Kauaʻi Insider
8 things to know before you go
None of this is meant to scare you off. It is the short list of things visitors most often find out too late, written the way a friend who lives here would tell you.
01
Hāʻena State Park and Kalalau need reservations
Entry and parking at Hāʻena State Park — the trailhead for the Kalalau Trail and Kēʻē Beach — are capped and must be booked in advance. Turning up without a reservation usually means being turned away. The North Shore Shuttle is the alternative.
Reserve at gohaena.com ↗02
The Hanalei Bridge is one lane, and it is the only way through
Everything past Hanalei depends on a single one-lane bridge. Yield to oncoming traffic already on or waiting at the bridge, and take turns letting a group of cars through before your side goes. If it closes, there is no detour — the road simply ends.
03
Rain on the North Shore is local and fast
It can be dry in Poʻipū and pouring in Hanalei on the same afternoon. Streams rise quickly and fall quickly. Check the live river reading and the National Weather Service rather than the sky where you are standing.
04
Never cross flowing water, on foot or by car
Flash floods on Kauaʻi are sudden and have killed visitors. Water over a road or trail is a stop sign. If you are in a valley and the stream rises, wait it out on high ground.
05
Ocean conditions change with the season
North Shore beaches that are calm in summer can become extremely hazardous during winter surf. Swim at lifeguarded beaches, and if there are no other people in the water, that is information.
Hawaiʻi Beach Safety, Kauaʻi ↗06
Brown water after heavy rain means stay out
Runoff carries bacteria and debris into the ocean and river mouths. The State Department of Health issues brown-water advisories; when in doubt, keep out of discoloured water for a few days.
Hawaiʻi Clean Water Branch ↗07
Keep your distance from monk seals, turtles and nēnē
Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles and nēnē geese are protected. Give seals and turtles a wide berth on the sand, never surround them, and never feed wildlife.
NOAA wildlife viewing guidelines ↗08
Treat the place as someone's home, because it is
Park only in marked spaces, take your rubbish with you, ask before entering land that looks private, and clean your shoes between hikes so you don't spread invasive species. Kauaʻi is a small island with a long memory.
In an emergency, call 911. For road conditions, call the County of Kauaʻi at 808-241-1725.
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