Hawaii

Kauai vacation rentals

The Garden Isle — Na Pali cliffs, Waimea Canyon, and Hawaii at its wildest and greenest.

Best time to visit

April–June and September–October; the North Shore's big surf and rain arrive in winter, while Poipu stays sunny year-round.

Rental types

Oceanfront condos · North Shore cottages · Poipu resort villas · River-valley homes

Getting there

Fly into Lihue (LIH) with direct flights from the West Coast. One main road loops most of the island — a rental car is essential.

About Kauai

Kauai has been Hollywood's idea of paradise for decades — Jurassic Park's valleys, South Pacific's Bali Ha'i — because it looks like nowhere else. Mount Waialeale's rainfall feeds a thousand waterfalls, and erosion has carved the Na Pali Coast into fluted cliffs that drop 4,000 feet to the sea.

The island keeps its scale by law and by love: no building rises taller than a coconut palm, and one two-lane road connects the towns. The Kalalau Trail along Na Pali is one of the world's great hikes (permits required), and Waimea Canyon — the 'Grand Canyon of the Pacific' — stuns from lookouts a 90-minute drive from the beach. Honolulu is a 25-minute flight for island-hopping.

Vacation rentals on Kauai

Kauai vacation rentals split by microclimate: Poipu's sunny South Shore condos and resort villas for reliable beach weather, and North Shore cottages around Hanalei and Princeville for drama and lushness. The east side's Kapaa offers central value.

Choose your shore by season — winter brings big surf and rain to the North Shore while Poipu stays sunny; summer flips the North Shore calm and perfect. Book winter holidays and summer months well ahead. Many North Shore properties are in the visitor destination area with specific rental rules; book licensed listings.

Things to do on Kauai

See the Na Pali Coast by boat, helicopter, or the Kalalau Trail's first two miles
Drive Waimea Canyon to the Kalalau Lookout above the clouds
Swim and surf at Hanalei Bay beneath the mountains
Watch turtles and monk seals at Poipu Beach
Kayak the Wailua River to Secret Falls
Chase waterfalls — Wailua Falls and Opaekaa Falls are roadside-easy

Hikers, honeymooners, and nature lovers

Kauai is the Hawaii of travelers who want nature first: world-class hiking, empty beaches, and small towns instead of nightlife. Honeymooners split between Princeville's cliffs and Poipu's sun; adventurers plan around the Kalalau Trail and canyon trails. Roosters crowing at dawn come free with every stay.

Where to stay in Kauai

Poipu & the South Shore

The sunny side — Poipu Beach's turtles and monk seals, resorts, and reliable weather.

Hanalei & Princeville (North Shore)

The lush, dramatic side — Hanalei Bay, taro fields, and Na Pali trailheads.

Kapaa & the East Side

The Coconut Coast — central, local, and convenient to both shores.

Waimea & the West Side

Gateway to Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park's cliff-top lookouts.

Kauai FAQs

Which side of Kauai is best to stay?

Poipu (South Shore) for sunny, reliable beach weather year-round; Hanalei and Princeville (North Shore) for lush scenery and summer swimming. Many visitors split the week between both.

Do you need a car on Kauai?

Yes — the island has limited transit and the sights are spread along one coastal road. Rent a car for your whole stay.

Can you hike the Na Pali Coast?

The Kalalau Trail's first two miles to Hanakapiai Beach are open to day hikers with a park reservation; the full 11-mile trail to Kalalau requires a camping permit booked well ahead.