I’m not sure I should be writing this article. It’s the conundrum travel writers everywhere face- Do I share all the amazing little places I love or to keep them to myself? Half the charm of Kauai lies in the fact that it’s not nearly as popular as the other main islands of the Hawaiian chain and I plan on spending lots of my future vacation time there. I suppose I can share my top five and keep just a few secret spots for myself…

1. Na Pali Coast
Na Pali means “The Cliffs” and accurately describes the dramatic coastline on the western side of the island. You can get a great view from the Kalalau lookout at the top of Hwy 550 (the end of the road that takes you past the Waimea Canyon), you can take a boat tour, or you can hike the Kalalau Trail. I recommend options 1 and 2. My husband and I hiked the first two miles in to Hanakapi’ai Beach. It took us six hours to make the 4-mile roundtrip up and down steep cliffs, through creeks, and along thousand foot drop offs. The views are beautiful, but unless you’re a hardcore hiker stick with the boat. They serve Mai Tais. The trail does not. 

2. Waimea Canyon
It’s called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific for a reason. Spectacular views of water cut volcanic rock constantly change with the cloud patterns. Layers of reds, yellows, and pinks echo it’s southwestern namesake. If you can’t get a professional looking photo from one of the many overlooks, you should probably remove the lens cap. Best of all, it’s free! Just hop in your rental car and drive up Hwy 550. 

3. Kilauea Ice Cream and Video
Trip Advisor steered me to this tiny ice cream and video rental shop with its rave reviews and number-one-on-the-island status. The ice cream is really, really good. Scratch made with local ingredients, it’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had. My personal favorites were Chocolate-Coconut-Macadamia and the Ginger Cream. My husband couldn’t resist the Blueberry Cheesecake, which was loaded with rich cheesecake chunks and real blueberries. We went 5 times in two weeks and even rented “South Pacific” to watch in our villa just a few miles from where it was filmed.

Follow the signs into Kilauea from Kuhio Hwy and continue towards the lighthouse. Look for a shopping center on your left after you make the first right.

4. Koloa Farmer’s Market
Mangos and coconuts and avocados, oh my! Not to mention countless other fruits and veggies I’ve never seen before and can’t even pronounce. All those tropical fruits we pay a fortune for after they were picked green and ripened in shipping containers are fresh, huge, and 3 for a dollar at the Koloa Farmer’s market. We stocked up on fresh ginger, chilies, mangoes, pineapple, avocados, limes, radishes, and more (for consumption during our stay, there are restrictions on what can be brought back to the U.S.). The tropical flowers are also a steal. A large bouquet that would easily sell for $50-$75 on the mainland is sold out of a five gallon pail for $10. Get there early!

5. Eggbert’s
I’ll be honest. This place is a hole-in-the-wall. But it’s a hole-in-the-wall with the best banana macadamia pancakes I’ve ever eaten. Especially with their coconut syrup. Everything we ordered the several times we visited was excellent and the prices are decent for Kauai. Its also open air (like many Kauai restaurants) so don’t mind the pigeons that stop by for crumbs on the ground. They love the pancakes, too. Eggbert’s is in the Coconut Marketplace in Kapa’a, on the ocean side (makai to the locals) of Kuhio Hwy.  

More inside tips with these TravelViews blogs:
Kauai: Yes, We Have Rain
Kauai Drive Details
as well as our other Hawaii blogs.