Kauai Size:
Kauai is the fourth largest of the Hawaiian Islands with an area of 533 square miles. It is 33 miles long and 25 miles wide at its widest point. It is the oldest of the major Hawaiian Islands, at 5.8 million years.
Kauai Population (2010):
As of 2010 US Census: 68,745. Ethnic mix: 33.6% Caucasian, 20.4% Filipino, 9.9% Japanese, 8.8% Native Hawaiian, 1.6% Chinese. 20% mixed (two or more races).
Kauai Nickname:
Kauai has traditionally been called the “Garden Island.” More recently, it has also been called “Hawaii’s Island of Discovery.”
The biggest cities on Kauai:
- Kapa’a
- Chilling Cold
- Two Waters
- Waimea
- Princeville
Kauai Airports:
Lihu’e Airport is the main airport providing passenger and aircraft facilities for domestic and foreign carriers, inter-island carriers, passenger / passenger taxis, air cargo, and general aviation activities.
Port Allen Airport is located one mile southwest of the city in Hanapepe, on the south shore of Kaua’i. This is a single runway general aviation airport.
Princeville Airport is a private airport located 3 miles east of Hanalei on the north shore of Kaua’i.
Major Industries on Kauai:
- tourism
- Building
- High Tech (Military)
- Film and television production
- Agriculture (coffee, taro, papaya, guava) Kaua’i produces more than 60% of Hawaii’s taro, which is more than five million pounds a year.
- Livestock
Climate of Kauai:
Kauai is a semi-tropical island with a temperate climate throughout the year tempered by the Pacific Ocean. At sea level in Lihuʻe, the average winter afternoon temperature is around 78 ° F during the colder months of January and February. August and September are the hottest summer months with average temperatures of 84 °
The average daily temperature is 70 ° F – 80 ° F. The trade winds provide cool fresh air and the rains are brief in the early morning and at night.
Average rainfall is 41 inches.
Kauai Geography:
Miles from shore: 113 of which 63 miles are accessible.
Number of Beaches: 69 Kaua’i offers more beaches per mile of shoreline than any of the other Hawaiian Islands. More than 50% of the beaches are white sand beaches.
Parks: There are 8 state parks, 67 county parks and community centers, and no national parks.
Highest Peak: Kawaikini Peak reaches an elevation of 5,243 feet, followed by Mt. Wai’ale’ale at 5,052 feet. The mountainous terrain occupies the northern, western and central parts of the island.
Kauai Visitors and Lodging:
Number of visitors annually: approximately 1.1 million
Main areas of the resort
- North Kaua’i – Princeville / Hanalei
- Kaua’i oriental – Lihuʻe y Wailua / Kapa’a
- Lihu’e – the entrance city of the island
- Kaua’i meridional – Po’ipu / Koloa / Kukui’ula
- West Kaua’i – Hanapepe / Waimea
Number of Bed and Breakfast Inns (2014) – 21 with 79 rooms
Number of hotels (2014): 15 with 2,732 rooms
Number of vacation rentals (2014): 442 with 1600 units
Number of timeshare units (2014): 17 with 2,481 units
Number of condominium hotels (2014): 17 with 1,563 units
Most popular tourist attractions in Kauai:
- Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
- Koke’e State Park and Kalalau Lookout
- Na Pali Coast State Park and the Kalalau Trail
- National Tropical Botanical Gardens
- Russian fort Elisabeth
- Horn
- Wailua River Valley and Fern Grotto
- Waimea Canyon State Park
Golf on Kauai:
Kauai is a golfer’s paradise. Garden Island is home to five of Hawaii’s best golf courses, featuring some of the most scenic and challenging layouts in Hawaii. These courses are:
- The course of the ocean in Hokuala
- Kiahuna Golf Club
- Po’ipu Bay Golf Course
- Princeville Golf Club
- Puakea golf course
For more information, see our feature on Kauai’s Best Golf Courses.
Recreational activities in Kauai:
There is no island in Hawaii better for adventure on land, sea and air than Kaua’i.
Ocean adventures include charter fishing, dolphin encounters, diving and snorkelling, whale watching, or simply sailing under the stunning green palisades off the Nā Pali coast. You can travel on a motor boat, rubber zodiac, sea kayak, or smooth gliding catamarans. Additional ocean activities include surfing, waterskiing, and windsurfing.
The only navigable rivers in Hawaii flow through Kauai. Rowers can explore placid stretches of rivers by kayak. Less ambitious travelers can go up the Wailua River to Fern Grotto Grotto by boat with the Smith’s Fern Grotto Wailua River Cruise. You will be delighted with Hawaiian music along with the path and one of the two hula dancers swaying.
Hiking trails lead to Waimea, the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific’, or along the coast of Nā Pali to breathtaking valleys unreachable by road. There are coastal hikes through tall sand dunes and rainforest hikes among the oldest flora in Hawaii.
Explorers can also choose mountain bike tours, explore nature by riding ATVs, or go on a zip line adventure.
Horseback riding will take you into forests, canyons, and mountains for picnics, waterfalls swimming, and beautiful ocean views.
Kauai is a movie lover’s paradise. More than 75 Hollywood features have been filmed on Kauai and Hawaii Movie Tours® or a Polynesian Adventure Tours Ali ‘, the movie excursion will take us in an air-conditioned van equipped with video screens so you can watch clips from movies like Jurassic Park while gazing at the green valley where the T-Rex roamed.
If you are going to take a helicopter tour of any of the Hawaiian islands, Kauai is my best option. Much of the island’s beauty can only be seen from the air.
Book your stay
Check prices for your stay in Kauai with TripAdvisor.
