Welcome adventurers! Koloa Landing Resort’s personal concierge team is made up entirely of Kauai natives who are poised and ready to help you get out and enjoy the Garden Isle to its fullest. So what do our pros suggest?
- Take a helicopter ride
When’s the last time you buzzed a waterfall or hovered near a rainbow? With 70 percent of Kauai inaccessible by foot, a helicopter escort is the only way to get an insider’s look at vast stretches of the island’s hidden natural beauty. A truly splurge-worthy adventure to check off your bucket list.
- Hike the Kalalau Trail
This unforgettable 11-mile trek starts at Ke’e Beach, follows a rugged stretch of the Na Pali Coast and deposits you at pristine Kalalau Beach. The terrain is accessible only by foot, kayak or air so you feel like you’re in on a local secret. And if these jaw-dropping vistas look like something right out of Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park”, well . . . it’s because they are.
- Go ziplining in Poipu
Don’t you love those dreams where you can fly? How about right through a majestic emerald rainforest? With ziplining, you can enjoy speeds of up to 50 miles per hour on lines as long as half a mile. Fly backward, in tandem with a friend, and even upside down. And the views? Your goosebumps are not just from those occasional rain showers . . .
- Visit Waimea Canyon
The so-called “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” may pale in size to its mainland cousin but this Hawaiian natural wonder is no less spectacular. With dramatic gorge views, colorful hiking trails and cascading waterfalls, you almost wonder if Mother Nature was just showing off here.
- Whale watch along the Napali Coast
Kauaians do not believe in keeping sea life captive, so the only way to glimpse Hawaii’s finest creatures is in their natural habitat. Hop on a comfortable catamaran that flies across the turquoise waters of the Na Pali coast. Pods of spinner dolphins race alongside you and Humpback whales can breach close enough to look you in the eye.
- Check out the Hanalei lookout
Hunter, jade, olive, moss, kelly: It seems as though every shade of green is on display in layer after layer of taro fields, riverbank and mountain foliage. The best part? These staggering views can be yours with just a quick stop along highway 56 in Princeville, and they deliver that quintessentially Hawaiian setting you crave. Perfect for jealousy-inducing selfies.
- Go find a waterfall . . . or three
That 90s girl-band who sang, “Don’t go chasing waterfalls” must have never visited Kauai. With a little adventurous spirit, you can find yourself face-to-face with some of God’s loveliest handiwork: Hanakapiai Falls near Ke’e Beach, the Na Pali Coast’s Manawaiopuna Falls — aka “Jurassic Falls”, the “Weeping Wall” of Mount Waialeale (among the wettest places on earth) and the easiest to access: the Wailua Falls. You, too, will be gushing.
- Snorkel at Tunnels
The coral reef at Tunnels is so massive you can see it from space. Currents are strong and parking scarce but if you’re a good swimmer with good gear you will be regaled by a rainbow of sea life. Make friends with sea turtles, boxfish, unicorn fish, grouper, moray eels and of course the humuhumunukunukuapua’a — Hawaii’s shimmer-golden state fish.
- Spend a day-into-night at Poipu Beach
Check out an aerial shot of this “Best Beach in America” (The Travel Channel) to truly appreciate Poipu’s unique shape and splendor. You can’t help but sense the divine in its design. No wonder families, dreamers, surfers, napper-readers and sea turtles flock here. Stay into the golden hour of early evening and be rewarded with some of the grandest sunsets on the planet.
- Dance at the Royal Luau
Koloa Landing puts the “wow” in luau: This elegant evening under the stars riffs reverently on Hawaiian culture and is paired with a dazzling array of island delicacies from celebrity chef Sam Choy. Enjoy another glass of champagne and join the dancers on stage to test out your hula skills for the crowd. Brought to you by local legend, Wallis Punua and family, this is simply the best luau you’ve ever experienced.
Kauai natives Lehua Ho’okano, Robert Seyranian — and all the members of Koloa Landing Resort’s Personal Concierge Team are your one-stop adventure spot for activities at the resort and beyond. Find them on our website at Koloa Landing Resort Activities or call them directly at 808.240-6609.
by Erica Karlin, Koloa Landing Resort