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Nov 15, 2024
3:07:00pm
byujdmba Truly Addicted User
Longer Kauai Guide: stuff to do, snorkel spots & restaurants. 2 sec. promo @ end
This is a consolidation / expansion of my post earlier incorporating snorkeling and restaurant suggestions from CB, as well as an added list of stuff to do. Also a self promo at the end if you get that far.

Stuff to do: this isn't nearly everything and I'm sure I've missed something obvious:

1. Helicopter ride (usually flies over a lot of the island, including Napali Coast, which is the best part). Only way to see some of the interior as there aren't a lot of interior roads (most are around the perimeter).
2. Waimea Canyon, "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." Lots of hikes, including waterfalls and a drive-up view (fog permitting) of the Kalalau Valley, part of the Napali Coast you'd otherwise have to hike miles or take a boat / copter to see.
3. Napali Coast boat tour. Arguably should be no. 2. Gorgeous but is a long day. Most operators combine this with snorkeling, but you may be able to find better spots to snorkel on your own. In summer some of these leave from the North but usually they leave from Eleele way on the South (and only from the South in winter), which means you have a long boat ride out & back.
4. Snorkel (see below)
5. See Hanalei Bay and eat at a random food truck. One of my favorite spots anywhere on earth.
6. Do the tubing adventure down the irrigation canals through the old sugar plantation.
7. Hit a farmer's market (google them).
8. Wailua Falls (was in the opening credits for "Fantasy Island")
9. Kayak the Wailua River and hike to Secret Falls
10. Go to the Fern Grotto (gotta pay for the boat ride but very pretty)
11. See a botanical garden. Limahuli, McBryde / Allerton (two separate gardens that border each other) and Princeville (which ends with chocolate tasting) are my faves.
12. Luau. Smith Family in Kapa'a and Tahiti Nui in Hanalei are recommended.
13. Lest we forget: relax on a beach. Lots to choose from. South: Poipu / Salt Pond. North: Hideaways, Hanalei, Tunnels, Ke'e. East: Lydgate Park.
14. Golf. Makai up North is gorgeous but $$$.
15. Hike part of the Kalalau Trail. 11 miles each way but one of the most beautiful hikes anywhere. First 2 miles out go to a very pretty beach and give great views of the Napali Coast. Gotta have a permit for these, though.
16. Queen's Bath. Can be life-threatening anytime, but definitely so in Winter. When water is calm, it's like a large, swimmable tide pool. Water conditions can change quickly though. Parking is brutal unless you're staying in Princeville and can walk it.
17. Kayak or stand up paddle up the Hanalei River.
18. In winter, when you don't want to get in the water, whale watch from shore. There's a great spot in Princeville to do so (but has no parking).
19. Also in winter, wander around Princeville to see nesting albatross.
20. Kilauea Lighthouse and adjacent bird sanctuary. Bring your National Park pass to get in.
21. See the beach featured on Gilligan's Island, Moloaa (google Moloaa Beach).
22. Tour Jurassic Park movie sites. There are whole websites dedicated to this: Napali Coast, Tacos Al Pastor (see below), Allerton Garden are a few.

Pro food tips:
• Costco / Walmart in Lihue are the only really reasonably priced places on the island to get food. Stock up at one or both at some point.
• For poke, is Foodland in Princeville on way to Hanalei. Go to the deli section. There are places with better poke but all in this is a good option.

Snorkel spots. Again note that waves can get big and dangerous in Winter, especially at the North spots.

1. Tunnels. Way North end of island, 10+ minutes past Hanalei. Parking very limited.
2. Hideaways. Access from Princeville, also in the North. Parking even more limited than Tunnels (unless you're staying in Princeville, in which case it may be walkable)
3. Poipu. South end of island. Turtles come ashore here at twilight.
4. Lawai Beach in Poipu accross from the Beach House restaurant. A local told me that's where the best snorkeling is but I haven't been.
5. Ke'e Beach. Requires a permit, but a rando on the internet said this is #1 notwithstanding. This is literally as far North on the island (and even a bit Northwest) as you can go in a car.
6. Anini Beach. North end, and usually safe to snorkel in Winter since this large lagoon is reef protected. Also means it can be good for littler kids. Often there are turtles but the variety of fish seems smaller than other choices. That said my college-aged kids thought it was still fantastic.

