If you are a big fan of Jurassic Park, then you definitely have to visit the island of Kauai in Hawaii. If you are not a fan of Jurassic Park but you love nature, Kauai is also a must do!
It is a small tropical island extremely rich and diverse. Most of the island is, in fact, inhabited and untouched, which is why it is called the «garden island». From jungle to the canyons, and from paradisiac and untouched beaches to amazing waterfalls, this island cannot fail to meet your expectations. This is why the island was chosen to be the filming location of very famous movies like Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Avatar or even inspired the animation movie Lilo & Stitch.
This appeal for this island is of course not a coincidence. Here is a small overview of things to do and things to see on this paradisiac island.
1. Beaches
All around the island, you will find nice beaches.
On the north shore, you will find Ke’e beach, Anini beach, Hanalei Bay Beach, or Tunnel’s beach where you might spot some sharks!
On the south side, you will find Shipwreck Beach, Kiahuna Beach, or Poipu Beach which was rated one of the best beaches in America!
2. Hikes
You will find a lot of nice trails in Kauai but the best and most iconic one is the Kalalau Trail on the Na Pali coast.
From Ke’e beach, where you start the trail, you have several trail options. The first one is to go until the Hanakapi’ai beach by the cliffs of the Na Pali coast, it is only a 3 km hike, but the view is amazing and you will find a beach like the one you can see on postcards! This beach is only accessible by boat or via the trail so it’s almost desert, which makes it even more beautiful.
The second part of the trail is until the Hanakapi’ai falls, a 91-meter-high waterfall surrounded by green luxuriant nature. Even though the water is a little bit fresh, don’t hesitate to go for a dive to refresh after the first part of the trail.
From there, if you are courageous (and if you have a permit), you can make the last part of the trail until the Kalalau beach. This is the most complicated part as it is 15 km long and can be very challenging, but you will also find amazing views!
3. Waterfalls
In addition to the Hanakapi’ai falls that you can access through the Kalalau Trail, the island also counts a lot of other nice waterfalls. The most famous and accessible ones are Wailua Falls, Opaekaa falls, or Hoop Falls.
4. Helicopter tour
As most of the island is not easily accessible, the best way to see the island is through a helicopter tour. Be prepared to be astonished by what you will see! No word could better describe this than the experience on itself.
P.S: in Kauai, wherever you go, you will see wild chicken EVERYWHERE! From the supermarket parking to secret beaches and even inside your hotel, they are completely omnipresent. The legend says that in 1992, a big hurricane hit the island, releasing a lot of birds. As they had other priorities than trying to catch them, they reproduced and the island is now full of them.
