This was an easy drive straight to the end of Maalo Road, and it's free!!…read moreIf you plan on doing any driving on Kauai I highly recommend buying the Shaka App. Four self guided driving tours with colorful narration and cultural storytelling.

Located at the end of Maalo Road, this beautiful double waterfall cannot be safely or legally…read moreaccessed due to the notoriously steep, muddy, and very slick unmaintained trail down. But you can however view it safely from the designated roadside lookout. The parking lot here, although free, is very small and often filled to the brim with cars. The lot itself is also in desperate need of maintenance as it is filled with potholes, so getting in and out may be tricky. There are also vendors who fill up the front part of this lot, which further add to the chaos. Located in a sacred royal valley once known as the capital of Kauai, ancient Hawaiian chieftains and warriors use to test their bravery by leaping from the top of this nearly 200ft tall waterfall. There's not a lot to do once you get up to the top of the lookout except to snap a few photos. So it is debatable if it is worth the drive all the way out to here and dealing with the whole parking lot situation.

I'm giving this place only 2 stars. The so-called "arboretum" has a smelly restroom at the top of…read morethe hill, and if you're expecting information about plants, flowers, or trees, you won't find any. It's not really an arboretum in the true sense -- more like a patch of forest with a few jungle trails. We walked up to the nearest trail entrance, but it was overgrown with tall grass, so we just turned back and left. Honestly, this arboretum isn't worth visiting during a week-long trip to Kauai.

If you want to see rainbow eucalyptus trees this is a must go! It's a beautiful area to walk…read morearound. Bring comfortable sturdy shoes. Wear sunscreen and insect repellant. No entry fee and plenty of parking.

Ahukini Recreational Pier State Park is located about a 5-minute drive northeast along the sea from…read moreLihue Airport. When you go down the slope, you can see a parking lot (like a place). You can park for free, but I felt that the security was quite bad. After all, as soon as I stopped the car, a woman came out of a car and came to sell something in a small bag. Of course I refused, but my husband said, "It's probably drugs." After having such an experience right after arriving, I was quite worried about walking around, so I finished walking early within sight of our car and returned to the car. I really wanted to take a longer and more relaxed walk if I had time. The atmosphere of the pier was as if it had traveled back in time; the pier looked old and almost decayed. According to what I heard, the first people who discovered Hawaii landed here. There was an old lighthouse on the other side of the pier, but it is not certain whether it is still fulfilling its role. Unfortunately, I can't review detailed information about this place at this time, but I want you to take safety measures if you visit here. While we were away from the car for a short time, a Kauai county sheriff's car came on patrol, so I was a little relieved. But I think it's easy to target small groups of Japanese people in this secluded area, so please practice crime prevention when you leave the car; don't forget to prevent theft. It is a peaceful state park with a long history where anglers enjoy fishing leisurely, but it is certainly dangerous because it is difficult to see from the public road. If we have a chance to visit there next time, we would like to send you updated reviews after taking safety measures. アフキニ・リクリエーショナル・ピア州立公園は、リフエ空港から海沿いに北東へ車で5分程度走った所にあります。坂を下り切ると駐車場(らしき場所)が見えます。無料で駐車出来ますが、かなり治安が悪そうに感じました。何しろ車を止めた途端に一台の車から女性が出て来て小さな袋に入った何かを売りに来ました。もちろん断りましたが夫は「おそらくドラッグだろう」と言って居ました。 到着直後にそんな体験をしたので、周辺の散策もかなり不安で、自分達の車が見える範囲で早々と散策を済ませて車に戻りました。 本当は時間があったらもっとゆっくりと散策したかったです。 pierの雰囲気はまるでタイムスリップした様な佇まいで、桟橋も古くて殆ど朽ちて見えました。 聞く所によると、ハワイ先住民達がここに流れ着いたらしいです。 桟橋の向こうには古い灯台が有りましたが、今でも役目を果たして居るのかどうかは定かでは有りません。 今回は残念ながら、この場所についての詳しい情報のレビューは出来ませんが、皆さんが此処を訪れる場合は先ずは安全対策をして欲しいと伝えたかったのです。我々が短時間車を離れて居る間にKauaiの郡保安官(Sheriffs)の車が警備に来たので少し安心しましたが、日本人だけの少人数のグループなどは狙われ易いと思いますので、車から離れる時はくれぐれも防犯、盗難対策を忘れないで下さい。 のんびりと釣り人が魚釣りを楽しむ、歴史ある平和な州立公園ですが、一般道から降りた所で人目につき難い場所にあるので危険であることは確かです。 我々も次回そこを訪れるチャンスが有れば、安全対策を立てた上で皆さんにアップデートしたレビューをお届けしたいと思います。

The photos posted are from 9/16/21. I have written reviews on Ahukini before. This holds a special…read moreplace in my heart. Aside from the long history of a former shipping port, this is where my mom and dad would come to fish, pick opihi, crabbing, etc. while growing up in the 1970's-80's. Childhood days aside, Ahukini is a great place to take a lunch break with a boxed lunch. Part of the fun is watching planes climb after take off. Planes are still low enough to get a great photo against the tropical sky. Since these photos where taken, my mother had passed in October of 2022. So, yeah...lot of good memories here.

