We did a sunset hike at the awa'awapuhi trail and it was wonderful! It's 3 miles down hill and back…read more3 miles essentially uphill. I thought it was an easy-moderate hike for someone who likes to hike/exercise. The parking lot was not super crowded for a sunset hike. It's a generally safe/mapped out trail, on the last mile, there are small stretches of a thin path so be careful! You cannot really see the amazing views till the end. You're in a dense forest and once you complete the 3 miles you will open up to a gorgeous view! It started to rain, so we didn't go down the last little bit to the edge, it's a very thin path to the edge with little to no buffer so be safe! If you go for the sunset hike, bring some headlights for the hike back. It was def worth it!

This Awa'awapuhi Trail was recommended to me by a lifeguard I randomly chatted with at one of the…read morelocal beaches in Kauai. He swore by the hike, saying the ending viewpoint would be the highlight of my Hawaiian vacation! But, the lifeguard left out details. And I'm here to fill you in on the real Awa'awapuhi Trail and what to expect and be prepared for! Right away...this hike must be attempted FIRST THING IN THE MORNING! There you go, there you have the answer to everything! Because, at any moment in time, throughout the day, clouds can roll in while standing high above the Na'Pali Coastline and the dense covering can hang around for a while, no matter how long you wait for the skies to clear up. So...if you hike here early, early morning, the probabilities of you confronting that picture perfect setting is greatly enhanced. It's like the common law of physics (but I believe I failed physics in high school, lol)...when the sun rises, the air is cool and crisp, and there's no heat rising from the ground to create moisture early on. Grrr...that's why this lifeguard, he needed to warn me that if I hike this Awa'awapuhi Trail....MORNING TIME. MORNING TIME. MORNING TIME!!!! Instead, I arrived at 11am because I had a few other sights and overlooks I wanted to check out before trying out this hike and using up at least 4 - 5 hours of the day here. This is also important...I visited Kauai in the middle of August. The sun rises about 6:30am and fades in light about 6pm. You only have 12 hours of the day to make the most of your explorations. Depending on the amount of time you have visiting Kauai, whether 3 - 4 days, or maybe you're island hopping for a total of 10 days - 2 weeks, point is...you'll at least need half the day to hike this Awa'awapuhi Trail. Also, be prepared for it to be a strenuous hike too. It's 6 miles roundtrip. The hike down to the overlook vista point is a cakewalk. All downhill! Well, you know what that means. The trek back uphill to the trailhead is quite difficult. Along these 6 miles in total to and from the overlook, there is nothing to see. Basically, the hike is boring! I found myself daydreaming about the next activity, lol. You walk through the jungle each way. There's no glimpses or peaks through the forest of the coveted Na'Pali Coastline that you're easily afforded at roadside overlooks throughout Koke'e State Park. If you're short on time I'd suggest stopping at Kalalau and Pu'u o Kila Lookouts. If you have no time limits and are more adventurous, then this Awa'awapuhi Trail is for you. Remember, lol, it gets dark at 6pm! When arriving at the observation point, I briefly had a clear moment to enjoy the views. The Pacific Ocean was blue. The coastline was certainly evident. You could see helicopter tours flying in the distance. You definitely get a 180 panorama. But once the fogginess rolled in, it never left. And I waited 30 minutes, actually sitting down and praying for the the dreary cloudy covering to dissipate. But, it never did and it wasn't meant to be. That's why I'm reiterating...hike here in MORNING TIME. Like, 7am if possible! Some last things to mention. The parking lot at the trailhead was very small. When I arrived at 11am, it was full but I managed to squeeze my car into a space, though it was a makeshift job. I'd say the lot holds spaces for about 15 cars. And there's no shoulder area along Koke'e Road to park. Lastly, when making it to the Awa'awapuhi Overlook Point, there's a very tight pathway that'll lead down even lower alongside the cliff's edge. It appeared like a sheer drop down on either side of you as I watched others bravely venture on. If you have a fear of heights, there's no way you can attempt going past the primary viewing platform. I could understand, people like to push the limits or boundaries of risk, but I know when enough is enough, especially I was only hiking in casual tennis sneakers. It wasn't worth it to continue past the point of comfortability. Overall, this Awa'awapuhi Trail is just average and can be greatly disappointing if you have high expectations. Am I sour about my experience and the ending I left with? Absolutely! Lol Just warning...there could be clear skies at the trailhead, but when you show up at the overlook it could be a whole new narrative. Then you're held hostage to the conditions and since there's only 12 hours in the day, you sort have wasted half of it. And within Koke'e State Park and Waimea Canyon right next door, there are many quality stops, alternative hikes, places to explore and magical instances to be had. But if you're convinced about attempting this Awa'awapuhi Trail and you're not hiking it first thing in the morning, I believe you're doing yourself a disservice.

