Kauai — The Garden Isle of Hawaii (Part 1)

Dreaming of Hawaii always conjures up images of sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and sipping Mai Tais out of coconut shells with little umbrellas. Though each island possesses the same endearing Hawaiian charm, their personalities are quite different. There is Oahu’s popular Waikiki beach and Honolulu’s nightlife, and big city energy. If you are in Maui, you can enjoy the lively little town of Lahaina and world class golfing. But Kauai, with its lush rain-forests and laid-back attitude, in our opinion, best fits the description of a tropical paradise. If you are debating which Hawaiian island to visit first, we recommend Kauai, the most beautiful island in Hawaii.

After several hours of endless ocean for a view, you finally touch down in Honolulu. Then just a quick 45-minute connecting flight to Lihue Airport (LIH) in Kauai, and you’re there! The moment you exit the plane and step foot in the airport, the warm humid air washes over you — you are in Hawaii. If you are not accustomed to tropical climates though, the heat may be a bit overwhelming at first. However, once you crank up the AC in your rental car and find a good Hawaiian station on the radio, you’ll begin to feel right at home. Maybe even start to wish you’d booked an extra day!

In this article, our journey begins from our favorite area to stay on the island, Poipu, in the southern (and the sunniest) part of Kauai. Poipu provides great choices for lodging, local explorations and, of course, Poipu Beach, named one of the best beaches in the US by the Travel Channel. From Poipu we will venture up the west coast of Kauai, pointing out some of our favorite spots, and end at Polihale beach, just in time to catch the sunset.

Poipu Shopping Village and Puka Dog

If you are in the Poipu area, you must visit the Poipu Shopping Village. The shopping center is close to nearby hotels and resorts, offering several restaurants, local art and clothes boutiques, souvenir shops, and a general store. This is also where you’ll find Puka Dog! A small, but very busy hotdog café, named one of the Top 10 Hotdog stands in the US by the Travel Channel and featured on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”. Puka Dog specializes in Hawaiian-inspired relishes. Choose from mango, papaya, pineapple, coconut, banana and sweet mint relishes. They are all amazing and guarantee a mouth-full of Aloha with every bite! And don’t forget to add the Lilikoi passion fruit mustard to your choice of a polish sausage or veggie hotdog. We love this place, and can’t recommend it enough!

The Keoki Paradise restaurant (also located in the shopping center) is an authentic full-menu Hawaiian restaurant with beautifully prepared dishes, exotic drinks, live music, and of course, Tiki torches! After a hard day of sightseeing, Keoki Paradise is the perfect spot for relaxing to a great dinner and cocktails. Being very popular with resorts’ guests, we strongly recommend making reservations.

By the way, Mai Tai cocktail was originally invented in Oakland, California in 1944. Allegedly, by Victor Bergeron in his restaurant Trader Vik’s. The name of it possibly originates from maita’i, the Tahitian word for “good” or “excellent”.

Old Koloa Town

Old Koloa Town, with a population of just over 2,100, is a quaint little town just a few miles inland from Poipu. Hawaii’s first successful sugar plantation and mill was founded here in 1835. The open-air History Museum with a collection of old photographs and artifacts gives visitors a glimpse into the town’s past.

Just one street runs through Koloa’s main shopping area. Parking can be tricky, but a spot usually opens up quickly. Once there, you’ll find a variety of good restaurants, clothing, souvenir and snack shops (like shave-ice, candied nuts, and other local treats), and a grocery store. There is also a gas station for filling up your rental, and even a tattoo parlor, in case you want to get some ink done to commemorate your visit!

Monkeypod trees are everywhere in Old Koloa town, and some cool-looking plants too!

Spouting Horn Beach Park

Most certainly while exploring the South Shore of Kauai you will hear about the Spouting Horn Beach Park. It’s just under a 15 minute drive from the Poipu area and provides really cool photo opportunities. The blowhole erupts with every new wave, and can reach as high as 50 feet in the air! Legend has it,  a mo’o ( a huge lizard) got stuck in the lava tube there, trying to catch a local hero. That’s why you hear hissing and roaring sounds – the lizard is still there! (TIP: Do not miss National Tropical Botanical Garden on your way to the Spouting Horn.)

