What are the best things to do in Kauai Hawaii 2026? — featuring Island Hopper TV

0:01 What's going on everybody? This is Island Hopper TV and today we're going to show you the best things to do in Kauaii, also known as the Garden Isle. This paradise has jaw-dropping cliffs along Nepali, secret beaches, and unforgettable adventures. And this Hawaiian paradise is actually where

0:18 Jurassic Park was filmed, which we'll be talking about later in the video. Now, from the oldest and most lush island in Hawaii, let's begin. First up, here we are at Himea Canyon. The nickname is Grand Canyon of the Pacific, a name supposedly that came from Mark Twain. It's 10 miles long, 3,000 ft deep, and

0:37 one mile wide. It is on the western side of Kauaii. The best way to view it is by helicopter. Get a rental car or go by tour. I highly recommend the rental car. That way, you can also check out Kalalao lookout. Now, the tricky thing out here is getting a sunny day because there's a

0:55 lot of fog and it is one of the rainiest places in the world out here. So, take that in consideration. And it's located on the Nepali coast. They also have the Kala Trail, which we'll talk about in a little bit. But this here in Nepali Coast, the best way to see it is going to be by helicopter ride or a boat.

1:13 We'll talk about both of those a little later on. But the Nepali coast is one of the most beautiful places in the world. This is probably what got your attention when you decided to come to Kauaii. There are a few beaches here, including Honapoo Beach, which is along the Nepali coast. Absolutely spectacular beach.

1:30 It's like a hidden paradise right there at the bottom of the cliffs. The only legal way to arrive here is by swimming since kayaks and boats are banned from arriving here. And this here is the call trail. It is 11 mi, 22 mi round trip, and it goes right along the Nepali coast. It is a bit crazy, so try not to

1:48 come when there's high winds. You will need a permit because it's required. But let's not skip the boat ride where you can see lots of marine wildlife out here depending on the season when the whales are here. But you get great views of the Nepali coast as you can see right here.

2:04 This is an absolutely enchanted coastline and you will see dolphins more than likely on that tour. A ticket cost anywhere between $169 to $315 per person for a boat tour. The tours typically originate out of Honlay. Now, depending on the season, if it's from around November until March, you will likely

2:25 see whales here. This is where the whales from Alaska come down to give birth to their calves. And what more magical place than Kawaii to see beautiful humpback whales? Now, if you wanted to do a whale only tour, it's around $59 on the low end all the way up to $135 per person, and you can

2:46 typically do that. Also, on a private tour, those prices are going to be a bit more. I would like to say that if you go out during whale season on one of the other tours that do the sea caves or the dolphins, you may also see whales then, too. Like, these sea caves are quite amazing. You can actually go out with

3:03 one of the companies. I personally go out with Nepali riders. So maybe consider doing a Nepali coast and caves tour. Hopefully you see some dolphins and whales on that tour. Heading back to the shore now. Let's talk about Hyena State Park. Also known as Tunnels Beach. This is famous for surfing big waves.

3:19 This is the north shore of Kawaii. Really nice beach for hanging out, relaxing. But do keep in mind during the winter months they get big waves and high swells. In fact, big wave surfer Lar Hamilton lives out here in Kauaii for this main reason. So as far as surfing goes from about November to

3:36 April on the north and west shore Honlay Bay tunnels Paul Hideaway Beach that's where the big waves are in the summer May to October you're going to go to the southshore to Pou or Pakala beach for the South Pacific swells. So surfing in Hawaii is quite seasonal. It just depends on where winter is. So, if

3:55 winter's in the southern hemisphere or the northern hemisphere, but don't worry if you arrive in the north shore of Kauaii during the summertime, you can actually do foil boarding because that's when the waves are lower and it's easier to foil board around the Northshore. Prices typically start around $250.

4:11 That'll get you an hour to two hours on a session with an instructor. Now, here we are in Honlay Bay. You could see they do have that pier that goes out into the ocean. But Honlay Bay is really considered the main area on the northshore where they've got the resorts. People just chill here, walk

4:27 around the beach, get nice sunsets, also an occasional rainbow out here. This is Kawaii, so you could get lucky and have a magical moment with rainbows. Just a nice tranquil ambiance. By the way, we did a things to do in Maui and things to do on Aahu video. So, if you guys want to watch those after this one, check the

4:45 comments down below and the link description. I'll put links so you can watch. Also, a big island things to do video coming soon. And just to recap, Honlay Bay, you can do fishing, swimming, paddle boarding, kaying, all from right here in this tranquil bay. Other beaches out here include Llama

5:00 High or Bali High, which also has several resorts. Some people like to stay at the Windom Villas. And I just wanted to throw in my favorite beach over here. This is Ki Beach. It's right there where the callout trail starts, where the Nepali coast starts. Really a beautiful beach. It's quite enchanted

5:17 here. It's calm water and I would suggest coming out here if you're looking to really relax away from the hustle and bustle of Honlay. But just keep in mind there are no cities on Kauaii. So that's a perk, right? Just small towns. The total permanent population of Kauaii is around 73,000

5:35 people. And you can actually do the whole island in around you can actually do the whole island in a day. There is no circle. There is no road though that connects the entire circle island because just pasta canyon at the call point the road ends. All right. Now let's have a little fun and do a