If I could only visit 1 spot during my time in Kauai, I would without any hesitation choose Waimea…read moreCanyon State Park. Affectionately nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific", it is easy to see how this canyon gained its affectionate moniker. Stretching 14 miles long, 1 mile wide and more than 3,600 feet deep, the Waimea Canyon provides breathtaking panoramic views of crested buttes, rugged crags and deep valley gorges. Even at the first rest stop you come across, you are already high enough that the view would have made the trip worthwhile. There are 5 rest stops on your way up to the top, each offering restrooms, trash cans, and their own respective viewing points; each stunning in its own rights. You can choose to simply stop at each stop on your way up like we did, or drive all the way to the top and work your way back down. Keep in mind it takes almost an hour to drive up to the very top without stopping. And the fog starts rolling in later on in the day obscuring visibility into the canyon. So you'll want to make sure you start your day off early if you're opting for the later strategy. For us, we started on the bottom and worked our way back up. We never made it all the way to the top as the fog had already rolled in by the time we hit the higher levels which made viewing anything on those levels impossible. There is now some construction being done for safety improvements and roadwork patching. Much of which is past due and much needed. As we started to encounter quite a few gigantic potholes on the higher elevations that often required either maneuvering around into oncoming traffic or traversing very slowly over the shallower parts of the potholes. We were quite thankful we were in a SUV because we were fairly certain we would not have made it past some of the potholes if we were in a lower profile vehicle such as a sedan or convertible. While driving the canyon is free (outside of parking), you can also splurge and view the canyon unobstructed from an ariel vantage through either a chartered plane or helicopter ride.

Photos won't do this place justice. The greenery is just vibrant!…read more Took a bus excursion through my cruise and was my favorite experience!

Beautiful views, but the waterfall was much smaller than I thought it would be. Regardless, if…read moreyou're looking for a view of Waimea, I'd recommend it! I thought the hike was pretty easy. I'd give it a 2.5/5 on the difficulty scale, only because there is a lot of loose rocks and roots. My boyfriend (who is less active than me) a 4/5 on the difficulty scale.

Waipo'o Falls is an 800 foot waterfall and considered to be one of the most dramatic waterfalls in…read moreHawaii. I beg to differ. I believe it's a disappointment for the amount of praise it gets. Although I am just some one person expressing negativity about it, I can try to explain why... Waipo'o Falls is located within Waimea Canyon State Park - known as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific". And Waimea Canyon SP is the place every tourist visits if you're coming to the island of Kauai. Now...Waimea Canyon offers a bunch of different vista points and observation overlooks of its beautifully colorful canyon landscape. And...at Waimea Canyon Overlook (Mile Marker 10), the most popular of them all, you can see Waipo'o Falls in the distance, but BARELY! I was in disbelief how far away the falls were, like a little blip on the radar. Seriously, bring binoculars with you. That's how far away it is. In reality, Waipo'o Falls is practically nonexistent from any viewpoint within Waimea Canyon. You see a small trickle at best. And yet, Hawaiian Guides who know the island up and down, and back and forth say this Waimea Canyon Overlook is "spectacular" for catching the falls! Are they being fully transparent? Or am I living in an alternate universe? Experts also claim that Pu'u Ka Pele Lookout (near Mile Marker 13) is remarkable for photo opportunities of Waipo'o Falls. Really? It's still the same tiny glance as if you're standing at Waimea Canyon Overlook. Grrr, frustrating. One more thing...according to my research, Waipo'o Falls can actually be reached by hiking the Canyon Trail from Pu'u Hinahina Lookout. And so...when I arrived at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout, everyone seemed prepared to hike the 1.8 mile (each way) Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls. At the time, I was excited to do this thinking I was getting to experience a rewarding waterfall moment. 1.8 miles to see it? I was amped up! But of course, Canyon Trail and getting to Waipo'o Falls is not what you're going to receive. Just a fair warning, lol. Along the way, Canyon Trail is a hike through a rainforest setting which would be pleasant for a lot of people. But, here you are...allocating a lot of time out of the day and since Waimea Canyon is connected directly with Kokee State Park (its neighbor), you really need to pick and choose what sights, stops and activities you'd like to make, all within one day, to feel satisfied, from my pov. Unless you're returning for a Day 2, which I'd suggest doing. But regardless, Canyon Trail is all downhill for the 1.8 miles, which means returning back up to the trailhead can be somewhat difficult for casual hikers and obviously all uphill. Finally, going as far as I could (even in a torrential downpour of rain which really muddied up the trail), I still couldn't find Waipo'o Falls. I did arrive at a rock wall with two small waterfalls splashing into a pool of water, but where was Waipo'o Falls? I couldn't find the answer. Eventually, I returned back up towards the trailhead at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout. What a letdown and waste of time. Because along the way on Canyon Trail, there's not much to see. It's boring, especially considering how you get undisturbed views of Waimea Canyon from all the various viewpoints along the main road of the park and now here, you're working hard not to feel rewarded at the end. Here's what I learned about Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls... - Speaking with other hikers (and I could be wrong about this), you're actually standing on top or at the beginning stages of Waipo'o Falls. Those two little waterfalls eventually merge into a pool and begin the grand start of the 800 foot drop. - So if you're standing on top of Waipo'o Falls, how then do you get to the bottom of it, to then admire looking up at it? From what I observed, there was no clear marked trail down the side of the cliff. What, you repel? Or, you must be an advanced hiker/climber and continue on what eventually is an unmaintained path through the forest to get a side view of the falls? I still don't understand to this day as I'm writing this, lol. - Lastly, there were no signs about Waipo'o Falls along the Canyon Trail pathway. You're at on your own discretion to discover your way, even if the trailhead sign at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout specifically stated..."Canyon Trail crosses Kokee Stream and ends at Waipo'o Falls". And, there's no Visitor Center at Waimea Canyon to ask questions where you may have gone wrong. In the end, I apologize for being downbeat at Waipo'o Falls. And I guess, I'm writing this to share my confusion and relay to others that you may need to temper your expectations no matter how enthusiastic professionals out there claim Waipo'o Falls to be.

