. With no natural predators on the island, their population has grown significantly.
They’ve become a unique part of Kauai’s ecosystem and culture, amusing tourists but sometimes frustrating locals with their crowing and foraging.