Kauai, HI

Aloha
”Goodbye”

There is so much more to explore in this world, but it is goodbye to this beautiful land for now.

Where to visit in Kauai?

After researching, it really depends on what you do. I would highly recommend splitting time in multiple locations to make the most of each area.

If is there one takeaway, do not miss out on visiting Hanalei!

What to do?

We stayed in Lihue for 2.5 days to do the AirVan tour over Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park and it worth it! There is not much to do in Lihue in terms of scenery, we wanted to leave time in case there was poor weather and would need to reschedule. This flight was a great way to see the island without a car or hiking.

In between, we visited Kaua’i Museum and relaxed on Kalapaki Beach, then made our way up north to Hanalei for 3 days.

Due to the car shortage, we were limited on this trip what we could do. If there was not a shortage, Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail, Kōkeʻe State Park, and Waimea Canyon State Park would be on the agenda. We knew this trip wasn’t going to jam-packed and felt lucky we could even travel again.

Where to eat?

Read Hawaii eats.

Travelling to Hawaii during COVID-19 (June 2021)

Hawaii has done a great job in keeping its numbers down, so let’s keep it that way. To avoid any type of quarantine, get COVID tested within 72 hours of your flight at one of Hawaii’s pre-travel trusted partner programs. Sign up for Safe Travels to provide the results. If you decide to go inter-island, check the regulations for each island as they all differ. I believe as of July, they will allow fully vaccinated travellers without getting tested.

Since the pandemic, Hawaii (maybe with the exception of Oahu) has been hit hard with a huge rental car shortage and including taxis. So we relied on buses and Ubers (also another shortage) to get us around. So leave plenty of time for your activities and plan ahead. We were still able to do the main things having the time and use of buses.

Due to this shortage, I would also recommend trying to take a flight that would land you in the morning/afternoon. We landed at night, a taxi was about an hour wait. Luckily, locals waited with us and helped out by calling taxis to come out. Had I knew this upfront, I would have prepared a shuttle or driver to pick us up next time.

Hanalei/Princeville sadly experienced a landslide in early 2021, which means road access was only open at particular times. The timing of catching a bus or driving needs to be taken into account.

For restaurants, I would suggest booking or willing to wait (even for the food). Since we did not want to be stuck to a schedule, food trucks or takeaway was the best option.

Besides these minor inconveniences and just planning ahead, we were still able to make the most and enjoy our time on the island. It should be understood, that travelling during a pandemic is a privilege and that things may not always go to plan. Time manage but also be flexible.