5:55 helicopter tour. There are around six to seven companies that do helicopter tours including Blue Hawaiian Maverick and Island Helicopters. for the short one which is going to include Nepali Coast, Honlay Bay, and Jurassic Falls. That's about $300 per person and lasts about an hour. There are other helicopter tours

6:14 that you can do that'll take you to maybe some other islands if you wanted, but for me, 1 hour in a helicopter over Kawaii is just perfect. By the way, if you guys are loving this video so far, consider liking the video and subscribing to Island Hopper TV as we continue to show you around the Hawaiian

6:30 Islands and the rest of the world. For those of you who subscribe to the channel, thanks for all your support. Now, we're going to talk about the Jurassic Park tour. So, as you know, Jurassic Park was filmed here. Got the famous Jurassic Park falls. Beautiful here. Typically, that's going to

6:45 conclude with the helicopter tour. For those of you who aren't really feeling a helicopter ride, you can do an ATV tour out here on a Jurassic Park tour. That might be for some of you who don't like the heights of a helicopter. A scenic point on the island here is Kilawea Lighthouse. I really enjoy going up

7:03 here, especially when there's big waves. You can watch all the sets and swells roll right in from the point here where the Kilawa Lighthouse is. It's like an iconic landmark here on the island on the Northshore. There is a $10 entrance fee for those who are over 16. Now, let's talk about golfing. So, for those

7:22 of you who are planning on bringing some golf clubs to Kawaii, you do have some luck. They've got beautiful golf courses. Most of the golf courses are going to be on the south coast. They're in Princeville like Mai Golf Course. You also have Popu Bay Golf Course. Don't worry if you're not bringing your clubs,

7:38 you can still rent from the clubhouse. Prices really do vary depending on the season, but I've seen prices anywhere between $80 to $250 per round. It just depends on the popularity of the course and the seasonality. The most affordable ones are going to be Wua Municipal Golf Course and the Kia Huna, but the most

7:58 expensive one that's probably going to be Princeville. On the far west coast of Kauaii is a beautiful beach state park called Polle State Park. They also have a missile silo here. It's kind of unique, but the beach here is just absolutely spectacular. If you get a chance, come on out here. This is a

8:17 place you can go for a chilling moment. uh between you and nature. I don't recommend swimming here because the waves are quite heavy and there are no lifeguards. So, strong currents, no lifeguards. Probably best to not swim here. But you can see this is right where the Nepali coast begins. If you do

8:36 come all the way out here, you might want to stop at the Russian fort. Interesting history is the Russians actually had a fort here, although at the time filming this, it is temporarily closed. Now, let's talk about Po Beach. This is one of the best beaches in all of Kauaii, but also Hawaii. It ranks

8:51 right up there in the top five on most lists. So, that's a good thing. They also have golfing nearby here. Many resorts. This is really where you go for the beach resort experience. You can even do some swimming in this area. It's a lot more calm waves over here than you're going to get on the Northshore.

9:10 They say it's two beaches in one. also known as a tombola, known as a nukeamoy point, which separates the two bays. So, I guess you're probably trying to figure out when you come to Kawaii, should you stay on the Southshore or the Northshore? I would say if you're looking for more of that jungle type

9:28 tropical botanical vibe, you want to be on the northshore. If you're looking for more of that swimming in the ocean, kind of chilling out, you want to be on the southshore, especially where the resorts are. Both sides have resorts, but I would say it's better swimming on the southshore. So, take that into

9:44 consideration. Also, one of the benefits of being down here at Poo Poo Bay is going to be the turtles. You can see turtles anywhere in Kawaii or Hawaii in general, but you could see a little bit clearer water. So, snorkeling is going to be a bit better here on the Southshore. If you're looking to

10:01 snorkel, there are a few different areas that boat tours can take you as well. Whether you go out on a catamaran or just swim from the shore, it can be done. And Wua Falls is an absolutely beautiful waterfall. You can easily drive up close to it, whereas the other waterfalls are up in the mountains and

10:17 harder to get to. So Wua Falls is for someone who wants something a little bit easier to get to. Also, there is a Wua River here that people like to kayak, so you can consider doing that. Now, let's talk about the luau. So, there are a few different luau on the island. I would suggest just talking to your hotel and

10:37 seeing which one they offer or recommend to you depending on where you're at. The Luau Kalamaku and the Smith Family Garden Luo seems to be the most famous. And when it comes to famous food here in Kauaii or across Hawaii, you're going to get a lot of coconut shrimp. There's seafood options, but this coconut shrimp

10:54 seems to be very famous on Kauaii, as well as pokey. Pokei is a raw sashimi type meat that comes with rice and some other veggies. So, between those two, you're definitely going to have some fun. And don't forget to try some local Hawaiian fruit, papaya, mango, pineapple. Also, drink some fresh

11:16 coconut. So, I love fresh coconut water, especially on a hot day, just to stay hydrated. Anyways, that's going to conclude this episode of Island Hopper TV from Kauaii. If you guys enjoyed this, consider watching Maui Next. I'll put those links to Maui and Aahu down below in the comments in the

11:33 description. Or just click to watch next right here. [Music]