My vacations are primarily centered around hiking and food. This vacay is no different. Kauai is full of both, at a World class level. I have spoken to so many people who have “visited” Kauai and only saw the Poi’pu and Waimea side of the island. They have no idea what Kauai is actually about!
My personal favorite is the Northern side of the island. Not because I’m bougie but, because i love the densely forested hiking areas and primitive beaches. I truly enjoy the feeling of being lost, in the middle of nowhere and the North side has an abundance of all those feels. Every time i visit Kauai, i find a new beach or hike and it always surprises me!
Queen’s Bath is actually a pretty cool hike! Oftentimes the gated door leading to the trailhead will be padlocked, but just walk around to the far right and you will find a small, established footpath that takes you around the gated area. Just make sure you play it smart, or you could end up as one of the notches on the “death” board near the baths ☠️
Hideaway Beach was an amazing find! We’ve stayed in the Princeville area 3 times now and didn’t know this was here. The path is just behind Hideaway Pizza and is concrete but, that doesn’t mean it isn’t tough 😆 it’s a very steep grade getting down, so wear proper shoes.
This was a great place to snorkel and check out some pretty cool tide pools! Take a cooler with a lunch and some drinks, to make a day of it! There are lots of trees for coverage. And you can paddle out beyond the reef for surfing too.
Turtle cave is located on the beaches/cliff areas right adjacent to the Bali Hai in Princeville. It’s a fairly strenuous hike down and you have to navigate over some pretty gnarly volcanic boulders to get in to the water and enter the caves. Again, wear shoes or your feet will get destroyed. make sure you check the tide report before you go. You do not want to get caught off guard. This is not Disney Land!
Curious about the best time of year to visit Kauai? Well that really depends 🤷♀️ my personal favorite time of year is winter, Jan-March. Although, it can be a wetter time of year, the whales are moving in, the waves are larger, and for hiking, it’s not too hot yet! Kauai (or any of the islands) can get super warm in the summer months.
Be adventurous! Drive to another side of the island from where you are staying. Talk to locals. Take a tour! I highly recommend a food tour with Tasting Kauai! Ask for guide “Susan”. She is a wealth of knowledge in the local Hawaiian culture.
The Food Guru: Food, Travel, Photography = Life 