Breathtaking spot for a hike on the island. Plenty of waterfalls to see. A lot of walking up hill…read moreand big stairs, so be prepared it's not just a flat nature walk.

Take the tour to take you all the way to the fern grotto. The beauty of this place is being in…read moretouch with nature. As you walk you may hear the birds chirping. There are many plants that were introduced to the island, with beautiful flowers. Handicap accessible. Low intensity walking.

If you find yourself near Poipu Beach and fancy a little natural theatrics, the Spouting Horn is…read moreyour go-to spot. Picture this: water shooting dramatically through blowholes, like Mother Nature showing off her party tricks. The ocean's hue is so stunning it might make your Instagram followers weep with envy. Parking? Plenty. Stress? None. There's even a picnic area if you feel like making a day of it--though, let's be honest, this is more of a quick-stop kind of gig. Legend has it, a giant lizard got trapped there and now moans dramatically every time the blowhole erupts. Talk about holding a grudge! We swung by during a casual drive from our condo, and while there's some nearby construction, it's nothing that'll ruin the vibe. Bonus: you can even catch a glimpse of the action from a mile away at the Sheraton Kauai Resort, if you're feeling lazy. So, is it life-changing? Nah. But is it worth a pit stop for some cool photos and a bit of local lore? Absolutely. Consider it nature's way of saying, Ta-da!

We have multiple larger versions along the Oregon Coast, but always cool to see any in person…read more Nice overview, plenty of parking, tables, chickens, and restrooms. We even spotted a couple turtles below.

A relatively short and easy hike. The whole thing took just over an hour for us, which includes the…read moretime we took to stop for photos and admire the views. We did read that it can get very slippery and muddy at times, but luckily we didn't run into that issue. The ground was pretty dry when we went, and I had no issues with my super old shoes that had no traction left. There are also few areas when going down to the falls where you need to navigate down some steep/rocky areas, and then back up when coming back. Shouldn't be an issue for those who are able-bodied, but just something to keep in mind if you were hoping to come with those who aren't (maybe not the best idea). The falls were a bit small when we went, but overall the hike was pretty with lots of lush greenery. We saw some people jumping into the water, but we were way too lazy for that. We also read that septic tanks from the neighborhood may leak into the water. Since the trail starts in a residential neighborhood, please be respectful and mindful when walking past homes to the trailhead, and don't be too noisy or trespass. We also parked our cars nearby at Kapahi Park. The neighborhood roads are small and I can see why residents would get annoyed with people constantly cluttering up the street to go hiking. Overall, a great option if you're looking for an easy but beautiful hike. Maybe consider hiking shoes if it has recently rained heavily since apparently it can get muddy.

Wow, this trail was something. I came to Kauai for a jungle…read moreadventure, and I definitely got one here! It is such a magical path First of all the trailhead is pretty hard to find and kind of hilarious. There is literally no official signage, except a sign that reminds people to stay quiet since they're in a neighborhood. There is a designated parking lot may be about a quarter mile away, so you're not supposed to park in front of peoples houses. As you're walking from the parking lot towards the trailhead, someone's house is labeled with a cute story between frog and toad that says that the trailhead is three houses down. There's the most narrow little entryway into the trailhead. We also thought it was funny after our hike that almost all the yelp reviews talk about how easy this hike is. We're a pretty fit family, and I'll just say that after a week of rain, this trail was quite treacherous, so part of our experience may be that we got unlucky with the weather. We had to try really hard not to slip at every step. There's areas down to the river in the waterfalls that are really really steep where we had to grab onto trees and branches to not cause a landslide. We were caked in mud from the knees down and on our hands for most of the hike . Definitely need shoes with good grip - our Keens worked well since we were able to rinse out some of the mud in the river. It rained on and off during our hike, but luckily there were so many trees that the rain itself was not too bothersome, but most of the trail was soaked in mud puddles . We only made it to the first waterfall because of the conditions but still had a blast ! We had a lot of fun but I wouldn't have brought my older parents for example so be wary depending on the rain !

A fantastic intermediate trail if you're looking for some good exercise and aren't scared of a…read morelittle mud. It took two hours to go up and down while stopping for lots of photos and going at a pretty leisurely pace. Mostly covered, so it felt great even on a sunny day. Highly recommend.

This was much harder than I expected. The valet at the hotel told me to try it, and I didn't…read morerealize that it was gonna be slippery with rocks and roots throughout. Once it started raining, I was slipping and sliding the whole way absolutely gorgeous, but definitely wear tennis or hiking shoes.

