# Kauai Things To Do: full text for AI assistants > The local's guide to the best things to do on Kauai: Nā Pali Coast boat tours from Kekaha, Port Allen and Hanalei, helicopter flights, the Wailua River kayak to Secret Falls, ziplining, a Nā Pali sunset sail and the island's best beaches. Honest breakdowns, real prices, what to expect, and where to book. Website: https://kauaithingstodo.com This file holds the complete text of every tour page and planning guide on https://kauaithingstodo.com, so AI assistants and answer engines can read the whole site in one request. Each section starts with the page URL; please cite and link that URL. Prices are "from" rates before tax and booking fees, checked every few weeks. The "Book" link on each tour goes to live availability. Short overview and page index: https://kauaithingstodo.com/llms.txt # Tours and activities (ranked) --- ## Nā Pali Coast Boat Tour: The Power Catamaran From Kekaha URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/napali-coast-boat-tour/ Rank on our list: #1 Where: Kekaha, West Side Price: from $199 Duration: 4.5 hours Season: Year round, morning and afternoon departures Best time: The 7 am departure, May through September, for the calmest water and the sea caves Ages: 4 and up Group size: 18 guests on a 35-foot power catamaran Check-in: Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor, Kekaha (the last harbor on the west side) Guest rating: 5 out of 5 from 1247 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/napaliexperience/items/710726/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no Four and a half hours along the full 17-mile Nā Pali Coast on an 18-guest power catamaran from Kekaha, the closest harbor to the cliffs. Sea caves, waterfalls, dolphins and a swim stop when the ocean allows. Highlights: - Leaves from Kikiaola Harbor in Kekaha, the closest harbor to the Nā Pali Coast, so more of your 4.5 hours is spent at the cliffs and less in transit - Purpose-built 35-foot power catamaran: fast and stable in open water, small enough to nose into the sea caves when conditions allow - The full coast: Polihale, Nualolo Kai, the Open Ceiling Cave, Kalalau Valley and the big waterfalls, with the captain narrating - Spinner dolphins almost every trip, humpback whales from December through March, turtles and the occasional monk seal - A swim or snorkel stop when the ocean is calm, with fold-down platforms, ladders and a freshwater shower on board - Capped at 18 guests, every one of them with an open-bow view; 5.0 stars across more than a thousand reviews Nā Pali is the reason most people come to Kauai, and there is no road to it. You see it from a boat, from a helicopter, or from an eleven-mile trail with a permit. The boat is the one that lets you feel it: the cliffs go up 3,000 feet straight out of the water, the waterfalls land next to you, and the dolphins ride your bow. This page covers the tour we book from the west side, what it costs, who should skip it, and the one decision that matters most: which harbor you leave from. ## Why this made our list Three harbors send boats to Nā Pali, and the harbor sets the whole trip. Hanalei is closest but only runs when the north shore is calm, roughly spring through early fall. Port Allen has the biggest fleet and the longest run, more than an hour each way. Kikiaola Harbor in Kekaha sits between the two: it runs year round on the sheltered west side and it is the closest year-round harbor to the cliffs. That is where this boat leaves from, which is why it spends more of its 4.5 hours at Nā Pali than almost anything else on the island. The boat is the second reason. It is a 35-foot power catamaran built for this coast: fast enough to get you to Kalalau before the wind comes up, stable in the open stretch off Polihale, and narrow enough to slip into the sea caves when the swell is down. Eighteen guests, an open bow with just enough shade, fold-down swim platforms, and a freshwater shower. The third is the crew. This is a small family operation with captains who have run this coast for years and who treat the briefing seriously. Guests leave reviews about the captain by name, which is how it holds a 5.0 rating across more than a thousand reviews. ### Why this operator We compared every Nā Pali boat on the island on three things: how long it spends at the cliffs, how it handles the caves, and what guests say afterward. The big Port Allen catamarans are comfortable and carry 40 or more people, with a long run each way. The rigid-hull rafts are the most adventurous ride and the best choice if you want to get wet and into every cave; we feature the best of them on its own page. The Hanalei boats are superb in summer and we feature one of those too. For a year-round tour that balances comfort, speed and cave access, this is the one. ## What the Nā Pali Coast boat tour is like The trip runs about 4.5 hours dock to dock. Here is how it goes. - Check in at Kikiaola Harbor. Arrive 30 minutes early at the minimum; the crew runs a real safety briefing and the boat leaves on time. The harbor is at the far west end of the highway, past Waimea. - Run the lee shore. The first 20 minutes follow the long sand of Kekaha and Polihale with Niʻihau on the horizon. Spinner dolphins live off Polihale and usually find the boat here. - Round the corner at Polihale. The cliffs begin. Miloliʻi, then Nualolo Kai with its ancient fishing village, then the long walls of Awaʻawapuhi. - Sea caves. When the swell allows, the captain noses into the Open Ceiling Cave, where the roof has collapsed and the light pours in, and the double-door cave with its waterfall curtain. - Kalalau. The valley opens up, two miles wide, with the beach at the bottom and the Kalalau Trail hikers’ camps tucked into the trees. The boat idles here for photos. - Swim stop. If the ocean is calm, the platforms fold down and you swim or snorkel over the reef below the cliffs, then rinse off under the shower. - Golden run home. The ride back is downwind and downswell, which is why the return feels faster than the trip out. ## Prices and what you get The tour is from $199 per person plus tax and booking fees. That covers the full 4.5 hours, dry bags, snacks and drinks, snorkel gear when a swim stop happens, and a crew that narrates the coast. Gratuity is extra. If you are a family or group of up to 18, the private charter puts the whole boat and the day’s itinerary in your hands, with the same captain and crew. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Anyone who wants to see Nā Pali properly, from age 4 up. Families, couples, grandparents who can handle a boat that moves, photographers who want the bow. Skip it if you are pregnant or have a back or neck problem; this is a fast boat in open ocean and the bow bounces. Skip it if you have a toddler under 4; no Nā Pali boat takes them. If you are badly prone to seasickness, consider the helicopter instead, which sees the same coast in an hour from the air. ## Where to check in and how to get there Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor is on the ocean side of the Kaumualiʻi Highway in Kekaha, just past Waimea town. From Poʻipū it is about 45 minutes, from Līhuʻe about 55, from Kapaʻa about 75, and from Princeville close to two hours. The 7 am departure means a 6 am start from the south shore and earlier from the east. Parking at the harbor is free. There are no shops at the harbor. Fuel up and buy snacks in Waimea or Hanapēpē on the way. Current departure times and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of day. Morning. The trades build after 11 am and the ocean goes from glassy to lumpy; the 7 and 7:30 am boats get the best of it. The afternoon tour trades flat water for golden light on the cliffs. Time of year. May through September for calm seas, cave entries and swimming. December through March for humpback whales, with rougher water and fewer cave entries. April and October are the shoulder months and often the best of both. Winter trips still run from Kekaha when Hanalei is shut down for the season. ## Local tips before you book - Book the earliest boat. The 7 am departure is the calmest and the most likely to get into the caves. - Sleep in Waimea or Poʻipū the night before. The drive from the north shore at 5 am is the single most common complaint on this tour. - Take the pill. Non-drowsy motion-sickness medicine an hour before, even if you think you do not need it. - Sit stern for calm, bow for fun. Kids and photographers want the bow. Anyone who gets queasy wants the back. - Bring a dry change. You will be wet from spray even if you skip the swim. - Pair it with Waimea Canyon. The canyon road leaves from the same town. Afternoon tour plus a morning at the canyon lookouts is a perfect west-side day. For the whole island, see our things to do on Kauai guide. ## The verdict If you only book one thing on Kauai, book a Nā Pali boat, and from the west side, book this one. The closest year-round harbor to the cliffs, a boat built for the caves, 18 guests and a crew with a perfect rating. Take the 7 am departure, take the pill, and sit on the bow. Included: - 4.5 hours on the water with a Coast Guard-licensed captain and crew - Dry bags for your phone and camera - Snorkel gear and a freshwater rinse when a swim stop happens - Snacks and drinks on board Not included: - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the crew - A guaranteed snorkel stop or cave entry; both depend on the day's swell Restrictions: - Ages 4 and up; no infants - Not recommended during pregnancy or with back or neck injuries; this is a fast boat in open ocean - Arrive 30 minutes before departure at the latest. Miss the safety briefing and you miss the boat, no refund - Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure; weather cancellations are refunded in full Frequently asked questions: Q: What is the best Nā Pali Coast boat tour? A: For most visitors, a power catamaran from the west side. It reaches the cliffs faster than anything from Port Allen, runs year round unlike Hanalei, and is small enough to enter the sea caves when the ocean allows. This 18-guest boat from Kekaha is the one we book for family and friends. Q: Where does the tour leave from? A: Kikiaola Small Boat Harbor in Kekaha, at the far west end of the Kaumualiʻi Highway. It is about 45 minutes from Poʻipū, 55 minutes from Līhuʻe, 75 minutes from Kapaʻa and close to two hours from Princeville, so leave early. Q: Morning or afternoon? A: Morning. The trade winds build through the day, and the 7 to 8 am departures have the lightest wind, the flattest water and the best odds for dolphins and the caves. The afternoon trip has golden light on the cliffs and is the better choice if you are not a morning person or are prone to seasickness in chop, which is rarer on the lee side in the afternoon than people assume. Q: Will we go into the sea caves? A: When the swell allows, yes. The boat was designed to fit inside the Open Ceiling Cave and the Waiahuakua double-door cave. Summer (May to September) is the best season for cave entries; winter swells often keep every boat out, so no operator can promise them. Q: Is there snorkeling? A: This is primarily a sightseeing tour, with a swim or snorkel stop when conditions are calm, most often in summer. If snorkeling is the main reason for your trip, the raft tour from Port Allen and the Hanalei catamaran both build a dedicated snorkel stop into the itinerary in summer. Q: Will I get seasick? A: The west side is the lee of the island and the smoothest water on Kauai, but Nā Pali is open ocean and the boat moves. Take non-drowsy motion-sickness medicine an hour before departure if you have any history of it, eat a light breakfast, and sit toward the stern. Q: How much does the Nā Pali boat tour cost? A: From $199 per person plus tax and booking fees. A private charter of the whole boat, up to 18 guests, is available for groups and families. Q: Can kids come? A: Yes, from age 4. The bow is the fun seat for kids; the shaded stern is the calm one. Under-4s are not allowed on any Nā Pali boat. Q: What about whales? A: Humpbacks are off Kauai from about December through March, with the peak in January and February. Winter trips spend time whale watching when the cliffs are too rough for cave entries. Q: What is the cancellation policy? A: Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure. If the captain cancels for weather, you are refunded or rebooked in full. --- ## Nā Pali Coast Raft Tour: Sea Caves, Snorkeling and Dolphins From Port Allen URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/napali-coast-raft-snorkel-tour/ Rank on our list: #2 Where: ʻEleʻele, Port Allen Price: from $177 Duration: 4.5 to 5 hours Season: Year round; snorkeling April through October, whale watching November through March Best time: The 7:30 am raft, May through September, for the caves and the snorkel stop Ages: 6 and up Group size: Small groups on a 37-foot rigid-hull raft Check-in: 4353 Waialo Rd, Suite 4B, ʻEleʻele (Port Allen Marina Center) Guest rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 4022 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/napalihawaii/items/316332/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no The adventurous way to see Nā Pali: a 37-foot rigid-hull raft that goes into the sea caves, under the waterfalls and alongside the dolphins, with a reef snorkel stop in summer. Rated 4.9 across 4,000 reviews. Highlights: - A 37-foot Naiad rigid-hull raft: the boat that gets into every cave and under every waterfall the swell allows - The full 17-mile coast, Polihale to Kalalau and beyond, with the cathedral cliffs of Kalalau at the turnaround - Spinner dolphins off Polihale on nearly every trip; humpback whales from November through March - A reef snorkel stop in summer with turtles and reef fish; in winter the captain uses the time for whales or a run toward Kēʻē - The highest-rated Nā Pali operator on the island: 4.9 stars across more than 4,000 Google reviews - Morning and afternoon departures from Port Allen, 25 minutes from Poʻipū There are two ways to see the Nā Pali Coast from the water. One is a catamaran, which is comfortable and smooth. The other is a raft, which puts you inside the caves with the water dripping on your head. This is the raft. This page covers what the trip is like, what it costs, who it suits, and the one thing to decide before you book: whether you want comfort or adventure. ## Why this made our list The boat is a 37-foot Naiad rigid-hull inflatable, the same design search-and-rescue crews use, with a hard hull for speed and inflatable tubes for stability. On Nā Pali that means the captain can do things the big boats cannot: idle inside a cave while a waterfall pours over the entrance, nose up to the base of a 1,000-foot wall, and turn on a dime when the dolphins change direction. The route covers the whole coast. Out of Port Allen the raft runs west past Hanapēpē and Kekaha, picks up spinner dolphins off Polihale, then works the cliffs from Miloliʻi to Nualolo Kai, Awaʻawapuhi and the cathedral walls of Kalalau. In summer there is a snorkel stop at a reef under the cliffs. In winter, when the swells close the reef and often the caves, the captain spends the time with the humpbacks or runs farther up the coast toward Kēʻē. The reviews are the third reason. This is the highest-rated Nā Pali operator on Kauai, 4.9 stars across more than 4,000 Google reviews, and the reviews describe a crew that narrates the coast rather than just driving it. ### Why this operator Half a dozen companies run rafts to Nā Pali from Port Allen and the west side. We compared them on boat, crew, time at the cliffs and reviews. The west-side rafts from Kekaha have a shorter run and are a fine choice if you are staying in Waimea; their boats are smaller and older. The big Port Allen raft companies are solid and some run from the same marina. This one won on the combination of a newer, larger raft, a consistently praised crew, and the best review record on the coast. If you want the same coast without the bounce, our power catamaran pick leaves from Kekaha. ## What the raft tour is like The trip runs 4.5 to 5 hours dock to dock. - Check in at Port Allen. Suite 4B at the marina center, 45 minutes before departure. Use the restrooms here; there are none on the raft. - Run west. Twenty-five minutes along the south shore past Hanapēpē Bay and the salt ponds, then the long beaches of Kekaha and Polihale with Niʻihau off the bow. - Dolphins. The spinner pods live off Polihale. The captain slows and they come to the raft, riding the bow wave and spinning. - The cliffs. Around the corner the coast goes vertical. Miloliʻi, Nualolo Kai with its fishing village ruins, the hanging valleys, the waterfalls. - Caves and waterfalls. When the swell allows: into the Open Ceiling Cave, through the double-door cave, under the falls. The raft fits where nothing else does. - Kalalau. The big valley and its beach. The captain idles for photos and the story of the people who lived here. - Snorkel stop (summer). A reef under the cliffs with turtles, reef fish and 60 feet of visibility. In winter, this becomes whale time. - The ride home. Downwind and fast. The crew hands out snacks and drinks and everyone goes quiet. ## Prices and what you get From $177 per person plus tax and booking fees. That includes the full trip, snorkel gear and flotation in season, snacks and drinks, and the crew’s narration. Gratuity is extra. The morning raft leaves at 7:30 am and the afternoon raft at 1:30 pm. