How to plan a trip to Kauai on your own

Here you will find answers to all your questions about how to organize and customize your trip to Kauai, Hawaii's most historic 'garden island'.

The offer is served.

In Kauai you will find:

• The best snorkeling beaches in the entire Hawaiian archipelago.
• A great canyon rising in the middle of the Pacific.
• Strenuous and unforgettable hiking in equal parts.
• A bird's eye view of the greenest and wettest mountains in the United States.
• Infinite and inaccessible cliffs, or almost.

If it were up to me, I would have stayed on Kauai for months.

Hiking every trail, enjoying every sunset, inspecting every reef and climbing every mountain, until I had to retire my beloved boots.

However, it was not in my power.

I had only 9 days, but I made the most of my stay on the island.

Here's everything you need to know to organize your own personalized adventure in Kauai.

When to go

When to go to Kauai?

Always. Or in other words, whenever you can.

In terms of climate, temperatures remain pleasant throughout the year, somewhat higher from May to October, and slightly lower from November to April.

Microclimates must be taken into account. It will not be the same temperature on the beaches as it is at the top of the Waimea Canyonfor example. And it won't rain the same...

Rainfall, for example, is hard to get rid of. The good thing is that they are usually quick, passing storms.

In economic terms, the high season includes July, August and the Christmas vacations. If you try to avoid these months, you may be able to reduce your budget.

But remember, this is an eminently North American vacation destination. The prices, therefore, are adjusted to that type of tourist.

Our experience

We visited Kauai for 9 days in the second half of November 2016.

Bad weather and sea conditions changed our initial plans on more than one occasion..

However, thanks to having prepared a very flexible roadmap on our own , and booking the organized tours during the first days of the trip, the Napali Coast by boat and the helicopter flight over Kauai, we managed to see and do everything we set out to do.

In both cases, we were cancelled and delayed due to heavy rain or rough seas.

But we had the flexibility to take advantage of the day by changing our plans, such as going up to Waimea Canyon and do a bit of trekking, for example(we're into hiking!), while delaying the tour for two or three days.

So we made the most of every moment, even if it rained.

And I say it did rain... Almost every day, even though it was always quick showers, which immediately let the sun come out.

And do you know what happens when it rains and the sun shines?

Rainbow.

All sizes. In duplicate. In triplicate. Everywhere.

Mmmm...

How to get around

Public transportation on Kauai is very limited, so to move around the island freely, you will need to rent a vehicle.

After a lot of web surfing, I found the best prices at AlohaRent. Apparently, it seems that AlohaRent and DiscountHawaiiCarRental belong to the same company, as I received confirmation emails from both.

Once you receive your reservation code, you can enter it directly on the Dollar (or your car rental company) page and check there that all your information is correct.

Which car to rent

Well, the first point to consider is your budget:

The smaller and simpler the car, the lower the rental cost.

But if you do not have economic limitations, or at the window they offer you anupgrade for the same price, ask yourself:

What are you going to do with the car?

If, like us, you are going to leave it parked in unattended areas during the hours of your hikes...

You're going for a convertible? Really?

In either case, there are two things to keep in mind:

• It is not allowed to drive your rental car on unpaved roads, even if you rent a 4×4.
• All vehicles in Hawaii are automatic. If you are not used to it... you will have to learn on the spot, like us...

The voice of experience speaks to you:

Watch out for the brake! It is very sensitive!

Our rental car

Specifically, we hired a Chevy Spark (the most basic range) from Dollar for 9 days for $298 (291.5€; 32.4€ per day). For this price we get:

• Unlimited mileage.
• Taxes included.
• Full coverage for damage due to collision, theft or accident(LDW, Loss Damage Waiver).
• Additional liability insurance for US$1 million.
• Protection against uninsured motorists (which is apparently very common).

For Hawaii levels, this budget is just fine, I assure you.

And you know what the best thing about this rental site is?

They do not require you to enter your credit card number and allow you to cancel your reservation at any time at no cost.

That is, you don't pay until you pick up the vehicle.

Therefore, if you find a superior offer, you can take advantage of it without losing money.

What you need

• Valid driver's license and be over 21 years of age for almost all vehicles.
• A credit card to pay, they do not accept debit cards.
• Arrive at the counter no later than 6 hours after the time indicated on the rental confirmation. After this time, the online agreement is cancelled.

Where to stay

This is the mother of the lamb!

If you look at Google Maps, you will see that there is only one main road that runs along the east coast of Kauai.

