Kauai

The Na Pali Coast

The Na Pali Coast on Kauai's north shore is one of the most spectacular coastlines on earth — seventeen miles of sea cliffs rising up to 4,000 feet directly from the Pacific, carved by five million years of erosion into fluted ridges, deep valleys and sea caves. There are no roads along the coast. Access is by boat, kayak or on foot via the Kalalau Trail. It is one of those landscapes that photographs are completely inadequate to describe, which is why it has been used as a film location for Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Pirates of the Caribbean, Avatar and many others.

The boat tour from the Port Allen Small Boat Harbor on the south shore or from Hanalei Bay on the north shore is the most accessible way to see the coast. Catamaran tours run along the full length of the cliffs, entering sea caves and stopping for snorkelling at Nualolo Kai, a protected cove below the cliffs inaccessible by any other means. Book well in advance — the Na Pali boat tours sell out far ahead in summer. Morning tours give calmer conditions; afternoon tours can be rough in the channel.

The Kalalau Trail begins at Ke'e Beach at the end of the north shore road and runs eleven miles along the cliffs to Kalalau Beach. The first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach are the most accessible and give genuine Na Pali views without requiring an overnight permit. The full trail to Kalalau requires a camping permit and is one of the more demanding hikes in Hawaii — multiple river crossings, exposed cliff sections and no reliable water sources without treatment. It is also one of the most extraordinary wilderness experiences in the Pacific.

Sea kayaking along the Na Pali Coast in summer — when the north shore is calm — is the most intimate way to experience the cliffs. The paddle from Ke'e Beach to Kalalau Beach takes around six hours one way in good conditions. Multiple outfitters in Hanalei rent kayaks and run guided trips. This is a serious undertaking requiring a reasonable level of fitness and experience — the conditions can change quickly and the cliffs offer no shelter.

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon on Kauai's west side is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific — ten miles long, a mile wide and up to 3,600 feet deep, with layers of red, orange and green volcanic rock exposed by the Waimea River over millions of years. The scale is genuinely comparable to the Grand Canyon and the combination of the red rock with the tropical vegetation growing in the canyon floor and on the ridges creates a landscape that looks unlike anywhere else on earth.

The Waimea Canyon Drive and Kokee Road lead from the coastal town of Waimea up through the canyon to the Kokee State Park plateau at around 4,000 feet. Multiple overlooks along the road give views into the canyon — the Waimea Canyon Lookout and the Pu'u Ka Pele Lookout are the best. The Kalalau Lookout at the end of the road gives views down through the clouds to the Na Pali Coast far below on the north shore — one of the most dramatic viewpoints in Hawaii on a clear day.

The Kokee State Park plateau at the top of the canyon has excellent hiking trails through native forest and is one of the best places in Hawaii to see endemic birds, including the Kauai elepaio and the pueo (Hawaiian short-eared owl). The Kokee Lodge serves simple meals and is a useful pit stop. Bring warm layers — the plateau is significantly cooler than the coast and rain is frequent.

The North Shore — Hanalei and beyond

The north shore of Kauai is the most scenically dramatic inhabited coastline in Hawaii. The Hanalei Valley, seen from the overlook on Highway 56 descending from the north plateau, is a wide green bowl of taro fields and wetlands backed by cathedral ridges with waterfalls streaming from their faces after rain. It is one of the most beautiful views in the Pacific and visible from the road.

Hanalei Bay is a wide, crescent-shaped bay backed by the mountains of the interior, with one of the finest beaches in Hawaii along its length. The town of Hanalei is small, charming and almost entirely free of the chain businesses that dominate resort areas elsewhere in Hawaii. Tahiti Nui, the historic bar and restaurant, has been a Hanalei institution since 1963. Wishing Well shave ice — made with fresh fruit syrups rather than artificial flavours — is the best in Hawaii.

The road beyond Hanalei continues through a series of one-lane bridges — each requiring a wait for oncoming traffic — to Haena State Park and Ke'e Beach, the end of the road and the start of the Kalalau Trail. Haena State Park requires a parking reservation in advance at gohaena.com during the busy season; the number of visitors is strictly controlled to protect the area.

Tunnels Beach, just before Haena, is one of the finest snorkelling sites on the north shore — a broad reef system in a protected bay with exceptional fish life and frequent green sea turtle encounters. Access is via a rough dirt road; arrive early as the small car park fills quickly.

The South Shore — Poipu

Poipu on the south coast is the driest and sunniest part of Kauai and the main resort area — the south shore sits in the rain shadow of the central mountains and receives significantly less rainfall than the north shore. Poipu Beach Park is a family-friendly beach with a natural pool formed by a sand bar, excellent for children and safe swimming. The Hawaiian monk seal — one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, with a population of around 1,500 — hauls out regularly on the Poipu beaches and is one of the most remarkable wildlife encounters available without getting in the water.

Spouting Horn, a lava tube blowhole on the rocky coast near Poipu, sends columns of spray up to fifty feet into the air with each wave — the accompanying hiss and roar is impressive and the site is free to visit from the small car park above the coast. The Allerton and McBryde Gardens of the National Tropical Botanical Garden are nearby and worth a half-day for anyone with an interest in tropical plants and extraordinary garden design.

Getting around Kauai

A hire car is essential on Kauai. The island has no meaningful public transport and the distances between the north and south shores — around an hour in good conditions — require a car to manage properly. The single-lane bridges on the north shore road are the main traffic bottleneck; patience is required during busy periods.

The north and south shores have entirely different characters and weather. Many visitors try to stay in the middle — Kapaa or Lihue — to access both, though this means neither area is particularly close. Consider splitting accommodation between a north shore base for hiking and a south shore base for beach days if your itinerary allows it.

When to visit

The north shore of Kauai is one of the wettest places on earth — Mount Waialeale in the centre of the island receives an average of 460 inches of rain per year. This is what has produced the extraordinary green landscape and the waterfalls. Rain on the north shore is frequent and the Na Pali boat tours are cancelled regularly in winter due to high surf and sea conditions. The most reliable weather for Na Pali boat access is May through September. The south shore is significantly drier year-round and remains pleasant even in the wetter months.