Definitely my kinda beach! Secluded, white sand beach with big crazy waves. Watch for the rogue…read morewave!

Beaches aren't my number one choice of activity, but as far as beaches go, I loved this one…read more It's a huge, expansive beach. There were very few people here which was really nice. It's very long which makes it a great beach to walk. They have pavilions with picnic tables providing shade to escape the sun for a bit. The best part of this beach is how big the waves are. I sat and watched them the entire time we were here. The downside of Kauai is that it's not very warm. This means I didn't want to swim at the beaches. It was about 70 when we were here. It was warm enough to enjoy the beach, but a little too chilly to get in the water with the wind. This was my favorite beach that we visited in Kauai.

My wife and I did a napali coast tour a few years ago on a bigger boat with a different company and…read morehuge crowd of passengers so my expectations were set at 7/10 Today blew the previous out of the water to a 10/10 via a few different factors but the team was def the best part -- had a crew of 3 with Capt Dom, RJ, Jake & these guys were great. Banter among them kept it light but they remained professional all while providing the best service and including all guests in convo. To top it off their "tour guiding" / related facts about the coast were great Aside from the team -- loved the smaller boat that could go into the caves, which also made the guest pool smaller around 15. Highly recommend this experience and if we decide to do it again wed only go with this company

This was by far the best tour experience I have ever had. Captain Manu and Rocky were amazing…read moreguides and were very hospitable. My mom had the hots for Captain Manu lol. Back to the tour. It had a bit of everything snorkeling, snacks, excitement, beautiful scenery and history about this part of the island. If you're in Kauai do yourself a favor and book a tour with Na Pali Experience but hands off Captain Manu, my mom calls dibs P.S. Hit me up Captain Manu if you want my mom's digits

Captain Beck was amazing. She deftly backed us into several caves for some amazing pictures and…read morefilled us in on the history of this area as we made our way past some of the most magnificent scenery on this planet. Dolphins accompanied us on the way out and on the way back a giant mother whale was teaching her calf how to breach and tail flop. A private charter is by far the best way to experience this incredible adventure. We highly recommend Komohana Chaters!

Captain Koa is hands down the best out there! Loved the intimacy of our tour. Fun to get to learn…read moreabout the history of the Napali coast and see the wildlife of humpback whales, dolphins, fish and even snorkel with the sea turtles. THE highlight of our trip! Highly recommend!

