Kauai

Kauai has always set apart from the rest of the island chain.  It's the oldest of the islands, the wettest, greenest, most weathered—and to many, the most beautiful.

Kauai has a nice balance of tourist infrastructure and local residents, who are the first to demand their island remain unspoiled.  There are hotels and condos, but the island remains rural.  You’ll be happiest here if your idea of nightlife is getting some sleep in order to get an early start on the next day’s adventure.

And adventures abound, from hiking through spectacular Waimea Canyon to cruising along the inaccessible valleys of the Na Pali coast by kayak or zodiac.

In many ways, the ‘60s are still alive on Kauai—it’s a place that prizes a laid-back, close-to-the-earth lifestyle.  It’s no surprise perhaps that, at least arguably, its best restaurant is a vegan eatery called The Blossoming Lotus.

If the rest of the islands are regularly taken for paradise, Kauai is, for its many admirers, the Garden of Eden.  It’s green, lush, beautiful and relaxed.

Have a favorite island of your own?  Feel free to comment below.



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