That is to say:

There are no roads crossing the island.

To go from north to south, there is no other way around it.

It starts, or ends, whichever way you want to look at it, at Kee Beach, next to the entrance gate of the famous Kalalau Trail.

From there, it draws an inverted C along the north, east and south coast, ending between the entrance to the Waimea Canyon y Polihale Beach.

A 2-hour ride separates both ends of the route.

• If you sleep in the south: When you want to see the beautiful beaches of northern Kauai, hike part of the Kalalau Trail or simply admire the beautiful mountains in this area of the island, you will have to drive about 4 hours by
• If you sleep in the north: But you want to visit the Waimea Canyon or enjoy the sun on the south coast... another 4 or 5 hours of driving.

So... which one do you choose?

My suggestion:

Do you have a few days?

Think about what calls you, what you want to see and do in Kauai:

The north coast, with its green mountains full of waterfalls, its beaches, and the famous Kalalau Trail?

Or, the south coast, with a slightly drier climate, access to Waimea Canyon and all its hiking trails?

Choose your accommodation near your favorite destinations.

This way, most of the time you will make the most of your stay, without losing many hours behind the wheel.

And, as an exception, one or two days you will be able to travel the road to the other side of the island to get to know it. It will be a long day, but it will be worth it.

Some people decide to stay on the east coast, equidistant from north and south.

Unless that area is your favorite, I think this is a mistake, as it forces you to drive a minimum of 2 hours a day during your stay on Kauai.

Do you have a week or more?

Divide and conquer:

Reserve part of the nights in the south zone and the rest in the north.

The time you spend in them will depend, again, on your preferences within the island.

This is the best option from my point of view and, therefore, the one we decided on.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'll tell you the details in a moment. 

Types of accommodations

• Affordable: If you want to save a penny, you can camp in the designated sites (upon requesting a permit) or stay in a shared room in ahostel in Kapaa, on the east coast ($30-$40 per person).
• Hotels: Prices are quite high, starting at about 100€ per night per couple. And from there... to infinity and beyond!
• Condos: Or what is the same, apartments. The price range is similar to that of hotels. In fact, many of these studios are part of large apart-hotels or private residences. The advantage over hotels is that staying in a house allows you to cook and thus reduce the food budget during your trip. I found a great offer of accommodations in VRBO, a very well known and used website in the United States.
• Airbnb: Here you will find a wide variety of options, from tents in private gardens, family home stays and self-catering tents in private gardens, family home stays and self-catering studios for twoto multi-room to multi-room apartments for large groups. for large groups. It's worth taking a look and comparing prices.

Our experience

We opted to sleep 5 nights in the south and 4 nights in the north of the island.

After a lot of research on the web (you can't imagine how many hours I invested to make this decision...), these were the lucky ones:

• Poipu Suite Paradise:

A generously sized one-bedroom apartment in a residential complex in Poipu (south) with a terrace or 'lanai' at the foot of the garden. It was a huge and beautiful house , with everything you need: kitchen, washer, dryer, private parking, a very comfortable bed and even a walk-in closet!

Quiet location, 5 minutes walk to Poipu Beach and 10-15 minutes to Shipwrecks Beach.

The most delicious:

Breakfast every morning on the 'lanai' enjoying the birds that came to browse.

Out of our entire stay in Hawaii (Maui included), this was our favorite accommodation, even though the ranking was very competitive....

However, if I were to go again, I would perhaps try to find something even closer to the Waimea Canyonfor example, in Waimea or Kekaha. On the other hand, I wouldn't be so close to Poipu Beach and its snorkeling...

Mmmm... How difficult to decide...

It cost us $616.64 (570.7€), including taxes. Therefore, we paid 57.1€ per person per day.

• Studio in Princeville, through VRBO: 

This accommodation was small, with no washing machine or dryer and a small minimalist kitchen located on the private lanai . This reduced the cooking possibilities quite a bit, although we managed as best we could.

The apartment was very nice and pleasant, and the bed was very comfortable.

It had a very exciting private parking lot, as there were no spaces for all the neighbors. However, luck was on our side every night. yay!

It cost us $459.06 (433.5€), including taxes. Therefore, we paid 54.2€ per person per day.

What to bring to Kauai

Documents

Remember you are going to the United States, so you will need:

• A valid passport with a validity of more than 6 months.
• Driver's license and credit card (no debit card) to rent a car.
• Request and print the ESTA(Electronic System for Travel Authorization) confirmation, without which you cannot travel to the USA.

