Chronicles of On The Road Travel: Kauai Travel Tips

Kauai Travel Tips - Things to Do

OK - so Kauai is not exactly an On The Road Traveler's destination; and it was a bit of a random thing that we ended up spending our holidays there. But since we did and because I can, I figured I would share some pointers for others who might one day find themselves on The Garden Island. For what not to do, check out the second part of this guide.

What To Do

Ask for a window seat on your flight in… the scenery is incredible.
Take a helicopter ride over the island. It’s expensive, but if you are ever going to do this in your life, Kauai – with its beautiful but inaccessible Napali Coast – is the place to do it.
Rent a house on the island – it is so much nicer to have a kitchen, living room and front yard to hang out in than be crammed into a hotel room with little privacy (that is, unless you can afford the suites at the Grand Hyatt). We did this through VRBO but there are many others out there that you can use. If you really want to live it up, try to get a place on the stretch between Hanalei and Ha'ena where celebrities like John Travolta and Karim Abdul Jabbar keep vacation homes.
Decide what side of the island suits you best. Hanalei (in the North) is very hippie, granola and laid back. It’s still touristy, but not nearly as commercial. There is only one hotel, in Princeville, so you will be limited to renting a house or condo. Poi’pu (in the South) is a bit like Florida. Lots of condo / hotels with Disneyland settings (fake waterfalls and fishponds). Both have great beaches. The north side is rougher in the winter and the south side is rougher in the summer. It takes a long time to get from one side of the island to the other, so you’ll want to be staying where you plan to hang out. Note: there is only one main road that runs the circumference of the island but it ends at Hanalei and again at Waimea, so if you’re staying in Hanalei you will have to drive around pretty much the entire island to get to Waimea.
Stop in for fresh grilled fish at the Fish Market in Kilauea. It’s very low key – all meals are ‘to go’ but there are some tables out front where you can BYOB.
Try a fruit smoothie at Banana Joes near Kilauea.
Be sure to bring a copy of ‘Andrew Doughty’s Ultimate Kauai Guidebook’. It’s got a ton of good information, although the recommendations are often a bit out of whack. Think about it: if the island’s most popular guidebook comes out and says that a certain restaurant has poor service, don’t you think the owner is going to make some staffing changes? If it says a diving company doesn’t provide great dive briefings, don’t you think the dive master is going to make the extra effort? The books are out of date the minute they hit the printer, but they do provide a great starting point to creating your own adventure.
Catch a sunset from the Beach House (in Poi’pu), either by squishing into the bar an hour before it happens or bringing your own cocktails and sitting on the lawn in front of the restaurant.
Try the chocolate-covered Macademia nuts.. you can’t have just one.
Stop at one of the many farmer’s markets on the island. It’s a great way to get to see the local fruits and vegetables and try a sampling of Poi (that’s about all you’ll want).
Keep an eye out for Humpback Whales during the winter months (December – April). They can pop up in the most unexpected places and they are an incredible site.