Lush rainforests, striking waterfalls and exotic scenery are what awaits you in Kauai, the fourth largest of the main islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. One of the wettest spots on earth is located on the east side of Mount Wai'ale'ale. The heavy rainfall has eroded deep valleys into the mountains, carving out some of the world's most scenic canyons like Waimea Canyon. As well, Kauai offers you sandy beaches and an incredible choice of outdoor activities for you and your family to enjoy.
Sun, Sand and Sea
Fifty miles of white sandy beaches ring the island of Kauai. On the north shore, you'll find 'Anini Beach, one of the most protected expanses of sand on the island as Hawaii's longest reef runs along the entire length of the beach. The sandy lagoon at Ke'e Beach is the most popular beach on Kauai. While here, you can take a walk along the shoreline or go snorkeling. Kauai's central Pacific location provides some of the largest waves on the planet breaking on its shores. Visit Hanalei Beach for great surfing and boogie boarding.
Snuba
Kauai's lagoons and reefs are teeming with tropical fish. Snuba will allow you to get a tad deeper in the water than snorkeling, allowing for a better view of marine life. You must be at least 8 years old to snuba and possess basic swimming skills. Snuba allows you to breathe underwater through an air line, connected to a scuba tank mounted on a raft that follows your every movement. Snuba tours are led by experienced divers, who'll help you find marine life hiding in corals and rocks.
Hiking
Waimea Canyon is ten miles long, 3,600 feet deep and 2 miles wide, and colored deep red, green and brown by different volcanic flow over the centuries. You can visit Waimea Canyon State Park or Koke'e State Park to access more than two dozen hiking trails with views of Waimea Canyon. Your family will enjoy the views at the Pihea lookout at the end of the 2.1-mile Pihea Trail in Kokee State Park. While hiking through a rainforest at Halelea Forest Preserve in the eastern region of the island, you'll see exotic plants and birds.
Tours
Local outfitters offer you every kind of adventure imaginable. You can take a kayak tour along Wailua River, Kauai's longest tropical river. Also, you can take a whale watching adventure aboard a catamaran that departs from the volcanic cliffs of the Na Pali coast. Your family is bound to enjoy a Kauai horseback adventure that leads you through the jungle to a secluded waterfall. Don a headlamp, grab a tube and go fluming down the ditches of an old sugar plantation's irrigation system through open canals and tunnels on a mountain tubing tour.
Biking
Kaiau's flat roads make it easy to pedal around the island. For a scenic ride, your family can cycle the old cane lane between Kealia Beach and Anahola. Bike the whole ten miles or simply a portion of the Koloa Heritage Trail. Interesting stops along the way include Spouting Horn in Po'ipu, a natural blowhole that spurts water 50 feet into the air. The best time to view the salt water spray is at sunset, when the water takes on the hues of the rainbow.
Member Comments