All along the coast of Kauai there are plenty of hidden beach spots, many of them are only accessible by a unmarked trail. We had our sunset wedding ceremony on one of these secluded beaches 😊, so we are somewhat biased as to which Hawaiian island is the best.

Kauai Coffee Company

The town of Kona on the Big Island, is often associated with their coffee, and rightfully so. It’s delicious! However, Kauai has their own, equally as delicious (if not better) coffee as well! Also, Kauai Coffee’s single plantation is larger than all of Kona’s separate plantations combined. Weighing in at around 3,100 acres, the Kauai Coffee Co. produces more than 50% of the coffee grown in the entire U.S.! Granted, the only other coffee grown commercially in the U.S. is in Kona.

With daily tours and many other events held throughout the year, the Kauai Coffee Co. is a must-see for every coffee drinker. Both fun and informative, not only will you learn about the coffee and growing process, you’ll also learn some fun facts about the Islands’ colorful history as you wander around the gift shop/tasting room/museum.

One word of advice: If you decide to pick up a bag of Kauai coffee to take home, get TWO! You’ll be glad you did after finishing the first one. You can always order from their online store if you need more, or simply go back to Kauai.

Kauai Kookies

We can’t talk about Kauai coffee without mentioning Kauai Kookies! These too are made right there on the island, just 5 minutes away from the Kauai Coffee Co. (how convenient 😊). The bakery has tours, but the times and dates vary, so check the online tour schedule before you visit.

These scrumptious goodies are part of the reason we keep returning to Kauai. They are available everywhere on the island in a variety of flavors like chocolate chip, guava, coconut, macadamia nut, almond, and coffee. These little buggers are addicting, so you might want to stock up! (TIP: If you are looking for other items such as toiletries, more Kauai Kookies, munchies, and souvenirs, the ABC Store is great for everything you’ll need during your stay. These handy convenience stores also carry sandals, t-shirts, hats, and other necessities, and are located all over the island.)

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon (southwestern side of Kauai) is often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. Driving through its windy roads with incredible views around every turn, you’ll quickly understand why. If it has rained recently, even better! You will see more waterfalls than you can count.

The Waipo’o Falls is one of the more popular waterfalls in the canyon. An amazing sight, dropping about 800 ft. to the valley below.

Many other falls can also be seen along your drive through the park. There are plenty of spots to pull over along the way for a few photo shoots, and even tables in case you bring a lunch. 

The canyon and adjacent rain forest is accessible by foot as well, with hiking trails ranging from novice to advance. For all the outdoorsy sportsmen folks, seasonal Trout (yes, trout) fishing and hunting packages are available. For more information on Waimea Canyon, activities and maps, please visit this link.

Polihale Beach and State Park

The 17-miles of the soft sand at the western end of Kauai, in the Na Pali foothills, has been consistently making lists of Top Beaches in the World, Best Beach to See a Sunset, and Best Secluded Beach. It is the longest beach in the entire state of Hawaii. The Polihale beach is not easily accessible (do not attempt in the rain). Once there, you’ll feel that you are at the end of the world (at the end of the road for sure, highway 50 ends there).

We traveled to Polihale beach in a Jeep, however, the sand is really soft, and the possibility of getting stuck in it is, well, a possibility. (TIP: Car rental places generally don’t want you to go off-road, and might not be thrilled with your obvious visit to Polihale with its red sandy dust on the tires when you return it. Just saying…)

Unfortunately, we didn’t see the famous “green flash” at sunset while there, but other than that, the view was absolutely magical. When the sun was dropping down behind the deep blue waters of the ocean, the whole beach went eerily silent, mesmerized by the immense beauty. Every time we remember the sunset on Polihale Beach, our hearts fill with awe and gratitude to have been able to visit it. What a lovely end to a perfect day.

Stay Tuned for Part 2 of the Kauai article! For the overview of Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, please check out our article here!

You know, we love hearing from you, so comment below! And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog!