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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Best of Kauai
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Think "remote tropical island" and an image that looks remarkably like Kauai immediately comes to mind, even if you've never been there before. The Garden Isle embodies all the traits you'd expect of a Polynesian paradise. Around its edges are sandy beaches, secluded coves, and cathedral-like sea cliffs. The interior has rural landscapes ringing a mountainous rain forest. Throughout, you'll find casual, friendly, down-to-earth people and a mystical energy that's just as captivating as Kauai's natural beauty.
Attractions & Activities Kauai's spectacular scenery, refined and softened over the six million years of its volcano-birthed existence, is the big draw. The small, round island is nearly encircled by a mostly two-lane road, allowing a good overview of its diverse landscapes and special sights over several days of leisurely driving. Na Pali Coast State Park, a wilderness area on the northwest shore, tops the must-see list. It's mostly accessible only by water—with the exception of the primitive campsites and remote beaches that are reached via a rough hike along the 11-mile Kalalau Trail, which starts at the end of Highway 560 (hawaii.gov/dlnr/dsp/kauai.html). Otherwise, the dramatically fluted cliffs and sea caves are best viewed from the water. Three-and-a-half- to seven-hour boat trips depart daily from Port Allen and Kikiaola Harbor, on the west side, and most combine sightseeing with open-ocean snorkeling stops, sunset cocktail cruises, of seasonal whale watching. The locals who captain for Holoholo Charters deliver a competent interpretive narration ( three-hour trip, $95 per person), while Kayak Kauai gives thrill seekers who opt to paddle this wild coastline a daylong safe escort—and a ride back to their up-current departure point (808-826-9844; kayak-kauai.com; all-day tour, $185 per person). You can peek into Na Pali's valleys from numerous road, and trailside vantage points in Kokee State Park, which encompasses the delightfully cool and forested watershed lands that sit like a damp crown atop Kauai. This is the domain of Waialeale, a volcanic peak drenched with some 45 feet of rainfall each year, and the boggy expanse of Alakai Swamp; still, sunny days are frequent. Stop by the rustic Kokee Natural History Museum, just inside the park entrance on Highway 550, for interpretive materials, maps, and tips for hiking the nearly two dozen trails within Kokee (808-335-9975; kokee.org). Like Na Pali Coast, the adjacent Waimea Canyon State Park is an extravagant landscape sculpted by the unrelenting forces of wind and water. The mighty Waimea River gouged a deep, narrow gorge in the red clay soil, exposing sheer walls in red, orange, gray, and green hues that deepen and shift in the changing light. Numerous waterfalls and frequent misty rainbows add to the surreal beauty. Time has also worked its magic along Kauai's shoreline, building up long ribbons of sand that hug the bays and rim the reefs, occasionally piling up as dunes or hardening into craggy, eroded cliffs. Beaches are abundant, varied, uncrowded, and free. One of the best—and busiest—is Poipu Beach Park, near Koloa town, with sheltered waters ideal for snorkeling and swimming and close proximity to resorts in the south. Lydgate Beach Park, about three miles north of Lihue, is the east side's coastal gem, with campsites, pavilions, grassy lawns, protected swimming holes, and the stellar kid-designed, community-built Kamalani Playground. Kauai's wide-open spaces are a haven for birds, including endangered nene geese, nesting Laysan albatrosses, and various seabirds. All are welcome on the expansive, dog-proof grounds of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, at the end of Kilauea Road. Human visitors can admire native coastal plants, a historic lighthouse, and postcard-perfect scenery when they tire of gawking at the birds. Farther west, at the Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, acres of cultivated wetland taro span a broad valley framed by imposing mountains. The refuge is a sanctuary for endangered waterbirds and is one of Kauai's most photographed landscapes, with a scenic overlook on Highway 56, at Princeville, offering the best views. Just down the hill and over a one-lane historic bridge, waterfall-streaked mountains cradle crescent-shaped Hanalei Bay. Parks dot its two-mile-long sandy beach, one of the most desirable in all Hawaii, and the bay is a top surf spot, with a half-dozen choice breaks that really go off when the winter waves get big. Highway 560, a narrow, winding, national historic scenic