An Unmissable Northern Kauai Adventure

Taking a trip to Hawaii this year? Hopefully you have some time to make it to the Garden Isle, Kauai. If you do, make sure you make the drive up the North Shore, home of dramatic cliffs, gorgeous beaches, and lots of fascinating wildlife.

From the airport, you’ll travel north on Route 56, a coastal highway that crosses over the Wailua River and the several busy small towns before transitioning to a more rural and scenic landscape, with stunning views of the island's rugged interior mountains. The highway turns west and narrows after Anahola (site of a very beautiful beach loved by locals), where it passes by our organic farm up at the northeast corner of the island. The road then travels through Kilauea and Princeville before dropping down into Hanalei Valley.

This gorgeous coastal drive only takes an hour or two if you don’t stop (impossible given the scenery, we promise), so it makes a great day trip even if you’re spending the bulk of your time on Kauai in the south part of the island. Here are some stops you’ll have to make along the way.

Kaakaaniu Plantation

We recommend starting your day with a 10am free tour of our organic noni farm, located on beautiful Kaakaaniu Plantation. We’re located just a few miles south of the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, so there’s lots of wildlife to see on our land, as well as many gorgeous native plants. Our Organic Noni Farm & Wellness Tour is very highly rated on TripAdvisor — here are just a few testimonials from 2015.

You’ll also learn about noni fruit, which we grow on the farm and turn into Noni Fruit Leather andNoni Lotions. Noni fruit is known to help with a wide variety of health issues from diabetes to high blood pressure to pain and inflammation to skin ailments. We’ll share everything we know about this unusual fruit, including the growing body of scientific research about this fruit’s properties and traditional usages. We also spend about a half hour on our organic processes- mulch, compost, vermiculture and compost teas. Things that we do on a very large scale that you may do on a small scale in your home garden.

Click here to learn more about our farm tour, and we hope to see you soon!

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

Here you can see many different species of birds, including possibly Laysan albatross. Many of these birds are very rare, or don’t often appear in the large numbers that frequent the wildlife refuge. There are also sea turtles, spinner dolphins, monk seals and, if you’re especially lucky, humpback whales! It all depends on the season and what the animals are up to.

Kilauea Point is also home to a very photogenic lighthouse, which you can tour if you plan ahead.

Discover two more unmissable adventures on the original blog!

What are your favorite sights on the North Shore of Kauai? Let us know in the comments!

Unforgettable Late-Summer Kauai Adventures

Summertime is winding down, but there’s plenty of time to have an incredible outdoor adventure here on Kauai. The weather is gorgeous this time of year on the island, and will continue to be through November.

 In fact, many people prefer to visit in the fall, when prices are low and when the weather is gorgeous (70s and 80s). Here are a few awesome adventures to look into next time you’re here on the island.

1. Stand-Up Paddle Tour Hanalei Bay

If you haven’t tried Stand-Up Paddling (SUP) yet, this summer is a perfect time to give it a shot. It’s easier to get the hang of than you might think! Plus, it’s a great way to tour beautiful Hanalei Bay on Kauai, while getting a good workout in.

You might even be able to get an evening tour, to escape the heat of the day and see the bay all lit up with the gorgeous colors of sunset.

Hanalei Surf School offers lessons and tours for all different levels of SUP-ers.

2. Tube the Irrigation System of a Historic Sugar Cane Plantation

If you want to see some of Kauai’s most beautiful scenery, learn about the history of sugar cane cultivation on Kauai, and cool off in a refreshing river adventure, you might want to check out Kauai Backcountry Adventures’ tubing tour.

This is a family-friendly tour, off the beaten track, and a totally unique opportunity. You’ll get to see mountain views, Waialeale Crater, and other incredible scenery. Plus you can check out the tunnels and flumes, engineered and hand-dug in the late 1800s.

Check it out, and sign up for your adventure.

3. Cliff Jump and Rope Swing at Kipu Falls

This beautiful stream and freshwater pool offers amazing swimming, adventure, and fun for people of all ages. It’s about a 10 minute drive from downtown Lihue, on the eastern side of the island.

It’s a gorgeous spot to hang out, take a dip, and meet locals and tourists from all over the world.

If you like cliff jumping, there are lots of places to give it a try. Or, you can just watch the locals, who often make 70 foot dives, complete with backflips and other incredible tricks.

4. Hike the First Leg of the Famous Kalalau Trail

The Kalalau Trail is a grueling, 11 mile hike through challenging, dangerous terrain. Lucky for you, the first leg of the trail (about 2.5 miles each way) is a much easier hike, and takes you to gorgeous Hanakapi’ai Beach.

On the way, you’ll also get gorgeous views of the Na Pali coast. All you need are good hiking shoes, plenty of water, a bathing suit, and a towel. And don’t forget a camera to capture the amazing views!

When you arrive, take a cooling rinse in the freshwater stream, which flows straight into the ocean. If you are still feeling adventurous you can hike another 2 miles up valley (4 miles round trip) to Hanakapi’ai Falls- a breath taking waterfall that plunges over 500 feet into the pool below. If you just want to relax then stay on the beach and take time to bask in the sand and take a dip in the Pacific, then head back the way you came. Word of caution-definitely pay close attention to ocean conditions as the Na Pali coastline although gorgeous and pristine is prevalent to strong rip currents and dangerous surf!

Want To Know What #5 Is? Read the Full Version Here to Learn More About Touring Our Hawaiian Organic Noni Farm!