Why Is Kauai, Hawaii One of the Best Islands to Visit?

What's going on everybody? This is Island Hopper TV and today we're going to show you the best things to do in Kauai, also known as the Garden Isle. This paradise has jaw-dropping cliffs along Nepali, secret beaches, and unforgettable adventures. And this Hawaiian paradise is actually where Jurassic Park was filmed, which we'll be talking about later in the video. Now, from the oldest and most lush island in Hawaii, let's begin. First up, here we are at Waimea Canyon. The nickname is Grand Canyon of the Pacific, a name supposedly that came from Mark Twain. It's 10 miles long, 3,000 feet deep, and one mile wide. It is on the western side of Kauai. The best way to view it is by helicopter, get a rental car, or go by tour. I highly recommend the rental car. That way you can also check out Kalalau Lookout. Now, the tricky thing out here is getting a sunny day because there's a lot of fog and it is one of the rainiest places in the world out here, so take that into consideration. And it's located on the Nepali coast. They also have the Kalalau Trail, which we'll talk about in a little bit, but this here Nepali coast, the best way to see it is going to be by helicopter ride or a boat. We'll talk about both of those a little later on, but the Nepali coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world. This is probably what got your attention when you decided to come to Kauai. There are a few beaches here, including Hanapu Beach, which is along the Nepali coast. Absolutely spectacular beach. It's like a hidden paradise right there at the bottom of the cliffs. The only legal way to arrive here is by swimming since kayaks and boats are banned from arriving here. And this here is the Kalalau Trail. It is 11 miles, 22 miles round trip, and it goes right along the Nepali coast. It is a bit crazy, so try not to come when there's high winds. You will need a permit because it's required. But let's not skip the boat ride where you can see lots of marine wildlife out here, depending on the season when the whales are here. But you get great views of the Nepali coast, as you can see right here. This is an absolutely enchanted coastline, and you will see dolphins more than likely on that tour. A ticket costs anywhere between $169 to $315 per person for a boat tour. The tours typically originate out of Hanalei. Now depending on the season, if it's from around November until March, you will likely see whales here. This is where the whales from Alaska come down to give birth to their calves. And what more magical place than Kauai to see beautiful humpback whales. Now if you wanted to do a whale only tour, it's around $59 on the low end, all the way up to $135 per person. And you can typically do that also on a private tour. Those prices are going to be a bit more. I would like to say that if you go out during whale season on one of the other tours that do the sea caves or the dolphins, you may also see whales then too. Like these sea caves are quite amazing. You can actually go out with one of the companies. I personally go out with Nepali riders. So maybe consider doing a Nepali coast and caves tour. Hopefully you see some dolphins and whales on that tour. Heading back to the shore now, let's talk about Haina State Park, also known as Tunnels Beach. This is famous for surfing, big waves. This is the north shore of Kauai. Really nice beach for hanging out, relaxing. But do keep in mind during the winter months, they get big waves and high swells. In fact, big wave surfer Laird Hamilton lives out here in Kauai for this main reason. So as far as surfing goes, from about November to April, on the north and west shore, Hanalei Bay, Tunnels, Palahele, Hideaway Beach, that's where the big waves are. In the summer, May to October, you're going to go to the south shore to Poipu or Pakala Beach for the south Pacific swells. So surfing in Hawaii is quite seasonal. It just depends on where winter is. So if winter's in the southern hemisphere or the northern hemisphere. But don't worry if you arrive in the north shore of Kauai during the summertime, you can actually do foil boarding because that's when the waves are lower and it's easier to foil board around the north shore. Prices typically start around $250. That'll get you an hour to two hours on a session with an instructor. Now here we are in Hanalei Bay. You can see they do have that pier that goes out into the ocean, but Hanalei Bay is really considered the main area on the north shore where they've got the resorts. People just chill here, walk around the beach, get nice sunsets. Also an occasional rainbow out here. This is Kauai, so you could get lucky and have a magical moment with rainbows. Just a nice, tranquil ambience. By the way, we did a Things to Do in Maui and Things to Do on Oahu video. If you guys want to watch those after this one, check the comments down below and the link description. I'll put links so you can watch. Also a big island Things to Do video coming soon. And just to recap Hanalei Bay, you can do fishing, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, all from right here in this tranquil bay. Other beaches out here include Lama Hai or Bali Hai, which also has several resorts. Some people like to stay at the Wyndham Villas. And I just wanted to throw in my favorite beach over here. This is Kii Beach. It's right there where the Kalau Trail starts, where the Napali Coast starts. Really a beautiful beach. It's quite enchanted here. It's calm water. And I would suggest coming out here if you're looking to really relax away from the hustle and bustle of Hanalei. But just keep in mind, there are no cities on Kauai, so that's a perk, right? Just small towns. The total permanent population of Kauai is around 73,000 people. And you can actually do the whole island in around it. You can actually do the whole island in a day. There is no circle. There is no road, though, that connects the