Hawaii Adventures in Kauai and Oahu

June 7, 2019
Eryn Krouse
Travel
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Kauai

Known as the “Garden Isle” for its lush greenery and majestic mountains, Kauai has been on the top of my destination list for quite some time. Luckily, one of the girls from my Mentawais trip (shout out to Kiana) lives in Kauai and was happy to host myself and a couple other friends Lia and Andy (also from the Mentawais boat trip), and show us around her home island.

Hanalei

Ahh, the lovely town of Hanalei with its small town vibes and active lifestyle. Everyone has some sort of watercraft (surf board, foil, paddle board, boat, etc.) strapped to their car heading either to or from the beach.

There’s an abundance of cute surf shops, colorful food trucks serving vegan options, as well as the best shave ice you’ll ever have at Wishing Well Hanalei.

Wailua Falls

Wailua Falls is a majestic waterfall located in the Wailua valley. Although you can enjoy the view from the top, I’d highly recommend taking the slippery hike down- I would recommend going barefoot and in a bathing suit so you won’t care if you get mud all over yourself. Besides, you can wash off in the refreshing falls once you’re down there. When the sun hits at just the right angle you’ll get a beautiful rainbow extending out from the base of the falls in the mist, which is nothing short of spectacular.

Wailua Falls is approximately 85 ft. high and drops into a pool over 30 ft. deep… jumping definitely NOT recommend, though!

Koke’e State Park

Napali Coast

Located on the west side of Kauai, the 15 mile stretch that makes up the Napali coast is pure magic. The pali (cliffs) provide a rugged grandeur of deep, narrow valleys ending abruptly at the sea. Waterfalls and swift flowing streams continue to cut these narrow valleys while the sea carves cliffs at their mouths. Much of Napali is inaccessible due to its characteristic sheer cliffs that drop straight down, thus making it one of the most beautiful and pristine coastlines in the world. The best way to explore is by boat. Luckily, we experienced perfect conditions when we went- sunny and blue skies, hundreds of playful dolphins swimming about as well as a few turtle and mountain goat spottings!

Oahu

Island-hopping is a must when in Hawaii because of the proximity and ease in traveling inter-island. Just 30 minutes away, getting to Oahu was no problem at all. My favorite home base when staying in Waikiki is the Alohilani Resort. Located right across the street from Queen’s (a crowded but infamous surf spot), going back and forth from the surf to the pool to your room is easy and convenient.