Hawaii - Kauai, The Garden Island
Here it is: the fourth and final part of our mini-series covering Hawaii. Today’s post is a very special one, since it is all about the island of Kauai, which is a little further north than Oahu.
When I was in Hawaii, besides Oahu, I also went to visit Kauai for 3 days and I wish I could go back in time and make it 3 more days, because this little island is heaven on earth. Kauai is also known as the “Garden Island”, because it is said to be the most beautiful out of all of them (which is hard to imagine, because all of them are stunning).
Wailua River State Park
This park is home to the famous Wailua Falls. It’s half an hour’s drive north from Lihue, Kauai’s capital. I would definitely recommend going there and having a look at the waterfalls, because it is incredibly beautiful. Even the countryside on the way there is breath-taking and exactly what I had imagined Hawaii would look like. Unfortunately, it is only possible to see the Wailua Falls from quite a distance. There is a small road leading to the falls, but it doesn’t take you directly to them and only grants you a view from above. This is as far as you can go. You might be wondering now, however, why the picture I took of the falls doesn’t seem to be that far away after all. I am not saying that there is a secret way to get down there, but I am also not saying that there isn’t. Just ask the locals there (and bring some good shoes, it’s a steep hike).
Waimea Canyon and Na Pali Coast State Park
The Waimea Canyon is located in the east of Kauai and is also called the “Great Canyon of the Pacific”. It is incredible. There is a road going straight through the Waimea Canyon State Park that offers multiple spots with a breath-taking view over the canyon. What I found most impressive were its colours. I have never seen reds and greens like that in nature before. It was unreal! You should absolutely take your time here to explore, because it is most definitely worth it.
A bit further north is the world-famous Na Pali Coast State Park. If you google “Hawaii coast”, this is what pops up. I always thought that the images on the internet had been edited and enhanced a lot, but when I saw it with my own eyes, I could not believe it. This is paradise. This is a view that I will always remember! I can’t even put into words how amazing it was and what an impression it made on me. Unreal! Just look at the colours of those mountains and the ocean. If you can, you should definitely book a boat trip at the Na Pali coast. They offer tours lasting half a day, but unfortunately, I didn’t have time to do that.
What I did have time to do, however, was to go on a helicopter flight over the whole island. We started in the south and slowly made our way up north. We got to see so many incredible waterfalls that can´t be reached on foot (some of which can be seen in Jurassic Park). We also got a great, second view of Waimea Canyon and the Na Pali Coast. Our pilot was super friendly and did a great job at getting us as close as possible to all kinds of amazing places and spots on Kauai. The whole flight lasted a bit over an hour and I was quite relieved what we finally landed again, because flying in a helicopter for that long wasn’t too good on my stomach. Which is quite interesting, because I have never had problems with motion sickness on a plane or even on a boat before.
So, this marks the end of my Hawaii adventures. I really hope you enjoyed reading about what I got up to when I was there and maybe you even got some inspiration for your own future travels. Let us know what you thought of this mini-series in the comments down below, we are really interested in what you guys have to say about it!
- by Sophie Grienberger