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Adventurous travelers from age 6 up who want the closest possible look at the coast and do not mind getting wet. Couples, active families with older kids, anyone who has done the catamaran before and wants more. Skip it if you are pregnant, have a back, neck or hip injury, or cannot sit on an inflatable tube for a few hours. Skip it with kids under 6. If a bathroom on board matters, or you want shade, book the catamaran from Kekaha or, in summer, the Hanalei catamaran. ## Where to check in and how to get there Port Allen Marina Center is at 4353 Waialo Road in ʻEleʻele, just off the Kaumualiʻi Highway on the south shore. From Poʻipū it is 25 minutes, from Līhuʻe 35, from Kapaʻa about 50, and from Princeville about 90. Parking is free. Check in at suite 4B 45 minutes before departure; the crew needs the time for waivers and the safety briefing. The nearest coffee is in Hanapēpē, five minutes east. Current departure times and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of day. Morning. The 7:30 am raft has flatter water, calmer dolphins and the best light in the caves. The 1:30 pm raft is warmer and the cliffs glow, but there is more wind chop on the run out. Time of year. April through October for snorkeling and the caves, with May through September the calmest. November through March for humpback whales, when the trip becomes a sightseeing and whale-watching run with the caves open only on calm days. ## Local tips before you book - Book the morning raft. Calmer water, better caves, better dolphins. - Take motion-sickness medicine. An hour before. Rafts move more than catamarans and this is the number-one regret in the reviews of every raft company. - Wear a rash guard. Four hours of sun on an open raft with no shade. A long-sleeve rash guard beats reapplying sunscreen in salt water. - Bring a dry bag or ziplock for your phone. Everything on the raft gets wet. - Use the restroom at the marina. There is none on board. - Pair it with the south shore. You are back by lunch. Spend the afternoon at Poʻipū Beach or the Koloa zipline. More ideas in our things to do on Kauai guide. ## The verdict For the adventurous version of Nā Pali, this is the raft we would book: the biggest and newest on the coast, a crew that narrates, and 4,000 reviews that say the same thing. Take the 7:30 am departure, take the pill, and wear a rash guard. Included: - 4.5 to 5 hours on the water with a licensed captain and a naturalist crew - Snorkel gear and flotation in snorkel season - Snacks and drinks on board - Narration on the geology, the ancient valleys and the wildlife Not included: - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the crew - Snorkeling from November through March, when winter swells close the reef Restrictions: - Ages 6 and up - Not for pregnant guests or anyone with back, neck or hip injuries; the raft bounces - Check in 45 minutes before departure - Cancel by phone at least 48 hours ahead (1 to 4 guests) or 72 hours ahead (5 or more) for a full refund Frequently asked questions: Q: What is the difference between a raft and a catamaran on the Nā Pali Coast? A: The raft is the adventure version. It is faster, it bounces, you get wet, and it goes places the bigger boats cannot: into the sea caves, under the waterfalls, close to the rock. The catamarans are smoother, shadier and have a bathroom. If you are fit and want the thrill, take the raft. If you want comfort, take a catamaran. Q: Does the raft go into the sea caves? A: Whenever the swell allows, and more often than any other kind of boat. Summer is the best season; in winter the north-facing caves are often closed by surf and the captain spends the time whale watching instead. Q: Is there snorkeling? A: Yes from about April through October, at a reef along the coast with turtles and reef fish. From November through March the winter swells make snorkeling unsafe on this coast, so the trip becomes a sightseeing and whale-watching run. Q: How much does it cost? A: From $177 per person plus tax and booking fees for the 4.5 to 5 hour trip, with snorkel gear, snacks and drinks included. Q: Is there a bathroom on the raft? A: No. Use the restrooms at Port Allen before you board, and go easy on coffee. This is the main practical reason families with young kids choose a catamaran instead. Q: Will I get wet? A: Yes. Spray on the way out, waterfall mist at the cliffs, and a swim if you snorkel. Wear a swimsuit and bring a full change of clothes. Q: Will I get seasick? A: The raft moves more than a catamaran. Take non-drowsy motion-sickness medicine an hour before departure, eat a light breakfast, and you will be fine. Morning trips are calmer than afternoon ones. Q: Where does it leave from? A: Port Allen Marina Center in ʻEleʻele, on the south shore, about 25 minutes from Poʻipū and 35 from Līhuʻe. Check in at suite 4B, 45 minutes before departure. Q: What is the minimum age? A: Six. Younger children should take a catamaran, where there is shade, a bathroom and less bounce. Q: How do I cancel? A: By phone, at least 48 hours before check-in for parties of 1 to 4 and 72 hours for larger parties. Weather cancellations by the captain are refunded in full. --- ## Nā Pali Coast Tour From Hanalei: 15 Minutes to the Cliffs URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/napali-coast-tour-from-hanalei/ Rank on our list: #3 Where: Hanalei, North Shore Price: from $289 Duration: 4 hours (3 hours in winter) Season: March through December; snorkeling March through September Best time: The 7:30 am morning tour, May through September Ages: 4 and up Group size: Small groups on a 35-foot catamaran Check-in: Hanalei Bay, loaded from the beach near the Hanalei pier (check-in at 5-5190 Kūhiō Hwy) Guest rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 889 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/napalicatamaran/items/346473/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no The only Nā Pali departure on the north shore. Load from the beach at Hanalei Bay and reach the cliffs in 15 minutes, with snorkeling, sea caves, drinks and lunch in summer and whale watching in the fall. Highlights: - Leaves from Hanalei Bay, the closest departure point to Nā Pali anywhere on the island: 15 minutes to the first cliffs instead of an hour or more from Port Allen - Loads from the beach. You wade out to the boat, which is the most Kauai thing you will do all week - Four hours in summer with a 45-minute snorkel stop, sea caves, cliffs, beaches and valleys, plus drinks, snacks and a deli lunch - Sees the north end of the coast, Kēʻē to Kalalau, that the south-side boats reach last and briefly - Winter sightseeing tours October through December when the swell allows, with humpback whales from November - 4.9 stars across nearly 900 reviews Everyone staying on the north shore asks the same question at the Hanalei pier: is there a Nā Pali boat from here, or do we have to drive two hours to Port Allen? There is, in season, and it is the shortest ride to the cliffs on the island. This page covers the Hanalei tour, when it runs, what it costs, and why the calendar matters more here than anywhere else on Kauai. ## Why this made our list Geography first. Hanalei Bay sits at the north end of the Nā Pali Coast. The boat clears the bay, passes Lumahaʻi and Tunnels, and reaches Kēʻē and the first cliffs in about 15 minutes. From Port Allen on the south shore the same cliffs are more than an hour away, and the boats reach the north end of the coast last, if at all. On a four-hour tour, that difference is the trip. The boat is a custom 35-foot power catamaran that loads from the beach. There is no harbor at Hanalei; you wade out from the sand near the pier, climb a stern ladder, and the boat backs off into the bay. It is a small thing that guests remember for years. The summer tour is the full package: cliffs, beaches, valleys and sea caves with narration, stops for whales, dolphins, turtles, monk seals and the goats on the cliffs, about 45 minutes of snorkeling, and drinks, snacks and a deli sandwich on board. The fall tour is a shorter sightseeing run with humpbacks from November. It holds 4.9 stars across nearly 900 reviews. ### Why this operator Two companies run Nā Pali boats from the north shore in season, and both are good; the other has a larger review count and a slightly lower price. We chose this one on the boat and the itinerary: a power catamaran with a real snorkel stop and lunch built into the summer trip, and a winter sightseeing option that extends the season into December. If Hanalei is shut down when you visit, our year-round pick from Kekaha and the raft from Port Allen both run through the winter. ## What the Hanalei tour is like The summer morning tour runs about four hours. - Check in at 6:30 to 7 am at the office on the Kūhiō Highway in Hanalei, then head to the bay. - Wade out and board. Knee-deep from the sand, up the stern ladder, dry bags handed out. The boat leaves the bay around 7:30 am. - The north shore. Past Lumahaʻi, Tunnels and Hāʻena, with surfers and kiteboarders at the breaks and the mountains behind Hanalei still catching the morning cloud. - Kēʻē and the first cliffs. Fifteen minutes in, the road ends and Nā Pali begins. The Kalalau Trail is a thread on the cliff above you. - Hanakāpīʻai, Hanakoa, the caves. Waterfalls, hanging valleys and sea caves the boat enters when the swell allows. - Kalalau. The big valley and its beach, with the campers’ tents in the trees. Time for photos and the story of the valley. - Snorkel stop. About 45 minutes at a reef along the coast, with turtles, reef fish and the cliffs above you. Drinks and lunch afterward on the ride home. - Back to the bay around 11:30 am, with the afternoon free. The October to December tour follows the same coast in three hours, sightseeing and wildlife only, with the humpbacks arriving in November. ## Prices and what you get The summer morning tour is from $315 per person plus tax and booking fees. That covers four hours, snorkel gear, flotation, a dry bag, drinks, snacks and a deli sandwich. The fall sightseeing tour is from $289 and runs three hours with no snorkeling or lunch, a deliberate choice so that weather cancellations, which are more common in fall, do not waste food. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Anyone staying on the north shore or in Kapaʻa between March and December, families with kids 4 and up, snorkelers who want the cliffs and the reef in one morning, and anyone who would rather spend four hours at Nā Pali than two hours getting there. Skip it if you are visiting in January or February; it does not run. Skip it if you are pregnant or have back or neck trouble. If you want to get into every cave and do not mind a wet, bouncy ride, the Port Allen raft is the more adventurous version. ## Where to check in and how to get there The office is at 5-5190 Kūhiō Highway in Hanalei town, a two-minute drive from the bay. From Princeville it is 10 minutes, from Kīlauea 20, from Kapaʻa about 50 minutes, from Līhuʻe an hour, and from Poʻipū about 90 minutes. Morning check-in is 6:30 to 7 am. Parking near the pier is limited; the crew will tell you where to leave the car. Hanalei has coffee and breakfast on the highway if you arrive early. Current departure times and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of day. Morning. The bay is calm at 7:30 am and the trades build through the afternoon. Time of year. May through September for the calmest water, the sea caves and the best snorkeling. March, April and October are shoulder months when the tour runs but surf cancellations happen; book it early in your stay so there is a backup day. November and December bring whales and dramatic skies on the 3-hour tour. January and February: go to the west side. ## Local tips before you book - Book it for your first or second morning. Winter and shoulder-season tours cancel for surf, and an early booking leaves days to rebook. - Wear water shoes. You wade in to board. Flip-flops end up in the bay. - Bring a layer. Hanalei Bay at 7:30 am in the shade of the mountain is cooler than you expect. - Keep the dry bag closed. Spray on the run out is real, and the crew’s dry bag is the only thing between it and your phone. - Take the pill. The north shore has an open-ocean swell even on calm days. - Pair it with Hanalei. You are back by 11:30. Lunch in town, then Hanalei Bay or Tunnels for the afternoon; see our best beaches on Kauai guide. ## The verdict If you are on the north shore between March and December, this is the Nā Pali boat to book: 15 minutes to the cliffs, a beach launch, a real snorkel stop and lunch in summer. Book the 7:30 am tour early in your stay, wear water shoes, and sit on the bow for the run past Kēʻē. Included: - 4 hours on the water (summer) with narration on the history and legends of the coast - Snorkel equipment, flotation and a waterproof dry bag - Drinks, snacks and a deli sandwich on the summer tour - About 45 minutes of snorkeling, conditions permitting Not included: - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the crew - Snorkeling or lunch on the winter (October to December) sightseeing tour - Guaranteed cave entries; they depend on the swell Restrictions: - Ages 4 and up - Not recommended during pregnancy or with back