“Kauai’s spirit, like the people, is warm, kind, and always welcoming.”
– Mark Twain, on visiting Kauai in 1866

Love Island

Two weeks after our wonderful wedding in Walla Walla, Alex and I jetted off to Kauai, Hawaii! This was our fourth time visiting Hawaii, but our first time on the Garden Isle, and we couldn’t have been more excited! From what we’d heard, Kauai was supposed to be a lot more laid-back, rural, and nature-y compared to the other islands we’d visited (Oahu, Maui, Big Island), which sounded like the perfect setting for a relaxing honeymoon getaway.

The Journey There

Getting to Hawaii from Seattle is already pretty quick and easy since it’s right off the West Coast (and by “right off”, I mean 5.5 hours away lol), but to make the journey even more enjoyable, we decided to treat ourselves to First Class!

Wearing our matching “Honey Moonin'” shirts (thank you Kelsey!), we boarded the plane and were greeted with delicious, Hawaiian-inspired pre-flight cocktails! The breakfast I got was pretty good, though the fruit was a bit sour and the croissant was kind of chewy—can’t complain though.

And while the food and drinks were definitely nice perks, the real stars of Hawaiian Airlines’ First Class were the lay-flat seats! Though if I’m being completely honest, I kept mine reclined at like 45 degrees most of the time because it was too uncomfortable to lay completely flat while also watching movies on my laptop. Alex, on the other hand, made full use of the recliner and was conked out almost the entire time lol.

Day 0 — Settling In

After landing, we picked up our rental car, and to our surprise, we were greeted by a convertible Chevy Camaro (vroom vroom!). We actually got the same type of car when we visited Maui a few years prior, and it was pretty fun to drive around the island for the most part, but if I’m being completely honest, it has some drawbacks—mainly its tiny windows (talk about blind spots!) and its massive doors which need to be opened pretty wide to climb in, which as you can imagine, makes it hard to get in and out in tights parking spaces. All that being said, the car itself is fun to drive and it definitely has a lot more power than our trusty little Civic lol. Anyway, enough about the rental.

On the way to our condo, we stopped off at this window-serve Mexican joint called Da Crack which I saw recommended on Reddit. I don’t know if I was just really hungry or if it had just been a while since I had decent Mexican food (Seattle really needs to step its game up), but this burrito was sooooo good.

After this quick pitstop, we finally arrived at our home away from home for the week—the Prince Kuhio condos!

The first thing we noticed (besides the beautiful beach literally across the street) were all of the wild chickens roaming around the grass outside. I kept trying to call them over doing my best chicken dance, but they seemed unimpressed and were more interested in pecking at the grass.

Soon after this, we decided to walk down the street to the beach to watch the sunset, which as you can imagine, was incredible. There’s just something about being on an island and seeing the ocean stretch out in all directions, and because of where we were located on Kauai (Poi’pu), no other islands were visible and so it really felt like we were just floating in the middle of the ocean.

Day 1 — Museums, mud, & Matrimony

We started off our first full day with our favorite travel activity—getting coffee! There was this cool spot called Dark Horse Coffee Roasters which was located in a renovated Buddhist temple. I also picked up this delicious French toast from this place called Anuenue Cafe, which was made from Hawaiian sweet bread and was topped with lemon curd, berry coulis (aka puree), and came with a side of Portuguese sausage and two eggs.

We eventually hit the road and headed for the Kauai Museum. It was fairly small overall, but what it lacked in size, it made up in information and character. I’ll spare you all the details (as if I can even remember them as I write this 6 months later), but the museum goes into detail on the history of the island, starting from the initial settlement by early Polynesians, and ending with modern times. There was even a cool exhibit dedicated sole to surfing, which I thought was cool.

From here, we headed down the road to the Kauai Plantation Railway. Situated on an old sugarcane plantation, this place offers train tours around the grounds, as well as daily rum tastings (more to come on this later).

