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Overview of the Island of Kauai
Kauai is no doubt a pretty island, in fact, it is arguably the prettiest of the Hawaiian Islands. Kauai is known as the Garden Isle - due to the lush vegetation and flora of the island and its sheer picturesque beauty. It is the oldest in the island chain, and because of its greater age, has more mature land features such as stark cliffs along the Na Pali Coast, deep gorges such as Waimea Canyon, and most of its shoreline is dotted with beaches. Kauai is home to the wettest spot on earth, Mt. Wai'ale'ale, at 5,148 feet, receives over 430 inches of rain each year! Kauai is also further north latitude-wise than the other islands which affects the under-sea life. Because of its location, the coral reefs are not as robust as southerly locations such as the Big Island of Hawaii, however, you will still enjoy your time snorkeling and SCUBA Diving in Kauai. Like the other Hawaiian Islands, the eastern side of the Island is the windward side and the western side is the leeward side, due to the predominant trade winds. Overall, Kauai is in a tropical climate, but the weather and temperature can be vastly different throughout the island. The top of Waimea Canyon Drive is at an altitude of 4,000 feet and temperatures are routinely 10-15 degrees cooler up here. Likewise, it is common to be caught unsuspected by an afternoon rain shower on any day. On the drive up to the canyon, you will pass large rolling hills and grassy meadows - it seems like anything but a scene from Hawaii.
The beaches on Kauai are white sand with some beaches such as Polihale a more coarse, almost gold-colored, and others like Hideaways a finer truer-white sand. There are also several large rivers that empty into the ocean alongside some beaches creating a fresh-water swimming area adjacent the salt water ocean. There are no black sand beaches on Kauai due to the lack of active volcanoes and age of the island. Kauai is not as commercialized as the island of Oahu and you won't find the Waikiki equivalent here. You also won't find any significant night life on Kauai. But, the converse holds - traffic is nothing compared to Oahu and crowds - almost non-existent! Kauai reminds us of "old Hawaii" from the plantation days, with small towns dotting the low-lands connected by a winding coastal two-lane road. You won't find any huge metropolitan areas or towering city skylines - and you won't miss them either. Instead you have an almost foreign feeling to the island - as if you might be in Southeast Asia or Micronesia. Lihue is the largest town on the island and is where the airport and seaport are located. The largest medical treatment facility (including a 24/7 ER) is at Wilcox Memorial Hospital in Lihue. Another thing to note - the island is not that well marked. That is, there are a few road signs labeling the major roads - and that's about it... Most of the beaches are unmarked (no typical big brown public beach signs). Most of the trail heads for hiking (even on State Park land) is poorly marked or not marked at all. Maybe it's a way to hide all the good things from the tourists... But, armed with a good travel guide such as the "blue book", you will find all of the hidden gems on the island just like we did. A good topographic map (1:24K) and/or a GPS will also aid you in your outdoor escapades. When visiting Kauai, be ready to be stunned by the pure natural beauty every direction that you look. Because all of the northwestern coast and much of the interior of the island is dramatic mountains and cliffs, you can see beautiful high terrain from almost any point on the island no matter where you are. It is truly amazing to stand on the white sand beach with light blue water lapping up on your feet staring at deep green jungle-covered mountains in the near distance. The sight is almost surreal. Read our other Travel Planning Articles: |
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