Hawaiian Activities — island tours, luaus, and adventures across Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.
There is no road around Kauai, and that one fact should shape your whole itinerary. Here is what is worth your days.
Quick Answer: See the Na Pali Coast — it is why you came, and it is reachable only by boat ($199), helicopter ($191) or a hard hike. Kauai also has the cheapest surf lesson in Hawaii at $89 at Po’ipu. Plan by shore, north or south, rather than crossing the island twice in a day.
TL;DR
- The essential: Na Pali — by catamaran ($199) or by helicopter ($191).
- Cheapest surf lesson in Hawaii: Poʻipu Beach group lesson, $89.
- Two luau styles: Traditional oceanfront revue, or a theatrical plantation production.
- Do less: Three good activities across a week beats seven rushed ones.
Kauai rewards doing less
Kauai is the oldest of the main Hawaiian islands and the least developed. There is
no highway around it — the Na Pali cliffs break the road on the north-west side, so
you drive out and back rather than in a loop. Distances feel longer than the map
suggests.
The practical consequence is that Kauai punishes over-scheduling. Three well-chosen
activities across a week will give you a better trip than seven rushed ones.
The Na Pali Coast: the thing you actually came for
Seventeen miles of cliffs rising 3,500 feet from the water, reachable only by boat,
helicopter or a serious hike. Every visitor should see it one of those three ways, and
the choice genuinely matters.
| How | Tour | Price | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran | Na Pali on the Amelia K | $199 | Snorkel stop, sea caves, 5+ hours |
| Sailing | Na Pali Snorkel & Sail | $275 | Quieter, wind-dependent |
| Helicopter | Doors-off helicopter | $191 | Interior too, but 50 minutes |
| Private heli | Custom route helicopter | $359 | Your route, no shared headsets |
Boat gets you scale from below and a swim. Helicopter gets you the island’s
interior — Waiʻaleʻale crater, the waterfalls no road reaches — which a boat
cannot. If you can only do one and you have never flown over Kauai, fly. Our
full Na Pali comparison goes deeper on
this decision.
Learning to surf on Kauai
Kauai’s surf scene is smaller than Oahu’s and considerably less crowded. Two
beaches carry most of the teaching:
- Po’ipu on the sunny south shore — the
group lesson at Po’ipu Beach
is $89, the cheapest surf lesson across all four islands we cover. - Hanalei Bay on the north shore — the
60-minute elite lesson at Hanalei
at $240 is for surfers who already stand and want coaching in one of the most
beautiful bays in the Pacific.
For a middle option, the
private lesson at the day’s best break
runs $150 and moves to wherever conditions suit.
Luaus on Kauai
Two very different evenings:
Drums & Dances of Polynesia at Kalapaki Bay
($175) is the traditional format — oceanfront, buffet, a Polynesian revue covering
Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti and New Zealand.
Luau Kalamaku Manor House Experience
($274.57) is theatrical, staged in the round on a former sugar plantation, with a
narrative production rather than a straight revue. It costs more and divides opinion;
people who like it like it a lot. Our
Hawaii luau rankings put both in
context.
“Kauai has no road all the way around. Plan your days by shore — north or south — rather than trying to cross the island twice in one day.”
On the water, and under it
Kauai scuba packages
start at $503.67 for multi-dive bundles, which is the sensible way to buy diving if you
are here for a week. For fishing, the
Ku’ula Kai private charter
is a 47-foot big-game boat at $1,000 for the vessel — split across a group of six
that is $167 each.
The Big Island day trip
The private volcano helicopter tour from Kauai
at $1,190 flies you to Kilauea and back. It is the single most expensive thing on this
list and it is a genuine one-off — two islands and an active volcano in a day. If
volcanoes are the priority, our guides to
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
and whether you can see lava right now are
worth reading first.
A sensible week
- Day 1: Settle in. Po’ipu or Hanalei depending on where you are based.
- Day 2: Na Pali by boat — a full morning, and you will be tired.
- Day 3: Waimea Canyon and the west side by car.
- Day 4: Surf lesson or a beach day.
- Day 5: Helicopter, for the interior the boat could not show you.
- Day 6: Luau.
Not sure Kauai is your island? Our
guide to choosing between the islands
covers the trade-offs.
If you are basing yourself on the sunny south shore, our guide to Poipu and South Kauai covers what you can book within easy reach, from beginner surf lessons to Na Pali sails out of Port Allen. Deciding whether to fly with the doors off? Read doors-off helicopter tours in Hawaii before you book. For a day on the water with a rod, sportfishing charters in Hawaii explains what a private boat day really costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to see the Na Pali Coast?
Boat for scale and a snorkel stop; helicopter for the island’s interior. Fly if you can only do one.
How many days do you need on Kauai?
Five to seven. There is no road around the island, so travel between north and south eats time.
Where should you learn to surf on Kauai?
Po’ipu on the south shore for beginners, from $89. Hanalei Bay suits surfers who already stand.
Is Kauai worth visiting over Maui or Oahu?
Yes if you want scenery and quiet over nightlife and choice. Kauai is the least developed main island.
Keep reading
Plan your Kauai days
Every Kauai tour, lesson and charter with live availability.
All Kauai activities · Na Pali Coast tours · (808) 207-9427
Disclaimer: Prices are the lowest adult rate at time of writing. Na Pali boat tours are seasonal and frequently cancelled in winter for surf.