Restaurant list. This started with mine, adding some input from CB in the thread below. Organized by location and type of food (breakfast vs. lunch/dinner). Some are sit-down others are counters. I know some addresses are incomplete but they're all easily found on Google Maps. Organized clockwise around the island starting in the North.

Hanalei:
Breakfast:
• Hanalei Bread Company, across street from JoJo’s shave ice
• Wake up Café Hanalei, next to Pink’s
• Trucking delicious, Aku Road, next to Pink’s
• Princeville: 1 kitchen in 1Hanalei Hotel ($$$)
Lunch / Dinner:
• Bar a cuda ($$$)
• Ama Ramen Hanalei. Behind Bar a cuda.
• Hanalei Gourmet in old elementary school Hanalei, across street from JoJo’s
• The Dolphin, 1st building in Hanalei to the right (arrive at 5pm, get lilikoi mochi)
• Bubba's Burgers—directly across from L&L BBQ
• Tahiti Nui
• Pat's Taqueria truck at the Hanalei pier. Great fish tacos. Closes early (like many of these places!)
• Believe it or not for good poke, Foodland in Princeville on way to Hanalei. Go to their deli section. Featured by our realtor on YouTube as the most expensive grocery store in the US
Dessert:
• Wishing Well Shave Ice —2nd driveway after Dolphin
• Pink Ice Cream. Rumored to be owned by a member of LDS church?
• JoJo's shave ice. Traditional flavors (some artificial).
• Holey Grail Donuts. Made fresh with taro flour while you wait and come out *hot*.

Kilauea:
Breakfast:
• Aloha ola farms—on right, right before turn for Kilauea from Princeville
• Kauai Juice co kilauea next to Fish Market.
• Trilogy: avocado toast recommended. Also right by Fish Market
• Houlau chocolate—between Anahola and Kilauea. Turn North from main road at the Moloaa Sunrise Fruit Stand, then quick left on Koolau Road to 6180.
• Kilauea Bakery & Pizza (opens at 6 a.m.; cinnamon rolls recommended)—kitty corner from Fish Market.
Lunch/ Dinner:
• Kilauea Fish Market (highly recommended, which is why all the other places are given in relation to this!)

Anahola:
Kalalea Juice Hale—across from Whaler’s and Duane’s Char Burger in Anahola. Apparently also has shave ice.

Kapa'a
Breakfast:
• Island Craves: malasada place near the LDS church
• Passion Bakery for malasadas. ONLY Tues, Thurs and Saturday. Near Kuhio Road / Papaloa Road split in Kapaa / Wailua, water side.
• Kauai Juice Co just north of Hee Fat.
• Java Kai—just south of Niu Street, across from Mariachi’s
• Kountry Kitchen—1 block North of Bubba’s.
Lunch / Dinner
• Wailua drive in (used to be Sai Min Dojo). Good local food. Recommended.
• Pono Market, 4-1300 Kuhio Highway, kapaa. Good local food. Recommended.
• Bubba’s burgers-4-1421 Kuhio Highway, Kapaa
• Kenji Burger. There are a few of these, including Kapa'a (across from Safeway), but I mention it here as one CBer recommended this over Bubba's.
• Jo2, kapaa (get the poached scallop). About 1 block North of Wailua Shave Ice, same side of street.
• Kintaro sushi Kapaa. Just north of weird round structure at south end of kapaa, water side.
• Tacos al pastor--far north end of Kapaa, coast side. Bonus: I think this is the spot in Jurassic Park where Nedry meets the dude to sell dino DNA (the movie said it was Costa Rica but it was really Kauai).
• Lava lava beach club--right at round thing headed north into Kapaa on Papaloa Road. Back of Kauai Shores Hotel.
• Aina kauai--1 block North of Safeway in Kapa'a, by Sudz Carwash
• Musubi Truck; inland on Kukui Street
• Fillo's tacos.
Dessert:
• Wailua shave ice--recommended (my fave on island). 4-831 Kuhio Highway; same complex as Safeway grocery store. Uses natural flavors for most.
• Bubble n Boba, up a couple stores from Pono Market
• Shave Ice from Hee Fat Store (got 2 recommendations from CB; uses natural flavors)
• Holey Grail Donuts. Made with taro flour fresh while you wait.

