Kauai Activities
So, what are Kauai activities? There is plenty to keep all ages occupied! Here are some possibilities:
- Kauai helicopter tours
- Kauai boat tours
- Kauai scuba diving
- Golf Kauai
- Hawaii snorkeling
- Zipline Kauai
- Kauai tubing
- Kauai kayaking
- Sightseeing
- Hiking
- shopping
Helicopter tours will give you a panoramic view of the island, some of it up close. Boat tours will do the same, adding some up-close snorkeling at otherwise inaccessible spots if you are up for it. Scuba diving is a special treat, available to novices as well as veterans. Golf? There are several great golf courses on Kauai.
Snorkeling is a snap--just buy a simple mask and snorkel at Wal-Mart in Lihue, and put your face in the water. Or use your swimming goggles. The colors you see will amaze you. You'll be glad you did! We saw fish like the one in the picture at the beaches too.
| Ziplining is a new activity that
allows you to travel hundreds of feet on a wire, suspended from a pulley
and harness. You can take in what's happening in the rain forest
canopy, and have a great time doing it! This of course is for those who
can conquer their fear of heights.
Let's talk about kayaking. This is something we will definitely do on our next trip, now that our children are all over the age of 12 and can handle a kayak. Here's some advice from a veteran: Kayaking up the Wailua River (on the east side) was great fun. There was a rope swing, swimming, and a view of Fern Grotto. I recommend you rent the kayak at the river so that you don't have to deal with getting it on the car. --D.
|
What about
sightseeing?
The volcanic landscape is otherworldly. Just driving around the
island, you see breathtakingly beautiful scenes. The volcanic crags are
impossibly steep, to my midwestern eyes.
This photo is of the view down toward the Na Pali coast from Kokee State Park, looking down a valley.
It's the same cliffs you see from a boat, only you are looking at them
from a high perch in the interior of the island.
For a great article on the northwest Na Pali coast, check out National Geographic.
Looking Down Toward Na Pali Cliffs from Kokee State Park
On the way to Kokee State Park, you drive through Waimea Canyon, called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. It's ten miles long and one mile wide, on the dry west side of the island. It's quite a sight! Don't miss it!
You are seeing cloud shadows dappling the canyon in the photo below.
Waimea Canyon
On the North shore is Limahuli Gardens, a lovely place to take a walk.
Driving toward Princeville, on the North Shore, from Lihue, you see a lush green landscape like this one.
Golf Course at Princeville
If you like hiking, you can walk the Kalalau Trail west from the end of the road on the north shore, into the Na Pali cliffs area. The hike in volcanic soil is challenging; bring hiking boots and pack plenty of water. But it will take you to lovely places! The soil is fragile, so hiking in the uplands is difficult.
And how about shopping We discovered these indigenous products:
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Red dirt tee shirts, dyed with the red dirt on the west side of the island. The first batch was dyed courtesy of Hurricane Iniki in 1992, and someone got the idea that the shirts weren't ruined after all. It's been big business ever since. They've got funny remarks printed on them.
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Niihau shell necklaces, made by the folks on the neighboring forbidden island of Niihau
Beware of buying shell souvenirs in the gift shops. Those shells don't come from Kauai, which is deficient in shells because former agricultural runoff killed a lot of the shell-making critters.
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