If you are looking for adventure, Kauai is, by far, the best island to visit in Hawaii. My husband and I spent our honeymoon in Hawaii this past July. We also visited Maui and the Big Island, but Kauai won over our hearts. As we drove from the Lihue airport to the North shore to get to our resort, it felt like we were in Jurassic Park. The mountains were green and lush, almost prehistoric looking.

Although it was our honeymoon, we did not spend much time on the beach. Our first morning, we hiked four miles on the Kalalau Trail overlooking the Napali coastline. In the beginning of the hike, we ascended quickly and climbed approximately five hundred feet but were immediately rewarded. Steep, green mountains surrounded us to the right as we stood on an ocean cliff. The blue waves crashed into the shoreline below us, and we could see the jagged outline of the island continue forever. The breathtaking view will be imprinted in our memory forever.

As the trail continued, we descended down onto a white sand beach that had river cutting through it. The river flowed into the ocean. From there, we traveled a mile inland to the most gorgeous waterfall in all of Hawaii. Even if you are not an avid hiker, outrigger boats take tourists up and down the Napali coastline and provide similar views of the coastline. The trails along the Napali coast were scattered with fallen, smashed guava, and it smelled like we were hiking into heaven. We later learned that wild pigs travel down the mountainsides to eat the guava, which ferments. Often hikers tell tales of seeing drunken, wobbly pigs scrambling up the mountainside.

We both tried surfing on the North shore and had a blast. We went scuba diving at Tunnels Beach, a popular surf spot in the winter and saw countless turtles and a few sleeping white tip sharks. Tunnels Beach also provided a good snorkeling spot for snorkelers. After spending a few nights on the North shore, we traveled back to Lihue and stayed on the East side.

From Lihue, we traveled to Waimea Canyon, which lived up to its nickname as the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific." The sights were unbelievable, and the canyon was littered with spectacular hikes, varying in length. The view looking into the Kalalau Valley felt like a postcard. Kauai also has two fantastic golf courses for avid golfers.

While visiting Maui was fun and offered a nice blend of adventure and entertainment, most of the island was too crowded with five star hotels and rich kids from California. Kauai has a different, rustic feel to it. You know you are on a Pacific island when you are in Kauai. While in Kauai, our rental car office reminded us numerous times not to leave valuables in our car.

 

This tempting tale of Hawaiian romance was provided by newlywed, Kelsey Black.