The Best Kauai Travel Guide
Overall vibe of Kauai, Hawaii:
Looking for the best things to do in Kauai? I got you! Kauai is one of the MOST magical places I’ve ever been. It radiates incredible nature and spiritual vibes (your soul will literally come back to life here - it’s where I had the realization that it was time to pivot from food photography & recipe development to intuitive life coaching a few years ago and I’m SO glad I listened to that calling) and is the perfect combination of the jungle, jaw dropping waterfalls, mountains and the most beautiful beaches. The food is amazing, the vibe is SO peaceful, the locals are friendly and there are SO many amazing adventures you can go on!
Maui vs. Kauai
Compared to Maui (the other island we went to), Kauai is a little quieter and more laid back. Maui is more a bit more developed and busy. Maui tends to be sunnier year round, while Kauai can get a good bit of rain in the winter. The beaches are equally beautiful but there tend to be less people on the Kauai beaches. Maui is most known for the Road to Hana (which is what makes it worth going to in my opinion) which is a really long road of adventures like swimming holes, waterfalls and hikes. Kauai has more of a variety of adventures.
If you like a more polished, developed vibe that is more centered around beaches (and the Road to Hana), Maui is your spot. If you like a more low-key, laid-back vibe that’s more centered around epic adventures, Kauai is your spot. I recommend doing both if you have time but if I had to choose one, I would personally have to go with Kauai - there was an intangible, magical energy there I can’t put into words!
Napali Coast
Quick Guide to Kauai:
Overall vibe: MAGICAL…jungle, waterfalls, mountains, beautiful beaches, amazing food.
How long to stay: 3-9 nights
Where to stay: Princeville/Hanalei Bay
Getting around: rent a car
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How long to stay in Kauai:
We stayed in Kauai 3 nights and I honestly could have stayed a lot longer (I’d say up to 9 nights if you really want to immerse yourself in Kauai)!! It’s a big island with a lot to do and every part of the island has a different topography and vibe.
We went in February and had the best time but if we went again, we’d go closer to to May/June to have less rain and warmer ocean water!
Where to stay in Kauai:
We stayed on the north shore in Princeville and loved it. There’s a lot of nice places to stay, eat and adventure. It has everything. The only downside is that the north shore does have more tropical rain in certain months but it comes with the most magical rainbows. The south side of the island is typically more sunny beach resort vibes whereas the north short is more tropical, lush and residential.
We stayed at this oceanfront Airbnb in Princeville - it was nice/clean and the backyard views of the ocean were so magical.
Our Airbnb View
Here are some other options I found for you:
Modern Tropical Residence w Indoor/Outdoor Living
Tropical Condomium with Pool and Verdant Garden
Puu Poa Modern Luxury - Oceanfront - AC - POOL
~The Surfshack~ with breathtaking ocean views!!
Entire Cottage w/ Private Plunge Pool, A/C, BBQ
Entire home hosted by Roger And David And Teri (if you want to splurge!)
Getting around:
I definitely recommend renting a car so you can adventure and see more of the island! We used National Rental Car and have always had great experiences with them. We got a Jeep which was SOO fun to explore in!
Where to eat and drink:
Bar Acuda (Instagram: @baracudahanalei)- AMAZING tapas restaurant - you MUST go! We LOVED the aja papas, pizzette and cucumber salad but everything was incredible.
Russel’s By Eat Healthy Kauai (Instagram: @russells_by_eathealthykauai): A cute, healthy lunch spot close to airport that is SO good!
Russel’s By Eat Healthy Kauai
Kauai Juice Co (Instagram: @kauaijuiceco): Go here for juice and kombucha!
Trilogy Coffee (Instagram: @trilogycoffeekauai): Really good, cute coffee shop!! I also loved their matcha latte. It’s in Kilauea which is also the CUTEST town.
Kilauea Market and Cafe (Instagram: @kilaueamarket): Beautiful grocery store/market with really good build your own poke bowls!
Healthy Hut Market & Cafe (Instagram: @healthyhutkauai): Cute little market with amazing smoothies and natural stuff. Just down the street from Kilauea.
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay (Instagram: @1hotels): Great spot to go for drinks (the outdoor balcony overlooking the ocean and mountains is beautiful). This resort was called The Princeville Resort when we went and is temporary closed for renovations but it’s planned to reopen September 2022. We’ve also been to the 1 Hotel in South Beach Miami and it’s amazing so I can imagine the rebrand is only going to make The Princeville Resort even better!
