Things to do in Kauai

On any list of the world’s most spectacular islands, Kauai ranks near the top. Unrivaled beauty can be found everywhere amonst the Kauai attractions – in its lush rainforests, majestic cliffs, jagged peaks, emerald valleys and spectacular beaches. Soft tropical air, sunrise bird songs, exotic fragrances and golden sunsets make Kauai an experience for the senses. While it may get more than its fair share of tropical downpours, this moisture feeds its beauty and creates an abundance of rainbows.

Kauai is essentially a single large-shield volcano that rises three miles above the sea floor. The island lies 90 miles across the open ocean from Oahu, but seems at least a half-century removed in time. It’s often called “the separate kingdom” because it stood alone in its resistance to King Kamehameha’s efforts to unite Hawaii. In the end, a royal kidnapping was required to take the “Garden Isle.” After King Kamehameha died, his son Liholiho ascended the throne. He gained control of Kauai by luring its king, Kaumualii, aboard his royal yacht, which sailed to Oahu. Once there, Kaumualii was forced to marry Kamehameha’s widow, thereby uniting the islands.

Today the independent spirit lives on in Kauai, which refuses to surrender to wholesale tourism. Here, regulations ensure that no building can exceed the height of a coconut tree (three or four stories). The result: the island itself, not its palatial beach hotels, is the attention-grabber. There’s no real nightlife here, no opulent shopping malls. But the beauty of the rainforests, the endless succession of spectacular beaches, the grandeur of Waimea Canyon and the drama of the Na Pali Coast offer sufficient compensation.

Kauai’s beauty has played a supporting role in more than 40 Hollywood films, from South Pacific to Jurassic Park. But this island is not just another pretty face; its raw wilderness is daunting, its seas challenging, its canyons forbidding – and two-thirds of the island is impenetrable. Active visitors enjoy water sports galore, horseback riding tours, miles of spectacular hiking and biking trails, and golf. Playing options range from championship links to funky local courses where chickens roam the greens and balls become embedded in coconut trees.