Located on Kauai’s northwest shore, the towering green bluffs of the Napali, which means “the cliffs” in Hawaiian, rise from the edge of the island like an emerald-encrusted crown. There are only three ways to see the Napali Coast: on foot, by air and by sea, and for this trip, I’ve chosen the latter. Aa […]
Snaking across the upper rim of Kauai’s Nualolo Valley, a footpath thrusts its travelers onto a sheer edge. That’s where I find myself this sunny December morning, teetering on the ridge after a two-hour traipse through damp woods where spongy mushrooms and delicate wildflowers grow. Pitted against an unblemished blue sky that melts seamlessly into the hue of the
Birdsong and the quiet splash of my paddle: Those are the only sounds I hear as I kayak upstream against a gentle current. Bright orange hau blossoms float in the eddies. Fish dart in and out of still, sunlit stretches of water. To either side, there are fern-covered hillsides and rain forest greenery in the
On the north shore of Kauai, Hanalei Bay’s beauty attracts countless visitors to its 2-mile-long beach and gorgeous waterfalls plummeting off its green mountain peaks. Take a walk down the pier and the views only get better and better. Video length 1:12 Have Aloha Will Travel, powered by HAWAII Magazine, creates micro-documentaries and short films about the
Standing at the edge of the red bowl of Kauai’s Waimea Canyon, it’s hard to imagine a more spectacular sight. At 3,600 feet, the main lookout presents panoramic views of “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” a deep, colorful gorge accented by waterfalls, a snaking riverbed, frequent rainbows and goats teetering on rugged cliffsides as
All right. First off, stop chuckling at the seeming absurdity of a great road trip in Hawaiʻi. We’ve heard every reason our incomparably scenic island byways never make it onto any great American road-trip lists. Yes, we live on a collection of eight mostly smallish islands, each separated by miles of deep blue Pacific Ocean.
For the past seven months, I’ve had to explain myself to others: I’m hiking the 11-mile Kalalau Trail on the Napali Coast of Kauai. I’ll be off the grid for four days and three nights with absolutely no cell phone service. I’m carrying with me food, some water and a tent. Yes, it’s dangerous. Yes,
Seeing the spectacular cliffs and waterfalls of the Napali Coast by boat is already an incredible and unforgettable experience that everyone must do, but Holo Holo Charters takes it a big step further with its Niihau and Napali Super Tour. Not only do you get to see the Napali Coastline up close, from Port Allen
The breath is yoga’s foundation. On the mat, breathing exercises unlock the code to stress relief, mental clarity and pranayama—the Sanskrit word for conscious breathing, which literally means “to extend the vital life force.” Native Hawaiians have also revered breath. Similar to other Polynesian cultures, Hawaiians greeted one another with a traditional honi—the joining of
So, this is what Hawaii really looked like, I think to myself, as I ascend up a sunlit valley on the north shore of Kauai, warmly enveloped by 120 species of native and indigenous plant life. Limahuli Garden and Preserve. Photo: Kicka Witte/HAWAIʻI Magazine I’m wandering through Limahuli Garden’s most vital and awe-inspiring acreage, a section
To truly experience how the Garden Isle got its nickname, you must venture into Kauai’s lush, rain-dampened interior. One appealing way of doing this is to hike the Kuilau Trail, which is welcoming and non-treacherous. Offering sweeping, shock green vistas of Mount Waialeale—widely considered one of the wettest spots on earth—and the majestic Makahela Mountains,
The next time you go to Kapaa, listen to the locals. The 8-mile drive from the Lihue airport to the district’s historic center was the only set of directions I had upon arriving to Kauai, and turns out it was the only one I needed. My day cruising through Old Kapaa Town quickly, but casually,
