I wanted to return to Hawai’i this summer, but I specifically wanted to avoid Oahu and the tourist-developed atmosphere. Because of the volcano eruption on the Island of Hawai’i, and a lack of hostels that suited my needs in Maui, I decided on Kauai. This island has a completely different feel from Oahu; it’s more laid back, has a down-to-earth vibe, and is teeming with authentic culture.
In the town of Kapa’a, you’ll find the Kauai Beach House Hostel. It’s located right on the oceanfront, only 8 miles from the Lihue Airport. There are several options for getting here from the airport aside from a rental car. Uber and Lyft operate on the island, but are not available from the airport, so you can either get outside the airport zone or take a taxi for ~$30. By bus, take the Kauai Bus from either end of the airport near baggage claim, and get off after about a milk near the Walmart, and transfer to bus 500 to Kapa’a. Get off at the Kapa’a Neighborhood Center, two doors down from the hostel. Since I was arriving late, I prearranged with a shuttle service (Roberts Hawaii Airport Shuttle) for $20.
Highlights: This place has a lot going for it. You get to wake up and fall asleep to the sounds of the ocean (and chickens), and catch an ocean breeze from every room in the hostel with its open air style. There’s also a rooftop deck and ample common space to hang out. The staff does a great job enforcing quiet hours and lights out at a reasonable time, which you really appreciate when you’re jet-lagged and sun burnt. The best part from my experience though was how friendly and outgoing the other guests were - half the enjoyment of the trip was having kindred spirits to share the experience with.
Downsides: There’s only one, what I would call, typical full bathroom in this hostel. The others have poor excuses for showers and a serious stench problem. There were some roach sightings in the hostel, but it’s hard to hold that against them, as the hostel is open air style and it’s a tropical climate. If you have a rental car, parking is very limited.
Price: $38/night for a 6 bed mixed dorm.
Kauai does have a public bus system that runs from Kekaha on the west side of the island, all the way to Hanalei on the north end. While it is possible to hit some of the major destinations on the island, you will be very limited in what you can do if you rely entirely on the bus system. One-way fare is $2. Given all the friendly faces at the hostel, it’s easy to make friends with people that have a rental car to get off the beaten path. Scooter rentals are also an option but you won’t be able to get into the mountains this way.
Hanalei Bay: A little slice of heaven in Kauai, Hanalei Bay located on the north side is a great place to spend a day lounging on the island. The water is very calm here in the summer, making it great for swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding. Despite its popularity, the shoreline is long and not commercially developed so that it doesn’t feel crowded or too touristy. The town of Hanalei has ample non-chain food and shopping options which gives it a great vibe. Parking for the Bay is a bit sparse, so I recommend street parking nearby anywhere that’s acceptable. The other option is to take the 500 bus from Kapa’a which drops off right at the Bay and runs every hour on the weekdays.
Queen’s Bath: 15 minutes from Hanalei Bay, you’ll Find Queen’s Bath in the upscale neighborhood of Princeville. Queen’s Bath is a natural tide pool encased in lava rock. There is a teeny tiny parking lot specifically for Queen’s Bath located in the neighboorhood to deter tourists from parking along the street in the neighborhood (which will get you a ticket in no time). Unless you arrive very early, it’s likely you’ll have to wait in a line of cars to get a spot. There’s a short but steep and slippery hike from the parking lot to the water. This link gives a good description of which swimming area is the true tide pool, as there are a few other spots where people swim, but they are more exposed to the ocean current. As such, you decide where you’re comfortable jumping in based off your swimming strength and the surf. It’s not recommended swim here in the winter, as the surf gets very strong which has resulted in multiple drownings. There were tons of sea turtles here when I visited in July.
Nu’alolo Trail and Awa’awapuhi Trail: In all 10.5 miles (16.9 km) of this loop hike, I could neither remember nor accurately pronounce the name of this hike. Nu’alolo and Awa’awapuhi can be done individually as out-and-backs, but combining them for a loop hike makes for a gnarly day hike. You can start at either Nu’alolo Trail parking (as I did) or Awa’awapuhi Trail parking and the loop takes you to whichever parking lot you did not park at. It’s up to you to either hike (along the road) the 1.8 miles separating the two parking lots, or hitch hike it. By the time I was a few miles from finishing, the hitch hiking was looking far more attractive versus more walking. The hike itself has gorgeous foliage and flowers, but not much for ‘views’ until you reach the both of the two lookouts. The view of Nā Pali from these spots is a bit unreal, making you feel like you’ve been transported back in time. It almost looks fake it’s so ridiculous - photos just can’t capture it. I recommend downloading a map offline as there is no cell service here and there’s a few spots where the trail splits.
Waimea Canyon: Whether you plan to hike in Na Pali or not, you should head that direction anyways to see the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea Canyon. There are two lookout points along Kokee Road, Puu ka Pele and Puu hinahina. If looking at it isn’t enough, there are several hiking trails that will take you into the canyon, often featuring waterfalls.
Nā Pali Coast: There are only three ways to access the Nā Pali (high cliffs) coast: boat, plane/helicopter, and foot. There are several hikes, like the one above, that will take you to see Nā Pali, but it’s by boat that you’re able to get real up close and personal with this jurassic-looking coastline. I booked a boat tour with Kauai Sea Tours for a half-day on a catamaran with snorkeling. These types of tours are a bit pricier, but well worth it. (This one ran $160 and included breakfast, lunch, and snorkeling gear.) You should take a medication in advance if you are prone to sea-sickness, as there is definitely some chop to the water. Despite the rain and cold on the day of my tour, the views were absolutely incredible!
The Kapa’a area has a surpringly good food truck/cart scene. There’s plenty of local food to try and small businesses to support when you eat this way. Food can be pretty expensive on the Island, but Bubba Burgers, a short walk from the hostel, has delicious and cheap burgers and milkshakes. You should also try try the local dessert of choice, Kulolo which is made from taro, coconut and sugar. The process to make Kulolo is pretty intense; it’s traditionally baked in an underground oven for several hours and the entire process may take days. The dessert has a mochi-like texture and a faint coconut taste.