Pu'u Hinahina Lookout from my POV, is the 2nd best lookout located within Waimea Canyon State Park…read more The most well known overlook is Waimea Canyon Lookout...located at Mile Marker 10 of the park. This Pu'u Hinahina is situated on the right hand side of Koke'e Road at Mile Marker 13.5. It can't be missed. And just like at Waimea Canyon Lookout, there is plenty of parking here as well. Now...I'd like to point out how tricky all these lookouts and vista points are here, not just among Waimea Canyon, but in this Pu'u Hinahina area. Let me try to explain... So, there's actually no Pu'u Hinahina Lookout, there are two observation points within Pu'u Hinahina. They are... - Canyon Viewpoint - magical! One of the superior perspectives representative of Waimea Canyon. - Ni'ihau Viewpoint - waste of time. Nothing to see. You need 15 seconds at this overlook before turning around. Both Canyon Viewpoint and Ni'ihau Viewpoint are short walks on paved pathways. Also within this Pu'u Hinahina Lookout, you have the prominent Canyon Trail leading to Waipo'o Falls. Canyon Trail is the most popular hike at Waimea Canyon. I noticed there's a separate Yelp category for writing about Waipo'o Falls and I'll delve more into the hiking experience over there, but let me at least start here with the basics... After checking out Canyon and Ni'ihau Viewpoints, the next logical step while at Pu'u Hinahina Lookout is to hike the 1.8 mile (each way) Canyon Trail. The estimated hiking time is 2 - 3 hours. I'll just sum up the hike right now... There's not much to see along the way to Waipo'o Falls. I started daydreaming about my next activity while at Waimea Canyon. Overall, it's a casual walk downhill among a tropical rainforest. This means that the return trip back uphill to the trailhead is moderately strenuous. I actually never discovered the real Waipo'o Falls. Supposedly it's one of the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii, yet instead I arrived at two small pools with mini trickledown waterfalls. I spoke with fellow visitors and they said this Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls is deceiving, and that at the end of the hike, you're actually standing on top of Waipo'o Falls. And if you'd like to get real views of Waipo'o Falls, you have to do some intense rock repelling down the cliff faced walls which is dangerous. Ultimately, Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls was disappointing especially with the bar for it set very high. Lastly, just to mention, it doesn't happen often, but there were threatening clouds in the sky as I started along Canyon Trail. And me thinking I'm in a Hawaiian paradise and impervious to weather conditions, what could go wrong? Well, yes, I got caught in an afternoon thunderstorm without rain gear. I was drenched for the remainder of the day. This was for the middle of August. Just something to keep in mind because the weather can swiftly change. And finally, lol, gotta put this out there. The island of Kauai is home to roosters and chickens all over the place. During my visit I had never seen anything like it. Returning back to the parking lot, I had some leftover pancakes from breakfast and fed them. They're pretty much waiting and anticipating you'll approach them. They'll gladly eat out of your hands too as they aren't shy. Overall, Pu'u Hinahina Lookout has its up and downs. Canyon Viewpoint is a masterclass setting. Ni'ihau Viewpoint needs a makeover. Canyon Trail to Waipo'o Falls was a letdown. Still, in the grand scheme of exploring Waimea Canyon, stopping by here at Pu'u Hinahina is a Must Do because of its accessible location inside the park.

Views of Waimea Canyon from the opposite side…read more November 2021. Saw a long trail alongside a cliff on the opposite side of Waimea Canyon and put it on my bucket list to hike it. March 26, 2022, started the Canyon hike from the Puu Hinahina Lookout. We had previously that morning done 2 hours of hiking the Pihea Trail off of the Puu o Kila lookout in Kokee Park, 7 miles away. Had started this hike in November 2021 but turned back after 30 minutes. This time we came prepared with hat, hiking poles, hiking boots, long sleeve pants, long sleeve shirts, water, hat, granola bars and fruit sticks. The first 45 minutes of the hike are the toughest part, steep downward hike over muddy terrain, broken by deep ruts and cuts into the surface. Dense tree cover means the trail never dries out, even though it had not rained in weeks. Slippery even with hiking boots and hiking poles. Tree roots ready to trip you with every move. And no view, as the tree cover prevents you from seeing Waimea Canyon. Eventually the trails levels out, with a parking lot for those who have joined the trail a mile farther up from the Kokee road at the Halemanu road, shaving an hour off the hike. Dense jungle gives way to peeks of Waimea Canyon, and finally on a spur to the right the Cliff overlook, where we see goats scrambling on the cliffs nearby. In a distance, the long trail alongside a cliff on the edge of Waimea Canyon. Trail continues downward, through water ravaged terrain, tree roots at every corner of the trail. Boulders start appearing, and finally an opening, a long plateau leading to the falls. This is the long trail alongside the cliffs with panoramic views of the Waimea Canyon, but from the opposite side. Don't get too close to the edge, as steep drop-offs along the canyon rim. More boulders, and boulder hoping down the steep trail, and then a fast-running stream. On the left is a walk to a large pond, and mini waterfalls, and on the right is the top of the Waipoo Falls. Cliffs of stone formations in the distance. No view of the falls themselves, as you are literally on top of the falls. Took 4 hours to do the complete hike, probably a record slow time, as we were passed by numerous toddlers, and at least two different encounters with hikers going barefoot!