entire circle island. Because just past Waimea Canyon at the Kalau Point, the road ends. All right, now let's have a little fun and do a helicopter tour. There are around six to seven companies that do helicopter tours, including Blue Hawaiian, Maverick, and Island Helicopters. For the short one, which is going to include Napali Coast, Hanalei Bay, and Jurassic Falls, that's about $300 per person. And lasts about an hour. There are other helicopter tours that you can do. It'll take you to maybe some other islands if you want it. But for me, one hour in a helicopter over Kauai is just perfect. By the way, if you guys are loving this video so far, consider liking the video and subscribing to Island Hopper TV as we continue to show you around the Hawaiian Islands and the rest of the world. For those of you who subscribe to the channel, thanks for all your support. Now we're going to talk about the Jurassic Park tour. So as you know, Jurassic Park was filmed here. We've got the famous Jurassic Park Falls. Beautiful here. Typically, that's going to include with the helicopter tour. For those of you who aren't really feeling a helicopter ride, you can do an ATV tour out here on a Jurassic Park tour. That might be for some of you who don't like the heights of a helicopter. A scenic point on the island here is Kilauea Lighthouse. I really enjoy going up here, especially when there's big waves. You can watch all the sets and swells roll right in from the point here where the Kilauea Lighthouse is. It's like an iconic landmark here on the island on the north shore. There is a $10 entrance fee for those who are over 16. Now let's talk about golfing. So for those of you who are planning on bringing some golf clubs to Kauai, you do have some luck. They've got beautiful golf courses. Most of the golf courses are going to be on the south coast. They're in Princeville, like Makai Golf Course. You also have Popu Bay Golf Course. Don't worry, if you're not bringing your clubs, you can still rent from the clubhouse. Prices really do vary depending on the season, but I've seen prices anywhere between $80 to $250 per round. It just depends on the popularity of the course and the seasonality. The most affordable ones are going to be Wailua Municipal Golf Course and the Kiahuna, but the most expensive one, that's probably going to be Princeville. On the far west coast of Kauai is a beautiful beach state park called Polahele State Park. They also have a missile silo here. Kind of unique, but the beach here is just absolutely spectacular. If you get a chance, come on out here. This is a place you can go for a chilling moment between you and nature. I don't recommend swimming here because the waves are quite heavy and there are no lifeguards, so strong currents, no lifeguards. Probably best to not swim here, but you can see this is right where the Nepali coast begins. If you do come all the way out here, you might want to stop at the Russian Fort. Interesting history is the Russians actually had a fort here, although at the time filming this, it is temporarily closed. Now let's talk about Poipu Beach. This is one of the best beaches in all of Kauai, but also Hawaii. It ranks right up there in the top five on most lists, so that's a good thing. They also have golfing nearby here, many resorts. This is really where you go for the beach resort experience. You could even do some swimming in this area. It's a lot more calm waves over here than you're going to get on the North Shore. They say it's two beaches in one, also known as a tombola, known as a Nukamoi Point, which separates the two bays. So I guess you're probably trying to figure out, when you come to Kauai, should you stay on the South Shore or the North Shore? I would say if you're looking for more of that jungle-type, tropical, botanical vibe, you want to be on the North Shore. If you're looking for more of that swimming in the ocean, kind of chilling out, you want to be on the South Shore, especially where the resorts are. Both sides have resorts, but I would say it's better swimming on the South Shore, so take that into consideration. Also, one of the benefits of being down here at Poipu Bay is going to be the turtles. You can see turtles anywhere in Kauai or Hawaii in general, but you can see a little bit clearer water. So snorkeling is going to be a bit better here on the South Shore. If you're looking to snorkel, there are a few different areas that boat tours can take you as well, whether you go out on a catamaran or just swim from the shore. It can be done. And Wailua Falls is an absolutely beautiful waterfall. You can easily drive up close to it, whereas the other waterfalls are up in the mountains and harder to get to. So Wailua Falls is for someone who wants something a little bit easier to get to. Also, there is a Wailua River here that people like to kayak, so you can consider doing that. Now let's talk about the luau. So there are a few different luau's on the island. I would suggest just talking to your hotel and seeing which one they offer or recommend to you, depending on where you're at. The Luau Kalamaku and the Smith Family Garden Luau seem to be the most famous. And when it comes to famous food here in Kauai or across Hawaii, you're going to get a lot of coconut shrimp. There's seafood options, but this coconut shrimp seems to be very famous on Kauai, as well as poke. Poke is a raw sashimi type meat that comes with rice and some other veggies. So between those two, you're definitely going to have some fun. And don't forget to try some local Hawaiian fruit, papaya, mango, pineapple. Also, drink some fresh coconut. So I love fresh coconut water, especially on a hot day, just to stay hydrated. Anyways, that's going to conclude this episode of Island Hopper TV from Kauai. If you guys enjoyed this, consider watching Maui next. I'll put those links to Maui and Oahu down below in the comments and the description. Or just click to watch next right here.