The Top 5 Things to Do on Kauai

Kauai may not be one of the biggest of the Hawaiian Islands, but it’s surely one of the most beautiful. With the verdant cliffs of the Napali Coast, 50 miles’ worth of beach coastline, and plenty of small town charm, Kauai is a popular destination for good reason. There are so many things to do in Kauai, it’s not even funny.

As you prepare for your trip here, however, it’s important to pare down your list of activities, lest your itinerary overflow and overwhelm you. For that very purpose, we’ve created this top 5 list of things to do on Kauai. By following it, you’ll discover plenty of brilliant sightseeing areas, exotic sea creatures, and exhilarating sports, which are generally impossible to find on the mainland.

So here we go…the top 5 things to do on Kauai begins with a…

Sightseeing Tour: Like we said, the sights on Kauai are splendid. It’s for that reason that a sightseeing tour has to be on the top of our list of things to do on Kauai. Due to the island’s size and the array of locations worth visiting, these tours usually last a full day—but, boy, are they worth it!

One popular sightseeing tour involves heading into Waimea Canyon, the so-called “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” for a cruise down the Wailua River. On this excursion, you’ll gaze up at the canyon’s towering, 300-ft. walls, visit the natural amphitheater called “Fern Grotto,” and set your eyes on the magnificent Opaekaa Falls, which touches the heavens at 151 ft.

Other sightseeing tours center around the waterfalls of Kauai. In addition to Opaekaa Falls, you’ll see other brilliant cascades such as Wailua Falls, Kipu Falls, and Waipoo Falls. Meanwhile, further options such as Manawaiopuna Falls are accessible by helicopter tour only.

Air Tours: It should come as no surprise, but air tours are second on our list of top five things to do on Kauai. Virtually nothing is closed off to you when you’re soaring through the skies; indeed, many inaccessible landmarks open up to you!

There are airplane and helicopter tours here that will give you over an hour of discovery time. Most aerial excursions from Lihue will take you up the Napali Coast, for a breathtaking look at its world-renown cliffs, and will dangle you over volcanic Mt. Waialeale. In addition, you’ll view two major canyons from the sky: Olokele Canyon and Waimea Canyon.

Still other air tours make a point of heading to Hanalei Bay, the world-renowned surf spot, plus the waterfalls that line adjacent Hanalei Valley. And, in the winter, you might get the chance to streak over the western coastline in order to spot the humpback whales that migrate into the waters of Kauai every year! What’s the second best thing to do on Kauai? An air tour!

Napali Coast: Few things on the planet are as magnificent as the Napali Coast, and for that reason, it easily qualifies for our list of the top 5 things to do on Kauai. This 17-mile stretch of foliage-rich cliffs is enough to leave anyone in disbelief.

Whether you should go to the Napali Coast isn’t really a question, but how you should do it is. This isolated shoreline can only be accessed on land by taking the 11-mile-long Kalalau Trail; as such, there are several hiking tours to accommodate this method of travel, some of which include overnights on Hanakapiai Beach! For those who’d prefer to avoid staying on their feet that long, especially considering the trail’s somewhat challenging conditions, stops at the Napali Coast appear almost universally on airplane, helicopter, and kayaking tour itineraries.

In other words, there’s really no excuse for not viewing the peaks of the Napali Coast, one way or another. Whether you travel by air, by land, or by sea, the important point is simply that you get here!

Snorkeling: Fifty miles of beaches means potentially 50 miles at which to snorkel. Combined with Kauai’s crystal clear waters, that potential becomes a reality! Most of the snorkeling tours take place off of Kauai’s north shore, at places like Anini Beach, Hanalei Bay, Kee Beach, and Tunnels Beach. There are some winners on the southern and eastern shores, too, like Poipu Beach and Lydgate Beach. All told, with snorkeling, you’ve got one great thing to do on Kauai.

Guided snorkeling expeditions last upwards of three hours and introduce travelers to the wonders that lie just below the ocean’s sun kissed surface. Some are more known for certain features than others. Tunnels Beach, for instance, is famous for its massive lagoon and protective, hook-shaped reef, plus the underwater arches and caverns that lie just beyond the reef—accessible to more experienced snorkelers and divers. Meanwhile, Kee Beach is legendary for its view of the Napali Coast and an impressive variety of tropical fish, making it a quite busy snorkeling site.

In short, no matter where you go to snorkel, you’ll experience one of the best things to do on Kauai!

Scuba Diving: Due to the conditions that make Kauai such a snorkeling hotspot, the island is likewise a scuba diver’s paradise! With massive reef systems, underwater caverns, and native dolphins and green sea turtles, Kauai is an inviting place to plumb the Pacific Ocean’s depths.

As we previously mentioned, Tunnels Beach, or “Makua” as it’s called locally, is top notch for advanced divers who want to investigate the rocky, underwater tubes and caverns. Meanwhile, lots of exotic creatures and coral reefs are accessible even to scuba rookies at beaches on Kauai’s southern shore.

In addition to beach dives, many companies offer boat dives that will take you out to remote locations around the Pacific Ocean. On a tour out to a place like Turtle Bluffs, you can see a

genuine turtle cleaning station, plus a healthy supply of white-tip reef sharks. Even more popular is Sheraton Caverns, where lava tubes, caves, and overhangs serve as habitats to an infinite cache of sea life. All told, scuba diving easily makes the cut as one of the greatest things to do on Kauai.

For more info, http://kauai-tours.us/what-to-do-in-kauai/