Lihue:
Breakfast:
• Tip top café. Internet famous.
• Sunrise coffee and donuts in lihue. Kuhio Highway before the left turn north bound. In silver trailer.
• Kauai Bakery lihue—malasadas. Across from costco. 3-2600 Kaumualii Hwy STE 1526
Lunch / Dinner:
• Garden Island Restaurant (Lihue)
• Hamura Saimin (Hawaiian style ramen). Cash only?
• Kauai Sushi Station behind Home Depot, across from Costco gas, 2403 Ulu Maika St. Recently rated by Yelp as best sushi *in the US*
• Mama Lucy’s kitchen (across from community college)
• Duke’s Lihue, where Rice Street becomes Nawiliwili Road
• Smiley’s local grinds Lihue next to Ace on Rice Street
• Lilikoi, right near Duke’s
• Konohiki Seafood lihue. Kuhio Highway, Just before left turn to head north. Closes at 5 p.m.
• Plantation House
• Verde Tacos (try frozen ube horchata)

Poipu / Koloa:
Breakfast
• Little fish coffee for breakfast (get there early). Poipu road near ko’a kea resort.
• Grocery store next to Da Crack for Acai Bowls (chunky money recommended by one CBer). Who knew? They also sell local treats.
Lunch / dinner:
• Bubba’s burgers
• Puka dog, across from main beach in Poipu. I go back here whenever I can.
• Da crack, Poipu. Mexican. 2827 Poipu Road.
• La Spezia 5492 Koloa Road, Old Town Koloa.
• Koloa Fish Market, koloa. From old koloa town turn right, then immediate left on poipu road.
• Keoki’s paradise
• Eating house 1849 (Est'd by Roy of Roy’s) in Kukui ula shopping center, westish exit on roundabout near Da Crack.
(south end).
• Merriman’s Kukui ula shopping center. Koloa
• The Dolphin (arrive at 5, get lilikoi mochi)
• Beach house koloa, lawai road, southish exit from roundabout near da crack
• Red Salt--in a hotel. ($$$, but very good).
Dessert:
• Fresh Shave in Koloa. Eclectic flavors named after facial hair. My 2nd fave after Wailua in Kapaa. One CBer didn't like the lefty propaganda on the walls.

Hanapepe / Waimea:
Breakfast:
• Kalaheo café (on way to waimea)
• Aloha sweet delights, kaumakani (past eleele)
Lunch / Dinner:
• Mama bear’s kitchen food truck waimea
• Annie: Kiawe roots bbq, Kalaheo
• Sunset Grill, Port Allen
• Chocolate company, Port Allen
Dessert:
• JoJo's Shave Ice (also covered above)
• If you're down here also try and hit Aunty Lillikoi's store. Passion fruit jellies, jams, and infused mustard.

Two seconds of self-promotion. You may have noticed this list is more North-centric. That's because we own an AirBNB in Princeville so we tend to visit stuff nearer to there. It sleeps 10. You can find links to it, and 2 places we rent in So. Utah, here: https://www.paradisefoundretreats.com/. Promo over. Thanks. Hope you like the list.
This message has been modified
Originally posted on Nov 15, 2024 at 3:07:00pm
Message modified by byujdmba on Nov 15, 2024 at 3:08:39pm
Message modified by byujdmba on Nov 15, 2024 at 3:09:43pm
Message modified by byujdmba on Nov 15, 2024 at 4:37:21pm
byujdmba
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byujdmba
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Related Threads Topic: Best stuff to do in Kauai? Also a restaurant list from me as a goodwill gesture. (byujdmba, Nov 15, 2024 at 8:24am)

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