Planning a trip to Kaua’i, Hawaii or just curious as to how mine went? Keep reading for my ultimate 5 day vacation to Kaua’i!
*While Hawaii is a beautiful place to visit, I want to note that extreme tourism + people relocating there is pushing locals out of their homes/homeland. It’s important to do your research before visiting and respect the culture and land of the Hawaiian Islands + their people.
Day 1: Arriving to Kaua’i
When flying to Kaua’i, you’ll fly into Lihue Airport (LIH) and depending on your place of origin, it can take a long time to get to Hawaii. We flew from Kentucky, so it was broken up into three flights. Due to the long day of traveling + time change, the first day is usually reserved for picking up the rental car, checking into your hotel, grabbing groceries or getting take out for dinner, and relaxing.
Lodging
We stayed at The Lodge at Kukui’ula, which is a gorgeous resort located on the south shore of the island. The resort has a ton of amenities such as golf, tennis, spa, pool, bike + beach rentals, and more! Since Hawaii is a safe place to explore there are no all inclusive resorts, so keep in mind that you’ll have to buy groceries or eat out for meals. The Lodge at Kukui’ula has two delicious restaurants, ‘Umeke and Makai Grill + Bar, that utilize fresh produce from their farm to create the ultimate farm to table experience. This resort consists of 1-4 bedroom bungalows and villas, making it a great place for couples or big groups. Each bungalow/villa comes with it’s own parking spot which is crucial considering you’ll need a rental car to get around the island with and a full kitchen for those who do not like to eat out for every meal.
The Lodge at Kukui’ula villas and bungalows are on the more expensive side, but provide a luxurious experience from the time you check in. The staff on the resort are incredibly friendly and helpful + you get complimentary, and delicious, fresh made juices from Kauai Juice Company. If this particular resort isn’t what you’re looking for, you can find other lodging options in areas such as Princeville, Poipu, and Kapa’a to name a few. Kaua’i is such a beautiful island, any place you stay will provide gorgeous scenery to look at.
Getting Around the Island
While Kaua’i is relatively small compared to Maui or the Island of Hawaii (The Big Island), renting a car will still be the best way to get around. We utilized Delta (our preferred airline) to not only get a discount through major rental companies (Hertz, Enterprise, etc.), but we also earned bonus miles through our Delta Skymiles account. Be sure to check with your preferred airline when booking flights and car rentals to see if they offer any deals for frequent flyers! Another great and more affordable option is to utilize Turo, the air bnb for car rentals. However, it’s important to note that Turo will have limited availability due to Hawaii being an island, so be sure to look there early on when planning your trip. We’ve used Turo for several trips and it’s been an easy process and has saved us hundreds of dollars on car rentals.
Day 2: Waimea Canyon & Koke’e State Park
Located on the southwest side of Kaua’i, Waimea Canyon consists of a beautiful scenic drive, multiple lookout points, and several hiking trails. Due to it’s gorgeous red + green composition, it’s no surprise that it was nicknamed “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. Unfortunately, there was an unforeseen road closure that prevented us from traveling further than the Waimea Canyon Lookout. However, driving through and stopping at other lookout areas before reaching the main one was worth every minute spent in the car. If we ever make it back to Kaua’i, this will be one of the first places we head back to!
There are many ways to explore Waimea Canyon, such as hiking, biking, and for the more adventurous person, flying in a helicopter for birds eye views of the canyon. For more information on trails within the park, I recommend utilizing All Trails.
Even though we were unable to explore it due to the road closure, Koke’e State Park (located adjacent to Waimea Canyon State Park) boasts stunning views of the canyon. It also includes a natural history museum, restaurant/lodge, and campground for those who want to spend a few days in the park!
Day 3: Kayak the Wailua River
Located in Kapa’a, the Wailua River is a beautiful and calm place to kayak and is suited for people of all ages and skill level. Spend the day kayaking and hiking to Uliwehi Falls, a waterfall that is only accessible via kayaking or boat. We booked through Kayak Wailua and could not be happier with our experience!
Kayaking the Wailua River
The day starts at the meeting point, where you place your belongings in a dry bag, change into water shoes, and prepare for your adventure. I recommend bringing a lunch, rain jacket, sunscreen, and plenty of water since you’ll be exploring nature for about 4 hours. Once you’ve met your guide + gathered your things, it’s time to board the bus to head to the river! The tour begins with a 45 minute upstream paddle where you’ll end at the trailhead, dock the kayaks, and begin the journey to the waterfall.