Luggage

Notice:

When you arrive at your first stop at a U.S. airport, you will need to pick up your baggage, even if it is not your final destination, and drop it back at a company counter. You will see the appropriate directions on signs as you pass through.

In addition, you will have to go through passport control, where they will check that you have a valid ESTA and everything is in order. You will be fingerprinted and a photograph will be taken.

And now, what are the must-haves in your luggage?

• A good pair of walking boots to enjoy the trekking without slipping(or as little as possible).
• A raincoat, which can also serve as a windbreaker, or waterproof layer, for the storms of Kauai.
• Pack light, comfortable clothes that dry quickly, and a sweatshirt or sweater to keep you warm on cooler evenings.
• Swimwear and other beach accessories. Unless you intend to buy a swimsuit as a souvenir of your trip to Hawaii. In that case, you can pretend you forgot to pack it. It works for some people 😉 😉 😉.

Travel insurance

Have you ever heard of how much medical care costs in the United States?

A savagery.

Imagine how expensive it will be that the inclusion or not of private health coverage is one of the most important factors in accepting a job in the USA.

The bill can reach three zeros for any nonsense.

For example, how much do you think it would cost you if you slipped while trekking and they had to bandage a sprain? Or simply treat a high fever as a matter of urgency?

And let's not talk about whether you need to be rescued on a mountain route or saved if a current takes you out to sea. You don't want to know...

Avoid that such an unforeseen event spoils your wonderful trip to Hawaii; the one you have been planning for a long time.

Take out your travel insurance with IATI

I always travel with them.

And now your question is, why IATI and not another company? That's easy:

• They offer severalinsurance optionswith rates adjusted to your needs: Basic, Standard, Star, Backpacker and Family. Their comparative tables will help you study all the offers and decide which one best suits your trip (activities you are going to do, coverage you value, etc).
• IATI pays directly for medical or rescue expenses if you call them first when you are in distress. This way, you will not have to advance any amount at the time; and, in addition, they will indicate the fastest and safest option for your situation. But don't worry, if you find yourself in an emergency and can't contact them first, all you have to do is present the invoice for whatever you have paid in advance, and they will return it to you quickly and promptly.
• They have very competitive prices. Specifically, my 21-day tour of Hawaii and San Diego cost less than 60€ per person. In my opinion, to travel safe and sound in the United States at that price is a bargain! What do you think?
• Need another reason? Well, here it is: a 5% discount on any policy you sign up for if you do it through these links.

May I give you some advice?

Don't take risks, travel insured, enjoy your adventure and...

 Come back home wanting more!

Conclusion

You've already got the information, now is your time.

Organize your own personalized trip to Kauai.

Follow your tastes, listen to your desires... and prepare your adventure to make them come true.

If you are looking for more information, here are all the articles I have written about my trip to Kauai:

• Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
• Kalalau Trail, Kauai's most challenging hike.
• Kauai's most beautiful beaches: what would you like to do today?
• Awaawapuhi Trail, the Napali Coast at your feet.
• Fly over Kauai in a helicopter... without doors!
• Discover the Napali Coast on a luxury boat.
• Queen's Bath, forbidden beauty in the Garden of Eden.
• Mahaulepu Trail, hiking, temples, and pristine beaches on Kauai.

And finally:

• A detailed road map of our 9-day adventure in Kauai.

Everything we did, why we did it and how we did it. Are you going to miss it?

Do you want to know another island of Hawaii? Take a look at our experience in Maui:

• Guide to organizing a trip to Maui on your own.
• 7 day tour of Maui.
• The best snorkeling beaches in southern Maui.
• Sighting of humpback whales off the coast of Maui.
• Nightmare before dawn at Haleakala.
• The full description of our experience at O'hoe Gulch and Pipiway Trail.
• 3 days and 2 nights discovering the Road to Hana.

Useful Links

• International flight deals to Hawaii: Trabber, eDreams, andMomondo.
• Camping on the accessible coast of Kauai or in the Kokee nature reserve.
• AlohaRent and DiscountHawaiiCarRental car rentals.
• Booking offers in Kauai.
• Apartment rental site VRBO.
• Our studio in Princeville.
• Poipu Suite Paradise.
• ESTA application.
• Get 5% off your IATI travel insurance.

And if you have any questions or need more details on how to organize your trip to Kauai, leave me a comment below. I will be happy to help you and even expand the information detailed in this article.