“The Garden Isle” is purposefully named. Kauai , the northernmost island in the Hawaiian chain, is marked with sharp mountain spires, lush valleys, and jagged cliffs, all draped in a canopy of emerald. Welcome to the nature freak’s paradise. The crunchy granola type, rather than the party animal, will find this island most rewarding, though anyone would be hard pressed not to enjoy Kauai’s stunning scenery. Beginners can get an introduction to the art of surfing on Hanalei’s gentle waves. Advanced hikers and kayakers navigate the Na Pali Coast and snorkelers drift happily among the native fish at Tunnels Beach . The adventurer can spend days exploring Waimea Canyon , the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” and sleeping under the stars on the island’s multiple state parks. Even the sunbathers in Poipu enjoy spectacular views, though they hardly work as hard for them.
Though Kauai’s natural wonders take the cake, we’d be remiss not to mention the island as a cultural destination as well. Kauai has strong ties to its past. Polihale Cliff was a jumping point of souls where the spirits of the dead would spring away from the earth into the blazing sun. The Wailua River Basin was the vacation spot of the alii (royalty) and maintains seven of their sacred heiau (temples) today. Kauai is also the location of the first American possession in Hawaii, the offshore Mokuaeae Rock , though you wouldn’t know it from the spirit of the island’s inhabitants. The people of Kauai are fiercely proud of their heritage. From the numerous sacred sites preserved on Kauai to the island-wide aversion to commercialization, the “Garden Isle” is a great place to venture for a taste of real island life.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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