Aside from the numerous fruit trees and wide variety of vegetation growing in the area, the plantation is also home to a bunch of different animals, including wild pigs, cows, horses, and even donkeys. And luckily for us, the tour included a section where we were actually able to stop and feed them! Funnily enough, wild pigs love to eat corn tortillas, and as we’d throw out handfuls, they’d all fight over bites of that sweet, sweet masa like drunk college students during Cinco de Mayo. Meanwhile, the horses and cows survived on a diet grass blocks, which we had to place directly into their mouths. They were super friendly, though, and were kind enough to stick their tongues out.

By the time we made it back to our condo, it was almost time for Happy Hour, so we got ready and walked across the street to the Beach House Restaurant. Located right on the ocean, this restaurant is known for its stunning views (especially during sunset), and its world-famous Mai Tais.

This place is honestly really cool, and if you ever find yourself on Kauai, you have to at the very least stop by for a drink. The staff is also really nice, and after they found out we were on our honeymoon, they gave us glasses of champagne on the house.

While sitting there, we noticed a bunch of people starting to gather outside in the grassy area that overlooks the ocean, and it turns out a full-blown wedding was starting! Naturally, we decided to order more drinks and enjoy the celebration, pretending to be guests while secretly hoping that we’d actually get invited to join in on the festivities.

We ended the day by stopping by Poipu Beach to both watch the sunset, and also catch a glimpse of the sea turtles that love to hang out on the sand. I was a bit worried that the place would be super crowded—not necessarily because I wanted a good view (though, I did), but because I was worried that tourists wouldn’t respect the turtles’ space. Luckily, there were signs and cones everywhere designating the off-limits area, and everyone seemed to be on their best behavior.

The sunset itself was incredible as always, and despite this being our fourth time visiting the Hawaiian Islands, it really never gets old.

Day 2 — Exploring the West Side

In terms of overall area, Kauai is the fourth largest of the Hawaiian Islands (552.3 square miles to be exact), which means it’s fairly easy to get from one side to the other in the span of a day. So for today’s agenda, we decided we’d make the trek over to its west/northwest side, which is home to the famed Waimea Canyon, as well as numerous scenic lookouts along (and beyond) the way.

Before heading out, we of course had to pick up some coffee, as well as a few bites to eat.

One thing that Alex and I LOVE to do while visiting Hawaii is to listen to self-guided audio tours as we drive around the islands. Our favorite is GuideAlong (formerly GyPSy Guide), and the way it works is simple: you download the app, purchase a specific tour, and as you drive, the app provides audio commentary that automatically plays based on your GPS location. What makes this guide so great is that it not only provides fascinating insights into the surrounding landmarks and points out hidden gems, but it also shares the rich history of the Hawaiian Islands, adding important context to everything you see.

Anyway, where was I going with this?

Okay, so we eventually made our way over to Waimea Canyon, which, if you don’t know, is often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. It’s an awe-inspiring 10-mile-long canyon that has a stunning red and green landscape, breathtaking cliffs, and jaw-dropping valleys. From the lookout points, it honestly feels like you’re staring at a painting.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that it was also extremely windy at the top, so you can imagine the kung-fu grip I had on my phone while taking these pics lol.

While Waimea Canyon is the main attraction on this side of the island, the road that leads to it actually continues past for quite a while, and is filled with numerous lookout points. Since it was still relatively early in the day (and at the recommendation of our audio tour guide), we decided to keep driving.

It’s at one of these lookout points that we managed to catch a glimpse of the fabled Ni’ihau (prounounced: NEE-ee-how) Island. To outsiders, this island is often referred to as the “Forbidden Isle”, and for good reason. Unlike places like Oahu, Maui, and Kauai, Ni’ihau is strictly off-limits to visitors, and only those who were born on the island—or are descendants of the Sinclair-Robinson family—are allowed to live there. Actually, I think they’re now offering limited helicopter and beach tours, but you’re not allowed to interact with any of the residents and zero accommodations exist.

Speaking of the Sinclair-Robinson family, they were/are a family that purchased the island from King Kamehameha V in 1864 for a measly $10,000 (equivalent to about $200,000 in 2024). I won’t get into all of the dirty details and controversies surrounding this, but if you’re curious and want to dive a bit deeper, there’s an episode ofThis American Life that (somewhat) explores this dark side of paradise.

