Kauai Beaches

Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands and was formed by volcanic eruption about six million years ago. It is situated in the northernmost of the islands in the state and it provides you with a large amount of beautiful sandy beaches.

On the North Shore of Kauai you find a number of amazing beaches. Ke’e Beach is located there and is probably the most visited beach on the Island. At this beach several movies has been filmed, among them “The Thorn Birds” and “Castaway Cowboys”. It’s a beautiful sandy lagoon, with lots of fish which makes it a perfect place for snorkelling. It’s calm water, especially during summer months, makes it also great for swimming.

If you are looking for a beach to do either snorkelling or scuba diving then Tunnels Beach, also at the North Shore might be the beach for you. It’s a 2 mile long sandy beach and deep water caverns are located in the reef close to the shore, making it a great dive site. You also find shallow, sandy and calm areas that makes is a good place for swimming too.

‘Anini beach on the North Shore of Kauai is another populated beach. Along it’s shore you find expensive houses overviewing this scenic beach. Here you also find campsites and other tourist facilities. Along the beach runs the longest offshore reef in the entire Hawaii, which makes this one of the safest and most protected beaches at Kaua’i. It’s a great place for both snorkelling and swimming.

Kealia Beach is a 1/2 mile long white sandy beach on the east of Kauai. This beach is popular among surfers and boogie boarders who go here in the summer months when it usually provides a perfect surf. It’s also possible to do a bit of swimming if the surf is calm, but be aware that there might be strong currents, riptides and powerful waves in this area.

If you are looking for something more secluded, you could pay Hideaways Beach a visit. This is one of the nicest sandy beaches on the North Shore and provides good swimming when the water is calm. To reach this beach you do a 10 minute hike through the forest and with no service facilities you can enjoy being out in the nature.

A must see when on Kauai is the Glass Beach on the West Shore. This is one of the most unique beaches in the whole state of Hawaii. The far side of the beach is filled with smooth, polished pieces of glass! An extraordinary beach to visit.

Those are some of the beaches that I recommend people to visit while at this beautiful island, providing opportunities for you to relax and enjoy your time on Kauai.

Kauai Travel Tips - Airports Rentals Buses

If you’re planning a holiday to the relaxed island Kauai, there are a few different ways to get there. The center for air traffic at the Hawaiian islands is in Honolulu, on Oahu island. This is the place most visitors will arrive as the majority of the flights from the mainland go there.

In most cases you’ll likely find your best deal is to get a cheap flight to Honolulu and then take an interisland flight to Kauai.

However, a few airlines also do direct flights to the airport of Kauai, Lihue Airport, from the mainland. Check around on the internet or visit different travel agencies to get your best deal.

A few of the cities on the mainland that has direct flights to Lihue are; Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix and Arizona. The flight lasts for about 5-7 hours, depending on where you fly out from. The interflights from Oahu to Kauai depart a few times daily but for best price make sure you book your whole journey on the mainland, with your travel agency or on the net. Air is the only way to get to Kauai; there are no ferries for transportation between the islands.

Well at Lihue airport, which is situated on the south east coast of Kauai, there are different options for you to get to your hotel or accommodation. Many hotels has a courtesy to pick up their guests at the airport, and in these cases, you don’t have to worry much at all on how to find your way to your place.

At the airport you also find a good amount of taxis waiting to transport the new visitors to their accommodation. The taxis provide 24 hour service and there’s usually no problem at all to find a cab and they go to most places at the island. There are also limousine services where you preferably book in advance.

If you’re more on a budget you might want to take a bus from the airport. There are a few different bus companies that take you to a lot of places on the island. You find the buses outside the baggage claim and you find ground transportation personnel there that can assist you in getting to your destination.

If you are planning to drive around a lot on the island and see many different spots, you might find it convenient to rent a car when you’re getting to the airport. There are seven different car rentals and they are all situated across the street from the Main Terminal Hall. It’s a good idea to book you rental in advance, especially during tourist season. On the internet you can find information on the different deals. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National, Dollar and Thrifty are the companies that offers car rentals at Lihue Airport.

Kauai Activities - Things To Do

Kauai in my opinion is the most beautiful among the Hawaiian Islands. Here the pace is slower, more relaxed and there’s a lot of different ways to enjoy this gorgeous island. Along the northern part of the west-side there is 18 miles of deserted beach for you to discover.

Kauai offers some of the best spots for snorkeling and diving. Here you can find crystal clear water and reefs with turtles and fishes in all colors swimming all around you.  Poipu Beach, Anini Beach, Lydgate Beach, and Ninini Beach are probably some of the best beaches you can find anywhere in the world for snorkeling. Koloa Landing and Sheraton Caves are two magnificent spots for diving.

You can find many different agencies that offers opportunities to go on daily cruises to have some close encounters with  whales, dolphins and turtles. A lot of tours are also including snorkeling or even scuba diving as well as opportunities to see the beautiful nature that’s surrounding Kauai. If you’re into sailing, you can rent a boat at some of the bay cities and explore the surrounding area in your own pace. You also find a lot of kayak and canoe rentals around the island.

Kauai also offers many opportunities to do hiking, horse-back riding and mountain biking. This is a great way to get to know the island and to explore some of the more secluded parts of it. Imagine finding your way to a beautiful waterfall; cascading into a pool of clear blue water in the middle of the lush rain forest. Sometimes it’s well worth the effort to take a path less travelled by the average tourist.

You can also find ways to explore Kauai from the air; one of the greatest ways to see the island from a completely new perspective is to go on a helicopter tour. For 60 to 90 minutes you hover around the island Kaui and get to see a lot of things that you would never be able to get to in any other way. A great experience!

Kauai offers some of the best golfing courses in the whole state of Hawaii. The Prince Course, Poipu Bay Golf Course, Kiele Course, and Mokihana Course are a few of the most popular ones and can give you a golfing experience out of the ordinary, with surrounding nature that might take your breath away for a moment.

For shopping, the cities in the north; Princeville and Hanalei are your best choices. Here you find a great deal of open markets and shops along the roads. You can also try out Poipu shopping village, Coconut marketplace, and Kinipopo shopping village which are all offering you great opportunities to buy clothes and souvenirs.

These are just some of the things that this beautiful island offers as activities. It’s an island where you won’t find yourself bored and it’s easy to mix up your relaxed beach time with some more adventurous moments.