or neck injuries - Summer tours run March through September; the 3-hour winter tour runs October through December and is more likely to cancel for surf. Book early in your stay - No departures January and February; north-shore surf closes the bay Frequently asked questions: Q: Why take the Nā Pali tour from Hanalei instead of Port Allen? A: Distance. From Hanalei Bay the boat reaches the Nā Pali cliffs in about 15 minutes, so nearly the whole trip is spent at the coast. From Port Allen it is more than an hour each way. If you are staying on the north shore or in Kapaʻa, Hanalei is also a far shorter drive than the west side. Q: When does the Hanalei tour run? A: The full 4-hour snorkel and sightseeing tour runs March through September, when the north shore is calm. A 3-hour sightseeing-only tour runs October through December when conditions allow. There are no north-shore departures in January and February because of winter surf; book from Port Allen or Kekaha then. Q: How much does it cost? A: The summer morning tour is from $315 per person plus tax and fees, with snorkeling, drinks, snacks and a deli lunch. The winter sightseeing tour is from $289 and does not include snorkeling or lunch. Q: How do we board? A: From the beach at Hanalei Bay. You wade out knee-deep to a ladder on the stern. Wear sandals or water shoes and keep your phone in the dry bag the crew hands you. Q: Is there snorkeling? A: On the summer tour, yes, about 45 minutes at a reef along the coast, conditions permitting. The winter tour is sightseeing only. Q: Will we go into sea caves? A: When the swell allows. Summer mornings are the best odds. No operator guarantees caves on this coast. Q: Morning or afternoon? A: Morning. The bay is glassy at 7:30 am and the trades pick up by noon. Afternoon tours exist in summer and have warmer water and better light on the cliffs, but more chop. Q: Where do I check in? A: At the office at 5-5190 Kūhiō Highway in Hanalei town, 6:30 to 7 am for the morning tour, then walk or drive to the bay for loading. Your confirmation has the exact spot. Q: Can kids come? A: Yes, from age 4. The beach loading and the swim stop make it one of the better Nā Pali trips for families with school-age kids. Q: What is the cancellation policy? A: Advance notice is required to cancel or rebook without penalty, and the window depends on party size. Weather cancellations by the captain are refunded or rescheduled. --- ## Kauai Helicopter Tour: A Private Flight Over Nā Pali, Waimea Canyon and Waiʻaleʻale URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/kauai-helicopter-tour/ Rank on our list: #4 Where: Līhuʻe, Līhuʻe Price: from $389 Duration: 1 hour in the air Season: Year round, daily Best time: The first flight of the morning, any month; clearest air and the fewest clouds on Waiʻaleʻale Ages: 7 and up Group size: Private: 1 to 3 passengers, every seat a window seat Check-in: 3745 Ahukini Rd, Suite 107, Līhuʻe (at Līhuʻe Airport) Guest rating: 5 out of 5 from 2265 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/iflykauai/items/163552/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no A private one-hour flight for 1 to 3 people over the whole island: Nā Pali, Waimea Canyon, the Jurassic Park waterfall and the wettest spot on earth. No middle seat, doors off if you want them, 5.0 stars across 2,200 reviews. Highlights: - Private flight, 1 to 3 passengers, every seat a window seat. No stranger in the middle, no waiting for a load of six - The full loop in one hour: Waimea Canyon, the Nā Pali cliffs and Kalalau, the north shore, the Waiʻaleʻale crater and its curtain of waterfalls, and Manawaiopuna Falls from Jurassic Park - Removable doors for any passenger who wants them, for unobstructed photos - Four-seat helicopter with a bubble canopy, flown by the owners' own pilots - The highest-rated helicopter operator on Kauai: 5.0 stars across more than 2,200 reviews - Daily departures from Līhuʻe Airport, 10 minutes from Kalapaki and the cruise port Seventy percent of Kauai has no road. Waiʻaleʻale, the crater at the center of the island and the wettest spot on earth, is a wall of waterfalls nobody sees from the ground. The back of Waimea Canyon, the top of Nā Pali, the Jurassic Park waterfall: all of it is helicopter country. One hour in the air shows you more of this island than a week of driving. This page covers the flight we book, what it costs, doors on versus doors off, and the one choice that changes everything: a private cabin instead of a shared one. ## Why this made our list The private cabin is the first reason. Most Kauai helicopter tours fly six passengers in an aircraft with two rows; the two middle seats see the island past someone else’s shoulder, and the operator decides who sits where by weight. This flight takes your party only, 1 to 3 people, in a four-seat helicopter with a bubble canopy. Every seat is a window seat. You are not waiting for a load, and the pilot flies the hour for you. The doors are the second. Any passenger can fly with the door removed, which turns the canopy into open air and gives photographers the shot without reflections. On the big aircraft, doors off is a separate, more expensive product. The route is the third. In an hour you fly Waimea Canyon, the Nā Pali cliffs end to end, the north shore, the interior waterfalls and the Waiʻaleʻale crater, plus Manawaiopuna Falls from the opening of Jurassic Park. The pilot narrates through the headsets and you can talk back. And the reviews: 5.0 stars across more than 2,200 of them, the best record of any helicopter company on the island. ### Why this operator Kauai has half a dozen helicopter companies and most are good. The one with the longest history flies a doors-off MD500 that pilots and photographers love, four passengers in a tight cabin, and it is the flight we recommend if you specifically want the open-sided MD500 experience; the second booking button below goes there. The large operators fly roomy six-seat Airbus aircraft with big windows and a video; they are comfortable, and the middle seats are the trade-off. For the best combination of view, price and reviews, the private flight is our pick. ## What the flight is like Plan on about two hours door to door for an hour in the air. - Check in at Līhuʻe Airport 45 minutes before your time, at the office on Ahukini Road. Weights are confirmed, waivers signed, and the briefing covers the headsets, the doors and the rules. - Doors on or off. Your call, per seat. Loose items go in a locked bin either way. - Lift off and head west. Over Puhi and the cane fields to Hanapēpē Valley and up into Waimea Canyon, the red walls and the waterfalls in the side canyons. - Nā Pali. Over the rim at Kōkeʻe and out along the cliffs: Nualolo, Awaʻawapuhi, Kalalau Valley from above, the beach at the bottom, the trail along the cliff. The pilot banks so each side gets the view. - The north shore. Kēʻē, Hāʻena, Hanalei Bay and the taro fields behind it. - The interior. Waterfalls nobody can hike to, then the Waiʻaleʻale crater: a horseshoe of 3,000-foot walls streaked with falls, if the cloud lifts. Mornings are your best chance. - Manawaiopuna Falls on the way home, the Jurassic Park waterfall on private land, then back over Līhuʻe to the ramp. ## Prices and what you get The private flight is from $389 per person plus tax and booking fees. That covers about 60 minutes of flight time, headsets, the briefing, doors off if you choose, and a cabin shared only with your own party. Gratuity for the pilot is customary and extra. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Anyone who wants to see the whole island, photographers, couples, and families with kids 7 and up. It is also the Nā Pali option for anyone who gets seasick, since the coast from 1,500 feet is a different and arguably better view than from the water. Skip it if you are under 7, if you are not comfortable giving accurate weights (the aircraft needs them), or if you need a flight for a party of 4 or more; the larger operators fly six-seat aircraft and the second button below goes to the four-seat MD500 flight. If a tight budget is the issue, the big-aircraft doors-on tours are the cheaper way to see the same loop. ## Where to check in and how to get there The office is at 3745 Ahukini Road, Suite 107, on the airport side of Līhuʻe. From Kalapaki and the Marriott it is 10 minutes, from Poʻipū 25, from Kapaʻa 20, from Princeville about an hour and from Waimea about an hour. Check in 45 minutes early. Parking is free at the office. Current flight times and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of day. The first flights of the morning. Cloud builds on the interior through the day and the crater is open far more often at 8 am than at 2 pm. Late afternoon has the warmest light on Nā Pali but the most cloud inland. Time of year. Every month. Summer is clearest; winter has more rain inland but the waterfalls are at full volume, and the trade-off is worth it. Whatever month, book the flight for your first or second day so that a weather cancellation can be rebooked. ## Local tips before you book - Book the morning. The crater and the interior falls are the reason, and they cloud over by lunch. - Book it early in your stay. Weather cancellations happen; give yourself a rebook day. - Wear dark clothes. White shirts reflect in the canopy and ruin the photos. Doors off solves this entirely. - Wrist strap everything. Phone and camera. Nothing loose with the doors off. - Give honest weights. The aircraft balances on them and the pilot will know. - Pair it with a boat. Air plus water is the complete Nā Pali. Fly in the morning and take the Kekaha boat tour the next day. For a full itinerary, see things to do on Kauai. ## The verdict A Kauai helicopter tour is the one splurge we tell everyone to make, and the private flight is the one we book: every seat a window, doors off if you want them, the whole island in an hour and a perfect review record. Take the first flight of the morning, wear dark clothes, and ask for the crater. Included: - About 60 minutes of flight time with pilot narration - Headsets with two-way communication so you can ask questions - A pre-flight briefing and the option of doors off - Private cabin for your party of 1 to 3 Not included: - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the pilot - Video; bring your own camera with a wrist strap Restrictions: - Ages 7 and up - Accurate passenger weights are required at booking; the aircraft has weight and balance limits and the operator will tell you if a heavier party needs a different arrangement - Check in 45 minutes before your flight time - 48-hour cancellation or change policy; weather cancellations are refunded or rescheduled in full Frequently asked questions: Q: What is the best helicopter tour on Kauai? A: For most people, a private flight. The island's big operators fly six-seat aircraft where two of the seats face a wall of shoulders. On this flight your party of 1 to 3 has the whole cabin, every seat is a window, and the doors come off if you want them. It costs about the same as a middle seat elsewhere. Q: How much does a Kauai helicopter tour cost? A: This private one-hour flight is from $389 per person plus tax and booking fees. Doors-off flights on the island run from about $360 on a shared six-seat aircraft; standard doors-on tours start around $300. Q: What do we see? A: The full island loop: Waimea Canyon, the Nā Pali Coast from Polihale to Kēʻē with Kalalau Valley, the north shore and Hanalei, the interior waterfalls, the Waiʻaleʻale crater with its wall of falls when the cloud lifts, and Manawaiopuna Falls, the one from Jurassic Park. About 70 percent of Kauai is unreachable by road; this is how you see it. Q: Doors on or doors off? A: Doors off if you want photos without reflections and do not mind wind and cool air; it is louder and you must secure everything. Doors on if you want to talk easily and stay warm. On this flight any passenger can choose. Q: Where does it leave from? A: Līhuʻe Airport, at 3745 Ahukini Road. It is 10 minutes from Kalapaki Beach, 25 from Poʻipū, 20 from Kapaʻa and about an hour from Princeville. Check in 45 minutes before your flight. Q: What time of day is best? A: The first flights of the morning. The interior clouds build through the day, and the Waiʻaleʻale crater is far more often open at 8 am than at 2 pm. Late afternoon has the best light on Nā Pali but more cloud inland. Q: Is it safe? A: Kauai helicopter operators fly under FAA Part 135 rules with certified commercial pilots and maintenance programs. This company has flown its own aircraft here for years with a perfect review record. Weather is the main variable, and pilots cancel rather than fly in marginal conditions. Q: Will I get airsick? A: Helicopters are smoother than small planes, and a one-hour flight is short. If you are sensitive, take non-drowsy motion-sickness medicine an hour before and keep your eyes on the horizon during turns. Q: Can kids fly? A: Yes, from age 7. Every child needs their own seat and counts toward the three-passenger maximum. Q: What if the weather is bad? A: The pilot decides. Flights cancelled for weather are rescheduled or refunded in full. Book the flight early in your stay so there is a day to rebook. --- ## Wailua River Kayak to Secret Falls: The Guided Paddle and Hike URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/wailua-river-kayak-secret-falls/ Rank on our list: #5 Where: Kapaʻa, East Side Price: from $115 Duration: 4.5 to 5 hours Season: Year round, Monday to Friday only (the river is closed to tours on weekends) Best time: The 8 or 9 am tour, any weekday; cooler paddle, emptier falls Ages: All ages per the operator; young kids paddle tandem with a parent Group size: 4 to 12 per guide Check-in: 4565 Haleilio Rd, Kapaʻa, just upriver from the Wailua River bridge Guest rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 4522 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/kayakwailua/items/10253/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no Paddle two miles up Hawaii's only navigable river, hike a mile through the rainforest, and swim under a 120-foot waterfall. Five hours, from $115, with the island's top-rated guides. Weekdays only. Highlights: - Hawaii's only navigable river: a 2-mile paddle up the Wailua past the fern-draped banks where the old aliʻi lived - A mile-long rainforest hike with two stream crossings to Uluwehi Falls, known as Secret Falls, 120 feet high with a swimming pool at its base - Everything handled: kayaks delivered, set up and launched for you, dry bags, coolers and hiking footwear provided - Small groups of 4 to 12 with guides who know the plants, the legends and the best swimming rock - Six departures a day from 8 am to 1 pm, Monday to Friday - The top-rated Wailua tour on the island: 4.9 stars across more than 4,500 reviews The Wailua is the only river in Hawaii you can paddle up, and at the end of it, a mile into the jungle, is a 120-foot waterfall with a swimming hole. The whole thing takes a morning, costs about what a round of golf does on this island, and is the trip that families talk about on the plane home. This page covers the tour we book, what it costs, who can do it, and the rule that catches people out every week: it does not run on weekends. ## Why this made our list The river first. The Wailua was the seat of Kauai’s aliʻi, the chiefs, and the valley is still the greenest