roadway, continues another four slow miles beyond Hanalei, passing a string of lovely beaches and crossing numerous one-lane bridges. The nickname Garden Isle seems especially appropriate at Limahuli Garden, where craggy mountains are the backdrop for an excellent collection of native plants and ancient stone terraces still cultivated in taro. The road ends at the idyllic snorkeling lagoon—and sometimes overcrowded white sands—of Kee Beach. From here, the mountains march straight into the sea, marking the start of the Na Pali Coast and the Kalalau Trail. It's heavily traveled along the first two-mile segment that leads to Hanakapiai, an enchanting tropical valley with a broad beach and waters too treacherous for swimming. The island's ethereal light is a magnet for artists, with the greatest concentration of studios tucked into the picturesque old structures that line Hanapepe's dusty main street, Hanapepe Road. They can be viewed on a self-guided walking tour (kauai.net/hanapepe/tour.html). The restored historic buildings in downtown Kapaa house a number of interesting small shops, most notably Davison Arts, where you'll find handcrafted furniture and distinctive creations by local artists (4-1322 Kuhio Hwy.; 808-821-8022), and Kela's Glass Gallery, which has a visually stunning assortment of colorful glassware (4-1354 Kuhio Hwy.; 808-822-4527). On the north shore, in Kilauea, Kong Lung Company occupies the stone building that was the town's original plantation store, but its lovely housewares are decidedly more upscale than the general merchandise of old (2490 Keneke St.; 808-828-1822). In Hanalei, Evolve Love, in the Ching Young Village Shopping Center, carries jewelry, painted-silk clothing, woodcarvings, and pottery made by talented islanders (808-826-4755). The gift shop at the Kauai Museum, in Lihue, is a good place to buy authentic Niihau shell jewelry, feather leis, and other traditional crafts at fair prices (4428 Rice St.; 808-246-2470). Lodging Many of Kauai's lodging options are either B&Bs or condos; happily, two of its top hotels rank on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List of the world's very best places to stay. The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa, with some 600 rooms, is the island's largest and most popular hotel. It has no beach, but it does have ocean views and an acclaimed Anara spa. Up on the north shore, the Princeville Resort is arguably Kauai's most luxurious, with an opulent decor that strives to match the breathtaking scenery. Dining Kauai makes no pretense of culinary sophistication and has long had a dearth of exceptional dining experiences, despite its many expensive restaurants. It's wise to steer clear of the resorts, where the gap between price and quality tends to be especially wide and disappointing. One notable exception is Dondero's, a lovely Italian restaurant in the Grand Hyatt Kauai that edges out all comers with exquisite food and faultless service rarely encountered in Hawaii (808-742-1234; entrées, $25–$40). Another southside star is the Beach House Restaurant, which has the island's dreamiest ocean-front setting and a chef skilled at pairing bold Asian flavors with island fish and produce. Reservations are recommended (5022 Lawai Rd., Koloa; 808-742-1424; entrées, $19–$32). In Lihue, follow the locals to the Garden Island Barbecue & Chinese Restaurant, where the austere dining room is invariably packed with customers who appreciate the winning formula of good food and good value (4252A Rice St.; 808-245-8868; entrées, $5–$9). Home-style cooking isn't mere rhetoric at nearby E. B.'s Eats: The meatloaf, roast chicken, pastries, and other comfort food rival anything from Mom's kitchen (3-3142 Kuhio Hwy.; 808-632-0328; entrées, $5–$9). The Blossoming Lotus reigns supreme in Kapaa, serving creative, satisfying food with a conscience. All the curries, stews, soups, and other eclectic entrées are devoid of animal products, and the eco-friendly practices of this worker-owned collective distinguish it as Hawaii's only green-certified eatery (4504 Kukui St.; 808-822-7678; entrées, $15–$18). Just down the road, carnivores savor the slow-smoked meats touted as truly authentic barbecue at Scotty's Beachside BBQ, a casual upstairs restaurant with an ocean view (4-1546 Kuhio Hwy.; 808-823-8480; entrées, $7–$24). The pickings are slim on the north shore, but Hanalei Mixed Plate, in Hanalei's Ching Young Village Shopping Center, serves up hearty portions of local favorites pleasing to both the pocketbook and the palate—teriyaki chicken, fried noodles, kalua pig with cabbage (808-826-7888; entrées, $8–$10). Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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