1 Hotel Hanalei Bay Hotel Bar
Tahini Nui: Casual dive bar with Hawaiian live music! We had SOOO much fun here and it definitely seemed like a local hang out spot!
Ama (Instagram: @amahanalei)- Good ramen/Asian fusion restaurant in Hanalei with really nice patio.
What to do:
Hike At Hanae State Park: We hiked the epic 7.7 mile Hanakapi’ai Falls Trail. It starts along the Napali Coast (with magical views of the ocean) and then takes you through jungle and to a massive, beautiful waterfall. I only recommend it for experienced hikers because it can be muddy and dangerous (we had to walk through like 6 streams).
You need a permit in advance in order to go to the park. You can find more information here (there’s also information about shorter, less difficult hikes if you don’t want to do the 7.7 mile one).
Queens Bath: Queen’s Bath is a unique tidal pool surrounded by rocks on the north shore of Princeville (it used to be used as a royal bathing place). It often closes during the winter months due to hazardous conditions so make sure to check if it’s open. We went in February and it was a very slippery, muddy hike down and the water was too rough to get close but it was definitely worth seeing and I can imagine it’s even better in the summer when the waters are calmer.
Explore Hanalei Bay: A super cute town to grab lunch, walk around and shop. After, you can head to Hanalei Bay Beach!
Explore Kilauea: This was my FAVORITE little town on the north shore of Kauai, about 10 minutes from Princeville. It’s quiet, quaint, spiritual and has some best hidden gems including Trilogy Coffee, The Hunter Gatherer Boutique, Kilauea Market and Cafe, Healthy Hut and Secret Beach. I highly recommend making a day out going to Kilauea and Secret Beach.
Hunter Gatherer Boutique (Instagram: @huntergathererkauai): Spiritual store with beautiful aesthetics, tarot cards, healing sprays, crystals, etc. LOVED the vibe here!!
Do a Boat Tour: We did a Capt Andy’s boat tour. To be totally honest, I don’t really remember it because I’m writing this a couple years after our trip so I’d do your research with them before booking. Or, look into Airbnb experiences - I’m sure there are great options.
There’s so much more to Kauai you could explore. These are some places we wanted to go but didn’t end up flowing to this time.
Waimea Canyon State Park: Beautiful mountains and panoramic views of the canyon. Good spot for hiking!
Secret Falls Trail: This was another hike we wanted to do but didn’t have time for!
Wailua Falls: This waterfall was also on our list to see!
Explore Hanapepe: A cute, quaint town on the south side of the island with restaurants, fine art galleries, handmade crafts and boutiques.
Best beaches in Kauai:
Secret Beach: We were the only people here the morning we went and it was so magical!! The water is gorgeous and it’s so peaceful. You have to hike about 10 minutes to get to it.
Secret Beach
Hanalei Bay Beach: Stunning beach with picturesque mountain scapes in the background! This one is a lot bigger and more popular than Secret Beach.
These are some other beaches we heard good things about but didn’t have time to go to:
Hideaways Beach
Polihale State Park
Tunnels Beach
Ke'e Beach
What To Bring:
Tevas Sandals: These came in so handy!! There were a lot of times we didn’t want to wear full on hiking boots but regular shoes wouldn’t cut it (like when we hiked down to Secret Beach). These were also perfect for our Road to Hana day in Maui.
Bathing Suits: We lived in bathing suits on this trip - definitely pack multiple! I love mine from TJ Swim and Monday Swimwear!
Hiking Boots: I’d definitely bring hiking boots if you plan on hiking! These are the ones I have and I LOVE them - they have good ankle support and are VERY lightweight compared to most boots.
Sunscreen: I am obsessed with Supergoop’s face sunscreen I’ve ever used; it’s super lightweight and not sticky at all. I also love their body sunscreen. Both are small and easy to pack too!
Hiking Backpack: We take ours everywhere when we travel, especially on hikes, so we can bring water and all the yummy snacks. It’s also nice to strap a couple towels onto for the beach.
Bug Spray: I make my own homemade bug spray using Young Living essential oils (I stay away from store bought essential oils because most of them have additives beyond the pure essential oils).
2 ounces water
1.5 ounces witch hazel
25 drops citronella essential oil
20 drops peppermint essential oil
15 drops tea tree essential oil
These were my essentials on the trip but of course, you’ll also probably want sunglasses, light flowy clothes, a water bottle and a beach bag!
Google Map of All Kauai Recommendations
I saved all of my recommendations for you in the map below to make it super easy to get around! Here’s the full link so you can save it: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1C68f4wbcLQWC3kXSojAWAVCZLrXxHIg&usp=sharing.
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