place on the east side: fern banks, hau thickets, the Sleeping Giant ridge above, and the Fern Grotto on the way. The paddle is flat and slow, about 45 minutes upriver, which is enough to feel like a journey and not enough to be work. The hike is the second. From the kayak landing a trail follows a stream for about a mile through rainforest, with two crossings where you wade knee-deep and the guide points out where to step. Then the trees open and Uluwehi Falls, which everyone calls Secret Falls, drops 120 feet into a pool. You swim, eat lunch on the rocks, and hike back. The third is the operation. Kayaks are delivered, set up and launched for you, dry bags and coolers are handed out, and water shoes are provided so nobody ruins their sneakers. Groups are 4 to 12 with a guide who knows the plants, the legends and which rock to jump from. It holds 4.9 stars across more than 4,500 reviews, which is the deepest review record of any tour on the island. ### Why this operator Five companies guide the Wailua, and the river is the same for all of them. We compared them on group size, what is provided and reviews. The others are good, and a couple are cheaper by a few dollars or include lunch. This one won on review depth and on the small things: six daily departures so you can pick your time, water shoes provided, and guides that reviewers name. If you only want to paddle and skip the hike, every company also rents kayaks by the hour. ## What the Wailua River kayak tour is like Plan on about five hours. - Check in on Haleilio Road 30 minutes early. Waivers, dry bags, coolers for your lunch, water shoes handed out. - Launch. The kayaks are already at the water. A five-minute lesson and you are paddling. - Upriver. Two miles at an easy pace along the fern banks, past the turn to the Fern Grotto, under the Sleeping Giant. Forty-five minutes or so. The guide stops for the stories. - Land and hike. Kayaks pulled up at an unmarked bank. The trail follows the stream through the jungle, with two wading crossings and a few rooty steps. About 30 to 40 minutes. - Secret Falls. The pool is cold and clear and the spray reaches the rocks where you eat lunch. Half an hour to swim and sit. - Back down. Hike out, paddle down with the current, which is faster than the way up. Back at the base around five hours after you left. ## Prices and what you get From $115 per person plus tax and a small booking fee. That covers the kayak, paddle, life jacket, guide, dry bags, coolers and water shoes for 4.5 to 5 hours. Lunch is bring-your-own; the picnic at the falls is the reason. Gratuity for the guide is extra. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Families with school-age kids, couples, first-time kayakers, anyone who wants a waterfall and is willing to earn it. Active grandparents do it. No experience needed. Skip it if you cannot walk a muddy mile with stream crossings, if you need it on a Saturday or Sunday (the river is closed to tours), or if you want a dry day. After heavy rain the trail is slick and the crossings are higher; the guide decides whether the falls are safe. ## Where to check in and how to get there The base is at 4565 Haleilio Road in Kapaʻa, on the north bank of the Wailua River just inland from the Kūhiō Highway bridge. From Līhuʻe it is 15 minutes, from central Kapaʻa 5, from Poʻipū 45 and from Princeville 40. Check in 30 minutes before your tour (40 minutes for groups over six). Parking is on site. Buy lunch and water in Kapaʻa or at the shops by the Wailua bridge on the way; there is nothing at the landing or the falls. Current tour times and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of day. The 8 or 9 am departures. The river is glassy before the trades fill in, the trail is cooler, and you reach the falls ahead of the midday groups. The 1 pm tour is warmest and emptiest at the start but puts you on the river in the afternoon wind. Time of year. Year round. Summer is drier and the stream crossings are ankle-deep. Winter brings more rain, a fuller waterfall and muddier trail; bring the change of clothes. Any weekday works. No weekends. ## Local tips before you book - Weekdays only. Every company is closed Saturday and Sunday. Plan the rest of your week around this one. - Book the 8 am. Calm water and the falls to yourselves for a while. - Pack a real lunch. The picnic at the falls is the moment. Sandwiches from Kapaʻa and a lot of water. - Wear the water shoes. They hand them out for a reason. Flip-flops do not survive the stream. - Bug spray before the hike. The falls trail has mosquitoes in the shade. - Pair it with the east side. You are done by early afternoon. Kealia Beach and the coastal bike path are ten minutes north; see our best beaches guide. The private helicopter tour leaves from Līhuʻe, 15 minutes south, the next morning. ## The verdict For a Wailua River kayak tour, this is the one we book: six daily departures, everything provided down to the shoes, small groups, and 4,500 reviews that agree. Book a weekday morning, pack a good lunch, and swim under the falls before anyone else gets there. Included: - Tandem kayak, paddle, life jacket and a guide for 4.5 to 5 hours - Waterproof dry bags and nylon coolers for your lunch - Hiking footwear (water shoes) for the trail and stream crossings - Narration on the river's history and plants Not included: - Lunch: bring your own; the operator provides the cooler and dry bag - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the guide Restrictions: - Closed Saturdays and Sundays by state rule, so residents have the river to themselves; weekday holidays are open - Tours with only 1 or 2 guests may be moved to the next departure - Reasonable fitness required: 2 miles of paddling each way and a muddy, uneven mile of trail each way - Check in 30 minutes early (40 for groups over 6). Tours run rain or shine Frequently asked questions: Q: How hard is the Wailua River kayak to Secret Falls? A: Moderate. The paddle is two miles each way on flat water with a gentle current, about 45 minutes upriver. The hike is a mile each way on a muddy jungle trail with two shallow stream crossings and a few rooty climbs. Fit kids and active grandparents do it every day. Nobody needs kayak experience. Q: How much does it cost? A: From $115 per person plus tax and a small booking fee, with the kayak, guide, dry bags, coolers and hiking shoes included. Lunch is bring-your-own. Q: Why is it closed on weekends? A: The state Department of Land and Natural Resources closes the Wailua River to all commercial kayak tours and rentals on Saturdays and Sundays so residents can enjoy the river without crowds. Every kayak company is closed those days, so plan this for a weekday. Q: Can kids do it? A: Yes. Kids paddle tandem with a parent and most 5-year-olds and up handle the hike. The stream crossings are knee-deep on an adult. Ask the operator about younger children when you book. Q: Can I swim at the falls? A: Yes. Secret Falls has a pool at its base and the guide shows you where to get in. The water is cool and it is the best part of the day. Heavy rain can raise the stream and close the falls; the guide makes that call. Q: Do I need to bring lunch? A: Yes. The operator provides a cooler and a dry bag but not food. Pick up sandwiches in Kapaʻa or Wailua on the way; the picnic is at the falls. Q: Where does it leave from? A: The base at 4565 Haleilio Road in Kapaʻa, just upriver from the Wailua River bridge on the east side. It is 15 minutes from Līhuʻe, 5 from central Kapaʻa, 45 from Poʻipū and about 40 from Princeville. Q: What time should I book? A: The 8 or 9 am tours. Cooler paddling, calmer wind on the river, and you reach the falls before the midday groups. Six departures run from 8 am to 1 pm. Q: What if it rains? A: Tours go rain or shine; a rain shower on the river is part of Kauai. Only flash-flood conditions close the trail, and the guide decides. Q: Is a guide worth it versus renting a kayak? A: For the falls, yes. The trail turn-off from the river is unmarked and easy to miss, the stream crossings need judgment after rain, and the guide carries the gear and the stories. Rentals make sense if you only want to paddle. --- ## Kauai Zipline Tour: Eight Lines Over the Old Kōloa Plantation URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/kauai-zipline-tour/ Rank on our list: #6 Where: Kōloa, South Shore Price: from $159 Duration: About 3.5 hours Season: Year round, daily, 7:15 am to 3 pm Best time: The first tour of the morning for cool air, or the 3 pm tour for sunset on the last lines Ages: 7 and up Group size: Small groups with two guides Check-in: Kōloa, 5 minutes from Poʻipū; exact check-in address on your confirmation Guest rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 1412 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/koloazipline/items/13054/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no Eight ziplines across the Waita Reservoir and 22,000 acres of old sugar plantation, including a half-mile line, the longest on Kauai. Hands-free harness, tandem for kids, from $159. Five minutes from Poʻipū. Highlights: - Eight lines and the longest zipline course on Kauai, including three of the island's longest lines - The Waita zip: half a mile across the island's largest reservoir with the ocean on the horizon - The Flyin' Kauaʻian harness that lets you fly hands-free, head first or lying flat, plus handlebar pulleys for anyone who wants to hold on - Tandem lines so kids from 7 ride beside a parent or guide - Ground school first, so nobody's first zip is the big one - Sixteen daily start times from 7:15 am to 3 pm, with the last tour catching the sunset The south shore of Kauai was sugar for 150 years, and the old plantation above Kōloa is now the island’s longest zipline course: eight lines across the reservoir and the cane roads with the ocean on the horizon and the mountains behind. It takes half a day, it is five minutes from Poʻipū, and it is the thing to do on the afternoon the boat trip is over. This page covers the course, what it costs, who can ride, and what to wear so the harness fits. ## Why this made our list The lines. Eight of them, long ones, with the Waita zip running about half a mile across the island’s largest reservoir, the longest zipline on Kauai. Three of the eight are among the longest on the island. Long lines mean speed, time in the air and a view that lasts more than a few seconds. The harness. The course built its own full-body rig, the Flyin’ Kauaʻian, that lets you fly hands-free, head first like Superman or flat on your back watching the sky. Anyone who would rather hold a handlebar can. Kids who are too light ride tandem next to a parent or guide. Nobody is left on the platform. The setting. The Waita Reservoir, the wetlands and 22,000 acres of former sugar land roll out below you, with Poʻipū and the ocean beyond. The 3 pm tour finishes in sunset light. It holds 4.9 stars across more than 1,400 reviews. ### Why this operator Kauai has three zipline courses. The one near Līhuʻe pairs a shorter course with a kayak and a swimming hole, which is a great combination day if that is what you want. Another on the east side is a smaller course with a walk between lines. For the most ziplining, the longest lines and the easiest logistics from the south shore resorts, this is the one. ## What the zipline tour is like Plan on about 3.5 hours. - Check in 15 minutes early in Kōloa. Waivers, weights, gear fitting, and a choice of harness. - Ground school. A short, low practice line to learn the brake, the landing and the harness. Nervous riders do it twice. - The first lines. Shorter zips through the trees that build confidence and speed. - The big ones. The lines open out over the reservoir, each longer than the last, with the guides radioing across so your launch is timed and your catch is waiting. - The Waita zip. Half a mile over the water. Hands-free if you chose the harness, head first if you dare. - Back to base. Drinks, the inevitable photo review, and the drive down to Poʻipū for the beach. ## Prices and what you get From $159 per person plus tax and booking fees. That covers all eight lines, harness, helmet, gloves, ground school, two guides and drinks. Gratuity is extra. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Anyone 7 and up who wants a thrill with a view, families, teenagers, and nervous first-timers, who do better here than on short courses because the ground school and the gentle early lines build up to the big ones. Skip it if you are pregnant, had surgery in the last three months, or have a back, neck or knee injury. Riders must weigh under 280 lb, and the hands-free harness needs at least 100 lb; lighter riders use the standard harness or ride tandem. ## Where to check in and how to get there The course is in Kōloa on the south shore, five minutes from Poʻipū, 25 from Līhuʻe, 40 from Kapaʻa, an hour from Waimea and about 90 minutes from Princeville. The exact check-in address and directions are on your confirmation. Arrive 15 minutes early; the tours leave on time and late arrivals are rebooked at full charge. Current tour times and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of day. First tour of the morning for cool air and clear views, or 3 pm for sunset on the last lines. Midday is hot on the platforms. Time of year. Every month. Trade winds are steady in summer and the course runs in light rain year round; only lightning or strong wind stops it. ## Local tips before you book - Closed-toe shoes. They will turn you away in sandals. - Dress for the harness. Long shorts and a shirt with sleeves. Tank tops chafe. - Try the hands-free harness. It is the thing this course is known for. - Book the 3 pm if you want the sunset photo on the long line. - Strap the phone. Chest mounts or a lanyard. The reservoir is deep. - Pair it with the Port Allen raft. The Nā Pali raft is back by noon and the course is 30 minutes from the harbor. Or finish at Poʻipū Beach; see our best beaches guide. ## The verdict For a Kauai zipline, this is the course we book: the most lines, the longest lines, the hands-free harness and the reservoir view, five minutes from Poʻipū. Book the morning or the 3 pm, wear closed shoes, and go head first on the Waita. Included: - About 3 hours on the course with two guides and eight lines - Harness, helmet, gloves and ground school - Beverages - Transport between the platforms on the plantation roads Not included: - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the guides - Photos (bring a phone with a secure strap or a chest-mounted camera) Restrictions: - Ages 7 and up; under-7s cannot ride - Maximum weight 280 lb. Minimum 100 lb for the hands-free Flyin' Kauaʻian harness; lighter riders use the standard harness or ride tandem - Not for pregnant guests, anyone with surgery in the past three months, or back, neck or knee injuries - Arrive 15 minutes early; late arrivals are rebooked and charged. 