3 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

      Roughly 27 km of fluted green cliffs, hanging valleys, sea caves and waterfalls run along the island's north-west shore with no road access.

   2. Late morning

      Waimea Canyon State Park

      Go in the morning before clouds fill the canyon, and stop at the main Waimea Canyon Lookout and Puʻu Hinahina Lookout on the way up.

   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

      Do not swim at Hanakāpīʻai Beach, which has dangerous currents; enjoy the view and turn back unless you have a permit to continue.

   2. Late morning

      Hanalei Bay

      A wide crescent of sand about 3 km long, backed by mountains streaked with waterfalls after rain.

   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.

3. Day 3: Kōkeʻe State Park and Kalalau Lookout and Hanalei Valley Lookout

   Kōkeʻe State Park and Kalalau Lookout, Hanalei Valley Lookout and Poʻipū Beach Park, then Nā Pali sunset sail in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kōkeʻe State Park and Kalalau Lookout

      At the top of the canyon road, around 1,200 metres up, Kōkeʻe has cool forest trails, a natural history museum and the Kalalau and Puʻu o Kila lookouts, which look straight down into the Kalalau Valley to the ocean.

   2. Late morning

      Hanalei Valley Lookout

      Stop in the late afternoon, when the light picks out the taro patches, and look for endangered nēnē geese and wetland birds.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Plate lunch

      Drive-ins, lunch counters and food trucks in Kapaʻa, Līhuʻe and Hanalei.

   4. Afternoon

      Poʻipū Beach Park

      A sandy beach split by a tombolo, with a lifeguard tower, a rock-sheltered children's pool and good snorkelling around the reef.

   5. Café break

      Café break: Kauaʻi coffee

   6. Evening

      Nā Pali sunset sail

      Some catamaran tours sail the Nā Pali cliffs in the late afternoon light.

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

With 3 nights, Poʻipū and Kōloa keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Princeville ($$$$) suits luxury, couples and quiet stays. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–25 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Kauaʻi
• 2 days in Kauaʻi
• 5 days in Kauaʻi

Questions travellers ask