Kauai Guide
Resorts, beaches, Na Pali Coast tours, and real trip costs for Hawaii's Garden Isle.
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Resorts
Stay
Compare Kauai resorts: Grand Hyatt, Sheraton Coconut Beach, Royal Sonesta, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay and more, with rates, locations and repair notes.
Where to Stay
Stay
Where to stay in Kauai: Poipu vs Princeville vs Kapaa, best areas and places to stay for first-timers, families, and couples.
Flights
Plan
Flights to Kauai: nonstops from LAX, SFO, Seattle, San Diego and Phoenix, island hops from Honolulu and Maui, a Lihue Airport guide, and when fares drop.
Car Rental
Plan
Kauai car rental prices by season, Lihue Airport pickup tips, and how to save, plus why you almost certainly need a car on Kauai.
Things to Do
Do
The best things to do in Kauai: Na Pali boat tours, mountain tubing, luaus, ziplines, Wailua River kayaking, free activities and current closures.
Beaches
Do
Kauai's best beaches ranked: Poipu, Anini, Tunnels, Hanalei, Shipwreck, Glass Beach and Secret Beach, with parking, safety, snorkeling and closure notes.
What will your Kauai trip cost?
Nights, travelers, resort tier, meals, and a rental car: get a live estimate in seconds.
Trip cost calculatorKnow the island's four corners
Kauai divides neatly into four very different coasts, and where you stay shapes the whole trip. The south shore around Poipu is the sunny, swim-every-day choice with the biggest resorts. The east side's Coconut Coast around Kapaa is the central, best-value base near the Wailua River. The north shore, from Princeville to Haena, is the lush postcard Kauai of Hanalei Bay and Tunnels Beach, calmest in summer. And the dry west side holds Waimea Canyon and the Port Allen harbor where Na Pali Coast boat tours depart.
Not sure Kauai is your island at all? See how it stacks up against Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island.
Planning right now (October 2026)
Kauai is recovering from Hurricane Lowell (September 2026): Haena State Park reopened in mid-October, while some west-side parks, trails, and harbor operations are still coming back online. Our what's open on Kauai page tracks every park, road, harbor and hotel with dated sources; check it and your tour operator before booking those days. On the bright side, humpback whale season starts in December and peaks in February and March, and the late-fall shoulder weeks are some of the cheapest of the year for flights and resorts.
In-depth guides
The Perfect 7-Day Kauai Itinerary
Itineraries
A day-by-day week on Kauai splitting time between the sunny south shore and the lush north shore.
A 7-Day Kauai Honeymoon Itinerary
Itineraries
A romantic week for two: clifftop luxury resorts, sunset cruises, couples spa days, and quiet beaches.
A 7-Day Budget Kauai Itinerary
Itineraries
See Kauai on a budget: a central condo, food trucks, free beaches and hikes, and just one paid tour.