48-hour cancellation policy Frequently asked questions: Q: What is the best zipline on Kauai? A: This course has the most lines, the longest lines and the biggest views on the island, five minutes from Poʻipū. The other courses are good and some have a short hike or a swim built in, but for pure ziplining this is the one we book. Q: How long is the longest zipline? A: The Waita line runs about half a mile across the Waita Reservoir, the longest zipline on Kauai. Three of the eight lines are among the island's longest. Q: How much does it cost? A: From $159 per person plus tax and booking fees for all eight lines, gear, ground school and drinks. Q: Can kids zipline? A: From age 7. Kids under the weight minimum ride tandem beside a parent or guide on the same line, so families go together. Q: What is the hands-free harness? A: The Flyin' Kauaʻian is a full-body harness that lets you fly without holding on: arms out, head first, or lying flat. Riders over 100 lb can choose it. If you would rather hold a handlebar, you can. Q: Is it scary? A: The first platform is the hard part. Ground school lets you try a short line before anything high, and the guides brake and catch you at every platform. Most nervous first-timers are asking to go head first by line four. Q: What should I wear? A: Closed-toe shoes, no exceptions. A T-shirt or long sleeves and shorts long enough for the harness straps. Leave jewelry and loose hats at the hotel. Q: Where is it? A: In Kōloa on the south shore, five minutes from Poʻipū, 25 from Līhuʻe, 40 from Kapaʻa and about 90 from Princeville. The exact check-in address is on your confirmation. Q: What time should I book? A: Morning for cool air and the clearest views, or the 3 pm tour to finish the last lines in sunset light. Sixteen start times run from 7:15 am to 3 pm. Q: What if it rains? A: Tours run in light rain; ziplining in a Kauai shower is fun. Lightning or high wind stops the course and you are rebooked or refunded. --- ## Nā Pali Sunset Dinner Sail: Mai Tais and the Cliffs at Golden Hour From Port Allen URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/napali-sunset-dinner-sail/ Rank on our list: #7 Where: ʻEleʻele, Port Allen Price: from $210 Duration: 4.5 hours Season: Year round; check-in moves with sunset, about 1:30 pm in winter Best time: December to April for whales at sunset; May to September for the calmest sail Ages: 5 and up Group size: A 50-foot sailing catamaran with room to move Check-in: Holo Holo Charters, Port Allen Marina Center, ʻEleʻele Guest rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 6150 reviews Book: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/holoholo/items/24206/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=fathom1k&ref=kauaithingstodo&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no Four and a half hours on a 50-foot sailing catamaran to the Nā Pali cliffs at golden hour, with a stir-fry dinner, mai tais, beer and wine, and a champagne toast at sunset. The most-reviewed boat on Kauai. Highlights: - The Nā Pali Coast in the late-afternoon light, when the cliffs turn gold and the valleys fill with shadow - Aboard Leila, a 50-foot sailing catamaran: real trade-wind sailing, often 15 knots or more, not a motor yacht - Stir-fry dinner with a Hawaiian influence, appetizers, mai tais, beer, wine and soft drinks, and a champagne toast at sunset - Sunset over the open ocean and Niʻihau on the way home - Humpback whales from December through April, spinner dolphins much of the year - The most-reviewed boat company on Kauai: 4.9 stars across more than 6,000 reviews Everyone on Kauai watches the sunset. The best place to do it is three miles off the Nā Pali Coast, on a sailing catamaran with a mai tai, as the cliffs go gold and then purple behind you. That is this trip. This page covers what the sail is like, what it costs, who it suits, and how it differs from the morning Nā Pali tours. ## Why this made our list The light. The morning Nā Pali boats see the cliffs with the sun behind them. The sunset sail sees them the way photographers wait for: low western sun straight onto the walls, every fluted ridge throwing a shadow, the hanging valleys glowing green. Then the sun sets over open ocean and Niʻihau on the ride home. The boat. Holo Holo sails Leila, a 50-foot sailing catamaran built for trade-wind sailing, and they sail it, often at 15 knots or better. It is a different feeling from a power catamaran or a raft: quieter, steadier, with room to stand at the bow. The reputation. Holo Holo has run Nā Pali trips out of Port Allen for decades and holds a 4.9-star rating across more than 6,000 reviews, the most of any boat company on the island. ### Why this operator Several companies run evening cruises on Kauai. A few leave from Līhuʻe and Nawiliwili and stay along the east side; they are pleasant and short, but they do not reach Nā Pali. The other Port Allen sunset boats are good and some are cheaper; they are motor catamarans with larger crowds. We chose this one for the combination of a real sailing catamaran, the full run to the cliffs, an included dinner and drinks, and a review record nobody else on the island matches. For the morning version of the coast, see our Kekaha catamaran and Port Allen raft picks. ## What the Nā Pali sunset sail is like Plan on about 4.5 hours dock to dock. - Check in at Port Allen in the early afternoon; the time moves with sunset. Holo Holo’s office is at the marina center. - Sail west. The catamaran heads out past Hanapēpē and the Kekaha coast with the trades behind it. Appetizers and drinks start once you clear the harbor. - Dolphins and whales. Spinner dolphins off Polihale much of the year; humpbacks from December through April. - Nā Pali at golden hour. The boat works along the cliffs as the light drops, with the crew telling the stories of the valleys. - Dinner. A stir-fry dinner with a Hawaiian influence, served as the boat turns for home. - Sunset. The sun goes down over the open ocean and Niʻihau. Champagne for the toast. - Home in the dark. A cool, starry ride back to Port Allen. Bring the layer. ## Prices and what you get From $210 per adult and $190 per child, plus tax and booking fees. That covers 4.5 hours, appetizers, dinner, mai tais, beer, wine, soft drinks and the champagne toast. Gratuity is extra. The 3.5-hour dinner cruise is the same price; choose it only if the timing suits you better. ## Who it’s for (and who should skip it) Couples, honeymooners, families with kids from 5, anyone who wants the Nā Pali Coast without an early alarm. It is also the right trip for people who did a morning boat and want to see the cliffs again in a different light. Skip it if you are pregnant or traveling with children under 5. Skip it if snorkeling is the point; there is no swim stop. If you are badly prone to seasickness, the Nā Pali run is open ocean, so take the medicine or choose the helicopter. ## Where to check in and how to get there Port Allen Marina Center is just off the Kaumualiʻi Highway in ʻEleʻele on the south-west coast. From Poʻipū it is 25 minutes, from Līhuʻe 35, from Kapaʻa about 50, and from Princeville about 90. Parking is free. You get back after dark, so plan the drive home; if you are staying on the north shore, it is a long night. Current check-in times, which follow the sunset, and the live calendar are on the booking page. ## Best time to go Time of year. December through April for whales at sunset and dramatic winter skies. May through September for the calmest sail and the warmest evening. Every month has a sunset. Time of trip. Book it early in your stay, both so weather has room to postpone and so the coast you see from the water frames the rest of your week. ## Local tips before you book - Book two to three weeks ahead. It fills. - Bring a real layer. Kauai evenings on the water are cool, especially in winter. - Pace the mai tais. The ocean moves, and they are generous. - Sit on the side facing the cliffs on the way out, then move to the stern for the sunset. - Pair it with Waimea Canyon. Do the canyon lookouts in the morning, have lunch in Hanapēpē, and check in at Port Allen. See our Waimea Canyon guide and the 5-day itinerary. ## The verdict For a sunset on Kauai, this is the trip we book: a sailing catamaran, the Nā Pali Coast at golden hour, dinner and a champagne toast, and the best review record of any boat on the island. Bring a layer, book early in your stay, and stand at the bow for the cliffs. Included: - 4.5 hours on the water with a licensed captain and crew - Appetizers and a stir-fry dinner - Mai tais, beer, wine, island juices and soft drinks, and champagne at sunset - Narration on the coast and the Hawaiians who lived in its valleys Not included: - Tax and booking fees - Gratuity for the crew - Snorkeling; this is a sightseeing and sunset sail Restrictions: - Ages 5 and up; children 5 to 12 pay the child rate - No pregnant guests - Alcohol served to guests 21 and over with ID - Tours fill two to three weeks ahead; book early in your stay so a weather postponement can be rebooked Frequently asked questions: Q: What is the best sunset cruise on Kauai? A: The Nā Pali sunset sail from Port Allen. It is the only sunset trip that goes all the way to the Nā Pali cliffs, so you see the coast in golden light before the sun sets, and it runs on a real sailing catamaran rather than a motorboat. Holo Holo has the most reviews of any boat company on the island. Q: How much does the Nā Pali sunset dinner sail cost? A: From $210 per adult and $190 per child plus tax and booking fees, with dinner, drinks and the champagne toast included. Q: What time does it leave? A: Check-in moves with sunset through the year, around 1:30 pm in winter and later in summer. Your confirmation has the exact time. The boat returns to Port Allen after dark. Q: Is there snorkeling? A: No. This is a sightseeing, sunset and dinner sail. If you want to snorkel along Nā Pali, the morning raft or the Hanalei catamaran include a snorkel stop in summer. Q: Can kids come? A: Yes, from age 5. It is one of the few evening activities on Kauai that works for families, and kids love the dolphins and the sailing. Q: Will we see whales? A: From December through April, very likely. Humpbacks are off every coast of Kauai in winter, and the sunset sail spends time with them when they show up. Q: What is the difference between the 4.5-hour sail and the 3.5-hour cruise? A: The 4.5-hour trip sails Leila, the 50-foot sailing catamaran, and spends more time at the cliffs. The 3.5-hour trip is shorter, at the same price and with the same dinner and drinks. Choose the longer sail if you can; it reaches more of the coast in the best light. Q: Will I get seasick? A: The run to Nā Pali is open ocean. Take non-drowsy motion-sickness medicine an hour before check-in if you have any history of it, and stay outside in the fresh air. The return downwind is smoother. Q: Where does it leave from? A: Holo Holo's office at the Port Allen Marina Center in ʻEleʻele on the south-west coast, 25 minutes from Poʻipū and 35 from Līhuʻe. Q: What if the weather is bad? A: The captain postpones in unsafe conditions and you are rebooked or refunded. Book early in your stay so there are nights left to rebook. # Planning guides --- ## The Perfect 5-Day Kauai Itinerary (Written by Locals, With Backup Plans for Rain and Surf) URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/5-day-kauai-itinerary/ Updated: 2026-10-28 Five days on Kauai in the right order: Nā Pali by boat and air, Waimea Canyon, a sunset sail, the north shore, with a family version and rain and surf backups. Five days is the right length for Kauai: enough for the Nā Pali Coast twice, the canyon, the river and both shores, without spending the week in the car. This is the itinerary we give friends, ordered so the long drives are short and the weather-dependent days have a backup. It assumes you land in Līhuʻe and stay on the south shore for the first three nights and the north shore for the last two. If you are staying in one place, the where to stay guide has the drive times to adjust. ## Before you fly: book these Three things sell out: the helicopter (book early in your stay so weather can be rebooked), the Nā Pali sunset dinner sail, which fills two to three weeks out, and the Hāʻena State Park reservation for Kēʻē Beach and the Kalalau trailhead, which opens 30 days ahead and goes in minutes. Book the Nā Pali boat a week or two out, and the Wailua kayak for a weekday; the river is closed to tours on weekends. ## Day 1: Arrive, Poʻipū, sunset at Spouting Horn Land in Līhuʻe, pick up the car, and drive 25 minutes south to Poʻipū. If you arrive by early afternoon, the afternoon goes to Poʻipū Beach Park: the keiki pool for small kids, the snorkel cove for everyone else, the monk seals behind the rope. Sunset at Spouting Horn, ten minutes west, with the blowhole going. Dinner in Kōloa or Poʻipū and an early night; tomorrow starts at dawn. Family version: the same, with shave ice in Kōloa town. ## Day 2: Nā Pali by boat, then the zipline The main event. Take the Nā Pali raft from Port Allen at 7:30 am (25 minutes from Poʻipū) if you want the adventure, or the power catamaran from Kekaha at 7 am (45 minutes) if you want comfort or have kids under 6. Both are back by early afternoon. Lunch in Hanapēpē on the way home, then either the Koloa zipline at 3 pm, with the sunset on the last lines, or a nap and Shipwreck Beach. If the ocean is too rough: the captain decides early. Swap in Day 3’s canyon morning and move the boat to Day 3. ## Day 3: Waimea Canyon in the morning, the west side in the afternoon Leave Poʻipū by 7:30 and drive west to Waimea, then up the canyon road. Stop at the Waimea Canyon lookout and Puʻu Hinahina, then continue to the top for the Kalalau and Puʻu o Kila lookouts, which look down into Kalalau Valley from 4,000 feet. Be at the top by 10; the valley clouds over by late morning. Walk the short Cliff Trail or the first mile of the Canyon Trail to Waipoʻo Falls if the legs allow. Afternoon: plate lunch in Waimea, then check in at Port Allen for the Nā Pali sunset dinner sail: the cliffs in golden light, dinner, mai tais and the sunset over Niʻihau. Or, for a quieter evening, Salt Pond Beach in Hanapēpē. Drive back to Poʻipū for the night. Family version: the canyon lookouts only, then Salt Pond. ## Day 4: Helicopter, the waterfalls, then north Check out of Poʻipū and drive to Līhuʻe for the first flight of the morning on the private helicopter. The crater is open early and clouds over by noon. Then lunch at Kilohana Plantation, ten minutes west, and the drive north past Wailua Falls and ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls, both drive-up lookouts. Drive north, an hour to Princeville, with the Hanalei Valley lookout on the way in and sunset at Hanalei Bay. If it is a weekday: swap the waterfalls for the Wailua River kayak to Secret Falls and push the drive north to late afternoon. ## Day 5: The north shore, properly Two choices depending on the month. March to December: the Nā Pali catamaran from Hanalei at 7:30 am, loading from the beach, 15 minutes to the cliffs, back by 11:30. Then lunch in Hanalei town and the afternoon at Tunnels (summer snorkeling) or Hanalei Bay. January and February, or if the bay is closed: the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail from Kēʻē to Hanakāpīʻai Beach with your Hāʻena reservation, about four hours round trip, no swimming at the beach. Then ʻAnini for a calm swim behind the reef, and the Kīlauea Lighthouse before it closes. Either way, finish with sunset at the Hanalei pier. ## If you have a sixth day The Wailua River kayak to Secret Falls on a weekday morning, on your way back toward Līhuʻe, and the afternoon at Lydgate or on the coastal bike path. It is the trip we would least want you to miss, and it only fits a weekday. ## The rain and surf rules - Rain on the north shore usually means sun