Hawaii travelers, don’t sleep on Kauai

Hawaii is one of the most visited destinations in the world, with nearly 10 million tourists each year, and the winter (along with summer) ranks among the best time to vacation here in large part because you can trade gloomy overcast days for near-constant sunshine.

While Hawaii has four tourist-friendly islands, Kauai is the most underrated. At 552 square miles, it’s also the smallest. It takes approximately three to four hours to drive the U-shaped road around the island, with the Na Pali Coast unreachable except by air and sea.

Despite its smaller size and more laid-back atmosphere — including a rule that buildings cannot stand taller than a coconut tree, or about 50 feet — it’s easy to fill your time in Kauai, especially if you enjoy beach-hopping, good food and Hawaiian culture.

The best way to explore Kauai is to take it section by section, visiting all five of the main locations—North Shore, South Shore, East Shore, West Shore and Lihue.

South Shore

Kauai’s South Shore features Poipu Beach Park, which is one of the best places to peep sea turtles. In fact, the park is home to the spot locals call “Sea Turtle Rest,” where every night dozens of animals come in to sleep. Visitors flock to Poipu to watch the sun set — perhaps with a Hawaiian hot dog in hand from Puka Dog right up the beach — and then the sea turtles. Nearby you’ll find Shipwreck Beach, which has not only rougher waters better for boogie boarding and surfing than leisurely swims but also the remains of an old shipwreck — hence the name.

Hanapepe, best known as the town that inspired “Lilo and Stitch,” is also located on Kauai’s South Shore. A giant pink Stitch mural welcomes you to town, and several other public artworks around Hanapepe reference the movie connection. Come on Friday night for the famous night market where food trucks and vendors fill the main road. While you’re there, you can shop at Aloha Spice Company for edible souvenirs. If you can, don’t forget to walk across the famous Hanapepe Swinging Bridge over the Hanapepe River and back before it gets dark.

North Shore

The North Shore is home to Hanalei Bay and Princeville, where many stay at iconic, high-end resorts such as The Westin, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay or The Cliffs at Princeville. It’s also a popular destination for golfers — with both the Princeville at Hanalei and Makai Golf Course.

Hanalei Town is home to an upmarket shopping district not lacking in Kauai charm. There are plenty of local businesses including an adorable ukulele shop that sells the real deal, and Tahiti Nui, which throws its hat in the ring for best Kauai mai tai.

Adrenaline junkies can book a sea kayaking tour where operators — including Kayak Kauai — will take you snorkeling, too. Sharks sometimes make an appearance on these tours, but the guides seem eerily calm about that possibility.

Before heading out of town, stop off at Anini Beach. It is one of the best places to swim with sea turtles in Kauai and has more of a local feel, off the beaten path from many major resorts. Bring a boogie board if you want to swim with the fishes as sand banks create an uneven ocean floor.

East Shore

Kauai’s East Shore is nicknamed the Royal Coconut Coast, which is where the Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort gets its name. It’s one of the best hotels to stay in Kapa’a. With a pool located just steps from the beach, hammocks set just feet from the waves and a poolside bar slinging Kauai’s best cocktails, the Sheraton is a nice place to call home during your stay.

Outside of the resort, explore the beaches in Kapa’a. Lydgate Beach Park has two lagoons that make it a safe place to snorkel and explore while protected from the wild waves. We suggest bringing beach equipment and snorkeling gear as there will be plenty of fish, crabs and other sea life to discover. And if you need an afternoon pick-me-up, the tiki bar at the Hilton Garden Inn (another worthy spot to book a room) is open for food and cocktails — and a short walk from the beach.

Kapa’a itself is a lively town filled with shopping, dining and more. Some of the best food on the island is located here, including Java Kai for Pineapple French Toast and specialty coffees and Kenji Burger for Japanese-influenced comfort food. Napali Brewing Co. serves both poke bowls and pork belly-topped mac and cheese and Zumo Sushi has fresh rolls and other seafood delights. The Coconut Marketplace (next door to the Sheraton) offers its own lineup of dining options including Italian restaurant Bobby V’s and several small hut-style eateries.