Third trip to the Waimea Canyon, but this is the first time I have seen the Iliau Nature Loop…read more Drove 90 minutes from our timeshare exchange at the Lawai Beach Resort to the Kalalau lookout our first full clear weather day in Kauai. On the way back visited several of the Waimea Canyon side pull outs. Between the 8th and 9th mile markers is stop for the Iliau Nature Loop. You can't see the trail from the road. The only indicator is a sign, and the large number of parked cars along the roadway. We park the car, cross the road, and hike up a shallow rise. Beautiful panoramic view of a 0.3 mile loop trail below, with the Waimea Canyon in the background. I go clockwise, while the wife goes counterclock wise. 100 yard circular dirt path through dense vegetation to the outlook area directly over the Canyon. Sunflower like stalks of Iliau plants with spiky looking tops native to Kauai. The Waimea Canyon is as beautiful as ever on this clear day with temperatures in the mid 70s, even at 2500 feet elevation. Shades of orange dotted cliffs with horizontal changes of color, all covered with dense patches of green vegetation. Tourists take pictures of family standing on the edge of the 2000 foot drop into the canyon, despite the lack of safety barriers, and the brittle nature of the cliff edges. To paraphrase our ex governor, one wrong step and it's "hasta la vista baby!" I hike in my Chako hiking sandals on the loop, with a 40 foot elevation gain in the the last 100 yards, straight up the wet red clay trail. Only hiking or trail shoes here, not running shoes, as the red clay is very slippery. Audience of 4 old farts on the bench watching. Would not want to slip on the red clay and fall on my bottom, as am wearing white hiking shorts!

Very easy loop that took no more than 15min. Not very much to see, but there are some plaques for…read morethose interested in the local flora. I'd probably skip this the next time and just focus on the more strenuous but higher reward hikes.

SO SO MUCH FUN! Croix and Tom were awesome and got to explore all the caves. It is definitely an…read moreadventure tho- quite bumpy. If you're looking for a cruise, this isn't for you. Would do it a million times over again.

This boat tour exceeded my expectations. Captain Mac is an amazing captain and all around bad a$$…read more Safe, knowledgeable, patient, and funny. Her crew were fantastic as well. Loved Peyton's energy and Dane's helpfulness. Highly recommend!

Captain Kamua is the best! We booked with another tour company prior to our arrival in Kaudi but…read moredue to storms, they cancelled on us the day before. We were searching for another company to take us on the nicer days that followed the storm and was recommended Captain Kamua by Uncle Mikey at the Princeville Center. Captain Kamua saved our trip! We were so looking forward to the tour and were so happy he could accommodate us with such late notice! He was so knowledgeable and hilarious! We had the best time!! Thank you Captain!

We had a wonderful time with the captain's family. Loved the 16 years old boy wakesurf's show, he…read morewas amazing & professional. Captain & his family members took turn to explain what we saw along the coast. We had a chance to jump into the water in the middle of the ocean, which was awesome. Our daughter had the best experience of trying wakesurfing as well. The best boat tour ever, thank you Captain and his family for the great time we had. Would definitely recommend Captain Kamua Napali Dream Tours LLC to friends & family.

Enjoyed an awesome sunset dinner cruise with Blue Dolphin, complete with several close-up whale…read moresightings and a couple dolphins spotted as well. Captain Kai was competent, informative, and very funny, as was crewmember Vayden, and Collin's mai tais are not to be missed. The food onboard was delicious and included traditional Hawaiian pulled pork and teriyaki chicken. Scrumptious cookies and bubbly rounded out the evening. Some things to be aware of: This cruise is on a catamaran; some of our party were expecting a small cruise ship that would have been a smoother ride. Waves are bumpy, and the windier parts of the trip resembled a mild roller coaster--if that's not your thing or you know you can experience some motion sickness, please factor that into your decision to book a trip. That being said, one person in our party experienced some light motion sickness and was really well cared for by the crew. We really appreciated their kindness and support. If you have sturdy sea legs and an adventurous spirit, I'd highly recommend this excursion. The views of Kauai from the ocean are worth it alone, but the information from the captain and crew about the island and its culture are also super valuable. The whole experience also felt very safe; the cruise will not go to areas with high wind/surf, and on our trip the captain explained why he was turning out of the wind/waves when he made that decision.

Fantastic whale watching with an attentive, relaxed crew…read more We did the 2-hour whale watching cruise with Blue Dolphin Charters, and it was excellent. We saw multiple breaches, tail slaps, fluke dives, and surface activity--the whales were active the entire time. The crew positioned the boat so well that we were able to stay in one great viewing spot and still see everything without moving around. The crew was incredibly attentive without being overbearing. Drinks and snacks were always taken care of--Mai Tais, coconut cookies, and snacks kept coming--and it genuinely felt effortless to just relax and enjoy the experience. The team was knowledgeable, calm, and respectful of the whales, offering helpful context without over-talking. The boat was comfortable, well run, and the two-hour length felt just right. If whale watching is on your list in Kauaʻi, Blue Dolphin is an easy recommendation