Hiking to Uliwhehi Falls
The hike itself is about 35 minutes, however, it does require crossing a creek so take precautions especially if exploring with little ones. It’s important to note that you will be hiking in a rainforest, so it can begin to rain at any time. My husband and I had just made it to the waterfall when a torrential downpour started and, of course, we had left our rain jackets in the dry bag with the kayaks. Don’t make our mistake and be sure to bring them on the hike with you. Once at the waterfall, you + your group can swim, eat lunch, and soak up the views for about 30-45 minutes. There’s also a bunch, and I mean a BUNCH, of chickens that not only roam around this waterfall, but around the island as well. It’s important to not feed them unless you want them to stay by your side the entire time.
As mentioned above, we experienced a downpour while we were at the waterfall and for the entirety of our hike back to the kayaks. This made the hike back incredibly treacherous (especially while crossing the creek), so please be careful and prepared. If you’re unsteady on your feet, I would not recommend this because a lot of trail includes climbing over rocks that get slippery when it rains.
Once you’ve enjoyed the waterfall, you + your group will make the hike back to the kayaks where you’ll kayak back downstream and board the bus to head back to the meeting point. Be sure to bring some cash to tip your guide as they do a tremendous job keeping everyone safe and can provide knowledge + recommendations about the island!
Day 4: Napali Coast + Hanalei
Napali Coast
With it’s emerald hued cliffs and razor sharp edges, the Napali Coast is one of Kaua’i’s most jaw dropping wonders of nature. Located in the North Shore of Kaua’i, it spans about 17 miles long and leaves visitors in awe of it’s beauty. The two best ways to see it are by boat and helicopter and there are plenty of companies that will take you on probably one of the best tours of your life.
My husband and I were going to take a boat tour with Napali Tours, however, the tide was too high for boats to go out. We definitely plan to book with them again as their customer service was impeccable and they provided us a full refund due to the cancellation. We’re both terrified of helicopters, so that wasn’t an option for us. For those braver than us, a helicopter tour is a MUST to get the best views. Since we were planning on departing from Hanalei Town, we decided to make the journey there anyway and explore what the town had to offer–and we were not disappointed!
Hanalei Town
Hanalei Town is a charming, small town located west of Princeville and not only boasts stunning views everywhere you look, but also provides great history of Kaua’i. It’s a definite must see on any Kaua’i vacation! Some of our favorite things included walking along the beach in Hanalei Bay, exploring the town, and hiking the Okolehao trail! Be sure to stop at Holy Grail Donuts to get a taro donut, it was the best donut I’ve ever had. There’s also a lot of local food trucks located nearby that serve delicious food! We also kayaked in Hanalei and it was by far the BEST kayaking adventure we’ve been on! During our self guided tour, we were blessed with STUNNING views of the a portion of the Napali Coast. We were too in awe of it’s beauty to take any pictures, but let’s be real, you have to see it in person to truly grasp how incredible it was.
Day 5: Tour Kaua’i Coffee Estate
If you love coffee, and even if you don’t, touring the Kaua’i Coffee Estate (one of the largest coffee estates in the US) is such a fun and tasty thing to do! There are two tour options, Coffee on the Brain and The Farm, I personally recommend The Farm tour. This is the best way to learn about their history and coffee making process, see the coffee trees, beautiful views, and some wild animals! PLUS, you get free samples of their coffee and a discount at the gift shop with a tour ticket purchase. My personal favorite was the Vanilla Macadamia Nut, I’ve never had black coffee that has so much flavor. I ended up bringing a bag back home with me! My husband isn’t a big coffee person and he even enjoyed the tour! It’s a nice thing to do that doesn’t require a lot of energy + gets you out of the hotel.
The island of Kaua’i is one of the most lush, beautiful islands I’ve ever been to. There’s a reason they call it “The Garden Isle”. There are many things to do that we didn’t get around to exploring, such as visiting Poipu Beach where you’ll see Hawaiian Monk seals and sea turtles, and tons of hiking trails! If you’re into beautiful scenery (even just while driving around), exploring cute towns, and learning some history along the way then Kaua’i is a wonderful place to go.
Just remember, as Americans, we are lucky to be able to visit the Hawaiian Islands with ease, so it’s incredibly important to do your research before going. Much of the land is sacred to the native Hawaiians and therefore should not be messed with. Hawaii has a rich history and it’s crucial for people visiting to educate themselves on it. Be respectful to the natives and their culture, support as many locally owned businesses as possible, and be kind to the nature out there.
til the next trip,
bre
Interested in going to Maui? Check out my 7 Day Maui Itinerary for an adventure packed vacation!
