Where am I – Island hopping in Hawaii
Kauai – known as the garden of Eden island and for good reason. We absolutely loved our time on Kauai for its natural beauty, laid-back vibe and extremely friendly locals. A perfect place to hire a car and explore the natural wonder of Waimea Canyon – known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Maui – One of the most popular islands in Hawaii, and for good reason. We hired a car and loved driving the road to Hana, known as one of the top scenic drives in the world. Next time we visit we’ll try and tear ourselves out of bed at 2am to watch sunrise at the top of Haleakala volcano. The historic town of Lahaina was great for gift shopping and dining. The rooftop bar/restaurant at Fleetwood’s on Front Street in Lahaiana was really enjoyable for a leisurely lunch or happy hour.
Waikiki – Busy, buzzy Waikiki was a perfect place to finish the holiday for retail therapy and fine dining restaurant options. I enjoyed staying at The Modern Honolulu which was just far enough from busy Waikiki Beach to be relaxing, but close enough that we could walk to restaurants for dinner. We visited Pearl Harbour for our history fix and shopped up a storm at Waikele factory outlets!
Highlight – A helicopter flight in Kauai
90% of the island is inaccessible by car so this was an amazing way to get a bird’s eye view of the beauty of the island and especially the famous Na Pali Coast.
Fav meal – A lot it turns out!
Our favourite fine dining experience was at Senia Restaurant in China Town Honolulu. Their Charred Cabbage signature dish was divine! Highly recommended, as well as The Pig & the Lady Vietnamese restaurant next door.
For food trucks: the fresh banana bread we picked up on the road to Hana drive that was still warm. Acai bowls were always delicious with fresh fruit. We also loved The Fresh Shave shaved ice which was refreshing and packed with delicious flavours – ‘the Chevron’ coconut & lime was my favourite.
Insider tip – There’s a 1 mile trail at Kalalau Lookout (behind the fence on the left when looking out to the ocean) which gives you amazing views down the Na Pali Coast. When sightseeing on Kauai, always head off early in the morning because the clouds start to close-in and rain falls around lunchtime onwards. It can’t be the lush beautiful island that it is without all of the rainfall it receives!!
Fun fact – No building on Kauai can be taller than a palm tree by law.
