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How to plan a Kauai vacation
This blog post contains everything you need to know about planning your Kauai vacation. As a Hawaii Travel Agent, I know that planning a Kauai vacation can be overwhelming. If you need any help along the way and would rather have an expert plan your vacation, feel free to contact me. Otherwise, keep reading for the ultimate guide to planning a Kauai vacation.
How to plan a Kauai Vacation: When to go to Kauai
When is the best time to visit Kauai? I get this question a lot, so much that I wrote a post about the best time to visit Hawaii. A lot of people are worried about visiting Kauai in the winter, and for no good reason! Winter season is the rainy reason, but what you need to understand about Kauai (and Hawaii in general) is that the island is extremely diverse.
Even in the winter, it doesn’t rain all day every day. The rain is mostly in the Hanalei/Princeville area, but it’s beautiful, and I recommend staying there anyway. If you are worried about rain, the Poipu/Koloa area on the South Shore is dry and sunny almost every day of the year.
Planning a Kauai Vacation: Where to stay on Kauai
The next thing you’ll need to do is decide where to stay on Kauai. Check out this post for the best resorts on Kauai. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, I recommend checking Expedia or Apple Vacations. If you’re considering a vacation rental, you can read my post on why Airbnb in Hawaii is a bad idea. That said, Expedia has vacation rentals, and you’re protected by booking through them, whereas you’re not with Airbnb.
If you want to stay near the Na Pali coast, I recommend the Westin Princeville or the Hanalei Bay Resort. If you’re going to stay on the South Side, Koloa Landing Resort and Ko’a Kea Resort are two of my favorites. If you’re on a budget, I love the ISO in Kapa’a. For families, I like the Grand Hyatt in Poipu. You can read my full review and tour of the Grand Hyatt.
The beautiful grounds of the Grand Hyatt.
Flights and Rental Cars
For the most significant savings, I recommend booking your flights and car as part of a package. I’ll do that for you if you plan to work with a Travel Agent, or you can do it yourself through Expedia or Apple Vacations. You will need a rental car on Kauai. Public transportation is minimal, and you’ll want to explore. I recommend renting a Jeep in Kauai if possible; there are a lot of places that are difficult to access in a small car. You can read more about why to rent a car in Hawaii. Once you have your flight booked, make sure to check out my post on how to survive the trip to Hawaii and how to fight jet lag.
Planning a Kauai itinerary
I always recommend spending at least one week on each island you plan to visit. This isn’t always possible, but you need at least a few days to explore. I have a 7-day Kauai itinerary to get you started, but I create custom itineraries for my clients if you’re interested in a fully customized experience.
Things to do on Kauai
The flights, resorts, and cars are essential, but let’s get to the fun stuff! If you love the outdoors and adventure activities, you’re going to love Kauai. You can start by checking out the 10 best things to do on Kauai. After that, check out 25 more things to do on Kauai. Love adventure activities? Check out the 10 best adventure activities on Kauai. Kauai is my favorite island for hiking, here are the 10 best hikes on Kauai.
My #1 recommendation for things to do on Kauai is to take a helicopter tour. You can check out my full review of a Blue Hawaiian Helicopter tour in Kauai here. Helicopter tours can be pricey; luckily there are also free things to do on Kauai. Lastly, Kauai has a couple of really great luaus. Check out the best luaus in Hawaii for my recommendations.
More things to do in Kauai
Clearly, I love Kauai because I’ve written about it a lot! For even more activities, I recommend checking out Viator. Viator is the #1 company that I use for tours and excursions. They offer the best price guarantee, and most tours are fully refundable up until 24 hours in advance. That means you can reschedule or be refunded for any reason as long as you cancel in advance. This isn’t an ad; I genuinely love using Viator for activities.
How to plan a Kauai vacation
I hope that this guide to planning a Kauai vacation is helpful. If you have any questions or are feeling overwhelmed, you can always contact me. Kauai is my favorite island (tied with the Big Island), and I plan Kauai vacations and vacations throughout the Hawaiian Islands every day.
Book your Kauai vacation with a Hawaii Travel Specialist
If you’re looking for a Kauai honeymoon or Kauai vacation personalized just for you, give me a call! I specialize in working with clients to create the perfect vacation for you. That means no packages; everything is personalized. Make sure to contact me or go ahead and fill out a custom travel request, and I’ll get back to you to start planning ASAP!
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