on the south. Flip the days rather than wait it out. - Surf cancels boats. Book the Nā Pali boat for Day 2, not Day 5, so a cancellation has days to rebook. - The south and west stay dry. A wet north shore usually means a clear Port Allen, so the boats there are the backup. - The helicopter needs clear mornings. Book it for your first full day in Līhuʻe, with a rebook day after. For the full ranked list of tours with prices and seasons, start with the top things to do, and for the beaches on each day, our best beaches guide. --- ## The 12 Best Beaches on Kauai, by Shore (With the Safety Notes the Brochures Skip) URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/best-beaches-on-kauai/ Updated: 2026-10-28 The best beaches on Kauai by shore: Hanalei Bay, Tunnels, Kēʻē, ʻAnini, Poʻipū, Kalapaki, Lydgate, Salt Pond and Polihale, with lifeguard and winter safety notes. Kauai has more beach per mile of coast than any other Hawaiian island, and more drownings. Those two facts are related: the beaches are beautiful, remote, and often unguarded, and the ocean changes with the season. This guide sorts the best of them by shore and tells you the thing the brochures leave out, which is when each one is safe. ## The one rule Winter is the north shore’s surf season and the south shore’s swimming season. From about November through March, north swells make Hanalei, Tunnels, Kēʻē and every beach between them dangerous for swimming on most days. The south and west shores are calm then. In summer it flips: the north shore goes flat and the south gets a small swell. If a beach has no lifeguard and you are not sure, do not go in. Kauai’s lifeguarded beaches are Hanalei Bay (Pine Trees and the pavilion), Hāʻena, Kēʻē, ʻAnini (seasonal), Kealia, Lydgate, Kalapaki, Poʻipū and Salt Pond. ## North Shore ### Hanalei Bay A two-mile crescent of sand under a wall of green mountains with a pier at the east end and the town behind. In summer it is a lake: swim, paddle, learn to surf at the pier. In winter it is one of the great surf breaks in Hawaii and only the surfers go in. Lifeguards at the Pine Trees section and the pavilion. Parking at Black Pot by the pier fills by 10 am. The Nā Pali catamaran loads from this sand, March to December. ### Tunnels Beach (Makua) The best shore snorkeling on Kauai when it is flat: a horseshoe reef with lava tubes, turtles and reef fish in 10 to 30 feet of water, with Mount Makana (Bali Hai) behind. Summer only; in winter the current through the reef gaps is lethal. There is no parking at Tunnels itself; park at Hāʻena Beach Park and walk ten minutes east along the sand. Hāʻena Beach Park has a lifeguard; Tunnels does not. ### Kēʻē Beach The end of the road and the start of the Kalalau Trail. A reef-protected lagoon that is calm enough for kids in summer and closed by surf in winter, with lifeguards and the sunset over the first Nā Pali cliffs. Kēʻē is inside Hāʻena State Park, which requires an advance reservation for parking or the shuttle; without one you will be turned away. ### ʻAnini Beach Two miles of fringing reef, the longest on the island, hold the swell off a shallow lagoon between Princeville and Kīlauea. The calmest north-shore water in any season, knee-deep for a hundred yards, with beginner snorkeling, windsurfing and camping. The place to take small children up here in winter. Seasonal lifeguard. ## South Shore ### Poʻipū Beach Park The island’s family beach and the easiest swim in winter. A natural keiki pool on the left, a sandy cove with turtles and a snorkel reef on the right, lifeguards, showers, grass, and Hawaiian monk seals hauled out behind a rope on most afternoons; stay well back. Sun here when the north shore is raining. Parking fills by midday; Brennecke’s across the street is the bodyboarding beach. ### Shipwreck Beach (Keoneloa) In front of the Grand Hyatt: a wide sandy beach with a cliff at the east end that locals jump from and visitors should not. Shore break and current make it a walking and sunset beach more than a swimming one. The Māhāʻulepū trail starts here. ### Māhāʻulepū The wild beach at the end of the two-mile coastal trail from Shipwreck, or down a dirt road through the old cane fields. Sea cliffs, lithified sand dunes, a blowhole, monk seals and almost no people. No lifeguard, strong currents; it is for walking and looking. Bring water and go in the morning. ## East Side and Līhuʻe ### Kalapaki Beach The sheltered bay by the Marriott in Līhuʻe, five minutes from the airport. The harbor breakwater takes the swell off it, so the waves are small and even, the best on the island for a first surf or stand-up paddle lesson. Lifeguards, rentals on the sand, and a beach bar at the end. The water is not as clear as the north shore; the convenience makes up for it. ### Lydgate Beach Park Two rock-walled pools at the mouth of the Wailua River, one for toddlers and one for swimming and beginner snorkeling, protected from the open ocean in every season. Lifeguards, a huge playground, and the start of the coastal bike path. The best beach on the east side for small kids and the only one we send beginners to snorkel on this coast. ### Kealia Beach A long, open beach just north of Kapaʻa with a lifeguard, a bodyboarding break at the north end and the coastal path running behind it. Rough for swimming most of the year; perfect for a sunrise walk and for watching whales from the path in winter. ## West Side ### Salt Pond Beach Park A reef-protected cove in Hanapēpē where local families swim, with a lifeguard, calm water inside the reef, and the salt pans beside it that Hawaiian families have worked for generations. Five minutes from the Port Allen harbor and the natural stop after the morning Nā Pali raft. ### Polihale State Park Seventeen miles of sand on the west coast, reached by a rough five-mile dirt road that needs a 4WD and claims rental cars every week. At the north end the beach ends against the first Nā Pali cliff; at sunset Niʻihau sits on the horizon. No lifeguard, a brutal shore break and strong currents; it is for walking, camping and the sunset, not swimming. Bring everything, including shade. ## Snorkeling, in one paragraph From shore, in order: Tunnels (summer), Kēʻē (summer), Poʻipū Beach (year round, best in winter), Lydgate pools (year round, beginners), ʻAnini (year round, shallow). For the best snorkeling on the island you go by boat: the reefs under the Nā Pali cliffs on the raft or the Hanalei catamaran in summer have clearer water and more fish than anything you can walk into. ## Planning around the beaches Base on the south shore in winter and the north shore in summer if swimming is the point. For the rest of the week, every tour on this site has one page with prices, seasons and the fine print; start with the ranked list, and use the regions map for drive times between the beaches and the harbors. --- ## Best Nā Pali Coast Tours: Boat vs Raft vs Helicopter vs Hike (A Local's Comparison) URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/best-napali-coast-tours/ Updated: 2026-10-28 Every way to see the Nā Pali Coast compared: catamaran from Kekaha, raft from Port Allen, the Hanalei boat, helicopter and the Kalalau Trail, with prices. The Nā Pali Coast is 17 miles of cliffs with no road, and every visitor to Kauai asks the same question: boat, raft, helicopter or hike? We work on the water here, and the honest answer is that it depends on three things: what month you come, where you are staying, and how your stomach handles a moving boat. This guide compares every option with the prices and seasons as they stand, then tells you which one we would book in your situation. ## The short version Option | Leaves from | Runs | Price | Best for | Power catamaran | Kekaha (west side) | Year round | from $199 | The all-round pick: closest year-round harbor, caves when calm, comfort | Rigid-hull raft | Port Allen (south) | Year round | from $177 | Adventure: inside the caves, under the falls, summer snorkel | Catamaran from Hanalei | Hanalei Bay (north) | Mar to Dec | from $289 | North-shore stays: 15 minutes to the cliffs, beach launch | Helicopter | Līhuʻe Airport | Year round | from $389 | The whole island in an hour, no seasickness, the crater | Kalalau Trail (first 2 miles) | Kēʻē Beach | Year round | park reservation | Hikers, a free morning, the cliffs under your feet | ## Why the harbor matters more than the boat Three harbors send boats to Nā Pali and they are not equal. Hanalei Bay on the north shore is 15 minutes from the first cliffs, but north-shore surf closes it to tour boats from about November to March. Kikiaola Harbor in Kekaha on the west side is the closest year-round harbor, about 20 minutes to the start of the cliffs. Port Allen on the south shore has the biggest fleet and the longest run, more than an hour each way. On a four-to-five-hour tour, an hour of transit each way is the difference between seeing the whole coast and seeing half of it. So the first question is not which boat, it is which harbor your month and your hotel allow. ## Option 1: the power catamaran from Kekaha The Nā Pali Coast boat tour from Kekaha is an 18-guest, 35-foot power catamaran built for this coast. It runs every month, reaches the cliffs quickly from the west side, enters the sea caves when the swell allows, carries snorkel gear for a swim stop in calm conditions, and has shade, a freshwater shower and fold-down swim platforms. From $199 for 4.5 hours, ages 4 and up. Choose it if: you want the full coast with some comfort, you are visiting in winter when Hanalei is closed, or you have kids from 4 to 6 who are too young for the raft. Skip it if: you cannot face a 45-minute to two-hour drive to Kekaha at dawn; stay in Waimea or Poʻipū the night before. ## Option 2: the raft from Port Allen The Nā Pali raft and snorkel tour runs a 37-foot rigid-hull inflatable, the boat that goes where the catamarans cannot: inside the caves, under the waterfalls, right up to the rock. It is wet, fast and bouncy, with no shade and no bathroom. In summer there is a reef snorkel stop; in winter the time goes to whales. From $177, ages 6 and up, 4.9 stars across 4,000 reviews, the best-rated Nā Pali operator on the island. Choose it if: you want the adventure version and you are fit enough to sit on a tube for four hours. Skip it if: you are pregnant, have back trouble, need a bathroom on board, or get seasick easily. ## Option 3: the catamaran from Hanalei The Nā Pali tour from Hanalei Bay loads from the beach and reaches the cliffs in 15 minutes, which means nearly the whole four hours is spent at Nā Pali. In summer it includes about 45 minutes of snorkeling, drinks, snacks and a deli lunch, from $315. From October to December it runs a shorter sightseeing tour from $289. No departures in January or February. Choose it if: you are staying on the north shore or in Kapaʻa between March and December. Skip it if: you are visiting in winter, or you want a guarantee; shoulder-season tours cancel for surf more often than the south-side boats, so book it early in your stay. ## Option 4: the helicopter A private helicopter tour from Līhuʻe flies the Nā Pali cliffs end to end from above, plus Waimea Canyon, the north shore, the interior waterfalls and the Waiʻaleʻale crater, in one hour. Every seat is a window seat, doors off if you want them, from $389. It is the only Nā Pali option with zero seasickness and the only way to see the crater at all. Choose it if: you get seasick, you have one day, or you want the whole island. Skip it if: you want to be in the water. The best answer for most trips is both: fly one morning, boat the next. ## Option 5: the Kalalau Trail The first two miles of the Kalalau Trail, from Kēʻē Beach to Hanakāpīʻai Beach, put the cliffs under your feet for free (with a Hāʻena State Park reservation, which sells out weeks ahead). It is steep, muddy and spectacular, about two hours each way, with an optional two-mile side trip to Hanakāpīʻai Falls. The full 11 miles to Kalalau Beach needs a camping permit booked months out. Do not swim at Hanakāpīʻai Beach; the rip current there is the most dangerous on the island. Choose it if: you hike and you got the reservation. Skip it if: it has rained hard; the stream crossing floods. ## Which one we would book - Visiting June to September: the Hanalei catamaran if you are on the north side, the raft if you are on the south side and want adventure, the Kekaha boat if you want comfort. - Visiting December to March: the Kekaha boat for the smoothest ride and the whales, or the raft if you do not mind chop. Hanalei is closed. - Prone to seasickness: the helicopter, full stop. - Traveling with kids under 6: the Kekaha boat or the Hanalei catamaran, both ages 4 and up. - Only one splurge: the helicopter in the morning and a boat the next day is the complete Nā Pali. If it has to be one, take the boat; the cliffs are made to be seen from the water. For how each month treats the coast, see the best time to visit Kauai, and for drive times to each harbor, the Kauai regions map. --- ## Best Time to Visit Kauai: Month by Month, From People Who Work on the Water URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/best-time-to-visit-kauai/ Updated: 2026-10-28 When to visit Kauai for calm seas, whales, snorkeling or the Hanalei boats: month-by-month weather, water, swell, crowds and which tours suit each season. The best time to visit Kauai depends on what you want from the water. Ask the crews at Port Allen and you get two answers. The captains love summer, when the ocean goes flat and the boats get into the sea caves. The whale watchers love winter, when the humpbacks are breaching off every harbor and the north shore surf is huge. Here is how the year actually goes, from people who are out on it every day. ## The short version - Best overall: April, May, September and October. Calm seas, the Hanalei boats running, fewer people, lower prices. - Best for the sea caves and snorkeling: June through September. The flattest water of the year on every coast. - Best for whales: January and February, with the season running December to March. - Best value: late April to mid June and September to early December, outside the holidays. - Watch out for: the north shore in winter, when the surf closes Hanalei Bay to boats and the beaches to swimmers, and hurricane season, June to November, which rarely matters but is worth insurance. ## Water temperature and swell by season Months | Water temp | What the ocean is doing | Dec to Mar | 74 to 76°F | Big north swells. North-shore beaches dangerous, Hanalei boats stopped. South and west shores calm. Whales everywhere. | Apr to May | 76 to 78°F | Swell fading. Hanalei boats restart. Snorkeling returns to Nā Pali. | Jun to Sep | 79 to 81°F | Flat, warm, clear. Sea caves open, Tunnels snorkelable, best season on the water. South shore gets its own small summer swell. | Oct to Nov | 78 to 79°F | First north swells arrive. Hanalei runs sightseeing-only, then stops. Whales return in November. | ## Month by month ### January and February Peak whale season and peak winter. Daytime highs around 78°F, cool nights, and rain on the north shore most days. The north swells are at their biggest, which closes Hanalei to boats and makes the north-shore beaches dangerous; swim at ʻAnini, Poʻipū or Salt Pond instead. The Nā Pali boats run from Kekaha and Port Allen with whale watching in place of snorkeling, and the Kekaha catamaran is the