If you’re craving shaved ice, compare Wailua Shave Ice’s creative flavors and milky bases with Jo Jo’s Shave Ice’s (inside of the Coconut Marketplace) more traditional rendition.

If you’re up for an adventure, grab kayaks or a canoe and ride down the Wailua River where waters remain fairly calm. You can also bike along the Ke Ala Hele Makalae trail (the Sheraton has free rentals for guests) or take a hike up to the Sleeping Giant (Nounou Mountain).

Expand your cultural knowledge by attending the Smith Family Garden Luau, often hailed as the island’s best. Here, you can watch the ceremonious unburying of the roasted pig, snap photos during a vibrant garden tour or simply admire the local fowl (peacocks and chickens run amok). The luau itself includes a traditional buffet dinner, unlimited drinks and a show.

West Shore

Much of the West Shore is inaccessible by car, requiring boats and helicopters to visit the dramatic Na’Pali Coast. Kōkeʻe State Park is also here.

Visiting this part of the island isn’t for the faint of heart, with a rugged coastline, crashing waves and a truly wild expanse. Most visits to the area require a booked tour or prepaid tickets to the state park. If you simply want to see it from afar, a drive out to Waimea Canyon Road proffers views.

Lihue

Lihue is where you’ll land when you fly in from the mainland. Attractions here are heavy in culture, including the Kauai Museum, retelling a detailed history of the island’s creation, including accounts of the earliest inter-island wars.

The Koloa Rum Company is on the Kilohana Plantation, both of which are must-sees. The former offers a chance to sip local rums made on Kauai and learn about how the island’s wet climate contributes to its agricultural outputs. After a round, it’s all aboard the railway for a hilarious — and informative — tour of the plantation, open to all ages. The same sprawling property is home to both Gaylord’s Restaurant and Mahiko Lounge, which serve some of the island’s best mai tais. The Kauai Sweet Shoppe is also on site.

For those that want a more adventurous experience, mountain tubing tours take willing voyagers through the sugar cane irrigation tunnels in a leisurely (but still entertaining) ride.

When it comes to food, several food trucks in the area offer seriously delicious eats. We’re partial to Aloha Liege Waffles & Espresso for breakfast (or lunch), located in a larger food truck court that is home to many eateries on wheels (and across the street from an ABC Store).

Before you leave, take a drive up to Wailua Falls, a famous backdrop in movies and TV that is just part of Kauai’s robust Hollywood connection. Many other well-known filming locations can be seen on a UTV tour of Kipu Ranch. Movies like “Jurassic Park,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Tropic Thunder” were all filmed here.

If You Go

Aloha Liege Waffles & Espresso: Open 6 a.m.-noon Tuesdays-Saturdays, Food Truck Court, 3483 Rice St., Lihue, 808-482-4965; alohaliege.com

Aloha Spice Company: Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays, 3857 Hanapepe Road, Hanapepe, 808-335-3803; alohaspice.com

Java Kai: Open 6 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, 4-1384 Kuhio Highway, Kapaʻa, 808-823-6887; javakai.com

Kayak Kauai: Open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 3 Kuhio Highway, 3-5971 Building, Kapaʻa, 808-826-9844; kayakkauai.com

Kōkeʻe State Park: Open 24-7, Hanapepe; dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/kauai/kokee-state-park

Koloa Rum Company: Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and closed Sundays, 3-2087 Kaumualii Highway, Lihue, 808-246-8900; koloarum.com

Puka Dog: Open 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. daily, 2100 Hoone Road, Poipu, 808-742-6044; pukadog.com

Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort: 650 Aleka Loop, Kapaʻa, 808-822-3455; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lihsk-sheraton-kauai-coconut-beach-resort/

Smith Family Garden Luau: Reservations required, 3-5971 Kuhio Highway, Kapaʻa, 808-821-6895; smithskauai.com

Tahiti Nui: Open noon-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, noon-midnight Fridays and closed Saturdays, 5122 Kuhio Highway, Hanalei, 808-826-6277; thenui.com