Eventually the long, winding road that we had been driving along ended at a locked gate, and in order to reach the final lookout point, we had to venture by foot. It was only a 1-mile trek along a paved road, but given the 85F weather, we were sweating our butts off.

It was definitely well worth it though (not sure if Alex would agree), because the end of the trail greeted us with an absolutely incredible panoramic view of the Kalalau Valley and surrounding Napali Coast.

Now the fun part—after taking in the sights, we had to make the same sun-soaked 1 mile walk back to our car, then drive over an hour along tight, winding mountain roads while being pelted by intermittent rain. As a reward, we stopped off at the famous Puka Dog, which was much-loved by Anthony Bourdain.

I went with the Polish sausage + Hot Chili Pepper Garlic Sauce + Mango Relish + Lilikoi (passionfruit) Mustard:

They honestly went a big overboard with the condiments, but as a self-proclaimed hot dog lover hot dog lover, I gotta say it was still pretty damn good!

After taking a much needed rest back at the condo, we got ready for our first date night! We ended up going to this Italian restaurant about 10 minutes away in Old Koloa Town (old sugarcane plantation village that now houses various shops and restaurants) called La Spezia.

I don’t really remember what we each ordered, but I remember thinking it was just okay. But the food was secondary

Day 3 — Float On

The first half of this day was pretty laid-back, which was honestly for the best because we were still recovering from the previous day. Plus, we had an action-packed adventure lined up for the afternoon—inner tubing with Kauai Backcountry Adventures!

Multiple people had recommended this to us, and we also saw it mentioned a bunch on Reddit, so we were super excited despite not really knowing what to expect. From what we gathered, we’d be floating down a river through lush jungle and dark tunnels, which sounded super exciting.

After a brief check-in, our group climbed into the back of an open-air truck and made the 45-ish minute drive out into the jungle to where we’d be starting our float. About halfway along the drive, we made a quick pitstop to take in some super scenic views. As we continued driving, our tour guide Cody gave us a bunch of info about our upcoming adventure, as well as about the island in general. It turned out that the “river” we would be floating down wasn’t really a river at all, but instead was a series of hand-dug canals and tunnels dug by sugar plantation workers in the 1870s!

Unfortunately, we didn’t take our phones with us for fear of dropping them in the water, so we weren’t able to capture any cool pictures or videos, but here’s a YouTube video the shows what it’s like:

For me, the coolest part was going through the tunnels, which were basically pitch black aside from the proverbial light at the end. It was definitely a little freaky at times, especially since the tubes would randomly start spinning out of control and you had to basically pull all your limbs in and hold on tight in case you accidentally ran into someone or one of the rocks jutting off of the cave walls.

There were also some sections along the riverbank that were made out of red clay, and we were all encouraged to scrape a little off and paint our faces. I opted for a sort of war paint design, while Alex went with a more subtle, Coachella-esque design.

Day 4 — Exploring the North Side

For today’s adventure, we decided to take a roadtrip to the north side of the island, which is known for its fierce and deadly surf, as well as its luxurious resorts that reside on the cliffs above. Of course we had to start the day with some cold brew, but unlike the last few days, we decided to venture away from our usual spot and try some place new: Java Kai (nobody tell Dark Horse!).

Pretty soon after we started driving, we decided to stop off for a quick breakfast, which included some DELICIOUS malasadas (if you don’t know, malasadas are Portuguese donuts that can be found all over Hawaii). If I’m remembering correctly, we got one with cinnamon sugar and one filled with key lime cream. Not pictured are the giant chickens that were roaming around waiting to pounce on any crumb that fell off your plate and onto the floor.

It took about 45-60 minutes to get to the Northside, specifically the Princeville area, which is where all the resorts are at. It’s also home to the famous Queen’s Bath, which is an ocean pool made out of lava rock and is next to a bunch of lagoons. Visitors will often see sea creatures, such as sea turtles chilling nearby.

But it’s equally dangerous as it is beautiful due to the sudden swells and violent waves that assault it, and there have been multiple fatalities over the years. Because of this, we decided to just look at it from the safety of the trail above.