calmest ride. The helicopter sees waterfalls at full volume. The sunset dinner sail spends time with the whales on the way to the cliffs. Holiday and President’s Day weeks are expensive. ### March Whales still here but thinning out, swell easing. The Hanalei season starts in March in a good year, so the Hanalei catamaran becomes possible, with cancellations still common. Spring break brings families and the boats sell out; book them before you fly. ### April and May Our favorite months. The swell is gone, the water is warming, the Hanalei boats are running, the Nā Pali rafts are getting into the caves again, and the crowds and prices drop after Easter. The island is at its greenest after winter rain. The Wailua kayak has a full waterfall and a dry trail. ### June, July and August Summer: flat, warm, sunny and busy. This is the best season on the water by a distance. Every Nā Pali boat is running, the sea caves are open on most mornings, the snorkel stops happen, and Tunnels and Kēʻē on the north shore are calm enough to snorkel from shore. The trade-offs are families everywhere, the highest room rates outside Christmas, and afternoon trade winds that make the morning departures the smart ones. The raft is at its best now. ### September and October The locals’ summer. The water is at its warmest, the ocean is still flat into early October, the kids are back in school and prices fall. Hurricane season is technically open but Kauai sees a real threat about once a decade; buy insurance and do not worry. The first north swells arrive in late October, when the Hanalei boats switch to the shorter sightseeing tour. ### November The shoulder. Rain picks up on the north shore, the swell builds, and the first whales arrive in the second half of the month. Hanalei runs sightseeing tours when the bay allows; Kekaha and Port Allen run every day. Thanksgiving week is busy; the two weeks either side are quiet and cheap. ### December Whale season proper, winter swell, and the holidays. The first three weeks are calm and good value; Christmas to New Year is the most expensive and crowded stretch of the year, and every tour on this site sells out. If you are coming for the holidays, book the boats, the helicopter and the sunset sail the day you book the flights. ## Which tours to book when - Any month: the Kekaha boat, the Port Allen raft, the helicopter, the Wailua kayak on weekdays, the zipline and the sunset dinner sail. - March to December only: the Hanalei catamaran, with snorkeling March to September. - December to March only: whale watching on any Nā Pali trip. - June to September for: sea cave entries, snorkel stops and shore snorkeling at Tunnels. ## A note on rain Kauai is the wettest of the main islands and the north shore is the wettest part of it, but the rain is local. Waiʻaleʻale gets 450 inches a year; Poʻipū gets about 35. A rainy morning in Hanalei is usually a sunny one in Kōloa, 90 minutes away. If the forecast is wet, go south and west. For where to base yourself by season, see the regions map, and for the full list of trips, the ranked list. --- ## Kauai Luau Guide: Which Luau to Book, What It Costs and What Actually Happens URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/kauai-luau-guide/ Updated: 2026-10-28 The luaus on Kauai compared: Luau Kalamaku, the Smith Family Garden Luau and the resort luaus, with prices, what is included and tips on seating. A luau is the one evening most visitors book before they land, and Kauai has a handful of good ones rather than the dozens of Oʻahu and Maui. That makes the choice simpler. Here is how the main options compare, what a luau evening actually involves, and the one we send people to. ## What happens at a luau Every Kauai luau follows roughly the same shape over three to four hours. Check-in in the late afternoon with a lei or shell greeting and an open bar or welcome drink. A stroll through the grounds, crafts and sometimes a garden or a train ride. The imu ceremony, where the kālua pig is lifted from the underground oven it has cooked in all day. A buffet dinner: kālua pork, lomi salmon, poke, chicken long rice, teriyaki, poi, haupia. Then the show, an hour of hula, Tahitian drumming, a storyteller and a fire-knife finale. You are back at the car by about 8:30. ## The options ### Luau Kalamaku at Kilohana Plantation (Līhuʻe) The biggest production on the island, held in a covered amphitheater on the grounds of the 1930s Kilohana plantation house, ten minutes from the airport. The show is a staged theatrical telling of the first Polynesian voyage to Hawaii with fire poi balls and fire-knife dancing, and the setup includes an open bar from 5 to 7:30, a craft fair, the imu unveiling at 6:10, dinner with live music, and the main show at 7:30. An optional plantation train ride runs before dinner. Packages run from about $189 per person for standard seating, with premium seating, the train ride and hotel pickup as add-ons. It runs on select evenings with 5 pm check-in; the calendar shows the nights. This is the luau we send people to when they want the full show: the theater, the fire, the production. Check dates and book Luau Kalamaku, or book it with hotel pickup if nobody wants to drive after the open bar. ### Smith Family Garden Luau (Wailua) The old-school Kauai luau, run by the same family since 1961 on 30 acres of gardens by the Wailua River on the east side. The evening starts with a tram tour of the gardens, then the imu, a buffet and a show in an amphitheater with a volcano set. It is the more traditional and family-feeling of the two big luaus, a little cheaper, and the gardens at sunset are the reason to choose it. It is not booked through this site; reserve directly. ### The resort luaus The Sheraton in Poʻipū and the Sheraton Coconut Beach in Kapaʻa each host an oceanfront luau a few nights a week, and the Grand Hyatt in Poʻipū runs one seasonally. They are smaller, the setting is the beach at sunset, and the food is hotel-catered. Choose one if you are staying at the resort or want the ocean behind the stage rather than a theater. ## Which to book - Want the biggest show: Luau Kalamaku. - Want gardens, tradition and a family feel: Smith’s. - Want the ocean at sunset and a short walk home: your resort’s luau. - With young kids: any of them; the fire-knife finale is the hit. Book standard seating near the aisle for exits. ## Tips from people who have sat through many - Book early in the week so a weather cancellation can be rebooked; the big luaus run on set nights, not daily. - Arrive at check-in time, not show time. The open bar, the crafts and the imu are the first two hours. - Premium seating is about sightlines, not food. At Kalamaku the standard seats in the amphitheater see fine; at the beach luaus the front rows matter more. - Eat lightly at lunch. The buffet is large and the poke goes fast. - Do not pair it with a 7 am boat. Luaus end late and the Nā Pali departures are early; put the luau on a day before a late start, such as the zipline or a beach day. - Dress for an evening outdoors: sundress or aloha shirt, a light layer for after sunset, flat shoes for grass. For the rest of the evening plan, sunset at Hanalei or Spouting Horn, see the things to do on Kauai guide, and for which night fits the week, the 5-day itinerary. --- ## Kauai With Kids: The Best Things to Do by Age, From a Family That Lives Here URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/kauai-with-kids/ Updated: 2026-10-28 Minimum ages for every Kauai tour, the beaches with lifeguards and calm water, the rainy-day plan and where to stay with children. Kauai is the easiest Hawaiian island with children: no big-city traffic, beaches with lifeguards on every shore, and tours that take kids younger than you would expect. The catch is that every tour has a minimum age, and the beaches change with the season. This guide sorts it out by age, with the rules as the operators set them. ## Minimum ages at a glance Activity | Minimum age | Notes | Nā Pali boat from Kekaha | 4 | Shade, shower, 18 guests | Nā Pali catamaran from Hanalei | 4 | Beach launch, Mar to Dec | Nā Pali sunset dinner sail | 5 | Sailing catamaran, dinner included | Nā Pali raft | 6 | No shade, no bathroom, bouncy | Wailua kayak to Secret Falls | All ages per the operator | Kids paddle tandem; a muddy mile of hiking | Koloa zipline | 7 | Tandem lines for light riders | Private helicopter | 7 | Every seat a window | ## Ages 2 to 4: beaches and short drives Under 4 no Nā Pali boat will take you, so the first years are beach years. Lydgate Beach Park on the east side has two rock-walled pools where the ocean cannot reach, a lifeguard and the biggest playground on the island. Poʻipū Beach Park on the south shore has a natural keiki pool and lifeguards. ʻAnini on the north shore is knee-deep for a hundred yards behind its reef. Salt Pond in Hanapēpē is the locals’ family cove. All four are in our best beaches guide. Drive-up waterfalls, Wailua Falls and ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls, are ten minutes from each other and need no walking. The Kīlauea Lighthouse has seabirds, whales in winter and a short flat path. Spouting Horn is a five-minute blowhole stop. Keep the drives short; the Kapaʻa traffic and the one-lane bridges past Hanalei test everyone’s patience. ## Ages 4 to 6: the first boat trip From 4, the two Nā Pali catamarans take children: the power catamaran from Kekaha year round, and the Hanalei catamaran from March to December. Both have shade and a bathroom, which the raft does not. Book the morning departure, bring a sweatshirt, give motion-sickness medicine an hour ahead, and sit toward the stern. From 5, the Nā Pali sunset dinner sail is the one evening outing that works for the whole family: a big sailing catamaran, dolphins on the way out, the cliffs in golden light, dinner on board, and kids asleep in the car on the way home. Book it two to three weeks ahead. ## Ages 6 to 9: rafts, rivers and ziplines At 6 the Nā Pali raft opens up, and this is the age where it starts to be the better choice for an adventurous family: the caves, the waterfalls, the dolphins at the bow. No bathroom on board, so use the marina restroom first. The Wailua River kayak works well from about 6: kids paddle tandem with a parent, the hike is a muddy mile with two stream crossings, and the reward is a swim under a 120-foot waterfall. Weekdays only; the river is closed to tours on weekends. At 7, the Koloa zipline takes kids on tandem lines beside a parent or guide, and the private helicopter takes them in their own window seat. ## Ages 10 and up: everything Teenagers can do every tour on this site. The combination we see families rave about most: the raft one morning, the zipline that afternoon, the sunset sail the next evening, and a beach day between. For a full week, see our 5-day Kauai itinerary, which has a family version. ## The beach rules Three things every parent should know. Winter is surf season on the north shore: from about November to March, Hanalei, Tunnels and Kēʻē are for watching, not swimming; take the kids to ʻAnini, Poʻipū or Lydgate instead. Swim where the lifeguards are: Hanalei (Pine Trees and the pavilion), Hāʻena, Kēʻē, ʻAnini, Kealia, Lydgate, Kalapaki, Poʻipū and Salt Pond. Never at Hanakāpīʻai: the beach at the end of the first two miles of the Kalalau Trail has the deadliest rip on the island. ## The rainy-day plan It rains on Kauai, mostly on the north and east sides and mostly briefly. If the day is wet: Kilohana Plantation outside Līhuʻe has a train ride through its farm and orchards. The Kauai Museum in Līhuʻe is small and good. The south shore is usually sunny when the north shore is not; Poʻipū Beach is a 90-minute drive from Princeville and often a different climate. ## Where to stay with kids The south shore (Poʻipū) for the calmest year-round swimming and the shortest drive to the Port Allen boats and the zipline. The east side (Kapaʻa) for the most central base, the river and the bike path. The north shore in summer for the beaches of the postcards. Our where to stay on Kauai guide has the trade-offs. --- ## 25 Best Things to Do on Kauai (A Local's 2026 Guide) URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/things-to-do-in-kauai/ Updated: 2026-10-28 The best things to do on Kauai, from the Nā Pali Coast by boat and air to Waimea Canyon, the Wailua River and Hanalei Bay, ranked by locals who work on the water. Kauai is the island people come back to. It is small enough to see in a week and wild enough that a quarter of it has no road. We work on the water here, and the same question comes up every morning at the harbor: with five or six days, what should we actually do? This is our answer, with the honest notes we give friends who visit. ## How this list works We ranked these by what visitors rave about when they step off the boat, out of the helicopter or off the trail. Then we grouped them by where they start, because on Kauai “where” means a real drive: Hanalei to Kekaha is close to two hours. If you are still choosing where to stay, our guide to Kauai’s regions will help. Within each section, the items near the top are the ones we would book first. ## The Nā Pali Coast (the reason you came) Seventeen miles of cliffs on the north-west corner of the island, with no road. You see it from a boat, from the air, or on foot. ### 1. A Nā Pali boat tour from the west side The Nā Pali Coast boat tour from Kekaha is the one we book first: an 18-guest power catamaran out of Kikiaola Harbor, the closest year-round harbor to the cliffs, with sea caves, waterfalls, spinner dolphins and a swim stop when the ocean allows. From $199 for 4.5 hours, ages 4 and up, every month of the year. ### 2. The raft into the sea caves The Nā Pali raft and snorkel tour from Port Allen is the adventurous version: a 37-foot rigid-hull raft that goes inside the caves and under the waterfalls, with a reef snorkel stop in summer and whales in winter. From $177, ages 6 and up, and the highest-rated Nā Pali operator on the island. ### 3. The Hanalei catamaran, in season If you are on the north shore between March and December, the Nā Pali tour from Hanalei Bay reaches the cliffs in 15 minutes. You wade out from the beach to board, snorkel in summer, and get lunch on the way home. It does not run in January or February. ### 4. A helicopter over the whole island The private helicopter tour flies Waimea Canyon, the Nā Pali cliffs, the north shore, the waterfalls of the interior, the Waiʻaleʻale crater and the Jurassic Park falls in one hour. Your party of 1 to 3 gets the whole cabin, every seat a window, doors off if you want them. Book the morning. ### 5. A sunset sail to the Nā Pali cliffs The Nā Pali sunset dinner sail leaves Port Allen in the afternoon on a 50-foot sailing catamaran, reaches the cliffs as the light goes gold, serves dinner and mai tais on the way home and toasts the sunset over Niʻihau. From $210, ages 5 and up, and the most-reviewed boat company on the island. ## The East Side and Līhuʻe ### 6. Kayak the Wailua River to Secret Falls The Wailua River kayak and hike is a two-mile paddle up Hawaii’s only navigable river and a mile of jungle trail to a 120-foot waterfall with a swimming hole. Five hours, from $115, weekdays only; the river is closed to tours on weekends. ### 7. Kilohana Plantation and the luau The 1930s plantation estate outside Līhuʻe has a train ride through its farm and orchards, a rum tasting room, a restaurant in the old manor house, and Luau Kalamaku on its grounds several evenings a week. Our Kauai luau guide compares it with the other luaus on the island. ### 8. Wailua Falls and ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls Two drive-up waterfalls ten minutes apart. Wailua Falls is the double drop from the old Fantasy Island opening, best in the morning light. ʻŌpaekaʻa has a lookout over the river valley. Neither needs more than 20 minutes, and both are on the way to the kayak tour. ### 9. The Ke Ala Hele Makālae coastal path A paved path along the east-side coast from Lydgate to Kealia, about eight miles, with bike rentals in Kapaʻa. Flat, breezy, whales offshore in winter, and the best sunrise on the island at Kealia. ### 10. Kalapaki Beach and Nawiliwili The sheltered bay by the Marriott in Līhuʻe, five minutes from the airport, with gentle waves for a first surf lesson and a beach bar at the end of the sand. Our best beaches guide has the details. ## The South Shore ### 11. Ziplining above Kōloa The Koloa zipline is eight lines across the Waita Reservoir and the old sugar land, including a half-mile line, the longest on Kauai, with a hands-free harness and tandem lines for kids. From $159, five minutes from Poʻipū. ### 12. Poʻipū Beach Park The island’s family beach: a protected keiki pool, a snorkel cove with turtles, lifeguards, and monk seals asleep behind a rope on most afternoons. Sunny when the north shore is raining. ### 13. The Māhāʻulepū Heritage Trail A two-mile coastal walk east from Shipwreck Beach past sea cliffs, blowholes and lithified dunes to a wild bay. Morning is cooler; bring water and watch the surf on the ledges. ### 14. Spouting Horn and Allerton Garden The blowhole at Spouting Horn is a five-minute stop. Allerton Garden next door is a guided tour through a landscape garden in the Lāwaʻi Valley with the Moreton Bay fig trees from Jurassic Park. Book the garden ahead. ### 15. Kōloa town and the sugar history The first sugar plantation in Hawaii started here in 1835. The old town has a monument, shave ice, a couple of good restaurants and the Kōloa Rum tasting room at Kilohana back toward Līhuʻe. ## The West Side ### 16. Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe The “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”: ten miles long, 3,000 feet deep, red and green. Drive up from Waimea town, stop at the Waimea Canyon and Puʻu Hinahina lookouts, then continue to the Kalalau and Puʻu o Kila lookouts at the top for the view down into Kalalau Valley from above. Go early; the valley clouds over by late morning. ### 17. Polihale State Park Seventeen miles of beach at the end of a rough dirt road, with the first Nā Pali cliff at the north end and Niʻihau on the horizon at sunset. For walking and looking, not swimming. A 4WD is the rule, and the sand is deep. ### 18. Hanapēpē and the swinging bridge The art town: galleries, the footbridge over the river, Talk Story bookstore and the Friday night art walk. Five minutes from the Port Allen harbor, which makes it the lunch stop after the morning raft. ### 19. Salt Pond Beach Park A reef-protected cove in Hanapēpē where the local families swim, next to the salt pans that have been worked for centuries. Calm, sandy and almost never crowded. ### 20. Waimea town and the Captain Cook landing Where Cook first came ashore in Hawaii in 1778. A plantation town with the Russian fort ruins, a statue, good plate lunch and the turn up to the canyon. Sleep here if you are doing a 7 am boat and the canyon in one weekend. ## The North Shore ### 21. Hanalei Bay A two-mile crescent under the waterfall mountains, with the pier at one end and the town behind. Swim in summer, watch the surfers in winter, and take the Nā Pali boat from the beach in between. ### 22. Tunnels Beach and Kēʻē The best shore snorkeling on Kauai when the ocean is flat, usually May to September, on the reef at Tunnels (Makua). Kēʻē at the end of the road is the gentler lagoon and the trailhead for the Kalalau Trail, whose first two miles to Hanakāpīʻai Beach are the best short hike in Hawaii: steep, muddy, and the cliffs under your feet. Do not swim at Hanakāpīʻai; the rip there is deadly. Kēʻē and the Hāʻena parking lot need a reservation; Tunnels is a walk from the Hāʻena Beach Park lot. ### 23. Kīlauea Lighthouse and the seabirds A 1913 lighthouse on a headland that is now a national wildlife refuge, with red-footed boobies, frigatebirds, albatross in winter and whales below. The best bird-watching on the island and an easy hour. ### 24. Hanalei Valley lookout and the taro fields The pull-off above Princeville looks down on the Hanalei River and the patchwork of taro paddies that have been farmed for a thousand years. Free, two minutes, and the view everyone photographs. ### 25. ʻAnini Beach Two miles of reef hold the surf off a shallow lagoon, the calmest water on the north shore for small kids and beginner snorkelers, and the place to swim up here in winter. ## Putting it together Three days: a Nā Pali boat, the helicopter, and the Wailua kayak, with a beach each afternoon. Five days: add Waimea Canyon, the zipline and the sunset sail. A week: add the north shore properly, with a night in Hanalei. Our best time to visit guide covers which months the boats run from where, and the regions map shows the drive times. Every tour on this list has one page with prices, seasons and the fine print; start with the ranked list. --- ## Waimea Canyon Guide: Lookouts, Hikes, Kōkeʻe and How to Beat the Clouds URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/waimea-canyon-guide/ Updated: 2026-10-28 How to do Waimea Canyon and Kōkeʻe: the four lookouts in order, the Kalalau Valley view, the best short hikes, and why to be at the top by 10 am. Waimea Canyon is ten miles long, a mile wide and about 3,000 feet deep, cut red and green by the Waimea River on the dry side of the island. Mark Twain is said to have called it the Grand Canyon of the Pacific; whether he did or not, the comparison holds, with the difference that this one has waterfalls on its walls and ends at a view down into Kalalau Valley and the Nā Pali cliffs. It takes a morning. Here is how to do it so the clouds do not beat you to the top. ## The one rule: go early The canyon sits on the west side, which is dry, but the top of the road is Kōkeʻe, at 4,000 feet, where the clouds from Waiʻaleʻale drift in by late morning. The Kalalau lookout at the end is often clear at 9 am and a white wall by 11. Leave Poʻipū by 7:30, Līhuʻe by 7, Kapaʻa by 6:45. If you are also doing the Nā Pali boat from Kekaha, take the afternoon boat and do the canyon first; the harbor is ten minutes from the bottom of the canyon road. ## The road From Waimea town take Waimea Canyon Drive (Highway 550), which climbs through the dry hills with the canyon opening on your right. Kōkeʻe Road from Kekaha joins it part-way up; either works. The road is paved and winding, 18 miles to the top, 40 to 45 minutes without stops. State park entry and parking are charged per vehicle and per non-resident visitor at the lookouts; bring a card. ## The lookouts, in order - Waimea Canyon Lookout (mile 10). The classic view down the length of the canyon, with Waipoʻo Falls across the gorge. The first and busiest stop. Mornings are backlit; the colors are better after 9. - Puʻu Hinahina Lookout (mile 13). Two viewpoints: one down the lower canyon to the ocean, one west to Niʻihau on a clear day. Less crowded and arguably the better canyon view. - Kalalau Lookout (mile 18). The reason to go to the top: 4,000 feet straight down into Kalalau Valley, the biggest valley on the Nā Pali Coast, with the beach at the bottom and the cliffs to either side. Clouds come and go; wait ten minutes if it is white. - Puʻu o Kila Lookout (end of the road). A mile past Kalalau, the same valley from a slightly different angle and the start of the Pihea Trail along the rim. Usually quieter. ## The hikes worth doing - Cliff Trail and Canyon Trail to Waipoʻo Falls. From the Halemanu Road turnoff near mile 14. The Cliff Trail is a short walk to a canyon-edge viewpoint; the Canyon Trail continues about 1.8 miles each way to the top of Waipoʻo Falls, where you can sit in the stream above the drop. Muddy, with some scrambling, about three hours round trip. - Pihea Trail. From Puʻu o Kila along the rim of Kalalau Valley, with views down into it for the first mile, then into the Alakaʻi Swamp on boardwalks. Go as far as you like and turn around; the full route to the Kilohana lookout is a wet, slippery all-day effort. - Awaʻawapuhi Trail. Three miles each way through forest to a knife-edge ridge 2,500 feet above the Nā Pali Coast. The best view-per-mile hike on the island, and a long climb back. Start early, take water. Kōkeʻe State Park has a small natural history museum and a lodge that serves lunch, the only food on the mountain. ## What to bring A layer; it is 15 to 20 degrees cooler at the top than at the beach, and windy at the lookouts. Water and snacks; there is nothing between Waimea and the Kōkeʻe lodge. Shoes that can get muddy if you hike. A full tank; the last gas is in Waimea. ## Pairing it with the rest of the day The canyon road starts in Waimea, ten minutes from Kikiaola Harbor in Kekaha where the year-round Nā Pali boat leaves. The best west-side day on the island is the canyon lookouts by 10, lunch in Waimea, and the afternoon Nā Pali departure. Or the morning boat and the canyon after, accepting that the Kalalau lookout may be clouded in. Salt Pond Beach in Hanapēpē is the swim on the way home. The canyon and the Nā Pali cliffs are also the first half of the helicopter tour, which sees the parts of the canyon no road reaches. For the whole week, see the 5-day itinerary. --- ## Where to Stay on Kauai: Poʻipū vs Princeville vs Kapaʻa vs Līhuʻe URL: https://kauaithingstodo.com/blog/where-to-stay-on-kauai/ Updated: 2026-10-28 Where to stay on Kauai by what you want to do: Poʻipū for sun and boats, Princeville for the north shore, Kapaʻa for a central base, with drive times. Kauai looks small on the map and drives large. Princeville to Poʻipū is 90 minutes, Princeville to the Nā Pali boats at Kekaha is close to two hours, and everything funnels through Kapaʻa, where the traffic backs up twice a day. Where you stay decides which mornings are easy and which start at 5 am. Here is how the four main bases compare, from people who make those drives. ## The short version - Poʻipū (south shore): the sunniest, the calmest swimming year round, 25 minutes to the Port Allen boats. The resort base. Our pick for winter and for families. - Princeville and Hanalei (north shore): the most beautiful, the wettest, closed-out surf in winter, 15 minutes to the Nā Pali boat in summer. Our pick for a summer trip. - Kapaʻa and Wailua (east side): the center of the island, mid-priced, the river and the bike path, 20 minutes from the airport. The practical base for seeing everything. - Līhuʻe: cheapest rooms, the airport and the helicopters at your door. Fine for a short trip; not the island of the postcards. ## Poʻipū and the south shore The case for it. Poʻipū gets about a third of the rain of the north shore and the trade winds blow offshore, so the water is calm when Hanalei is closing out. Poʻipū Beach Park has lifeguards, a keiki pool and a snorkel cove. The Port Allen boats are 25 minutes away, the Kekaha boat 45 minutes, the zipline five minutes. The Grand Hyatt, the Sheraton, the Kōloa Landing and hundreds of condos line a mile of coast. The case against. It is the resort side, with resort prices and crowds, and the north shore is a 90-minute drive, so Hanalei becomes a full-day outing. Stay here if you are coming in winter, you have young kids, or boats and sun are the point. Drive times: Port Allen 25 min, Kekaha 45, Līhuʻe airport 25, Kapaʻa 45, Hanalei 90. ## Princeville and Hanalei: the north shore The case for it. This is the Kauai people picture: Hanalei Bay under the waterfall mountains, the taro fields, Tunnels reef, the end of the road at Kēʻē. Princeville is the resort on the bluff; Hanalei is the surf town on the bay; Hāʻena past the bridges is the quiet end. In summer the bay is a lake and the Nā Pali catamaran leaves from the sand, 15 minutes from the cliffs. The case against. Rain, and lots of it from November to March, when the surf also closes the bay to boats and the beaches to swimmers. The Port Allen and Kekaha boats are 90 minutes to two hours away, so a winter Nā Pali trip means a very early drive. Restaurants are fewer and pricier. Stay here if you are coming May to September and want the beaches and the green. Drive times: Hanalei Bay 10 min from Princeville, Kapaʻa 50, Līhuʻe 60 to 70, Poʻipū 90, Port Allen 90, Kekaha 110. ## Kapaʻa and Wailua: the east side The case for it. The middle of everything. Twenty minutes from the airport, 45 from Poʻipū, 50 from Hanalei. The Wailua River kayak is in town, the helicopters are 15 to 20 minutes south, and the coastal bike path runs along the water. The best concentration of food trucks and mid-priced restaurants on the island, and condos and small hotels that cost less than either resort coast. The case against. Trade winds and a windward coast: the beaches are better for walking than swimming, apart from the sheltered pools at Lydgate. The Kapaʻa traffic crawl adds 15 minutes to anything at rush hour. Every Nā Pali boat is a real drive: 50 minutes to Hanalei, 75 to Kekaha. Stay here if you want to see the whole island from one base and care more about value than a resort beach. Drive times: airport 20 min, Līhuʻe 20, Poʻipū 45, Hanalei 50, Port Allen 50, Kekaha 75. ## Līhuʻe, Kalapaki and Nawiliwili The case for it. The airport, the cruise port and the cheapest hotel rooms on the island. The helicopters fly from the airport, Kilohana Plantation and its luau are ten minutes west, Kalapaki Beach by the Marriott is a sheltered bay with lifeguards and beginner surf, and everything on Kauai is within 90 minutes. The case against. It is a working town, not a resort. The beach is the harbor beach. You will drive to every day’s main event. Stay here if you have a short trip, a red-eye flight, or a budget. Drive times: Poʻipū 25 min, Kapaʻa 20, Port Allen 35, Kekaha 55, Hanalei 60 to 70. ## The west side: Waimea and Kekaha Few visitors stay out here and the handful of cottages are the reason to. Waimea is the old plantation town with the road up Waimea Canyon; Kekaha has Kikiaola Harbor and the year-round Nā Pali boat. A night in Waimea turns a 5 am drive into a 6:30 am stroll and pairs the canyon with the boat. It is dry, hot and quiet, with Polihale and Salt Pond for beaches. ## By season December to March: south shore. Winter surf closes the north-shore beaches and bay, the south stays calm and sunny, and the Nā Pali boats run from Port Allen and Kekaha. May to September: north shore if beaches are the point, south shore if boats are. The north shore is flat and the Hanalei boat is running; the south shore has the shortest harbor drives. Shoulder months: the east side, for flexibility, when the forecast decides which shore you drive to each morning. ## Split the stay Many week-long trips do best with two bases: three or four nights on the south shore and three on the north, or the reverse. It saves hours of driving and gives you both climates. For what each shore offers day by day, see our 5-day Kauai itinerary and the regions map.