2 days in Kauaʻi

Day by day

1. Day 1: Nā Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon State Park

   Nā Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon State Park, then Hanapēpē in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Nā Pali Coast

      Boat trips from the West Side follow the coast in calm summer seas, sometimes with spinner dolphins, while helicopter flights show the valleys from above.

   2. Late morning

      Waimea Canyon State Park

      Roadside lookouts on Waimea Canyon Drive face Waipoʻo Falls, and trails such as the Canyon Trail lead to the top of the falls.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Poke

      Fish markets, supermarket poke counters and casual shops in Kapaʻa, Līhuʻe and Kōloa.

   4. Evening

      Hanapēpē

      Come on a Friday evening for the art night, then catch sunset at nearby Salt Pond Beach Park.

2. Day 2: Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach and Hanalei Bay

   Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach and Hanalei Bay, then Sunset at Hanalei Pier in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach

      The first section climbs about 3.2 km each way to Hanakāpīʻai Beach, with views of the Nā Pali cliffs, and the park also protects cultural sites and taro terraces.

   2. Late morning

      Hanalei Bay

      The historic Hanalei Pier is a favourite swimming and picnic spot in summer, while winter brings big surf for experienced surfers.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Saimin

      Long-running saimin counters in Līhuʻe and local diners across the island.

   4. Evening

      Sunset at Hanalei Pier

      Watch the sky colour over the bay and mountains from the historic pier.

Before you go

• Nā Pali Coast: Boat and helicopter tours fill up in peak seasons; book a week or more ahead.
• Waimea Canyon State Park: Non-residents pay entry and parking fees at state park lookouts; check the state parks website.
• Hāʻena State Park and Kēʻē Beach: Non-residents need an advance reservation for entry and parking or the shuttle, which often sells out weeks ahead.

If it rains

• Swap in Kauaʻi Museum (Līhuʻe): It is a good rainy-day stop near the airport, before or after your flight.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 13–18 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Car. Hire cars are available at Līhuʻe Airport.

More or fewer days

• One day in Kauaʻi
• 3 days in Kauaʻi
• 5 days in Kauaʻi

Questions travellers ask