As you continue driving along the main highway, it eventually becomes a narrow two-lane road that winds through the lush mountainsides that line the coastline. This road takes you through a bunch of tiny towns/villages and it really feels like you’re way off the beaten path, even though it’s a pretty popular route for tourists to take. I can’t imagine the locals appreciate the traffic or the spotlight that Google Maps has shown upon their once private paradise. Anyway . . .

We eventually made it to our main destination of Tunnels Beach, which was supposed to be one of the nicest on the island. While it was definitely a great looking beach, the weather wasn’t the best and the waves looked pretty big, so we didn’t actually get into the water and kind of just walked around in the sand for a bit. It’s a weird feeling staring out at the horizon knowing that there isn’t a single piece of land for thousands of miles.

We then decided to walk down the road to another popular attraction—the Maniniholo Dry Cave.

This cave is steeped in legend, its true purpose varies depending on who you ask. One legend states that the cave was dug by Maniniholo, the chief fisherman of the ancient/mythical Menehune people, in search of the supernatural beast Akua that was stealing their fish.

Another legend says that this cave used to be a tunnel to Waimea Canyon, and that during a conflict between the Menehune and the Polynesian settlers, the Menehune used this secret tunnel to escape to the North Shore. After they were all through the tunnel, they triggered a collapse, trapping the Polynesians inside and leading to the formation of the dry cave.

While we may never know the truth behind this cave’s formation (scientists be damned!), it remains a super cool and unique place to explore and offers a small glimpse into Hawaii’s mystical past.

Since we were basically at the end of the road we turned around and started the long journey back to our home on the south side in Poipu. As we approached the Princeville area again, we made a quick pitstop at 1 Hotel, which is a five-star luxury resort overlooks the stunning Hanalei Bay. We didn’t have a room, but luckily the hotel restaurant and bar is open to anyone, so we grabbed some cocktails and enjoyed the view dreaming of the day when we could one day return as actual guests.

Before settling in for the night, we picked up some sushi from this little food truch across the street from Costco.

Day 5 — It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere

After the looong day of driving we had the previous day, we wanted to keep things pretty low key today. Of course, as always, we grabbed our morning coffee, as well as an açaí bowl for Alex, and a loco moco plate for me.

When we did that train tour the other day, we saw that the place also offered rum tastings, so we decided to check it out. Neither of us are really rum fans per se, but it seemed like something fun to do, and as we found outselves running out of things to do, we figured, why not?

The tasting consisted of trying 4-5 different rums that the Koloa Rum Company produced, either our host explaining the intricacies and nuances of each. If I’m being completely honest, they all kind of tasted pretty similar, aside from the one that had chocolate in it, but maybe I just have an unrefined palette lol.

nspired by the rum tasting, we made our way back to the condo, freshened up, and walked down the road to The Beachouse for some happy hour drinks. Once again we were asked if we were celebrating anything special and after telling them it was our honeymoon, they graciously gave us another pairing of bubbly on the house (I don’t think they remembered us from a few days before, but I wasn’t about to remind them). I decided to go for a beer this time, but Alex stuck with the Mai Tai.

Feeling a bit tipsy by this point, we figured now was as good a time as any to get into the pool back at the condo. Luckily for us it was empty, so we could be as annoying as we wanted hahaha. Like clockwork as soon as the sun began to set, a huge flock of birds began to roost in the surrounding trees, causing an absolute ruckus in the process. We were pretty used to it at this point since they did it every day, but it was crazy to see them flying all crazy in the sky above the pool. My biggest fear was one pooping on me, but fortunately my head remained dookie-free.

The rest of the evening was pretty chill for us, though I honestly can’t remember what we did (cut me some slack, it’s been six months!).

Day 6 — Searching for Food in All the Wrong Places

By this point we had pretty much done everything that we had planned, so this day was once again pretty chill . I was really craving some good chicken katsu and malasadas, and thus began our island hunt—little did we know that it’d be quite the misadventure.

