When choosing a vacation to Hawaii, it can often be a tough decision to narrow down which island to stay on. Each island has it’s own individual character and personality that is unique. While we would recommend seeing every island at least once in your life, sometimes time and money do not allow for such a luxury. So that is why we will make the case that if you only have one island to visit, you should visit Kauai.
It’s true that our opinion may be a bit biased, as we grew up here and call Kauai home. But there are a few reasons why we believe that Kauai provides visitors with the best all-around experience that is unmatched on any of the other islands. Here are just a few reasons to visit Kauai for your Hawaiian vacation:
The gorgeous Kalalau Valley, one of the main highlights of the Na Pali Coast.
Scenery: There is a reason that movie producers choose to film their productions here. The scenery is unlike any other you will find on planet earth. From the wild colors and layers of Waimea Canyon to the razor-edge peaks of the Napali Coast, all around Kauai your eyes will be dazzled by unmatched beauty that will leave you in awe. While other islands have impressive sights, we are sure that you will agree that Kauai has some of the best.
Oldest – Kauai is the oldest of the major Hawaiian islands. This means that the terrain has had more time to erode than its neighboring islands, giving a more dramatic look all around. Places like Waimea Canyon exist due to the millions of years of steady erosion it has endured. It has also allowed places such as the beach at Polihale to accumulate sand over time, allowing for an expansive beach that is one-of-a-kind.
Garden Island – Kauai’s nickname as “The Garden Island” does not disappoint. You find a lush tropical paradise here that is host to an abundance of plant life including tropical fruit trees, flowers, and much more. The National Tropical Botanical Gardens have their home base here, giving testament to the fact to kauai’s incredible growing conditions. The quality of farmer’s markets is also an example of the benefits to having so much available to grow here.
Na Pali Coast – This coastline is a gem for the entire Hawaiian Islands. This is where Makana Charters take our visitors every day to explore one of the most amazing coastlines on earth. No roads can take you to this coast, with the only land access being on a treacherous 11-mile (one-way) hiking trail. Luckily we can take you there aboard Makana. However you get there, you will certainly agree that the beauty of the peaks and valleys on this coastline are unmatched anywhere. No photo does it justice, as the entire sensory experience is just too difficult to sum up in words or a photo.
Small – It takes just about 2 hours to drive from one end of the island to the other. You cannot drive around the island due to the fact that the Na Pali Coast has no roads. But a 2 hour end-to-end drive is still a relatively short time, giving you more time to spend at the destinations instead of simply trying to reach them.
History- Historically Kauai and it’s southwestern neighbor Niihau had a culture quite different from the other islands. It is also the only major island to not fall to King Kamehameha by force, peacefully joining the Hawaiian Kingdom in the 19th century. Many ancient artefacts on Kauai and Niihau differ from the other islands, matching up with far away island chains elsewhere in the Pacific. With a unique history, the culture is also unique, giving a feeling that is different even amongst the other islands.
This is just a short list, but will hopefully give you enough reasons to come visit our island paradise. We hope that if you do end up visiting Kauai that you will join us on one of our spectacular Na Pali Coast cruises. Our guests continually regard it as one of the most amazing activities that they have done on Kauai, or on any vacation for that matter. We hope to see you here on Kauai! Aloha!
6 Reasons You Should Choose Kauai for Your Hawaii Vacation [Infographic]