Finding the chicken katsu was actually pretty easy as our tour guide from the river tubing recommended a really good spot, which also had a bunch of great reviews on Google. However, this place turned out to be a total bust with the chicken being really dry, made even worse by the fact that no sauce was provided! Idk, maybe I’m just used to the chicken katsu from L&L which comes with a delicious curry sauce, but it blows my mind that a place would serve it without sauce, or that anyone would want to eat it this way. Like, it’s literally just chicken, white rice, and mac salad. At the very least they could include some on the side! Anyway, rant over.

Unfortunately, the disappointment didn’t stop there. What we thought would be a simple Google search away, turned out to be a game of Where’s Waldo’s Malasadas? Like I mentioned previously, malasadasa are pretty common all over Hawaii, or at least that had been our experience on the other islands we visited. However, Kauai seems to be a total deadzone when it came to finding bakeries that make them. I don’t know if it was just the specific day or area we were looking, but we couldn’t find malasadas anywhere! We eventually gave up our search and settled for a big slice of cheese cake from a bakery then headed back home.

Day 7 — Do we really have to Leave?

It was our final full day on Kauai, which we were of course super bummed about. However, we didn’t want to let our island separation anxiety put a damper on things, so we decided to start the day on a positive note—with delicious malasadas!

Yes, the ever-elusive doughy delight finally reared it’s sugar-covered head after we managed to find a cute little cafe that not only sold malasadas, but a huge variety of flavors and fillings at that. I can’t really remember what choices we ended up going with, all I know is that they were goooooood =D

I of course ate way more than I should’ve, but after the previous day’s misfortune, I said screw it.

After getting ready for the day, we headed out to a sight whose turnoff we had driven past multiple times over the week but kept putting off seeing—Wailua Falls. There wasn’t really and reason that we kept putting off going, we just figured it was close enough that we could easily drive over when we had some free time, which is what we did.

When you get there, you have two options: 1) view the falls from the road’s shoulder, or 2) hike down a trail to reach the bottom of the falls. Being lazy, we went with Option 1 lol. It was still a pretty cool sight to see, though, and considering how hot it was, I think staying up top was definitely the right move.

Continuing on with the day’s theme of finally doing stuff that we had been talking about all week, we drove over to this little food truck that sold Shave Ice (not shaved—shave). I honestly wish we would’ve gotten some way sooner because it was so good! Definitely way better than any of those syrupy ice balls you get at county fairs.

For our final dinner, we decided to check out this place called Oasis on the Beach, which as the name suggests, is right on the beach. Well, you’re not actually on the sand, but the tables are a few feet away, so basically the same thing minus the sandy feet.

Alex of course looked incredible, and the food itself was really tasty. If I’m remembering correctly, I went with the braised boneless short rib, and Alex went with the farmers market curry.

After dinner it was back to the condo to start packing. I know, sad.

Day 8 — It’s Not Goodbye, It’s Aloha

As we got ready to leave to the airport, there was a definite sadness in the air. Alex and I are both very sentimental people and we love Hawaii so much, so after a week of fun in the sun (and being our literal honeymoon), it was hard to say goodbye. But alas, all good things must come to an end, so we took one last glance at our home away from home before shutting the door and heading to the airport.

The flight back was pretty unremarkable, though it wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as the flight there since 1) the trip was over, and 2) we were flying economy instead of first class (oh, the horror!). After a quick layover in Honolulu, we said goodbye and mahalo (thank you) to Hawaii one last time before settling in to our flight back to Seattle.

Final Thoughts

Our honeymoon was honestly so much fun and a reminder of how much we absolutely love Hawaii. From its rich history to it’s lush jungles to the cracked out birds that go absolutely apeshit every morning—Hawaii will always hold a special place in our hearts.

As far as Kauai itself goes, it isn’t our favorite island. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an absolutely beautiful place with a really chill vibe, but it’s a little bit too laidback. I think if you’re into hiking or simply want to chillax for a week doing nothing, it’s perfect, but for Alex and I—two people who really aren’t that outdoorsy (despite living in Seattle for seven years) and get bored easily—it wasn’t a 100% perfect match. That being said, I’d for sure go back in a heartbeat given the opportunity.

Mahalo, Kauai!